Chapter 705: Rolling a Snowball

"It seems Shocking String Island will be easier to control than imagined." Lu Ran walked to the southeast corner of the courtyard and plopped down before the stone table.

"There's no harm in trying." Jiangjiang Ruyi signaled the Frost Guard attendant to brew tea, then also approached the stone table.

Lu Ran felt he was sick.

On the west side of the courtyard grew a weeping Immortal Jasmine tree; inside and outside Cloud Sea Residence, a faint jasmine fragrance already lingered.

Yet only when Jiangjiang Xianzi drew near did Lu Ran seem to realize this, and only then did he smell the floral scent.

Sniff~

Lu Ran twitched the tip of his nose, a gesture that made Jiangjiang Ruyi smile.

No wonder the folks in Great Xia call you "Ran Dog."

That little motion was truly vivid.

Jiangjiang Ruyi turned to look, seeing only a three-meter-tall jasmine tree, lush with branches and leaves, strings of pink-and-white blossoms swaying gently in the breeze, a sight too beautiful to take in all at once.

Lu Ran was also looking at the weeping Immortal Jasmine.

Not the flowering tree,

but his own single bloom.

"For this expedition to Shocking String Island, how many people do you plan to bring?" Jiangjiang Ruyi asked casually.

"Bring more." Lu Ran recalled the layout of the Shocking String faction. "Besides the central main island, there are troops stationed on the surrounding smaller islands; we must sweep them all up in one net."

The number of guardian islets surrounding Shocking String Island was considerable.

Jiangjiang Ruyi pondered, "After capturing the Shocking String faction, you can leave one Evil Mirror Demon on the island to help you collect Saint Spirit Qi."

The Saint Spirit Qi that fell within the areas of Cloud Sea Cliff and Pear Garden Sect could be guarded by dispatched troops, but Shocking String Island's terrain was unique; if Saint Spirit Qi fell into the sea, people would be unable to guard it.

The problem was that Lu Ran had the "Fourteen Star Islands" overseas.

Every time he went there to harvest, he nourished the Evil Mirror Demon's Yemo Yemo Xiesu; this race's growth resources were already plentiful enough.

A thought stirred in Lu Ran's heart: "I could try teaching the Evil Mirror Demon to store the collected Saint Spirit Qi in one place instead of absorbing it herself."

Jiangjiang Ruyi raised an eyebrow slightly.

Lu Ran talked to himself: "This race's intelligence isn't low; with patient teaching, it should work! Even if during collection she accidentally gets some on herself and it merges with her soul, it should only be a small portion, right?"

Jiangjiang Ruyi nodded and said, "Then on Shocking String Island, arrange a residence for the Evil Mirror Demon, letting her use her mirror to guide the Saint Spirit Qi into the house.

Then have everyone on the island cooperate with the Evil Mirror Demon's work; wherever Saint Spirit Qi falls, notify her immediately."

"Mm." Lu Ran nodded inwardly, feeling the more he thought about it, the more feasible it seemed.

Cloud Sea Cliff and Pear Garden Sect could also adopt this model; this would be more conducive to centrally protecting resources and would save Ran Sect disciples from guarding day and night in the wilds.

That's the plan!

Jiangjiang Ruyi suddenly said, "Actually, you could select a few Ran Sect disciples to become believers of the Evil Mirror Demon."

Communicating with humans would naturally be much more convenient.

"Mm." Lu Ran hesitated somewhat.

Recruiting believers for the Evil Mirror Demon was not easy!

It wasn't that there were any technical difficulties, but rather the issue lay in selecting candidates.

Ultimately, it was because the Evil Mirror Demon race's Zu Xie Fa was too powerful! Merely a Jiang Jing-level Evil Mirror Believer could span one hundred kilometers with a single Yi Ci Shi Fa.

This was undoubtedly a divine technique!

Extremely strong in functionality, extremely great in threat.

Even though Lu Ran could control the life and death of his sect disciples, if he were to recruit Evil Mirror Believers, he still had to choose people he trusted completely.

Lu Ran voiced the concerns in his heart.

Jiangjiang Ruyi deeply agreed; nowadays, Ran Sect's power was growing larger and its development speed faster, so indeed they should be even more careful and cautious.

Every Evil Mirror Believer was a gateway.

In places like Cloud Sea Cliff, Pear Garden Sect, Shocking String Island, and Celestial Gang City, as long as an Evil Mirror Believer existed, insiders could exit through the gateway, and outsiders could enter through it.

Moreover, this gateway itself possessed unparalleled mobility, able to travel anywhere in the Mountain Realm at will.

Various demonic strongholds, major sect powers...

Therefore, Evil Mirror disciples must be carefully selected, their numbers kept small, and others must monitor them from the side. If any situation truly arose, this would allow Lu Ran to learn of it immediately, quickly locate the source of the disaster, and halt the losses at once.

Human hearts are complex, especially in such an extremely cruel place; living beings who have suffered endless pain and torment are capable of doing anything.

Thus, up to now, Lu Ran's Shadow Guard Team numbered only four.

This was also why Lu Ran had completely sealed away the Divine Lie Tian technique, Lie Huo Tian Kui.

Jiangjiang Ruyi spoke: "After we capture Shocking String Island this time, I will select a few disciples within Ran Sect."

"You will choose?" Lu Ran did not doubt her personal capability.

Jiangjiang Ruyi confirmed: "With the Phoenix Robe helping to vet them, find a few well-behaved, loyal, and reliable disciples to keep by my side and cultivate for a while; once I feel they are ready, I will hand them over to you."

"Mm, alright." Lu Ran nodded heavily.

Evil Mirror, Evil Mirror disciples... By the way, is today the tenth day of the tenth month?

Five months had passed since his last voyage overseas.

"Jiang Ruyi, I'm going to make a round of the Fourteen Star Islands and will be right back." Lu Ran stood up, summoned the ancient bronze mirror, "Evil Shadow."

A phantom figure quietly appeared, standing behind and to the side of Lu Ran, nodding in acknowledgment to the Lady of Ran Sect.

"Stay safe," Jiangjiang Ruyi instructed softly.

"Yes!" Lu Ran responded first.

Yan Yan Shuangzi: "..."

Sect Master Lu and Dharma Protector Evil Shadow departed in a rush, and the floor-standing mirror vanished without a trace.

Just at that moment, the Frost Guard attendant approached carrying a tea tray, with a petite figure following behind.

"Sister Jiang Ruyi," Tian Tian whispered softly.

"Hmm?" Jiangjiang Ruyi turned her head and, seeing Tian Tian's timid little appearance, couldn't help but smile gently.

"I-I can gather Holy Spirit Qi for you." Tian Tian stepped before Jiangjiang Ruyi, head bowed, her small hands nervously twisting together.

The smile on Jiangjiang Ruyi's face softened slightly.

Tian Tian lowered her small head even further; she desperately wanted to ease the worries of Lu Ran and Jiangjiang Ruyi, yet feared overestimating her own abilities and being rejected.

What she feared even more was that Jiangjiang Ruyi would not trust her.

Although such thoughts ought never to arise in Tian Tian's little head, she had never been a confident person.

Suddenly, Tian Tian's body tensed.

For a slender hand reached out, gently stroking her pretty face: "We accept believers; you are different, Tian Tian."

"Oh?"

"You are a deity." The woman's cool voice was like a clear breeze brushing past.

All the complex emotions within the sensitive heart of Tian Tian were blown away completely.

"Do not rush, Tian Tian." Jiangjiang Ruyi's gaze also softened. "The days ahead are long; you, Yutang, and Bai Manni, including little Jiang Qiao Yuanxi, are all still in your growth stages."

"The Holy Lingshan is rich in divine power, comparable to the cultivation environment within the Inner City beneath the deities of the mortal world."

"Your only task right now is to cultivate and grow rapidly within this stable environment."

Tian Tian remained silent, nodding repeatedly.

There was good news from both Deng Yutang and Bai Bai Manni; ever since binding with Yemo Yemo Xiesu, this young couple had broken through their talent limits and easily advanced to the fifth stage of the River Realm.

Subsequently, the young couple advanced hand in hand into the River Realm, becoming what the mortal world's standards would judge as great experts.

However, within the Holy Lingshan, the River Realm did not qualify to be called "great experts."

Here, the early stage of the River Realm was the existence at the very bottom.

If such words were transmitted back to the mortal world, they would inevitably cause an uproar!

And there would certainly be a considerable number of people unwilling to believe such nonsense.

"What about Jiang Qiao Yuanxi?" Jiangjiang Ruyi suddenly asked.

"Sh-she is in the backyard, cultivating under the tree." Tian Tian's voice was already soft, and as she spoke these words, it grew quieter and quieter.

Jiangjiang Ruyi said nothing more, merely wearing a faint smile as she gently pinched Tian Tian's cheek.

"Oh, I'll go cultivate right away." Tian Tian hurriedly spoke, stealing a reluctant glance at Jiangjiang Ruyi before hastening toward the northeast corner of the courtyard.

This reluctance stemmed from a Dao Heart.

Striving to cultivate likewise stemmed from this.

The Cloud Sea Residence connected to thick stone walls on both its east and west sides; Tian Tian passed through the gate in the wall to reach the backyard, where, sure enough, beneath an Immortal Jasmine tree, she saw Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi sitting quietly in meditation.

Resting horizontally across her knees was a black-ice long sword—the Flower Night Sword.

Lu Ran had once asked about the meaning behind this sword's name; according to little Jiang Qiao Yuanxi, the name of the weapon was an extension of her own name.

Her so-called "Flower Night" referred to the lively night scenes that the mortal world ought to have every fifteenth night of the first lunar month before the descent of gods and demons, with lanterns strung up and brilliant fireworks.

At this moment, little Jiang Qiao Yuanxi, who loved to laugh and make noise, was cultivating diligently.

She was so serene and quiet.

It should be known that the mist within the Cloud Sea Cliff had only just dispersed, and she could be said to have been in secluded cultivation for nine days, yet even now, Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi showed no intention of resting.

She was still absorbing divine power, continuously impacting and widening the meridians within her body.

If her mother, Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Wanjun, were to witness this scene, she should feel gratified, thinking that her child had finally grown up.

Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi was indeed holding back a burst of determination!

She knew very well that she was merely a canary raised at home by her elder brother and sister-in-law.

It was not that this was bad; Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi liked and greatly enjoyed this care, but she also wished to fly out and see for herself, to witness this mysterious Holy Lingshan.

Her elder brother's requirement was also very clear: advance to the Sea Realm!

Now she had reached the fourth stage of the River Realm; she was just a little bit away.

"Hmm?" Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi sensed something; opening her eyes to look, she saw Tian Tian lost in thought.

"What's wrong?" Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi blinked her eyes.

Those beautiful eyes were bright and lively, making it hard not to find her adorable.

"N-nothing." Tian Tian hurriedly averted her gaze, quickly stepped to an Immortal Jasmine tree before her own room door, and sat kneeling on the ground.

"Big sister must work hard~" Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi said with crescent-shaped smiling eyes, offering encouragement.

"Mm-hmm!" Tian Tian responded in a low voice, inhaling the heart-refreshing floral fragrance as she lowered her head and closed her eyes.

Within the backyard, there were fully four Weeping Immortal Jasmine trees, all brought back by Lu Ran from the Glazed Realm.

They constantly absorbed the divine power between heaven and earth, and because they could not contain it all, they continuously diffused a faint immortal mist outward.

For the human race, these were naturally magical treasures that accelerated cultivation.

Lu Ran could be said to have done his utmost to provide better conditions for his companions; the Nightmare Residence where Young Master Deng and Bai Bai Manni lived, as well as the Mad Immortal Residence and other dwellings, also possessed rare flowers and exotic grasses.

However, they were not the extremely rare Immortal Jasmine trees, but rather creeping plants with similar effects: the Ground Brocade Grass.

Like Boston ivy, they climbed all over the fence walls of the courtyards.

Here, Jiang Qiao Yuanxi and Tian Tian were full of internal drive, striving to cultivate, while far away, thousands of kilometers out on the vast sea, Lu Ran and the Evil Shadow Protector successively boarded island after island.

Frantically collecting rent!

Not until boarding the fourteenth island did Lu Ran, counting the scratch marks recorded on the wall, calculate that he had harvested a total of 913 strands of Holy Spirit Qi.

It was much the same as last time; on average, each island could hand over about 13 strands of Holy Spirit Qi per month.

Within the God-Demon Sculpture Garden, Yemo Yemo Xiesu, the Sin-Mirror Demon Evil of the Sea Realm's third stage, vibrated unexpectedly.

Supporting his buzzing brain, Lu Ran, with practiced ease, replenished the islands with stationed demon minions.

By the time he returned to Cloud Sea Cliff, it was already noon; Jiangjiang Ruyi still sat in the courtyard, quietly sipping tea and admiring the flowers.

"Went smoothly?" Jiangjiang Ruyi asked, looking at the person emerging from the mirror.

"Mm." Lu Ran returned to the stone table and let out a long sigh. "The Yemo Yemo Xiesu is currently advancing to the fourth stage of the Sea Realm. Once its upgrade succeeds, I'll be able to summon two more Yemo Demons."

Jiangjiang Ruyi picked up her teacup and handed it over. "Once the Yemo Yemo Xiesu advances to the Heaven Realm, you'll be able to cast a vast net."

A Heaven Realm Yemo Yemo Xiesu can summon Sea Realm demon minions.

But there was no need.

Lu Ran could continue summoning Jiang Realm Yemo Demons, multiplying their number by ten!

If he occupied islands as well, the count would reach into the hundreds.

It felt somewhat like rolling a snowball.

As Lu Ran's strength increased, the territory he controlled expanded, and the resources he harvested surged exponentially.

(End of Chapter)