Chapter 849: A Wretched Life

The next morning, deep within the cave.

Wrapped in a straw cloak as a blanket, Lu Ran lay sound asleep.

The cave was empty, save for the towering Jing Hong, who stood guard at the narrow entrance, blocking it completely with unwavering diligence.

Mm.

After a long while, Lu Ran slowly opened his eyes, gazing around in daze.

It took him a while to realize where he was.

Shengling Mountain.

Lu Ran sat up, rubbed his head, and noticed his hair had grown long—he needed a trim.

Jing Hong?

"Lord Lu, you're awake," Jing Hong said, momentarily stunned by Lu Ran's dazed expression.

Just awakened, Lu Ran's aura was not yet fierce—he seemed more approachable.

Considering his age, his own children must be about this old now.

Jing Hong thought to himself.

No, Lord Lu is only nineteen; his children are several years older than him.

I wonder how they're faring in the mortal world.

"Where is everyone?" Lu Ran rubbed his eyes.

"They didn't want to disturb your rest, so they all went out," Jing Hong whispered.

Lu Ran frowned slightly: "Bring them back."

With her physical and mental condition, how could she go wandering around without proper rest?

"Yes!" Jing Hong bowed and left.

Lu Ran rose, picked up the straw cloak spread on the ground, and brushed off its dust.

As he put on his coat, the members of the Ran Sect filed in one after another.

"Huh?" Lu Ran immediately turned to Yan Shuangzi and let out an exclamation of admiration.

The woman was still thin, but her vitality and spirit had improved greatly—her skin was now pale, smooth, and lustrous, no longer the pitiful state she'd been in yesterday.

Though she couldn't match her former glory, at least she was alive again.

"Master Yu, you're a miracle worker!" Lu Ran smiled.

Yu Changsheng smiled back: "I can only heal her body. Her heart's illness—you must cure it, Lord Lu."

Lu Ran: "."

Fine!

Today, I'll show you what a true gynecological master looks like!

As they spoke, Deng Yuxiang led Yan Shuangzi to stand before Lu Ran.

"How do you feel?" Lu Ran asked, concerned.

Yan Shuangzi had clearly washed and groomed herself—no longer filthy, she looked entirely renewed.

Yan Shuangzi whispered: "It feels like a beautiful dream just before death—everything feels unreal."

Lu Ran paused, then said: "I asked how your body feels."

Yan Shuangzi forced a faint smile: "It's fine."

Her blind eyes and severed arm constantly reminded her—this wasn't a dream.

So yes, it really is fine.

Deng Yuxiang combed Yan Shuangzi's long hair: "I told Shuangzi about our situation."

"Mm." Lu Ran nodded lightly.

Deng Yuxiang sighed: "She doesn't want to worship the North Wind Idol."

Sending Yan Shuangzi to worship the North Wind Idol had been the conclusion of Lu and Deng's discussion last night.

Yan Shuangzi had always been a disciple of the North Wind Sect—worshipping the false god North Wind in the Idol Garden would require no adjustment, seamless integration.

But don't underestimate "seamless integration"!

Take the Divine Art: Wind Flight Command, for example. Lu Ran possesses the identical demonic art: Night Phantom Blade.

Yet even now, Lu Ran still can't fully master Night Phantom Blade.

Once he summons too many, he loses control.

But people like Deng Yuxiang and Yan Shuangzi have spent years immersed in this path—they've trained hard!

They can effortlessly wield countless wind blades, at will.

"Teacher Yan, your condition is unique. At this stage, we cannot restore your sight, but the North Wind Sect possesses the Divine Art: Listen to the Wind Chant."

"Lu Ran," Yan Shuangzi suddenly spoke.

"Hmm?"

"Don't make me worship North Wind," Yan Shuangzi said, head bowed, voice soft and faint.

So faint it broke the heart.

Lu Ran's voice was gentle: "Understand—what you worship isn't the true god North Wind, but my own idol."

Perhaps one day, you can overthrow North Wind, usurp his divine position."

"Return tenfold every lie, every harm—direct or indirect—he's inflicted upon you!"

Yan Shuangzi trembled as she raised her hand, gripping Lu Ran's shoulder tightly: "Lu Ran, I hate him—I hate everything about him."

"They used wind blades to gouge out my eyes, used wind knives to repeatedly slash open my wounds."

"Don't make me pick up wind blades again. Don't let me touch them."

The cave fell silent, save for the woman's choked, trembling voice.

Lu Ran's face turned terrifyingly dark.

He knew Yan Shuangzi had suffered—but in his mind, it was only a vague concept of "torment."

But when Yan Shuangzi named the specific cruelties of Daojifeng, Lu Ran's rage surged like wildfire.

You bastards!

So loyal to the god North Wind, are you?

"Alright, alright—we won't touch it, won't touch it," Deng Yuxiang gently pulled Yan Shuangzi into her arms.

Deng Yuxiang knew perfectly well Yan Shuangzi was better suited to North Wind.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have reached this conclusion with Lu Ran.

But Yan Shuangzi's visceral, soul-deep revulsion—this near-physiological aversion—was beyond her control, impossible to suppress.

"Alright, Teacher Yan, we won't touch it," Lu Ran suppressed his fury and apologized softly to the nearly broken woman.

"Lu Ran, Yuxiang told me a lot—your goals, your abilities, the path you've chosen…"

"Teacher Yan, is there any god or demon you'd prefer?" Lu Ran's voice grew even gentler.

He still had two activation slots—within the Shengling Mountain realm, anything was possible.

Yan Shuangzi pulled away from Deng Yuxiang's embrace, faced Lu Ran directly, and uttered a sentence that left everyone stunned:

"Make me that dog."

"Huh?" Lu Ran blinked.

Why say that?

Why degrade yourself?

Yan Shuangzi raised her lone left hand again, gripping Lu Ran's shoulder tightly: "It suits me."

Lu Ran fell into silent thought.

Yan Shuangzi couldn't see the world—and the Evil Hound Clan possessed the demonic art: Evil Perception—perfect for her combat and daily life.

The only problem: the Evil Hound Clan had no ultimate technique.

Their minor techniques were indeed practical, but their combat ceiling was lower.

In the God-Demon Ranks, other deities and demons possessed perception arts—like Shan Jun and Tan Lang from the Eight Celestial Demons.

They had strong perception arts, and also possessed ultimate techniques.

Shan Jun, the god himself, was a second-rank deity—he had both River Realm and Sea Realm ultimate techniques!

Even his archenemy, the demonic Yin Li Tiger Clan, had a full arsenal.

As Lu Ran pondered, Yan Shuangzi continued: "In the mortal world, I was already like a dog."

"I knew nothing—I willingly served as North Wind's loyal hound."

One sentence, condemning many.

Jing Hong stared silently out the cave entrance; Luo Ying quietly wiped her divine bow; Yu Changsheng sighed and shook his head.

Lu Ran hadn't expected Yan Shuangzi's idea of "suitable" to be this angle.

Yan Shuangzi whispered: "After arriving at Shengling Mountain, I lived even more like a dog in Daojifeng."

"A worthless life, stripped of all dignity."

"To them, to the North Wind Sect—I was just a blind dog."

Deng Yuxiang's face darkened: "Shuangzi…"

Yan Shuangzi ignored her friend—her heart boiled with boundless hatred, and she spoke in a low, steady voice: "Then let them have what they want."

Lu Ran: "Oh?"

Yan Shuangzi lowered her head, trying to hide her twisted expression: "I'll be that evil dog—I'll tear off their flesh, crush their bones in my jaws."

Lu Ran and Deng Yu exchanged a glance.

Her eyes held a hint of inquiry; he gave a slight nod.

The Evil Dog clan certainly lacks terrifying grand techniques, but talent comes in different types!

You don't have to move mountains or fill seas to be a peerless powerhouse.

Even as an Evil Dog, you may not possess world-shattering power, but you can kill those who do—silently, invisibly!

Perhaps Yan Shuangzi was drawn to this very unique path?

Evil Perception is Yan Shuangzi's urgent need.

Evil Agility allows Yan Shuangzi to face the swift North Wind clan with greater flexibility and speed, eliminating their followers one by one.

Evil Technique: Evil Shadow Flash grants her the ability to strike like a ghost, appearing and vanishing without warning.

As for the remaining three techniques, each has significant utility.

The long-range Evil Fang, the taunt technique Evil Bark, and Lu Ran's less-used technique—Evil Shadow, which summons illusions to confuse enemies.

In fact, the Jiang Pin: Evil Shadow already allows her to summon a duplicate.

But this duplicate is highly unstable and may shatter at any moment; at this stage, its greater purpose remains as a decoy to mislead enemies.

Once Evil Shadow advances to Sea Rank, it may truly function as a true duplicate!

Yan Shuangzi: "Yu Xiang said you aim to destroy the gods and demons, to reshape the human world, is that right?"

Lu Ran's voice was grave: "That is the goal of our Ranyun Sect."

"Good!" Yan Shuangzi lowered her left arm, clenching her fist, her shoulders trembling slightly. "I believe in you! Take me, Lu Ran! From now on, this wretched life of mine is yours."

Lu Ran interrupted: "You are my sister's closest friend, my kindred spirit!"

Deng Yu pressed down gently on Yan Shuangzi's shoulder.

Yan Shuangzi knelt on one knee.

Lu Ran turned to look at Deng Yu; the woman met his gaze calmly.

After a moment, Lu Ran looked again at Yan Shuangzi: "You're certain about the Evil Dog?"

Yan Shuangzi said firmly: "Certain."

Xiang Luoying, sitting alone nearby, paused her bow-cleaning and lifted her eyes toward them.

Her husband, Xun Yifei, had once wanted to tear up the original pact to test Lu Ran's abilities—but Lu Ran had dissuaded him.

Now, Luoying could witness it all with her own eyes!

"Huuu!!"

Suddenly, a massive shadow erupted from Lu Ran's body.

A towering, jet-black Evil Dog, its face fierce, stared with crimson eyes, radiating terrifying energy.

It lowered its head, fixing its gaze on the human kneeling before its master.

Slowly, Lu Ran reached down with one hand.

The dog's head lowered in unison, its nose overlapping Lu Ran's hand, pressing against Yan Shuangzi's crown.

Yan Shuangzi:!!!

Her body shuddered violently as waves of energy surged forth.

Long moments passed, and the vast shadow slowly retracted, merging into Lu Ran's body.

And Yan Shuangzi—

She tilted her head slightly, as if listening to something, then sniffed the air.

Though blind, she was no longer "blind."

Evil Technique: Evil Perception enhanced her perception in every direction.

In the silent cave, even if everyone remained motionless and silent, she could clearly sense the subtle energy fluctuations of each person!

This allowed her to pinpoint everyone's location.

Each member's unique aura also let Yan Shuangzi easily distinguish one from another.

Yan Shuangzi was too overwhelmed to speak.

She had once been a powerful martial artist, with sharp eyes and ears attuned to the wind, intimately familiar with every detail of the battlefield.

When she lost it all, the crushing despair and bitter sorrow were beyond ordinary comprehension.

Lu Ran, Lu Ran…

Yan Shuangzi lowered her head, lips tightly pressed.

First, he saved her life.

Then, he gave her rebirth.

He stripped her of everything—and then gave her everything back.

He granted her the right to seek vengeance, and showed her a path to shatter her chains and overturn the world.

What could possibly repay such a debt?

Just this wretched life of hers…

Was it enough?

(End of Chapter)