Chapter 813: The Human Skin Demon

After Yu Changsheng joined the Ran Sect, he informed Lu Ran and the others of much information.

Lu Ran naturally learned the name of the Sea Realm cultivator, Dongfang Ning.

He had been planning to seek revenge someday!

Yet, this woman came to them first.

Yu Changsheng suddenly asked: "How did you know where we were staying?"

Yu Changsheng had no fixed residence; he had only recently settled by a high mountain lake.

"I—I don't know," the tall woman stammered. "I merely followed the group. It was Master Dongfang Ning who ordered us to come."

Yu Changsheng's expression darkened. He turned to Lu Ran and apologized: "Master, this is my fault."

Lu Ran frowned: "Why say that?"

Yu Changsheng: "Earlier, we stayed in the lake region for several days. It was inevitable we left traces."

Lu Ran: "That's my fault and Mengyan's carelessness—not yours, Master Conglong."

Yu Changsheng pondered: "Mountain lakes are rare, and easily draw the attention of demons and hunters. Not a good place to settle."

But I am a follower of Long Li. I'm accustomed to resting and cultivating in water."

"Likely, the enemy connected our presence here because of me."

Listening to Yu Changsheng's careful reasoning, Lu Ran said nothing, waving his hand casually:

"Next topic."

Yu Changsheng paused, seeing Lu Ran's firm refusal to pursue it, and said no more.

Thank heaven nothing happened tonight!

One misstep, and the three of us in the Ran Sect would have been in mortal danger!

Yu Changsheng lowered his eyes.

Now, he was no longer alone—he could no longer simply slip away and vanish as he once had.

He had comrades now. And a leader he followed.

Yu Changsheng felt even more guilty.

Some details should have been anticipated. He needed to be more cautious.

Deng Yuxiang said coldly: "How many of you came?"

The tall woman trembled in reply: "Nearly thirty. Led by Dongfang Ning, four Sea Realm Jian Yi disciples, the rest are our slave group."

Lu Ran: "Four Sea Realm Jian Yi disciples?"

The tall woman pleaded: "My lord! I'm just a slave. I was forced. I had no choice!"

"Shut up," Deng Yuxiang said, voice low.

The tall woman shuddered, dared not defy Deng Yuxiang, and could only beg with her eyes toward Lu Ran.

She had clearly recognized him as the leader.

She had also recognized early on: this youth, carrying four swords, was Dongfang Ning's target.

Before departure, Dongfang Ning issued a death order: if the prey arrived, ignore everyone else—kill this "dog-faced youth" first!

She couldn't fathom how this young man had angered Dongfang Ning.

Was he a follower of the Dog?

Or wasn't he a follower of the Evil Demon, Qiansi Ying?

Thinking of this, the woman felt even more hopeless!

Falling into the hands of such a person meant death worse than life!

Finished.

Completely finished!

The woman knew this day would come.

In the Sacred Spirit Mountains, she was the lowest of the low—her life or death depended entirely on the Jian Yi disciples' moods.

But she never imagined her end would come at the hands of an extreme cruel Qiansi Ying follower!

Fear. Helplessness. Despair.

Tears streamed uncontrollably down the woman's face.

Her emotions shattered. She forgot Deng Yuxiang's command and begged in a trembling voice: "Please, I'm just a slave. I was forced. Spare my life!"

She shook her head wildly, as if trying to wake from a nightmare: "I didn't want to come here! I truly didn't! I have children at home. I have a mother—"

Her trembling sobs broke hearts.

The woman suddenly snapped back to reality—she remembered where she was: the Sacred Spirit Mountains.

Before Deng Yuxiang could stop her, she begged again: "Please, give me a quick death! Don't torture me! My lord, just kill me quickly!"

Lu Ran: "Shh."

The woman fell silent, her face ashen.

"Master, the Sword Mountain Peak has sent out four Sea Realm cultivators. We should avoid them for now," Yu Changsheng suggested.

Worried Lu Ran was too young and impulsive, he added: "Sword Mountain Peak isn't going anywhere. Wait until we grow stronger—then we can seek revenge!"

Lu Ran nodded silently.

Seeing this, Yu Changsheng relaxed slightly and continued: "Let's find another place to rest. This woman—"

"Bring her," Lu Ran cut in.

Deng Yuxiang, hearing the woman's sobs, turned to look at Lu Ran.

The Sacred Spirit Mountains were a killing field deliberately arranged by the gods—a breeding ground for evil.

If you lined up every person in this realm,

and executed them one by one, some might be innocent.

But if you killed every other one, you'd still miss the guilty!

Yet Deng Yuxiang knew: this middle-aged woman spoke the truth.

Weakness was the original sin.

This woman could not control her own fate.

You cannot demand everyone possess the courage to shatter like jade or die with honor.

To survive is human nature.

No matter how bitter life becomes, who doesn't dream, who doesn't long for even a sliver of hope?

"Bring her?" Deng Yuxiang looked at Lu Ran and loosened her grip on the woman's throat.

Lu Ran retracted the red threads.

With a thud, the woman, suspended midair, collapsed to the ground.

She scrambled to lift her head, wiped her tear-stained eyes, and stared at Lu Ran, terrified and stunned.

Lu Ran asked: "What's your name?"

"Jing, Jing Hong," the woman stammered. "Jing as in thorn, Hong as in red."

"Cultivation level?"

"River Realm, Stage Four."

"How long have you been in the Sacred Spirit Mountains?"

"Seven or eight years, maybe more than ten," Jing Hong replied cautiously, uncertain.

Lu Ran: "The mortal world is 2020."

Jing Hong was dazed. After a long moment, she realized: "I've been here seven years."

Lu Ran nodded: "Then you must know the Sacred Spirit Mountains well?"

Jing Hong's expression turned sorrowful: "I—I was captured by Sword Mountain Peak shortly after arriving…"

Seven years as a slave?

What a wretched fate.

These Jian Yi followers were arrogant and cold even in the mortal world.

After coming to the Sacred Spirit Mountains, they truly treated human lives as grass—becoming cruel slave masters!

Lu Ran fell silent for a moment, then said: "From now on, you'll follow us."

Jing Hong's face showed shock, then she quickly knelt: "Yes, my lord! I'll serve you with all my heart—"

Lu Ran frowned, cutting her off: "Stand up. We don't do this here. You're merely a tool in Dongfang Ning's hands—I won't harm you.

But you've seen too many of my secrets. I can't let you go back."

"Yes, yes!" Jing Hong obeyed hastily, trembling as she rose, a sliver of hope stirring in her heart.

Even if this youth was an extreme cruel Qiansi Ying follower, she accepted it!

If there was even the faintest chance, Jing Hong still wanted to live.

She wanted to see her children again. See her mother.

How to return home? She didn't know.

Maybe by flying up to the sky.

Though, most likely, she'd be crushed to dust.

And the Battlehorn followers had no ability to fly.

The agony of climbing to heaven—such despair was beyond the understanding of the strong god followers.

But no matter what—first, survive!

First, survive.

"Take her with you," Lu Ran said to Deng Yu, "ask more about Sword Mountain Peak."

"Yes," Deng Yu nodded in response.

She had no objections to Lu Ran's decisions and obeyed unconditionally.

Yu Changsheng, beside him, also said nothing this time.

"We head east. Go farther, then find a place to rest." Lu Ran stepped out of the cave first.

"Wait a moment," Yu Changsheng gave Deng Yu a slight nod and hurried out after him.

Deng Yu remained silent, giving the two ample space.

"Huh."

Outside the cave, Lu Ran exhaled deeply.

Yu Changsheng stood slightly behind and to the side of Lu Ran, whispering: "Holy Spirit Mountain is ugly. Yet the Lord still retains a shred of kindness toward his own kind while dwelling in this world—it's rare indeed."

Lu Ran asked: "Do you support my decision? Don't you think it's a risk?"

Yu Changsheng smiled: "She's only at Jiangjing Level Four. What trouble could she possibly cause?"

Lu Ran: "."

You always say hurtful things!

I'm only at Jiangjing Level Two myself.

Yu Changsheng whispered: "As long as this person understands even a little gratitude, once she realizes the fundamental difference between you and Dongfang Ning, she will eventually be grateful to you."

"Grateful that you saved her from a life of suffering."

As he spoke these words, Yu Changsheng added silently in his heart: If this person is foolish and dares to harbor even the slightest rebellious thought, I'll deal with her myself!

Yu Changsheng's support for Lu Ran was never mere lip service.

He had full confidence in protecting Lu Ran.

Still, Yu Changsheng felt that if trouble truly arose, Deng Yu would have acted before he even moved.

"Maybe," Lu Ran said, his emotions complicated.

Since entering the Holy Spirit Mountain realm, he had been taught lesson after lesson.

In the mortal world, strength still ruled supreme.

But at least it was wrapped in the shell of law and restrained by morality.

Yet in this realm—

Humans could no longer be called "humans."

Everyone was a demon wearing human skin.

Pure evil.

Lu Ran held one belief in his heart: he would adapt here, but he refused to become part of it.

His mother's earnest teachings still echoed in his ears:

"Never lose yourself."

Now he thought about it—her warning might not have been aimed solely at gods and demons.

Perhaps she was also warning him not to let Holy Spirit Mountain erase his humanity.

Lu Ran pictured his mother's gentle face, as if he had returned to that study, seeing her sipping tea across the desk.

In a daze, he seemed to catch the faint fragrance of jasmine.

"Mm." Lu Ran shook his head firmly, snapping back to awareness.

His gaze pierced the dark night, gazing at the distant mountains, and he casually summoned an ancient bronze mirror.

Behind him, inside the cave where golden rain fell.

Jing Hong, under the dim light, saw the forbidden technique unique to the Nijing Demon clan.

Nijing Forbidden Technique?!

"Gulping." Jing Hong's heart lurched; she couldn't help swallowing hard.

Even now, she still hadn't fully grasped what kind of being she had followed.

Deng Yu cast a cool glance at Jing Hong.

Jing Hong instinctively dropped to her knees, her body trembling, hastily lowering her head.

Having been a slave for seven years, she had long learned, through endless oppression and torment, how to serve her master.

Deng Yu: "."

"He just said—we don't do that here," Deng Yu looked at the woman with messy short hair. "From now on, kneel on one knee."

Though it was only a small change in posture, the meaning could be vastly different.

"Yes," Jing Hong obeyed obediently.

"Let's go," Yu Changsheng's voice came from outside.

"Let's go."

(End of Chapter)