Chapter 841: Rescue the Person!

At the bottom of Snow Valley, inside a newly carved small cave.

At the cave entrance, Jing Hong stood nervously on guard; the person inside the cave terrified her more than any enemy that might appear outside.

Especially Deng Yuxiang, slumped against the wall.

She was unnervingly silent, like a beast ready to erupt in fury at any moment.

"Lord Lu," Yu Changsheng spoke softly, breaking the deathly silence.

It was as if he were giving Jing Hong a chance to breathe.

"Mm." Deep within the cave, Lu Ran sat leaning against the stone wall, cradling two clusters of black mist in his hands.

Inside the Soul Prison were the faces of Bu Ming and Kong Jingqi.

Both bowed their heads, silent and still, afraid to make a sound lest they further anger the members of the Burning Sect.

Kong Jingqi truthfully recounted everything that had befallen Yan Shuangzi on Blade Ridge Peak.

Each word she spoke filled the others with grief and fury.

Kong Jingqi said:

"Yan Shuangzi spread heretical words, sowing discord among the troops, claiming Sacred Spirit Mountain is a slaughterhouse for the human race."

"She said the mighty human race is continually thrown into Sacred Spirit Mountain not to harvest Sacred Spirit Qi, but so the gods force people to kill each other—to make them die!"

"Yan Shuangzi dared question Lord Beifeng!"

"She said if things continue this way, the human race will never rise again."

"Only she is wise! Only she is pure! Everyone else is drunk, and she alone is sober!"

"When she couldn't reason with others, she tried to appeal to the Peak Master—only to be intercepted by Elder Xing, forced to kneel for three days, then sentenced to three months of servitude."

"Yan Shuangzi remained restless and secretly tried to incite another disciple to flee Blade Ridge Peak together; that disciple betrayed her, which enraged Elder Xing beyond measure."

"She was captured while fleeing and dragged outside the Divine Hall to kneel and be publicly punished!"

"Elder Xing did not execute Yan Shuangzi—he imprisoned her, subjecting her to constant torture, so every disciple on Blade Ridge Peak could witness the fate of those who betray the gods, who betray the sect, who corrupt their comrades."

Each of Kong Jingqi's words pierced Deng Yuxiang's heart like knives.

Pain.

And worse—she felt suffocated.

Wasn't what Yan Shuangzi said… true?

Who is truly blind?

Humanity has worshipped the gods too long; the higher one's cultivation, the deeper the faith—everyone has been thoroughly brainwashed.

Or perhaps, some are not blind at all.

They simply choose to cover their eyes and plug their ears.

"Lord Lu," Yu Changsheng stepped beside Lu Ran, looking down at him. "Blade Ridge Peak is the stronghold of the Beifeng faction."

The two captives confirmed that alone, the peak hosts seventeen Hai-jing experts stationed permanently!"

The Peak Master, who has long been in seclusion, is even more inscrutable—no Beifeng disciple knows his realm. What if he is…"

In short—we absolutely cannot fight them head-on!"

Beifeng is a Second-Rank God; his faction is a true great sect, its disciples naturally gifted, with a far higher success rate in cultivation.

Before a great sect like Blade Ridge Peak, a group like Tian Tu Mountain is nothing but a joke.

"Mm." Lu Ran toyed with the black mist, his face unreadable.

Yu Changsheng urged: "We must rescue the person—but we must act with extreme caution."

Yu Changsheng spoke gently, pleading earnestly.

He knew Lu Ran's future was limitless—he feared most that he would perish before reaching it.

Lu Ran asked: "What strategy does Master Long suggest?"

Yu Changsheng turned to look at Luo Ying, seated alone, quietly polishing her divine bow.

The Luo Divine General!

She, too, is a disciple of a Second-Rank God—and a terrifying Hai-jing, Fourth Stage, with explosive offensive power.

Luo Ying alone could not stand against so many Hai-jing experts.

And the Asha faction lacks any techniques for battlefield evasion or mobility.

Meanwhile, Beifeng disciples move with astonishing speed—if Luo Ying slips up, she could easily be surrounded and killed on the spot.

But the Burning Sect has Lu Ran!

He possesses Mirror Flower Moon—its versatility is immense!

"Lord Lu, what if we…" Yu Changsheng began strategizing in detail with Lu Ran.

After a long while, Lu Ran's face darkened: "Do as Master Conglong suggests."

Then he added: "I can also cast the Jiang-jing technique of the Mo Li Sect—Mo Cai Xie Li."

Forbidden Technique: Mo Cai Xie Li—the caster summons a colossal black carp that swims through the sky; within its body, countless tiny black carps are released, disrupting the minds of all things.

The giant black carp also continuously emits a "pop" sound, delivering psychic shocks to all beings.

Unfortunately, Lu Ran is only Jiang-jing—he can only use Jiang-rank techniques.

The cursed sculpture of the Mo Li in the Sculpture Garden is already Hai-jing; if Lu Ran were also Hai-jing, it would be perfect.

Crush these dogs of Blade Ridge Peak!

Yu Changsheng immediately nodded: "Good! The Beifeng faction has no strong defensive techniques—Mo Cai Xie Li will surely cause them great chaos!"

Jiang-rank Mo Cai Xie Li cannot confuse Hai-jing experts or render them combat-ineffective.

But it will absolutely create chaos!

That will aid Lu Ran's rescue operation.

"Lord Lu, just at dusk today, we killed four Beifeng disciples—Blade Ridge Peak must now be on high alert. Why not…" Yu Changsheng's words were cut short as Lu Ran shook his head.

Lu Ran said directly: "We strike tonight."

Let them be on alert!

The Burning Sect's current strength cannot match Blade Ridge Peak.

Each Hai-jing expert loomed like dark clouds over Lu Ran's head.

The Peak Master, still in seclusion, his power unfathomable, was like a blade hanging above them all.

Lu Ran was indeed worried.

But what he feared most was further delay—if the Peak Master emerged from seclusion?

Lu Ran's face was grim.

The person must be rescued!

Better early than late!

Yu Changsheng hesitated, then said nothing more.

Now that Lu Ran knew Yan Shuangzi was suffering, he could no longer wait.

"Everyone," Lu Ran's gaze swept over them all. "Come."

Even Jing Hong, on guard at the cave entrance, hurried over at Lu Ran's signal.

Lu Ran gave Yu Changsheng a slight nod: "Master."

Yu Changsheng immediately assigned roles: "For this rescue mission, Jing Hong will initiate the operation."

Jing Hong nodded immediately: "Yes!"

Among the Burning Sect, everyone was stronger than her—by pure combat power, Jing Hong was the weakest.

But as a worshipper of the Battle Horn, her utility was immense!

Of the Battle Horn sect's six techniques, five involve blowing horns.

There is the Charge Horn, boosting battle spirit; the Echo Horn, surveying terrain.

The Soul Calm Horn, soothing the mind; the Fear Horn, instilling terror and the urge to flee.

And the Thunder Horn, inducing dizziness and mental confusion!

Only one technique, Divine Art: Battle Horn's Resolve, is a defensive technique—rendering the user immune to all psychic damage.

Lu Ran looked at Jing Hong and said gravely: "The Beifeng faction has exceptionally sharp hearing, right?"

"I'll place the bronze mirror directly atop the peak. You blow the Thunder Horn—shatter their eardrums!"

Jing Hong bowed deeply: "Yes!"

With the Beifeng faction's special abilities, Lu Ran could never sneak into the mountain undetected.

That was why Yu Changsheng devised a plan to stir up chaos.

According to the captives' intelligence, the Peak Master's seclusion chamber was not on the mountain's surface, but deep within its lower-middle interior, completely cut off from the outside.

That was why Lu Ran and Yu Changsheng dared let Jing Hong use her technique so openly.

Once the people on Blade Ridge Peak reacted, Lu Ran could act without restraint.

Yu Changsheng added: "Lord Lu will join you in casting Mo Cai Xie Li. You have Battle Horn's Resolve—you need not fear."

Then he turned to Luo Ying: "We need your arrows to ensure our safe retreat."

Luo Ying gave a slight nod.

Luo Ying had felt something for Yan Shuangzi's story.

But not much.

She had lived in this world too long—no matter how tragic a tale, she had heard and seen it all.

She was numb.

If not for having something to hold onto, for two children to raise

Luo Ying believed she had long lost herself, become a walking corpse

Now, Luo Ying only wished to serve her lord faithfully, hoping that one day the Menzhu would fulfill his promise and grant her children the right to cultivate divine power, bestowing upon them divine arts to preserve their lives

Yu Changsheng looked at Luo Ying and continued: "Prepare in advance. Once the Menzhu returns with the rescued, he will reopen the Mirror Flower Moon"

"We need your arrows to inflict casualties, delay the enemy's counterattack and search, and lure them in the wrong direction."

Luo Ying turned to Lu Ran and asked: "Does the Menzhu require the Canglong Divine Arrow or the Wanshen Zhenhai Arrow?"

Jiang Jing's ultimate technique—the Canglong Divine Arrow—is a grand arrow of flowing water

Coiled around the shaft are two Canglong dragons, enhancing the massive water arrow's speed and impact, its destructive power astonishing!

As a second-class divine disciple, Luo Ying was naturally superior

She also possessed the Hai Jing ultimate technique—the Wanshen Zhenhai Arrow

This technique was even more terrifying: she could truly shoot forth an enormous Canglong dragon!

As the dragon flew, it shattered into ten thousand tiny Canglong dragons, roaring as they charged through enemy ranks, creating the effect of "ten thousand arrows fired at once"

Lu Ran thought of the Luo Shenjiang's power, and his heart churned

People always said human cultivators could destroy heaven and earth

This was certainly true

Vast oceans, especially powerful divine disciples like Luo Ying, could not exist in great numbers among mortals

If several more Luo Shenjiangs were to join forces to guard Da Xia

How could demonic hordes still generate "tons" of terror among humans on every fifteenth night?

What would the demons eat?

If the threat level weren't high enough, how could the gods gain wave after wave of utterly devout, fanatically loyal followers?

It seemed likely that being cast into Shengling Mountain to fend for themselves was the final fate of people like Luo Ying

Here, she would not disrupt the balance and order of the mortal world

The grand performance between gods and demons could continue forever

Lu Ran suppressed his heavy thoughts and looked at his divine general, speaking gravely: "Can I have them all?"

Luo Ying bowed her head: "Yes, my lord!"

Deep in the night, the sky was full of stars

The endless snow-capped mountains lay in perfect stillness

The members of Ran Men hurried forward; as one mirror after another opened, they slipped northward in silence

"Here!" Lu Ran suddenly spoke

On the peak of a snow-capped mountain, Lu Ran strained his vision, gazing at Daoji Peak dozens of kilometers away, his eyes growing colder

"Huu~"

Lu Ran summoned three ancient bronze mirrors

He gazed at the dazzling starry sky, at Daoji Peak piercing the night: "Prepare."

Jing Hong had already summoned a phantom beast-tooth horn; she stepped forward to stand before one of the floating elliptical bronze mirrors

Yu Changsheng also stepped forward, standing before another ancient bronze mirror, ready to release the Longli Celestial Vessel to draw enemy attention and create further chaos

"3… 2… 1!"

Lu Ran's palm surged with energy; the three elliptical ancient bronze mirrors transformed one after another into standing mirrors

Between the rocks atop Daoji Peak, a standing mirror suddenly opened

Jing Hong leaned forward instantly

Her upper body emerged from the mirror, gripping the horn to her lips, blowing fiercely

"Crack! Smash!!"

The horn's sound should have been melodious or deep, but Jing Hong's blast sounded like lightning and thunder

War Horn Divine Art—Thunderclap Horn!

The silent night was utterly shattered

The thunderclap roared, deafening!

It struck the minds and eardrums of those on Daoji Peak, sounding the battle call!

Ran Men has come to retrieve the lost

(End of Chapter)