Chapter 805: Followers of the Dragon

When the rumbling in the sky faded, Deng Yu asked, "What is Fish Master's exact cultivation realm?"

Such a question was impolite and likely to provoke resentment.

But Fish Changsheng had already decided to join the team, and Deng Yu believed it was necessary to understand her teammate.

She didn't want Lu Ran to be the bad guy, so she asked herself.

To her surprise, Fish Changsheng replied bluntly: "Sea Realm, Fourth Stage."

Lu Ran was startled: "Sea Realm, Fourth Stage?"

He had assumed Fish Changsheng was merely early-stage Sea Realm—never expecting him to be high-stage?

A full major realm higher than Deng Yu?

Seeing Lu Ran's eyes gleaming, Fish Changsheng smiled: "What?"

Lu Ran sincerely praised: "I can't help but marvel—you're so young and have achieved this."

Lu Ran was genuinely delighted!

Finding a treasure like this—how could he not be happy?

Fish Changsheng chuckled: "I've wasted thirty-two years, perhaps thirty-three?"

Fish Changsheng paused slightly, then sighed softly: "I've forgotten—somewhere around that age, I suppose."

He'd stayed in the Sacred Spirit Mountains too long; he'd lost track of the year and month in the mortal world.

He'd forgotten his own age.

"At thirty, one stands firm—that's the age to build a career and rise up!" Lu Ran winked at Fish Changsheng.

Lu Ran had always thought Fish Changsheng was twenty-eight or twenty-nine.

Then again, these human powerhouse who could destroy heaven and earth all carried youthful vigor—it was only natural.

"Then, young Lu, you've risen early indeed," Fish Changsheng teased, fully aware of Lu Ran's ambitions. "Are you even twenty yet?"

Lu Ran: "."

Fish Changsheng's smile deepened: "Hmm?"

After struggling for a moment, Lu Ran suddenly blurted: "I'm not twenty—but I have a fiancée!"

Fish Changsheng: "."

You little brat, that's a cruel thing to say.

He gave Lu Ran a look of utter disbelief, then turned to Deng Yu: "Then I congratulate you both."

Lu Ran hurriedly said: "Not that one—I have another… no! I only have one—it's the other one!"

Deng Yu leaned against a tree, arms crossed, watching Lu Ran flustered with a half-smile.

Fish Changsheng: "Young friend, you're lucky."

Lu Ran hung his head, embarrassed, fiddling with the water.

Fish Changsheng changed the subject: "Did you also help your fiancée infiltrate some demonic team?"

"No," Lu Ran shook his head, muttering inwardly: I'll take her straight to confront the gods!

Fish Changsheng pondered: "Your unusual path isn't suitable for everyone?"

Lu Ran shook his head: "Not exactly—it's just not the right time yet."

Fish Changsheng pressed: "What conditions must be met for the timing to be right?"

Lu Ran thought a moment, then replied: "When a person sees through the true faces of gods and demons, and understands the world's essence.

When their body and spirit are both ready."

Fish Changsheng nodded gently.

Lu Ran continued: "Fish Master is a follower of Long Li, bound by a master-servant pact with a god.

Though this realm is distant and isolated, making communication with the god impossible, if you join another sect, I still worry Long Li might sense it."

Fish Changsheng understood.

Lu Ran and Deng Yu were followers of Xiang Yang—the god who initiated this entire plan.

That's why Lu Ran and Deng Yu could act so freely, holding multiple identities.

Lu Ran went on: "Fish Master, I'm willing to arrange a path for you—but we must proceed cautiously.

If you wish to walk this path, you'll need to first sever ties with Long Li."

Fish Changsheng was intrigued: "What path are you planning for me?"

Lu Ran asked instead: "Do you have any sect you'd like to join?"

Fish Changsheng's heart stirred—he probed: "Any?"

Lu Ran shrugged.

A simple gesture revealed a shocking truth—one that would leave anyone stunned.

This young man had delivered too many shocks to Fish Changsheng.

Fish Changsheng steadied his breath, then spoke softly: "Long Li."

Lu Ran frowned: "But you're already a Long Li follower?"

Fish Changsheng slowly shook his head: "No—I want to walk the Long Li path you've offered me."

Lu Ran froze.

He opened his mouth, clearly unprepared for such an unexpected statement.

Fish Changsheng stared straight into Lu Ran's eyes, studying him closely, then said: "You, boy—you really can."

Lu Ran: "."

Fish Changsheng gripped his folding fan: "So you can absorb the essence of the Night Demon's true form by killing Night Demons.

And you can absorb the energy of the god Long Li by killing Long Li followers?"

Lu Ran's face twisted into a sour grimace.

Is this even real?

No—what the hell?

Nearby, Deng Yu spoke to defuse the tension: "We've held back information because this is too shocking.

But we never intended to hide it forever—we only meant to reveal it gradually to Fish Master."

Lu Ran shifted topics, apologizing: "The Long Li path really isn't easy to arrange."

Long Li followers are already rare—those who come to the Sacred Spirit Mountains are rarer still!

Besides, Long Li followers are healers with kind hearts.

If they don't raise their blades against Lu Ran, how could he kill his own kind without cause?

The heavenly Sacred Spirit Qi can nourish the Long Li statues in the garden, but Lu Ran still needs to cultivate the Lie Tian statues!

He absolutely cannot disrupt the growth plan—he urgently needs the right to kill above his level.

So…

Lu Ran looked at Fish Changsheng and asked: "What do you think of the Mo Li clan?"

The demonic Mo Li were sworn enemies of the god Long Li.

Their techniques shared some similarities.

Fish Changsheng's expression softened: "So, you can't bring yourself to kill Long Li followers?"

Lu Ran shrugged again.

The meaning was clear.

"Heh." Fish Changsheng smiled, saying nothing more.

A man bold enough to slay demons—and ultimately slaughter gods—hesitates to harm Long Li followers.

Clearly, he's not the kind who'll stop at nothing for some grand ideal.

As Fish Changsheng reflected on this future leader, Lu Ran suddenly asked: "By the way—does the Sacred Spirit Mountains have a Mo Li clan?"

In the mortal world, the Mo Li mostly appeared along coastal regions.

As for rivers, lakes, and similar terrain, they seemed to look down on them?

Though they could fly, they rarely appeared inland, let alone in the mountains.

"Yes, this realm has oceans," Fish Changsheng nodded. "I haven't traveled far west, but if you head east, you'll eventually reach the sea."

"The Sacred Spirit Mountains have an ocean?" Lu Ran was surprised, then perked up. "Then, would you be willing to infiltrate the Mo Li clan?"

Fish Changsheng: "The cost would be severing my pact with the god Long Li and abandoning all things tied to Long Li?"

Lu Ran nodded, his eyes flickering with renewed hope.

Fish Changsheng suddenly smiled: "I was just asking—to understand better. We can discuss this later."

Lu Ran: "."

Humans voluntarily breaking pacts required not just courage, but risked severe backlash!

Lu Ran realized he'd been too hasty.

He acted as if he hadn't heard Fish Changsheng's words: "Fish Master can afford to wait.

When we return to the mortal world, I'll beg Xiang Yang to resolve this from a higher dimension—help you sever the master-servant pact.

That way, your realm will remain stable, and you won't suffer severe damage."

"Oh?" Fish Changsheng looked slightly surprised.

Many factors made him hesitate—backlash was one of the most significant.

Lu Ran gestured toward the woman nearby: "She went through the same process—her state is stable, her realm intact, no drop in level."

Fish Changsheng looked at Deng Yu: "What were you once a follower of?"

Deng Yu sighed briefly, then whispered, "North Wind."

Yu Changsheng's heart stirred.

North Wind is the mortal enemy of the Yemo Clan.

So her turn toward the Yemo Clan was just coincidence?

Even Lu Ran's recent proposal was to steer me toward the Mo Li Clan.

Just because the techniques are similar and easy to pick up?

Or perhaps because...

Yu Changsheng sensed something, but wasn't quite sure.

As he pondered silently, Deng Yu spoke: "Master."

"Hmm?"

"When do we leave?"

"Don't rush. You've just advanced—first, stabilize your realm."

"Understood," Deng Yu replied.

Yu Changsheng glanced at Deng Yu with deep meaning, then turned to Lu Ran: "Master?"

Lu Ran grinned, no longer eager: "I founded the Ran Gate, aiming to find more people like you, Mr. Yu, who share the same ideals."

I'm waiting for the day you recognize us!"

"Then, I'll make you a Guardian."

Once again, Yu Changsheng saw Lu Ran's vibrant smile.

This young man who had suddenly entered his life showed no concealment of his admiration and desire to recruit.

He persistently tried to draw him onto a brand-new path.

Yet the young man's smile seemed too bright.

Like a brilliant beam of light, piercing through the thick clouds shrouding heaven and earth, falling upon the lifeless Sacred Spirit Mountain Realm.

Landing on his rotting bones.

For an instant, Yu Changsheng no longer wished to be reserved, no longer wished to test.

What was there left to lose?

Life?

But before I met him, wasn't I already rotten?

"Which 'ran'?" Yu Changsheng suddenly asked.

"The 'ran' of burning," Lu Ran leaned back, trying to lie on the lake's surface. "Named after me—I'm Lu Ran."

"Ran Gate... sounds quite fiery," Yu Changsheng twirled his folding fan, feigning indifference. "Then give me the role of Guardian."

Splash!

Lu Ran paddled with his hands and stood up.

He looked at the Level Four Master of the Sea Realm, astonished and delighted: "You've decided to join?"

This wasn't joining a team—it was truly joining the Ran Gate!

But hadn't Yu Changsheng just refused the invitation, saying he'd think about it later?

And now he'd changed his mind so suddenly?

Yu Changsheng couldn't help laughing. "Who could resist the temptation of becoming a god?"

Lu Ran chuckled. "True enough."

"If all goes well, the Ran Gate won't have many members?"

"Uh, yes. Right now, just the three of us."

Yu Changsheng didn't mind, spinning his paper fan with ease.

After all, which man could resist the lure of having a page all to himself in the clan genealogy?

If one day he truly achieved his wish...

He'd be one of the dragon's loyal ministers.

(End of Chapter)