Chapter 785: I

Night fell, deep in the mountains and forests.

A man and woman hurried forward, finally halting at the edge of a cliff.

"Lake!" Lu Ran said.

The cliff offered an unobstructed view; far in the distance stretched endless forests.

Amid the dense trees, that large, relatively open area was impossible to miss.

A lake atop a mountain?

Lu Ran grew excited, lowering his voice: "We've been heading north the whole time—could this be the Night Phantom Lake Luo Lady mentioned?"

He strained his vision, scrutinizing the lake's surface, searching for traces of the Night Phantom clan.

Yet after long observation, he saw no trace of demons upon the water.

"It doesn't seem to be." Lu Ran sighed, murmuring, "Luo Lady said the Night Phantom Lake lies beneath the snow-capped peaks.

These nearby mountains aren't high enough—no snow covers their summits."

He spoke to himself for a long while before realizing Deng Yu had been silent for quite some time.

At dusk, Lu Ran killed two Yu Fu disciples, then withdrew.

He and Deng Yu exchanged whispers until they reunited deep in the woods over ten kilometers away.

At that time, Deng Yu's expression was agitated; she gripped his arms, scanning him from head to toe, asking if he was hurt.

Lu Ran, eager to soothe her, said boastfully:

"Heh, just two Hai-jing cultivators."

Deng Yu did not laugh, nor did she scold him.

She merely looked at him with complex eyes, falling silent.

Then the two continued northward, distancing themselves from the turmoil, seeking the Night Phantom clan's lair.

Until now, Deng Yu remained silent; Lu Ran had forgotten when she last spoke.

"Nightmare?" Lu Ran turned, seeing her expressionless face.

He furrowed his brow, placing both hands on her arms.

Just as she had checked him when they reunited, he examined her closely.

"What's wrong?" Lu Ran whispered.

Deng Yu finally spoke: "I have no night vision—I can't make any judgment."

That night, clouds churned across the sky; not a single star was visible.

The Sacred Spirit Mountain Realm was utterly dark, devoid of any light—she truly had no sight.

Lu Ran comforted her: "The terrain's been so complex all along—you've kept up perfectly!

That proves you're growing more attuned to the Night Phantom Sculpture; your ability to sense sound and pinpoint location is sharpening."

The Night Phantom clan's hearing ability stems not from dark arts, but from their racial traits.

Deng Yu lowered her head slightly: "Mm."

Lu Ran's smile faded, his eyes filled with concern: "Sister?"

The sudden shift in address struck hard.

Deng Yu smiled helplessly; Lu Ran had always spoken gently, and she felt his genuine care.

After a pause, she whispered softly: "I'm fine. I'm just frustrated—I couldn't help you."

How could it be merely "couldn't help"?

Deng Yu realized she was a burden.

In the dusk ambush, only after she withdrew and confirmed safety could Lu Ran fight freely.

Later, while waiting in the woods, that helpless, anxious feeling made her despise herself.

She, who had always been proud,

truly struggled to bear it.

Lu Ran raised his hand, patted her shoulder, and teased: "Know your place, Guardian!

I'm the Lord of Demons, and you

are merely one of my minor demon gods."

Deng Yu: "."

Minor demon god?

A demon god is still a god—a supreme being within a domain!

Is it appropriate to prefix it with "minor"?

Why does it sound kind of cute?

Lu Ran continued: "You must understand my strength! Who else dares challenge Hai-jing masters while still at Jiang-jing?

Across heaven and earth, in the Sacred Mountains and mortal realms—

I'm the only one!"

Lu Ran reached up, ruffling Deng Yu's hair: "So don't be upset, Nightmare Guardian—you're already very strong."

Deng Yu:???

What kind of gesture is that?

It's outright rebellion against cosmic order!

Deng Yu slapped his hand away, about to speak—when that infuriating voice spoke again:

"Oh! You're alive~"

Deng Yu was both furious and amused; she swung out a long leg and kicked the dark shadow ahead.

I dodge~

Lu Ran stepped back several paces, standing at the cliff's edge.

He turned again, gazing through the thick night toward the distant forest below, where the lake remained still.

"Do you blame me for not binding you to the Evil Hound Sculpture?"

From the darkness came Lu Ran's voice.

Deng Yu snapped: "You're the Lord of Demons—you decide, I obey."

Lu Ran fell silent a moment, then said: "Actually, binding you to the Night Phantom Sculpture was Master Xiang's idea."

Deng Yu raised an eyebrow—this surprised her.

She had assumed this decision was Lu Ran's own.

The Night Phantom clan's techniques resemble those of the North Wind Sect; their combat style matched hers perfectly—she needed no adaptation to wield it immediately.

Lu Ran making this choice made perfect sense.

But she hadn't expected it to be the Divine One's directive?

Deng Yu thought a moment, then softly spoke: "Master Xiang must have had his reasons."

Lu Ran nodded gently: "Mm, so we're agreed—you can't blame me anymore.

Grudges have targets, debts have owners~

You can't teleport, you lack Dark Sensory or Dark Awareness, you can't challenge Hai-jing masters—you need to take it up with Master Xiang."

"You jerk!" Deng Yu hissed, laughing despite herself, "Show some respect."

Lu Ran shrugged: "Honestly, I'm a bit curious why Master Xiang insisted on you… but never mind, it's done. Let's drop it."

Deng Yu's voice turned serious: "This matter need not be mentioned again.

I'm perfectly suited to the Night Phantom—I have no regrets about binding with the Night Phantom Sculpture."

"Good!" Lu Ran nodded. "Rest for a while. When the night deepens further, we'll go to the lake."

"Yes!"

The two retreated from the cliff, sat beneath a large tree, cross-legged on the ground.

Lu Ran focused his mind, entering the Divine-Demon Sculpture Garden.

Soon, he found the Sculpture·Yu Fu.

Amid mist-shrouded statues, Lu Ran stood silently before Yu Fu, gazing up at his solemn visage.

Lu Ran's emotions were deeply complex.

After all, as a child, he had once bowed before the Divine·Yu Fu under his father's guidance.

The boy's obsession had haunted him ever since.

He dreamed of inheriting his father's legacy, following in his footsteps, completing his father's unfinished work.

But it was all his own delusion.

The Divine·Yu Fu had never once looked at him.

Slowly, Lu Ran smiled, gazing at the solemn divine statue.

You won't even look at me, huh?

Fine. Wait for me, Yu Fu.

I've come to see you!

Through this false divine statue, Lu Ran's mind flooded with memories of the small altar at home, where the tiny Yu Fu statue once stood.

Now Lu Ran knew: not a single god among the heavens was good.

The gods had conspired with demons, casting a shadow over humanity, forbidding any change, perpetually oppressing and exploiting all beings, forcing humanity to serve as slaves generation after generation.

Thus, whenever Lu Ran recalled kneeling before the Yu Fu altar, day and night, devoutly worshipping—

It's even more ironic!

"Hum!"

The Jade Token Sculpture suddenly trembled.

Successfully activated!

Mist Realm: Stage One, Stage Two, Stage Three

Stream Realm: Stage One, Stage Three, Stage Five

Beneath the big tree, Lu Ran suddenly opened his eyes, startled and delighted.

Mei Ling'er was merely a believer of the River Realm; Yuan Ying was a believer of the River Realm too.

Under normal circumstances, just these two souls could not even activate the Jade Token Sculpture.

After all, two River Realm souls are roughly equivalent to two thousand Mist Realm souls.

But this is Holy Spirit Mountain!

Mei Ling'er and Yuan Ying's souls had accumulated vast amounts of Holy Spirit Energy.

These primordial energies flowed into the Jade Token Sculpture along with the two deceased souls.

River Realm · Stage One!

Two souls managed to push the Sculpture all the way to River Realm · Stage One?!

Of course, the Sculpture is relatively easy to cultivate in its early stages.

For example: assuming the Sculpture is already activated, just one River Realm soul is enough to elevate it from Mist Realm to Stream Realm!

But further cultivating the Sculpture increases the difficulty tenfold with each step.

"Huh," Lu Ran sighed deeply, calming his excited emotions.

Tsk~

That little maid Mei Ling'er really hit the jackpot!

She's been by the side of the Sea Realm adept Lady Kong, drinking plenty of broth, hasn't she?

Lu Ran licked his lips, his anticipation growing.

If one day he could trap Lady Kong's soul into the Divine Demon Sculpture Garden,

wouldn't that send him soaring?

Besides Lady Kong, there's also the main target—Luo Tiantu!

How much Holy Spirit Energy do their souls hold?

"Huh~"

Suddenly, a surge of energy stirred; in the pitch-black forest, a faint glow ignited.

Deng Yu's eyes narrowed!

She saw Lu Ran seated cross-legged beneath the tree, four white jade tablets floating around him.

Jade Token Divine Art · Jade Token Array!

The four white jade tablets were the Lightning Shackles Talisman, the Explosive Flame Talisman, the Frost Talisman, and the Flowing Sand Talisman.

The faint glow came from the Lightning Shackles Talisman and the Explosive Flame Talisman.

After all, one of these jade tablets was encircled by fine blue-purple lightning, while the other spattered beautiful sparks.

"So, after Wu Lie, it's the Jade Token?" Deng Yu whispered.

Although Lu Ran was still in the early stages of growth, his ambition was plain to see!

As the saying goes: Heaven cannot hold two suns!

In the same domain, there cannot be two supreme deities.

"We'll see," Lu Ran said casually.

His calm voice sounded as if he weren't discussing the murder of gods.

The powerful aura he unconsciously radiated made Deng Yu's heart tremble inwardly.

Deng Yu softly hummed, then added: "Now you no longer need to fear Jade Token believers."

Whether Lightning Shackles Talisman, Explosive Flame Talisman, Frost Talisman, or Flowing Sand Talisman—

Before the Divine Art · Jade Token Array, all can be absorbed!

For Jade Token believers to defeat Lu Ran, they must unleash their ultimate techniques.

Either by absolute dominance in realm or divine art rank, supplemented by divine weapons, artifacts, or martial arts, to fight Lu Ran directly.

Lu Ran reached out and grasped a jade tablet wrapped in lightning:

"Currently, the Jade Token Sculpture is still at River Realm, and the Jade Token Array is only River Rank. It still needs more cultivation."

Deng Yu suggested: "The disciples of Tian Tu Mountain kill, rob, and commit every evil deed.

We could go exterminate bandits—it would perfectly cultivate your Jade Token Sculpture, weaken enemies, and strengthen yourself.

Of course, the premise is to avoid those two Sea Realm adepts.

Lu Ran waved his hand, and the four white jade tablets vanished.

He looked at Deng Yu, whose eyes were cold and filled with murderous intent, and said: "No rush!

Today's incident just happened—Tian Tu Mountain will surely be on guard.

Let's first find Night Phantom Lake and properly cultivate you."

In the pitch-black environment, she listened to his soft words.

Her cold gaze gradually softened; her heart grew tender, and she whispered in reply:

"Mm."

(End of Chapter)