Chapter 879: The Old Friend Comes

"Master." Yu Changsheng, seeing Lu Ran return, immediately asked, "How did it go?"

Lu Ran said, "Unexpectedly, the guards were reasonable—they knew I was a disciple of Xiang Xianyang and didn't give me any trouble."

"Any news of He Qifeng?"

"They said he's out on a mission and might return soon." As he spoke, Lu Ran's expression turned peculiar, "He Qifeng even got promoted—she's now a hall master within Wu Jifeng."

"Oh?" Yu Changsheng was also quite surprised.

It seems this woman is exceptionally capable?

As a first-class deity, Wu Seng naturally recruits only the most gifted disciples.

Wu Jifeng must be teeming with experts!

To rise above such a powerful faction and become a hall master, raw combat power alone is absolutely insufficient!

Add to that He Qifeng's youth and short time since entering the mountain—her achievements

Demand wisdom, tactics, and more—all indispensable.

Thinking of this, Yu Changsheng grew even more eager for He Qifeng's joining.

"Let's come back in a few days," Lu Ran suggested.

"Agreed." Yu Changsheng asked, "Shall we carve out a cave and cultivate for a few days?"

Lu Ran turned to face south: "The prisoner said, hundreds of kilometers south of Wu Jifeng, lies a withered forest."

Yu Changsheng's heart stirred slightly; he probed, "Does the master intend to infiltrate the Tree-Face Demon's ranks?"

The demonic race known as Tree-Face Demons are demonic entities resembling withered trees, named for the terrifying human faces growing on their trunks.

This race is also the sworn enemy of the Biwu Sect.

"Let's go take a look," Lu Ran replied noncommittally.

Currently, he only had two idol activation slots left; to gain more, he'd have to wait until the Sea Realm.

Lu Ran was only at the River Realm, Third Stage—he'd have to wait a while to ascend to the Sea Realm.

He still planned to first activate idols that could fill his own weaknesses.

For instance, the Yanqing Sect—or its sworn enemy, the demonic race of Sea-Sirens.

Both would allow Lu Ran to be immune to water-based techniques and conceal his form underwater—sounds incredibly appealing!

Still, the Tree-Face Demons could also be considered.

After all, this race are born elite tower defenders!

More accurately, Tree-Face Demons *are* the tower itself.

Like the Biwu Sect, they are a support-type race—decent output, with formidable crowd control and defense!

Their bodies are massive; once their withered branches extend, they cover an enormous area.

If a Tree-Face Demon were planted atop Yunhai Cliff, the defensive capability of Ruan Men's main base should rise another level?

Hmm. Pros and cons, both.

After all, Tree-Face Demons are enormous—their defense is indeed impressive, but they also attract enemies easily.

"Let's go!" Lu Ran gave the order.

Regardless of whether he activated them, he'd first capture some souls for storage—better safe than sorry.

Having been a believer for so long, Lu Ran had always holed up in small places like Yuxiang City—he'd never encountered many demonic types, and had never faced Tree-Face Demons head-on.

He'd kill for several days and nights, gather plenty of spoils, then rest for a few days before returning to visit Wu Jifeng.

Would that not be delightful?

Thus, the three of Ruan Men set out southward.

A mere five or six hundred kilometers—they walked slowly, stopping occasionally, sometimes activating the teleportation mirror.

Soon, Lu Ran and the others saw the so-called withered forest.

It was easy to find—because the withered forest stretched over an enormous area!

"Whoa~~~"

On a hilltop, Lu Ran gazed southward and couldn't help but exclaim in awe.

The prisoner Shi Yali had said: five hundred li of withered forest, devoid of life, unseen by sunlight.

The words were true!

Within the Sacred Spirit Mountain Realm, there were two things abundant: mountains, and trees.

Most trees in the mountains were lush and leafy, brimming with vitality.

Lu Ran had never seen such a lifeless, withered, and desolate forest!

And its scale was so vast—he couldn't see the end?

Lu Ran strained his vision and saw towering withered trees rising from distant mountains, their dry branches spreading horizontally, entwined together.

It wasn't hard to imagine—the forest must be pitch-black, hidden from the sky.

"If someone new to the Sacred Spirit Mountains was teleported directly into this withered forest, they'd be in terrible shape," Lu Ran murmured.

Yu Changsheng nodded in agreement.

"Huh~" After observing for a moment, Lu Ran summoned an ancient bronze mirror.

Yu Changsheng immediately warned: "Master, Tree-Face Demons have an extremely wide attack range—their withered branches can extend hundreds of meters."

"Mm." Lu Ran replied casually; the oval bronze mirror in his hand transformed into a full-length mirror.

He stepped one foot into the mirror, then his eyes sharpened!

At the edge of the withered forest, hundreds of meters away, stood a Tree-Face Demon.

It appeared as a withered tree—not very tall, but exceptionally thick, with countless dry branches.

On the bark midway up its trunk, a cracked human face had surfaced!

Its expression was blank; its deeply sunken eye sockets held two dull yellow eyes—strange and chilling.

Merely looking at it sent a shiver down the spine!

Demonic race—Tree-Face Demon!

Each Tree-Face Demon claimed its own territory.

Within dozens of meters around this one, the earth was cracked into blocks, utterly lifeless.

Ordinary trees nearby looked half-dead, their branches tightly entangled by the demon's withered limbs.

The root cause of this devastation was the race's cruel healing technique!

Demonic Art—Sick Tree Spring!

Tree-Face Demons could drain the life force of other living beings to replenish themselves.

Lu Ran had once seen online images—poor humans, their corpses horrifically shriveled, drained dry by Tree-Face Demons!

"From Long."

"Master?"

Lu Ran gestured toward the distant withered forest: "Why not send a small boat crashing into it? Let me have a feast."

Yu Changsheng: "..."

You call the 800-meter-long Long Li Heavenly Vessel a "small boat"?

Lu Ran chuckled: "My Ink Carp Sinking Boat is a defensive technique—it's too slow, lacks momentum."

Yu Changsheng pondered a moment, then said: "Master, since this withered forest has remained here so long, it means the entire race possesses immense strength!

The forest likely harbors many Sea Realm great demons—only then could they protect their stronghold."

Lu Ran nodded slightly: "You're right, sir."

Yu Changsheng continued: "If we only make minor strikes, we might kill for a while.

But if we strike too hard at first, the enemy camp will surely send out their great demons."

"Makes sense!" Lu Ran immediately agreed.

The suffering he'd endured just days ago at the Night Phantom stronghold was still fresh in his mind.

"Then I'll handle it," Lu Ran reached out and grasped a small paper doll.

Yu Changsheng raised an eyebrow slightly.

He rarely saw Lu Ran use the demonic arts of the Yanzhi Clan.

Lu Ran gazed at the lone Tree-Face Demon at the forest's edge and activated his technique.

In the unseen realm, the small paper doll in his palm became linked to the giant tree.

"Crack! Crack! Crack..."

As Lu Ran slowly clenched the paper doll, the distant withered tree seemed gripped by an invisible hand.

The thick trunk was slowly crushed; the cracked human face on its bark twisted grotesquely.

The terrifying human face did have a "mouth," but it was merely decorative—the Tree-Face Demons themselves could not produce sound.

"Crack..."

The River Realm Tree-Face Demon had no resistance; its fine withered branches couldn't move, ending crushed.

Yu Changsheng couldn't help but feel a chill.

Were the Tree-Face Demons' demonic arts cruel and vile?

Yes.

But his own master's methods were far more cruel than the demons'!

"Killing them one by one—how long will this take?" Lu Ran disliked the thought.

Since Tree-Face Demons are withered wood, they're naturally weak to fire.

Lu Ran really wanted to pull out Lie Tian Hammer and smash his way in with a bang.

But wouldn't that make too much noise?

No choice—this situation is too unusual; the Deadwood Forest is the stronghold of the Tree-Face Demons, requiring utmost caution.

Let me be clear: the Tree-Face Demons aren't just standing around!

On the contrary, they have flexible dead branches that can uproot themselves and launch directly into motion.

"Got it!" Lu Ran's eyes lit up.

He extended his left hand, and from beneath his wide straw cloak, a Radiant Blade shot out.

Divine Weapon Domain: Auspicious Clouds!

"Open!"

Since when had Lu Ran grown fond of this word?

His divine power surged, and the Radiant Blade trembled, slowly releasing a single streak of radiant light.

But only one streak.

Yu Changsheng frowned in confusion: "Master Lu, this is a Divine Weapon Domain—how can the combat intensity be this low?"

Lu Ran beamed with confidence: "Fast kills, minimal noise! Just watch, Master!"

Yu Changsheng: "."

The gold-and-red radiant light drifted forward like a soft, flowing veil, hugging the ground.

"Rustle!" At the edge of the Deadwood Forest, another dead tree sensed the anomaly and instantly thrust out countless withered branches.

"Huu~"

The branches were instantly reduced to ash.

Lu Ran's aura surged, his hair whipping in the wind, his eyes gleaming with divine radiance—his entire being exuded divinity!

The radiant light suddenly accelerated, streaking straight for the Tree-Face Demon's roots.

The Tree-Face Demon had no effective means of resistance!

Even if it wove its branches into thick shields, the radiant light pierced through and incinerated its trunk.

Two words—Divine Counter!

"Let's go—target the isolated ones, circle the forest's edge!"

Lu Ran held the blade before him with both hands and advanced slowly.

Let's take out a ring of them first!

【Master, someone's approaching from the northwest!】 A voice suddenly echoed in Lu Ran's mind.

Lu Ran frowned slightly and turned toward the rear right: 【Hide for now.】

【Yes.】

"Radiant Light! Radiant Blade?!" A voice rang out from afar, growing rapidly closer.

Clearly, the person was moving at high speed.

Lu Ran's expression turned startled.

Who could name the Radiant Blade so precisely? Oh?

Lu Ran blinked, and saw several figures racing toward him from the lush northern forest.

Leading them was a young woman, tall and upright, brimming with martial vigor.

She wore a golden-brown Wu Seng robe, neat and sharp, her jet-black short hair fluttering.

"Oh?" Lu Ran was pleasantly surprised and grinned, "Isn't that you? The famed Second Prodigy of Great Xia?"

He Qi Feng was equally startled and delighted!

They had never truly interacted before.

Just last year, at the award ceremony, they'd shaken hands and exchanged a few words backstage.

He had flatly refused her challenge, leaving her displeased.

Now, meeting Lu Ran here in Holy Spirit Mountain, He Qi Feng had no other thought—only a deep sense of familiarity!

"Hah!" He Qi Feng laughed heartily, "You little brat, you haven't changed a bit—still as annoying as ever!"

Good!

Looks like Holy Spirit Mountain can't touch you after all? Hah!"

(End of Chapter)