Chapter 754: Evil Spirit Girl?

The next morning, inside the Sky Sparrow Pavilion.

"Ding-dong~ Ding~"

Accompanied by the crisp, melodious sound of bells, a girl in a golden skirt hurried through the woods at the southwest corner of the valley bottom.

This hidden and secluded corner of the valley bottom hides a private courtyard; it was once Jin Que'er's residence, later gifted to the Lord of the Ran Gate, and renamed "Sky Sparrow Residence".

Lord Lu's real estate holdings are truly quite numerous.

Cloud Sea Residence, Thousand Flowers Residence, Pear Garden Residence...

Simply impossible to live in them all~

As soon as Jin Que'er stepped into the small courtyard, she heard another crisp, melodious bell sound coming from inside the house.

Sister Jiang Qiao Yuanxi?

The face hidden behind Jin Que'er's golden veil revealed a hint of a smile.

In the latter half of the first month, the other Sky Sound Bell accepted a master, becoming Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi's magical artifact.

Subsequently, the two Sky Sound Bells, separated by thousands of kilometers, became the talking tubes for the two girls.

Both had excellent personalities and were the lively type; they quickly became friends, often "chatting on the phone" endlessly.

Today, the two were finally going to meet!

To be honest, it was thanks to the magical artifact, the Sky Sound Bell, also being of the lively and active type; had it been replaced by the Silent Night Blade, it would have long since thrown in the towel.

"Crack~"

The doors opened to left and right.

A girl wearing a green straw raincoat and a green bamboo hat peeked her head out.

Under the wide brim, those two cute big eyes locked onto Jin Que'er's ankles.

Jin Que'er looked at the raincoat girl as well, and saw a small, glittering golden bell on the other's ankles.

Both raised their eyelids at the same time, staring directly at each other.

Confirmed the look in each other's eyes!

The people who called every day!

Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi smiled with curved eyes: "Sister Que'er?"

"Hello, Little Jiang Qiao Yuanxi." Jin Que'er smiled and nodded, then her expression turned solemn, and she hurriedly bowed respectfully, "Lord, Lady."

Lu Ran, behind the door, did not feel he would frighten the Jiang Gezhu Jin.

Presumably, Jin Que'er was so terrified only because she saw the Empress draped in a phoenix robe.

The four-person team from Cloud Sea Cliff indeed had the appearance of stars surrounding the moon.

This was Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi's first outing with Lu Ran; she was so excited she insisted on wearing the green straw raincoat and green bamboo hat, becoming a martial arts hero in the Jianghu alongside her brother.

Although Yan Yan Shuangzi wore a white dress, following behind Jiangjiang Ruyi, she was clearly a servant.

This four-person team...

Hmm, the Lady and her servants.

For this trip, Lu Ran unusually did not bring the Evil Shadow Guardian; this morning, Yan Yan Shuangzi had borrowed the Little Fiery Phoenix from Lu Ran and gone into seclusion.

The Great Evil Shadow had advanced in the first decade of last October; counting the days, it was also close to a breakthrough.

"No need for ceremony, Jiang Gezhu Jin." Jiangjiang Ruyi spoke softly.

"Lady, you... just call me Que'er." Jin Que'er lowered her head and stood up.

For such a long time, Jin Que'er had also learned much information about the Ran Gate from Little Jiang Qiao Yuanxi.

When she heard that the Lady of the Ran Gate was Lu Ran's childhood sweetheart, the Jiangjiang Ruyi who had once accompanied him on "Heavenly Pride", Jin Que'er sighed with emotion.

And felt even more admiration for Lu Ran.

The Holy Spirit Mountain is not like the human world; within this realm, how difficult is it to find a single person?

This realm is filled everywhere with partings and deaths, yet Lu Ran could protect all his closest and dearest people right by his side; it was simply incredible.

"Ding-dong~ Ding~"

Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi walked lightly to Jin Que'er's side, examining the girl closely: "Sister Que'er is so beautiful, even better than imagined!"

Jin Que'er hurriedly shook her head: "I dare not, I dare not."

"Jiang Gezhu Jin, do not be so restrained." Lu Ran spoke; due to wearing the strange and beautiful blood crystal mask, his words sounded somewhat muffled, "How has the Pavilion been recently?"

"Everything is well." Jin Que'er reported, "Today, most of the Pavilion's disciples drew the middle lots; the valley should be calm and peaceful."

Lu Ran nodded slightly: "Is everything in the Pavilion arranged?"

"Rest assured, Lord."

"Very well, then we will go to the Ash Extinguishing Ridge first; after we return, you can show the Lady around the Sky Sparrow Pavilion."

"Yes." Jin Que'er's energy surged, transforming into an exquisite little Golden Sparrow, which smoothly landed on Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi's shoulder.

"Tsk tsk~" Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi's eyes shone bright, one hand stroking its golden, beautiful feathers.

"Let's go." Lu Ran smiled at his sister and casually activated the teleportation mirror.

With Lu Ran present, travel was naturally extremely fast.

Plus with Jin Que'er as this guide, the group quickly arrived at the northern edge, dozens of kilometers away, of the Ash Extinguishing Ridge.

The Ash Extinguishing Ridge spans over a thousand li.

Volcanic caves and caverns are endless.

Lu Ran and the others stood on a cliff, watching the lush green mountains and forests gradually wither and die, until not a blade of grass remained.

Looking due north, a sea of scorched earth!

The sky was gray and hazy, with specks of ash drifting in the air; between the mountains, cracks in the ground were visible everywhere, forming natural canyons.

Like wounds torn open.

This apocalyptic scene made people silently click their tongues in awe.

"Good heavens~" Lu Ran removed his blood-crystal mask, twitched his nose, then hurriedly put it back on.

Even so, that pungent sulfur smell kept drilling straight into his dog nose.

This place truly seems to have experienced a volcanic eruption.

"Hoo~"

At the cliff edge, tiny plum blossoms suddenly began to fall.

They brought not only faint, fragrant scents but also frost and snow, delivering a coolness to the group.

Xie Fa: Plum Blossoms Startling the Goose.

Jin Que'er turned to look at the woman in the white dress and was stunned to discover that as the woman lowered her hand, it left behind a series of phantom images.

Like a dream, like an illusion.

Was this not the perception-type divine technique of the Cold Plum Sect, Plum Blossoms Falling?

No, it was the movement-type Xie Fa of the Ice Plum Clan, Plum Blossoms Startling the Goose!

This peerlessly beautiful woman was actually a disciple of the Evil Demon, the Ice Plum Demon Queen?

The people around the Sect Master, my lord, are all rather abnormal, aren't they?

Jin Que'er still remembered the last time they met; the two women in rain capes Lu Ran had brought were one disciple of the Night Charm and one devotee of the Evil Dog!

This... is this really right?

"Much more comfortable." Lu Ran said in a muffled voice, turned to look at Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi, and apologized, "The first time I take you out to play, and it's to a place like this."

"It's fine!" Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi stopped covering her mouth and nose, inhaling the heart-refreshing floral scent. "How shocking this scene is!

Besides, I also want to bully that group of big black bears~"

"Hmm." Lu Ran nodded with a smile.

Jin Que'er came to her senses and immediately introduced, "Sect Master, look at the tallest volcano in the distance; the Xie Fa nest of the Ash-Extinguishing Demon Clan is very likely inside that volcano."

Lu Ran gazed out and said, "We will just kill Evil Demons on the periphery; do not go deep inside."

Jin Que immediately said, "Then we can choose a nearby rift; the bottom has many cave systems and tunnels in all directions, where the Ash-Extinguishing Demons will be hiding."

"Go." Lu Ran flew downward, and figures followed closely behind, charging into the sky full of gray ash.

Against this incredibly shocking apocalyptic backdrop, a few tiny humans actually appeared somewhat tragic and heroic.

The group plummeted straight to the bottom of the rift and indeed saw many caves.

Before the group could even choose one, they saw a huge black bear at the entrance of a cave.

Upon seeing the figures of several humans, it immediately froze.

On its face, Lu Ran read two big characters—A rare guest!

"Roar!!"

In the next moment, an Ash-Extinguishing Demon let out a furious roar and abruptly stood up.

"Whoa." Lu Ran bared his teeth.

This Ash-Extinguishing Demon was huge, over four and a half meters tall, like a small mountain.

Its appearance closely resembled a black bear; its eyes were blood-red, emitting a terrifying bloodthirsty aura, and in its cavernous mouth, sharp fangs made people shudder with fear.

Waves of ferocious and violent aura rushed toward the group all at once.

Extremely vicious!

This clan can judge cultivation realms by body size; this Ash-Extinguishing Demon should be mid-stage Jiang Jing.

Additionally, the Ash-Extinguishing Demon Clan has demon crystals in their brains, which do not vanish into energy after death.

In other words, the menu of the Ran Gate disciples could be added with ingredients like bear heart, bear gall, and bear paw...

"Thump! Thump! Thump!"

The Ash-Extinguishing Demon began to run; every step caused the ground to tremble.

As it advanced, a layer of lava armor covered its body.

The gray-black stone armor had considerable defense; within the cracks of the stone armor, brilliant magma could be faintly seen flowing.

Xie Fa: Ash-Extinguishing Armor!

Xie Fa: Ash-Extinguishing Charge!

The Ash-Extinguishing Demon roared wildly, charging forward with a boom, like a mountain of flesh rolling over.

"I'll do it, I'll do it~" Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi said this with her mouth, yet she hid behind Lu Ran, holding his arms with both hands, only exposing a small head.

In her big eyes, black flames suddenly ignited.

Black Lamp Xie Fa: Fire in the Cage (Yin)!

This is a single-target control technique; enemies illuminated by the black fire will have their movements greatly hindered.

"Wu?" The Ash-Extinguishing Demon was instantly confused.

Its charging steps suddenly slowed, as if it had shouldered a burden of ten thousand jin.

"Hehe~" Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi let out a girlish laugh; looking at the clumsy big black bear, her courage grew considerably, and she stepped out from behind Lu Ran.

The cute girl still wore a sweet smile on her pretty face, yet her aura was utterly evil.

"Wu~ Wu! Wu!!"

The Ash-Extinguishing Demon roared in grief and indignation; this clan possesses innate divine strength, truly remarkable, and it was still struggling to charge forward.

Alas, it was only Jiang Jing.

Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi, a great power of the Sea Realm, with an absolutely crushing posture, forced the soft-control technique Fire in the Cage (Yin) to produce some hard-control effects.

"Thump! Thump"

The Ash-Extinguishing Demon reverted to its proper beastly form, all four limbs on the ground, struggling to move forward.

"Yo?" Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi tilted her head, the flames in her eyes burning even more fiercely.

The Jinmie Demon roared in humiliation, struggling to crawl forward.

"So hardworking," Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi playfully winked her left eye, and the nature of the flame within it changed.

She gazed at the constantly crawling Jinmie Demon, their lines of sight intersecting; the Jinmie Demon's movements abruptly halted, freezing completely in place!

Those crimson pupils appeared much duller.

Black Lantern Xie Fa: Caged Fire (Illusion)!

The Jinmie Demon possessed no Jing Fang Ji Fa, falling completely under the illusion spell; the Jinmie armor on its body rapidly dispersed.

Just like the Black Lantern and the Pulling Thread Shadow, its entire body was steeped in poison!

When facing Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi, most living beings cannot look at her.

"Sister Que'er?" Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi slightly raised her shoulder.

"Ah!" The little Golden Sparrow on the girl's shoulder immediately came to her senses.

Just moments ago, Jin Que'er had been shocked to discover that the woman in the white skirt was a follower of the Evil Demon: Ice Plum.

But now, she was stunned to discover that Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi, who had once wielded the Flower Lantern Divine Art on "Lu Tianjiao," had now become a follower of the Evil Demon: Black Lantern?!

Are all the disciples under the Gate Master my lord's command evil demon disciples?

Not a single divine follower?

"Whoosh~ Whoosh~" Suppressing her surging emotions, Jin Que'er flicked her shimmering tail feathers; three golden feathers shot straight toward the bear's head.

Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi clasped her small hands behind her back, turned around, and looked at Lu Ran with a lively expression:

"Am I amazing?"

"Mm, mm, amazing!" Lu Ran nodded repeatedly.

Seeing Lu Ran praise her, the black flame in Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi's eyes leaped higher, and a happy smile bloomed on her face.

It's getting more and more sinister.

(End of this chapter)