Chapter 793: This Round Is Solid

The Nie Jing Yao clan's teleportation technique, Mirror Flower Moon, has a maximum range of 100 kilometers when activated by Jiang Pin.

Lu Ran opened multiple landing mirrors, bringing Deng Yu to the edge of the snow forest.

Standing atop the high mountain, he looked northward—endless white snow stretched before him.

Looking south, the mountains and forests gradually shifted from white to green.

"Let's stay around here—we're far beyond the Ye Mei clan's territory," Lu Ran suggested.

"Alright," Deng Yu glanced around and recognized this peak.

Previously, when they traveled northward, they had stood on this boundary ridge, gazing south and north.

Returning here was no coincidence.

Lu Ran had retraced his steps exactly—he activated the teleportation dark art, Mirror Flower Moon, to a destination chosen deliberately.

Within a hundred-kilometer radius, he could reach anywhere within his line of sight, or any place he had previously mapped or recorded spatial coordinates for.

Lu Ran looked at the woman: "Should we wait for a snowstorm?"

Inadvertently, he caught sight of her beautifully sculpted waistline.

Not long ago, a Ye Mei blade had pierced her waist and abdomen, leaving her clothing torn and shredded.

It had also revealed her exquisitely defined abdominal contours.

Lu Ran quickly turned his head away, feigning to observe the surroundings.

But as soon as he turned, he cursed himself inwardly—why was he so nervous?

Even if she bared her waist, what of it?

This is the modern age—men and women alike can display their allure. Cough, cough—display their health and vitality!

Yes, that's right!

"Hmm, best to wait for one," Deng Yu said, her thoughts heavy, unaware of any anomaly.

Advancement is indeed a difficult matter!

Once she initiates advancement, it will inevitably cause a major disturbance.

Within this perilous Holy Spirit Mountain, there are no shortage of those who prey on the vulnerable!

If she is attacked during her advancement…

Whether she survives is uncertain, but even if she does, after being disrupted, she'll find it nearly impossible to regroup and break through again!

"Let's go, down the mountain," Lu Ran summoned a black cloud beneath his feet. "We head deeper into the forest, find a hidden spot."

"Alright!"

The two flew down the peak, plunging straight into the dense forest.

For this advancement, the Ruan Gate duo had specially carved out a hidden cave, its long tunnel burrowing deep into the mountain's interior.

They waited patiently for several more days, until finally a blizzard night arrived.

Inside the pitch-black, silent cave, Deng Yu sat cross-legged on the ground, cradling over a dozen energy-filled Divine Power Beads.

The glow from the treasures illuminated her solemn face.

"Nightmare." Lu Ran suddenly spoke.

"Here."

"No matter what happens, you must focus on your advancement," Lu Ran's voice was grave. "This concerns not only your future, but Ruan Gate's future too."

Deng Yu remained silent, nodding gently.

She knew the gravity—this path upward, if she slipped even once, would plunge her into an abyss.

Lu Ran gripped the Fiery Phoenix Pattern Gourd and sighed inwardly: "If Little Fiery Phoenix could absorb living beings, and let Great Nightmare advance inside the gourd, that would be ideal…"

"Hum~"

The Fiery Phoenix Pattern Gourd trembled slightly; golden phoenix patterns glowed faintly to life.

Lu Ran didn't hear the spirit's exact words, but he felt Little Fiery Phoenix's intent.

He smiled, tracing his fingers over the golden phoenix pattern: "Alright, strive hard. But first, help her advance."

The phoenix pattern glowed brighter and brighter, dazzlingly radiant.

Lu Ran extended his hand forward; the Fiery Phoenix Pattern Gourd floated gently into Deng Yu's arms.

"I'll go guard outside," Lu Ran turned to leave, but paused at the tunnel entrance. "Remember—no matter what happens outside, do not divert your focus!"

"Yes."

"This is an order," Lu Ran said firmly, emphasizing it again.

"Yes!" Deng Yu bowed her head slightly, gripping the dozen Divine Power Beads tightly.

Lu Ran stepped forward, walked through the long tunnel, turned several corners, and finally reached the cave entrance.

The entrance was unremarkable—more like a crack, barely wide enough for one person to squeeze through sideways.

Before the cave lay dense forest; a massive snow pine towered over the entrance, blocking it from view.

"Woo-oo-oo~~~"

In the pitch-black night, howling winds swept through, blanketing everything in frost and snow.

Listening to the eerie, wolf-like wails, Lu Ran felt slightly more at ease.

He observed for a moment, then squeezed sideways back into the cave's crack, advanced several meters, leaned his back against the wall, and closed his eyes.

"Boom!!"

Suddenly, a thunderous sound pierced through the howling wind and snow.

Lu Ran jumped in fright!

His face darkened; he rubbed his ears, barely holding back a curse.

To guard, he had maxed out his dark art, Evil Awareness, and focused intensely!

"Damn." Lu Ran muttered, reluctantly lowering the level of his Evil Awareness.

Only after a long while did he sense the divine energy in the heavens and earth growing denser—his mood improved.

Had Great Nightmare broken through the bottleneck and entered advancement?

Leaning against the tunnel's stone wall, eyes closed, Lu Ran imagined a bright future.

If this advancement succeeds, she'll become a Jiang Realm Stage Four human powerhouse.

The Holy Spirit Mountain realm is rich in divine energy—perfect for cultivation. If Deng Yu advances just one more minor stage, she'll reach Jiang Realm peak!

Once she reaches that height, she'll only need one insight.

Will the Hai Realm be far off?

Speaking of which, Deng Yu has endured major life upheaval.

Fortunately, this brilliant camellia, under Lu Ran's careful nurturing, has maintained a stable heart.

Her goals remain clear and unwavering—she has not sunk into despair or lost her way.

Yet, compared to the insight she gained when breaking from He Realm to Jiang Realm, has her path to godhood changed now?

She's bound to the Ye Mei Evil Sculpture—she's headed straight for the position of an Evil God!

Lu Ran fell into thought.

Deng Yu is undoubtedly someone who shattered and then reassembled.

But because of Lu Ran's presence, her reassembly was swift—almost seamless.

She had just plunged into the abyss, her body shattered, when Lu Ran pieced her back together and set her on this path.

In that light, her insight must be fundamentally determined, right?

Probably: replace Ye Mei, become an Evil God, purge the world of calamities.

"Hmm." Lu Ran grew more convinced as he thought.

Once she reaches Jiang Realm Stage Five, I can discuss it with her.

Perhaps I can drastically shorten her time to gain insight and advance!

Hmm~

Personally cultivating a Hai Realm powerhouse? Just thinking about it…

"Boom!!"

Lu Ran jumped again, face pale with rage.

I fucking…%￥&!!

You bastards!

One day I'll storm the heavens and chop you all to pieces!

Lu Ran cursed inwardly, powerless against the beings above—forced to endure silently.

The night passed quickly.

Lu Ran had no intention of seeking Holy Spirit energy—this was no time for distractions.

The next day, clouds churned across the sky; snow and wind still raged through the forest, putting Lu Ran at ease.

But Jiang Realm advancement takes at least two or three days—he must remain on high alert.

By the third morning, the sky remained overcast, the blizzard still raging!

Lu Ran was overjoyed—only two words filled his mind: stable!

"This round? Totally stable~"

Lu Ran stood sideways in the narrow tunnel, peering through the crack several meters ahead at the blinding white expanse outside.

Heaven itself is aiding me!

Blow harder!

The wind grew stronger, the snow fell heavier, and—hmm?

Lu Ran's heart sank; he quickly closed his eyes and listened.

He faintly heard the sound of flapping wings?

This is

Meanwhile, in the vast blizzard.

A man with ice-blue butterfly wings on his back floated in circles around the peak, eyes closed.

Clearly, he was a follower of the Fifth-Rank Divine—Ice Butterfly Sect.

"Brother Chen," a middle-aged woman flapped her wings and caught up, hurriedly saying, "This person must be inside the mountain!"

"The frost and snow don't touch his body, so we can't sense him."

The man named Chen opened his eyes and glared coldly at the woman: "Do you think I need you to tell me?"

The woman pouted, feeling wronged, but ultimately dared not speak.

Seeing her expression as if she wanted to argue, the man named Chen snorted: "Fine, then go report it to the higher-ups yourself."

"Huh? Me? Go?" The woman's face paled; fear flickered in her eyes.

"Aren't you afraid the Master will grow impatient? Go!" The man spoke coldly, then spread his wings and flew away.

The middle-aged woman's face turned pale; she looked up toward the high sky.

In the snowstorm, a woman clad in pure white stood atop a flying sword.

The middle-aged woman hesitated for a long time, wrestling within herself, but finally forced herself to fly upward.

"M-Master," the woman stammered.

One could feel her terror, deep in her soul—even the butterfly wings behind her fluttered out of rhythm.

Yet the monster she feared was a young, beautiful woman.

She was no more than in her early twenties, her long black hair dancing lightly, her white robe flowing.

The young woman stood atop a flying sword, revealing her identity—a disciple of Jian Yi.

"Speak," the Jian Yi disciple said, her gaze fixed on the mountain below.

The Ice Butterfly disciple bowed her head, trembling as she reported: "We've circled the mountain many times; we sensed no living beings, and there are no ambushes in the forest. This... this person must be ascending within the mountain."

The Jian Yi disciple lowered her head, her cold eyes fixed on the Ice Butterfly disciple.

All energy in heaven and earth was converging into this mountain—who didn't know this person was ascending inside?

"M-Master..." The middle-aged woman trembled violently, her head bowed even lower.

It was hard to imagine a senior Ice Butterfly disciple addressing a young Jian Yi disciple with such deference and fear.

Within the Sacred Spirit Mountain Realm, there was no law.

The weak had no dignity.

The Jian Yi disciple spoke slowly, her tone calm yet laden with overwhelming authority:

"What sect is he from? How many are there? Where exactly?"

As she spoke, she lowered her hand and pressed it upon the Ice Butterfly woman's head, feeling the trembling servant beneath her palm: "I'll give you three more minutes."

"Yes!" The Ice Butterfly disciple stammered and swiftly flew downward.

"Xiao Jin," a clear, melodious voice called from afar.

The Jian Yi disciple turned her head and her expression softened considerably: "Sisters have arrived."

From the northwest sky, three Jian Yi disciples flew toward them on swords.

(End of Chapter)

(End of Chapter)