Chapter 867: Do One

This time, Lu Ran dared not face the Mirror of Illusory Flowers and Moon directly when activating the demonic art.

He positioned the full-length mirror beside him, aligning his body parallel to it in a straight line.

"Whoosh!"

The Cold Moon Sword shot forward at high speed, piercing a large tree ahead, its momentum unbroken, continuing its rapid thrust.

"Go, bring it back." Lu Ran's mind flickered, and the Rosy Light Saber unsheathed from his back.

The Rosy Light Saber had awakened the Divine Weapon Domain—it was a "Second-Class Divine Weapon."

It surpassed First-Class Divine Weapons lacking a Domain in every aspect!

"Roar!"

Far in the night sky, the Cang Dragon's bellow shook the rainy night.

The giant dragon split into countless tiny Cang Dragons, surging toward their target.

Shi Yali felt her heart pound violently!

She desperately soared diagonally upward, feathers exploding wildly from her body.

"Don't run!"

Amid layers of rain curtains, Xun Yifei darted freely, then suddenly pointed his blade forward.

"Hum~"

The Three-Pointed Two-Edged Blade trembled violently!

In Xun Yifei's once weathered eyes, resolve blazed clearly.

The threat,

Must not be allowed to remain!

"Boom!"

In the night sky, a gap seemed to open.

A terrifying torrent surged forth with a thunderous roar, crashing down violently.

Like a cascading waterfall!

Shi Yali's face froze.

Divine Weapon Domain?

She had to brake sharply, refusing to charge into the terrifying torrent—but behind her,

Countless Cang Dragons had arrived!

"Damn!" Lu Ran couldn't help grinning.

No matter how many feathers the Tian Luan disciples fired, they couldn't match the endless Cang Dragons.

Luoying's Ten Thousand Dragons Subdue the Sea Arrow was meant to annihilate entire armies.

Shi Yali was truly lucky—she got it all to herself!

One Cang Dragon, two Cang Dragons, three Cang Dragons…

Shi Yali's defenses were torn apart without a doubt!

The cracking of her water armor, the shattering of her Luan wings, the tearing of flesh, and her piercing screams filled the air!

Luoying, prompted by Yu Changsheng, dispersed the massive swarm of tiny Cang Dragons.

Now that the target was critically wounded and doomed, they must be careful with the artifact pearl she wore.

Don't blast the loot to pieces.

Amid the high-altitude rain curtain, Xun Yifei relaxed slightly.

The threat was eliminated.

He remembered how the Master had performed a divine maneuver, effortlessly resolving his crisis.

Xun Yifei gazed down at the mountain forest—but in the rainy night, where could he find Lu Ran's figure?

At this moment, Lu Ran was indeed slightly distant from the battle.

He had just been summoned by the Rosy Light Saber.

"Shhh~"

Following the Rosy Light's guidance, Lu Ran flashed to its side.

Ten meters ahead, suspended midair, was a Divine Weapon—the Cold Moon Sword.

Clearly, the Rosy Light Saber had successfully intercepted it.

"Open your eyes!" Lu Ran spoke. "Is that kind of person worth your lifelong devotion?"

Lifelong devotion?

The Cold Moon Sword hung motionless.

Since following its original master to this world, this blade had changed hands many times, its fate shifting wildly.

Who was worthy of this blade's lifelong allegiance?

And which human dares claim invincibility, certain he won't die violently tomorrow?

"A wise bird chooses its tree; a wise minister chooses his lord." Lu Ran spoke gravely, stepping forward. "Come with us. Don't tarnish your name as a Divine Weapon!"

The Cold Moon Sword remained utterly still.

With a sharp snap, Lu Ran seized the hilt.

From the moment he stepped forward to the moment he grasped the blade, he moved calmly, giving the Cold Moon Sword ample time to react.

Yet even at the final moment, the Cold Moon Sword did not move.

Once again, it had a new user.

But it had never changed masters.

"It's over." Lu Ran looked up, his gaze piercing through layers of rain, seeing the scattered, vanishing Cang Dragon swarm.

The vast sea had fallen.

"Shhh~"

Lu Ran flashed into the night sky, snatching up a black mist cluster.

Shi Yali's soul-form struggled wildly in shock and rage, but to no avail—she was sealed into the Soul Prison.

Lu Ran stood atop a black cloud, casting Soul Fire as he plummeted rapidly.

"Ahh! Aaaah!" Shi Yali's screams were piercing, echoing through the endless rainy night.

Only when Lu Ran reached the Ruan Men group did he extinguish the Soul Fire.

"Shut up." Lu Ran ordered coldly.

On the black mist cluster, Shi Yali's face contorted in terror, silent and afraid to make any sound.

Even now, she still didn't understand what kind of target she had tried to kill and rob!

"No wonder you're the Luo God!" Lu Ran looked at Luoying, omitting even the word "General."

Luoying nodded slightly, slinging the Colorful Bow over her back.

Lu Ran turned to Xun Yifei: "General Xun, bold and strategic, decisive and sharp—your Divine Weapon Domain truly opened my eyes!"

Xun Yifei seemed unaccustomed to such blunt praise; after a pause, he muttered two words: "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Lu Ran replied automatically.

Xun Yifei: "."

Lu Ran: "."

Watching the two stare blankly at each other, Luoying couldn't help a faint smile.

One, young, striving to play the role of a leader, praising his troops after battle.

One, already a husband and father, striving to play the role of a subordinate, bowing respectfully to the young Master.

Their true roles seemed reversed.

Quite amusing.

"Clear the battlefield," Lu Ran ordered. "Let's return quickly—each to your post."

Nearby, a quiet voice spoke: "Master, what about me?"

Lu Ran silently cursed himself for being careless.

The two Divine Generals had shone too brightly; Lu Ran had been eager to praise them and hurry back to guard the base, momentarily forgetting the strategist.

But then again—

You're a Sea Realm elder. Do you really need praise?

Yu Changsheng smiled warmly at Lu Ran, as if genuinely waiting for it?

"Master Yu's thinking is meticulous, his command flawless—excellent!"

"Master flatters me," Yu Changsheng gently fanned his paper fan, looking utterly content.

Lu Ran suppressed the urge to roll his eyes.

Now you're being modest?

Don't make me praise you then!

Lu Ran muttered inwardly, swiftly clearing the battlefield with the group before returning to Yunhai Cliff.

This battle yielded immense rewards!

A pair of Divine Weapon swords and sabers, a Divine Weapon blank—the Golden Chan Staff.

One artifact pearl, and a full three strings of Divine Power Beads.

Not by individual beads—by strings!

Since Lu Ran entered this realm and encountered the bandits of Tian Tu Mountain, he has never lacked Divine Power Pearls.

All along, the necklace he wore around his neck carried seven or eight Divine Power Pearls.

Now he was even richer.

He could now wear "Chaozhu" directly.

But Lu Ran could not keep them all for himself; the few of Ran Men had worked hard and earned great merit—he must reward them according to their contributions.

But now was not the time.

Lu Ran ordered Xun Luo and the other to return to their posts and guard them, while he picked up the black mist cluster and, together with Yu Changsheng, interrogated Shi Yali by force.

Over the years, Shi Yali had traveled far and wide and possessed vast knowledge!

This delighted Lu Ran immensely; he fired question after question, continuously gathering information about the major sects and power groups within the Holy Spirit Mountain Realm.

Only after extracting every last secret from Shi Yali's mind did Lu Ran finally stop.

At that moment, the heavy rain had just ceased, and the sky was beginning to lighten.

"Huh~" Lu Ran dispersed the Soul Prison.

But the souls within could not escape—they were once again trapped within Lu Ran's pupils.

"Master, are you planning to seek out that old acquaintance?" Yu Changsheng asked softly.

"What do you think?" Lu Ran leaned against a large tree, fiddling with a string of Divine Power Pearls.

The pearl in his palm, the size of a ping-pong ball, was originally He Qi Feng's artifact—the Wind Barrier Pearl.

Yu Changsheng pondered: "Ran Men lacks combat strength. Since this person has ties with the Master, we might try recruiting her."

She is a First-Class Divine—follower of the Wu Seng!

She is also the runner-up on the Great Xia Heavenly Prodigy List!

He Qi Feng's immediate combat power and her innate potential are both top-tier.

She is absolutely qualified to hold a place among Ran Men's "Eight Divine Generals!"

Lu Ran mused: "We're only acquainted—there's no real connection. We've barely exchanged a few words."

Yu Changsheng smiled, gesturing to the pearl in Lu Ran's palm: "Isn't this connection?"

Lu Ran weighed the pearl in his hand and gave a slight nod.

Yu Changsheng changed tack: "Master, do you know that when you're far from home, even meeting a stranger from your homeland brings a faint sense of familiarity?"

"Mm." Lu Ran nodded again.

Yu Changsheng continued: "This is the Holy Spirit Mountain. The mountains are high, the roads long.

So long that ninety-nine percent die here and are buried here; so distant that people are born with hostility toward one another, and meeting means drawing blades.

So you and this Wu Seng disciple need no real bond."

Yu Changsheng paused, then emphasized four words: "Old acquaintance—enough."

The words "old acquaintance" stirred some memories in Lu Ran.

This term rarely appeared in Lu Ran's life—but the most vivid instance was with Xiang Xianyang and Wang Quan.

When Lu Ran asked what their relationship was, Lord Xiang Xianyang used this very word.

Old acquaintance.

Yu Changsheng snapped shut his folding fan: "Master, don't undervalue yourself."

"Oh?"

"You just said you're the number one Heavenly Prodigy of Great Xia, and this woman is number two—she's always been overshadowed by you."

"Hehe~"

Yu Changsheng glanced at Lu Ran with amusement: "Wu Seng followers are a group that strive fiercely to rise. To you, perhaps you and her share no bond.

But this Wu Seng disciple, as a ten-thousand-year runner-up, must have admired you from afar for a long time."

Lu Ran: "."

That was true—He Qi Feng had indeed been watching him for a long time.

At the award ceremony last time, among all the peers present, her grip was the strongest!

It was just a handshake—but she nearly crushed his bones.

Yu Changsheng sighed deeply: "As a Heavenly Prodigy of Great Xia, she must possess excellent character; otherwise, she would never have been selected and cultivated as the spiritual embodiment of hundreds of millions."

"Mm!" Lu Ran agreed wholeheartedly.

That made sense.

The Heavenly Prodigies are meant to be heroes—how could they be vile, wicked men?

The students must have undergone rigorous screening by Great Xia's authorities and thorough background checks.

Yu Changsheng suggested: "If so, I believe Master should seize this opportunity and try to recruit her.

She must have already seen the corruption of this realm.

If she still retains her good nature and wishes to escape this mire, she should join Ran Men."

Lu Ran nodded lightly: "She hasn't been in this realm long—I hope she hasn't yet been corrupted by Holy Spirit Mountain."

Yu Changsheng fell silent.

No one could be certain of that.

A person can change gradually day by day—or be utterly transformed by a sudden catastrophe.

And this Holy Spirit Mountain possesses every condition for such a transformation!

So,

Do your best—and leave the rest to fate.

Request some monthly votes.

(End of Chapter)