Chapter 657: Our Names

One servant cannot serve two masters.

You cannot simultaneously become a believer of two gods.

Similarly, the identity of an Inheritor is also exclusive.

You cannot simultaneously become the Inheritor of two false god stone statues.

However, the identities of Inheritor and servant can coexist, just like Deng Deng Yuxiang!

She is both the true form of the false god·Night Charm (via an Inheritance Contract) and a believer of Xiang Xiang Xianyang (via a Master-Servant Contract).

Of course, for two contracts to coexist within one person, the "Master" in the Master-Servant Contract must be a true god holding a divine position in the mortal world.

All the stone statues within Lu Ran's Sculpture Garden are false gods; they are unqualified and possess exclusivity.

These are all things Lu Ran dares to try and is able to try.

Taking Deng Deng Yuxiang as an example again: precisely because she worships the god·Xiang Xiang Xianyang did Lu Ran dare to make her the false god·Night Charm.

If Deng Deng Yuxiang were still like before, a believer of the Lord Bei Feng, how would Lu Ran dare to operate like this?

He feared the god·Lord Bei Feng would discover Deng Deng Yuxiang's abnormal identity!

But according to Lord Xiang Xiang Xianyang's meaning, to tear up a Master-Servant Contract without injury...

... one could let this human first become the Inheritor of a certain false god stone statue?

Doing this, would the gods not discover it?

"Lord Xiang Xiang Xianyang," Lu Ran spoke his doubts aloud toward the direction of the small hut.

Xiang Xiang Xianyang responded with a satisfied sound: 【This method naturally won't work in the mortal world. But after you enter the Divine Ruins, the myriad gods will be out of reach.】

Speaking of this, Xiang Xiang Xianyang changed the subject: 【You established the Ran Sect within the Holy Lingshan and accepted many believers?】

Lu Ran immediately nodded: "Yes, nearly two hundred disciples."

【Contact them.】

"Yes." Lu Ran immediately closed his eyes, attempting to establish contact with Song Yu, the Hall Master of the Flying Immortal Hall.

Yet he could not make contact at all!

Having returned to the mortal world, Lu Ran had completely lost control over the disciples of the Ran Sect located within the Holy Lingshan.

Not only that!

As the Master of Divine Weapons, Lu Ran also attempted to contact his own divine weapon, the Xia Guang Dao.

Still no success.

Lu Ran could only vaguely sense that the Xia Guang Dao still existed, and that was all.

Voice transmission, location information, and so on—none of it worked!

"It won't work." Lu Ran's expression became somewhat complex as he turned to look at Jiangjiang Ruyi.

After entering the mountain, she had first torn up the Master-Servant Contract before signing the Inheritance Contract with the false god stone statue.

Because of this, she had even dropped a rank.

Jiangjiang Ruyi, intelligent as ice and snow, gently squeezed Lu Ran's hand: "Being cautious in all things is never wrong."

His fiancée's words of comfort had just fallen when Lord Xiang Xiang Xianyang's voice transmission descended:

【Before you challenged the Divine Ruins, I already told you that in the world beyond the Divine Ruins, you can act as you please.】

"This disciple understands," Lu Ran lowered his head and said softly.

Seeing Lu Ran in this state, Xiang Xiang Xianyang rarely softened his tone slightly: 【No need for this; since you are undertaking extraordinary matters, you ought to be cautious indeed.】

"Yes... hmm?" Lu Ran suddenly thought of something, "Back then, how did Lord Xiang Xiang Xianyang remind Jiangjiang Ruyi that I was at the seaside?"

【You are not a proper god and currently hold no divine position; indeed, there is a slight difference in the degree of control you and I have over our groups of believers.】

Xiang Xiang Xianyang's tone eased slightly, then he said in a deep voice: 【But since I told you that you can act as you please, then you can!】

"Mm." Lu Ran nodded.

Thinking about it, Lord Xiang Xiang Xianyang had only given Jiangjiang Ruyi one word regarding him—"Sea."

The information was extremely vague.

Lu Ran pondered for a moment, gently withdrew his hand from Jiangjiang Ruyi's, walked back into the small hut, and closed the door again.

He came before the shrine, pressed his palms together once more, bowed his head, and said: "Lord Xiang Xiang Xianyang, this disciple has always had a doubt."

【Speak.】

"This disciple has his subordinates sign Inheritance Contracts with the stone statues; their ultimate goal is to replace the gods and demons and seize divine positions, a target that is very clear."

Lu Ran paused, then added: "Lord Xiang Xiang Xianyang once said that this disciple is the Master of Gods and Demons. Indeed, I can steal the power of gods and demons and freely use the techniques of all stone statues within the Sculpture Garden.

But as for this disciple's own divine position...

Is this disciple's task simply to continuously cultivate the stone statues, thereby causing my own strength to rise like water lifting a boat?"

After these words fell, a dead silence ensued.

Lu Ran waited quietly for a long time, so long that he thought Lord Xiang Xiang Xianyang had already departed.

He couldn't help but call out: "Lord Xiang Xiang Xianyang?"

【Me.】

A single, lonely word printed itself into Lu Ran's mind.

"Ah?" Lu Ran raised his head to gaze at the shrine.

【Back then on the God-Worshipping Platform, what I signed with you was not a low-grade Master-Servant Contract.】

Lu Ran's eyes widened slightly.

Clearly, he had realized something.

【You are also an Inheritor; isn't that Sculpture Garden within your spiritual world obvious enough?】

The white jade carving of a sheep within the small shrine quietly turned its head black; those listless horizontal pupils stared tightly at Lu Ran as it spoke word by word:

【"What you will ultimately replace is me."】

【"Lord Si Xianxian Sheep"】

【"I hope all of this happens before I dissipate."】

Lu Ran's brain buzzed; after going round and round, he had returned to that initial topic.

Lord Si Xianxian Sheep had said long ago that it would gradually dissipate

and eventually perish.

"Why, Lord Si Xianxian Sheep?" Lu Ran couldn't help but ask. "Gods are pure energy bodies; as long as there is power of faith, they can live. Why would you dissipate?

Or is there some way to stop all this? This disciple will go—"

【"Do you truly believe I am the God·Si Xianxian Sheep seen by the world?"】 The god's tone was obviously much, much gentler.

Lu Ran shook his head.

In every aspect, "Lord Si Xianxian Sheep" was not the God·Si Xianxian Sheep.

【"Do what you must, Lu Ran."】

【"When you possess sufficient strength and a thorough understanding of this world, I will tell you my name."】

【"Our names."】

Lu Ran's heart gave a start: "Our names?"

【"You are my successor, are you not?"】

Lu Ran hurriedly said, "I—"

【"Go."】 The gentle tone returned to normal, brooking no argument.

Lu Ran fell silent for a long time, then silently bowed his head in salute and turned to walk out of the room.

Once again, Jiangjiang Ruyi saw Lu Ran return, weighed down with worry.

The mood of the Vast Sea influenced the surrounding environment; anyone could feel that Lu Ran's mood was far grimmer than when he had emerged last time.

And this time, Jiangjiang Ruyi did not ask again.

She simply stepped forward and suggested, "The master bedroom has been tidied up; go and get some proper rest.

However, staying at home constantly is also somewhat improper; the Moon-Watchers will be patrolling continuously.

Once the evil spirits retreat, we will go to Lady Luo Sister Xian's Mountain."】

Why not go now?

Because Lady Luo Sister Xian's Mountain is where the true body of Si Xianxian Sheep resides; the energy there is vast and would attract a great number of evil spirits.

Tonight, Lady Luo Sister Xian's Mountain would inevitably be engulfed in endless warfare and would be heavily guarded.

It was inconvenient for everyone to go there at this time.

"Mm." Lu Ran pondered briefly, then looked at the woman. "Your family."

"I cannot rashly visit their home," Jiangjiang Ruyi analyzed calmly. "In my home, there is still a small divine statue of Master Yu Fu enshrined."

Even though gods stand high above and could not possibly pay attention to Jiangjiang Ruyi's household, as she had said before: it is never wrong to be cautious.

As she spoke, Jiangjiang Ruyi's beautiful eyes swept across everyone present.

Her intent was obvious.

In your homes, small divine statues of various gods are also enshrined; none of you are allowed to return home!

And Lady Ran Sect's gaze deliberately lingered for a moment on the Da Da Mengyan Protector.

Deng Deng Yuxiang was the most special one among everyone present.

She had withdrawn from the Lord Bei Feng Sect while still in the mortal world.

Moreover, right under the nose of Lord Lord Bei Feng, Lord Si Xianxian Sheep had personally severed the contract threads with his own hands.

For her, this "lowly" human believer, Lord Si Xianxian Sheep had both smiled apologetically and offered gifts of compensation.

That scene remained, even until now, a stumbling block in the hearts of both Lu Ran and Deng Deng Yuxiang.

Just thinking about it made one furious!

"The small divine statue of Lord Bei Feng in my home was thrown away long ago," Deng Deng Yuxiang said, sitting on the sofa, lifting her long legs, and propping them on the coffee table while letting Yan Yan Shuangzi wipe the floor beneath her feet.

That manner of hers was truly...

The Chief Protector of Ran Sect Sect bullying people!

"However, if we are acting cautiously, I cannot return home either." Deng Deng Yuxiang felt her calf pinched by her best friend, so she curled her legs up and nestled into the sofa. "Yutang knows my whereabouts."

Deng Yutang had always been a believer of the Red Scarf, and still was.

Including Deng Deng Yuxiang's sister-in-law, Bai Bai Manni, and Lu Ran's younger sister, Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi; both had been witnesses back then.

If Lu Ran and Deng Deng Yuxiang were to rashly appear before these few people, it would indeed be somewhat improper.

Jiangjiang Ruyi nodded gently, murmuring, "We must have little Jiang Qiao Yuanxi, Yutang, and the others switch their allegiance to the Xianyangyi Sect first."

A room full of world-destroying Vast Seas perfectly embodies what it meant to "walk on thin ice."

Cautious to the extreme!

"Mm." Lu Ran nodded in agreement.

Summoning the few of them to Lady Luo Sister Xian's Mountain and asking Lord Si Xianxian Sheep to help sever the contracts should not pose any major problems.

Unlike the Great Da Da Mengyan, the strength and cultivation realms of Deng Yutang, Tian Tian, and the others should not be high; it is impossible for them to gain too much attention from the gods.

Moreover, this time, Lord Si Xianxian Sheep would not be forcibly tearing up the contracts in a provocative manner right in front of the other gods.

To put it coldly: even if the contracts of Deng Yutang and the others were destroyed, those gods standing high above would not even notice!

This was not Lu Ran guessing wildly.

To a certain extent, he was also a god, with nearly two hundred disciples under his command.

Asking himself honestly, if any disciple of Ran Sect Sect were to die, Lu Ran would not be able to detect it either.

Unless he pays special attention!

Lu Ran's believers, even counting every last one, number fewer than two hundred; just how vast is the number of believers for the gods of this world?

Even if one wanted to pay attention, there would be no way to keep track of them all.

Thinking of this, Lu Ran said softly, "Tonight, I have already disturbed My Lord Xiang Xiang Xianyang for far too long."

After we go to Lady Luo Sister Xian's Mountain, I will go again to beg My Lord Xiang Xiang Xianyang."

Seeing the expression on Lu Ran's face, Deng Deng Yuxiang comforted him, "If My Lord Xiang Xiang Xianyang is unwilling to accept them or unwilling to bother with these matters, it does not matter; you need not put yourself in a difficult position."

Once we return to Holy Lingshan, we will have Liangye Jian Yi knock Deng Yutang unconscious, stash him directly inside the gourd, and take him away."

Once he is back at Holy Lingshan, he will be yours to do with as you please."

Lu Ran:???

By force!

You really are a good older sister!

Poor Brother Deng~

Your sister did say I can do whatever I want with him.

(End of Chapter)