Chapter 825: The Cave Beneath the Valley

I saw that man in the rain cape again—he brought a sack of ink carp; he must've just finished fishing.

He moves swiftly through the sea, wrapped in flowing water—could it be the Divine Art: Clear Water Flow?

He's a follower of the Third-Rank Deity, Yan Qing!

Lu Ran spoke quickly, lowering his voice to report the situation to the members of the Ran Sect inside the cave.

Yu Changsheng was surprised—they had deliberately relocated dozens of kilometers away from the battlefield for safety.

And yet we still ran into him?

Deng Yuxiang nodded thoughtfully: "No wonder he's active near the coast—he's a disciple of Yan Qing."

The Third-Rank Deity, Yan Qing!

This deity holds a pivotal position in Daya.

Because his sect's Divine Art grants disciples the ability to fight in water!

Daya has countless deities and nearly a hundred sects, but very few can truly fight effectively in water.

Every fifteenth night, Yan Qing's disciples form the absolute core force defending Daya's coastlines.

"He's reached the Sea Realm—could he really be that gluttonous?" Lu Ran frowned, watching the man in the rain cape glide across the sea toward the distant shore.

Come on!

Even when people ascend to the River Realm, the so-called great ones begin to manifest their divine nature.

They no longer need to eat, and their craving for food plummets sharply.

Yu Changsheng pondered a moment, then speculated: "Perhaps he uses this method to remind himself of his humanity, to stay grounded?"

Lu Ran watched the man in the rain cape fade into the night: "I'm going to check it out."

"Huh?" Deng Yuxiang, standing right behind Lu Ran, instantly grabbed his arm.

Lu Ran reassured her: "Don't worry—I'm very familiar with Yan Qing's techniques; he can't touch me."

Deng Yuxiang's tone turned serious: "He's at the Sea Realm, and you're not in peak condition."

Lu Ran remained stubborn: "I'll just follow from afar—see if I can find his lair. This is a rare opportunity!"

If I find anything, I'll teleport back immediately—no unnecessary risks."

Lu Ran's tone grew slightly more serious as he gave orders to the others: "Stay here. Do not leave without my command."

Though his voice was stern, his mental whisper was gentle: 【Sis, don't worry—I'll be back right away.】

With those words, Lu Ran vanished in a flash.

If he wanted to leave, no one could stop him.

Deng Yuxiang bit her lip, standing at the narrow cave entrance, staring into the pitch-black night outside.

Normally, darkness should be Lu Ran's camouflage.

But Yan Qing's techniques are designed for aquatic combat.

Yan Qing disciples possess the Divine Art: Clear Water Eyes, allowing them to see clearly underwater—even in the deep sea—and naturally, they can pierce through darkness on land too.

Inside the dark cave, Yu Changsheng whispered: "The Nightmare Guardian needn't worry too much—our Sect Master's power is such that few in this world can hold him."

Deng Yuxiang said nothing; she knew her anxiety was clouding her judgment.

Lu Ran once faced a Sea Realm disciple of Jian Yi and slew two major generals before escaping unscathed.

How much less of a threat would a Yan Qing disciple be?

I just hope the Ink Carp Demon Sculpture finishes its evolution soon—so his condition improves.

In the pitch-black night, Lu Ran flashed into the forest and hid behind a tree.

He cautiously revealed half his face, gazing at the distant figure among the trees.

Sneakily observing. jpg.

Yan Qing disciples move swiftly in water, but on land, they're far less agile.

Lu Ran easily trailed behind the man in the rain cape as he moved through the forest.

The man was clearly cautious, frequently scanning his surroundings—but Lu Ran maxed out the Demonic Art: Demonic Agility, reacting with astonishing speed!

Every time the man in the rain cape looked around, Lu Ran had already hidden himself in advance.

Lu Ran followed him all the way to a steep cliff, watching as the man leapt down.

So his lair is at the bottom of the valley?

Lu Ran crept forward cautiously, peering down—and saw only dense trees; the man had vanished.

Can't see him?

Doesn't matter!

He flashed to the valley floor, sniffed the air.

Hm~

To escape from Lu Ran's grasp? Impossible.

Following the salty, fishy scent, Lu Ran summoned a wisp of black cloud beneath his feet and silently trailed the trail, leaving not a single footstep.

What's a truly excellent tracker?

"Damn," Lu Ran murmured inwardly, following the scent as he flew into a crack in the mountainside.

Does this guy live that hidden?

How many detours and how much walking just to get home?

The stealthy Lu Ran experienced firsthand what "initially narrow, barely passable" meant!

He twisted and turned for a long while through the labyrinthine mountain tunnels—then suddenly, the path opened wide!

Lu Ran saw a spacious clearing and felt a quiet awe.

Truly, a hidden paradise!

Surrounded by mountains on all sides, a small patch of sky was visible above—but thick trees completely concealed the valley floor.

Lu Ran had just flashed behind a tree when his heart lurched violently!

Even as his mind buzzed, he clearly heard two joyful, childlike voices.

"Dad!"

"Dad's back!"

The childish voices were bright and loud.

Lu Ran froze in place.

Children?!

In this filthy, brutal Sacred Spirit Mountain Realm, there are children?

Lu Ran steadied his turbulent emotions, cautiously revealing half his face to observe from afar.

There, the man in the rain cape stood before a wooden fence yard, holding a sack of fish.

Inside the yard, a small bonfire glowed, casting faint light.

Two children, a boy and a girl, each about five or six years old, hugged his legs on either side, chattering happily.

Before the wooden house in the yard stood a tall figure.

She was in her thirties, with long black hair falling over her shoulders, her demeanor gentle.

Her eyes, clear as autumn water, sparkled brightly—and when she saw him return, her face softened with tenderness.

Lu Ran fell silent, watching the happy family of four.

For a moment, he felt this wasn't Sacred Spirit Mountain at all.

No wonder this Sea Realm adept went out to fish—he was catching food for his children.

No wonder he was so cautious, choosing such a hidden location to settle.

Perhaps for the man in the rain cape, this wasn't just a base.

This was his home.

"Alright, alright, let Dad grill you some fish," the woman stepped forward, speaking softly to the children.

The man in the rain cape smiled warmly, stepped into the fenced yard, and shut the gate behind him.

And at that exact moment, his expression froze.

Far away, behind the tree, Lu Ran—shaken to his core—forgot to hide.

And the supremely cautious man in the rain cape, aided by his Clear Water Eyes, pierced the darkness and clearly saw half of Lu Ran's face.

The wife instantly stopped walking, whirling to face her husband: "What's wrong?"

Because the children were present, the man would suppress his aura completely and strive to appear gentle, so he could live peacefully with his two kids.

But now, his aura had changed!

"Take the children inside," the man said in a low voice, set down the fish, and stepped out.

His wife frowned slightly; her gentle demeanor vanished, revealing a faint but potent aura.

"Mm."

"M-Mommy…" The two children trembled violently, instinctively clutching their mother out of fear.

Yet she was the very source of their terror.

"Friend, impressive technique," the man in the rain cape stepped into the forest, his voice low and heavy.

In an instant, the valley's temperature plummeted; killing intent flooded the air.

He was like a beast whose territory had been invaded, his chest brimming with rage.

"I mean no harm," Lu Ran spoke softly.

The man in the rain cape suddenly struck, flinging his hand—several streams of water lashed out like whips.

Yan Qing Divine Law · Pure Water Whip!

Lu Ran leaned back slightly, his figure vanishing silently.

The straw-cloaked man's pupils contracted sharply!

It's over!

Everything is over.

This young man is actually a Gunxiu disciple?

With the Instant Movement technique, what can I use to protect my family?

"Sir, I mean no harm," Lu Ran spoke again, from a distant tree.

The straw-cloaked man fell silent.

The young man before him was merely a Jiangjing cultivator—he could not harm him, let alone his wife.

But they have two children.

This Jiangjing cultivator could leave at any moment, and could appear again to pose a grave threat to the children.

When they met on the beach during the day, this young man had a Haijing companion beside him.

The straw-cloaked man's regret deepened!

Why?

Why didn't I notice someone was following me?

What should I do now?

I am a mighty Haijing cultivator, yet before a Jiangjing believer, I can only pray he truly means no harm.

"You," Lu Ran's expression was complex, "built a family in a place like this."

The straw-cloaked man fell even quieter.

His face grew even darker.

Indeed, I should never have let these two lovely little ones be born into this sinful world.

It was utterly irresponsible.

I deserve to descend into hell, to be torn apart by a thousand blades.

"Yifei?" A woman's voice called out.

"Don't come over!" The straw-cloaked man flinched like a startled cat, "Stay inside!"

In truth, his wife had only stood at the doorway, with no intention of approaching.

But hearing her husband's stern words, her heart sank to the bottom.

Lu Ran sighed deeply: "I know that as long as I stand here, no matter what I say—"

The straw-cloaked man suddenly spoke, cutting off Lu Ran: "You say you mean no harm."

Lu Ran: "Yes."

The straw-cloaked man said gravely: "Then please leave. If you want information, I'll give you everything.

Meet me tomorrow morning at the beach where we first met."

Lu Ran nodded silently, said nothing more, tilted his body, and vanished in a flash.

The straw-cloaked man stood for a moment, face grim, then turned and strode toward the fenced yard.

Inside the room, on the bed, his wife was soothing the children. Seeing her husband return, she rose at once to meet him: "Who was it?"

The straw-cloaked man glanced at the two small bundles curled up on the bed and whispered: "Possibly a Gunxiu disciple."

At this, his wife's face changed.

The straw-cloaked man, filled with guilt, whispered: "I'm sorry."

His wife did not blame him; instead, she leaned gently into his arms: "What did you do?"

"He kept saying he meant no harm. I arranged to meet him at the beach tomorrow—he left."

His wife pressed her lips to his ear, her gaze icy, her voice laced with killing intent: "Tonight, we take the children somewhere else.

Tomorrow, I'll go with you."

"Mm."

(End of Chapter)