Chapter 893: Darkness?

Three days later.

Dark clouds filled the sky, pouring rain lashed down.

A tall figure stood alone on the sea cliff.

Lu Ran gazed up at the thick, gloomy clouds, letting the gale strike his face as raindrops hammered randomly against his green cape and bamboo hat.

He was waiting.

Waiting for the celestial phenomenon to descend, waiting for his divine general to bring him good news.

Behind him, in the mountain forest, another figure clad in smoke-gray cape and rain-hat leaned against a great tree, silently guarding.

Before her hung a curved blade.

It had once been named Cold Moon Blade, precisely because it was forged from black ice—chill and translucent.

Now, it was named Evil Moon Blade, which suited its temperament better.

Yan Shuangzi used her cold fingers to trace inch by inch over the icy blade, outlining the curve of the black ice curved sword.

Since the sect master had gifted her this divine weapon over a month ago, she had grown fond of this kind of interaction with Evil Moon Blade.

Yan Shuangzi had no eyes, so she used her fingertips to sketch and feel the presence of the blade.

"Hmm?" The woman suddenly emitted a nasal sound.

She brushed the blade as usual, but today, it felt as if she had drawn something extraordinary in her mind?

It was a beautiful arc.

As a blind woman, her world was nothing but void—and yet now, she seemed to "see" a streak of pitch-black curvature.

Its shape resembled a crescent moon, but due to its color, it remained indistinct.

At that moment, both man and blade froze.

"Hum~"

After an indeterminate length of time, the black ice curved blade beneath her fingers trembled slightly.

"Master!"

"Mm." Yan Shuangzi pressed her thin lips into a line, feeling the excited, quivering divine blade beneath her fingers.

The blade spirit transmitted its thought, its voice trembling: "Domain, Master! Domain!"

"After searching for so many years, my domain is this?"

Yan Shuangzi remained silent, letting the blade slowly glide, inch by inch, across her fingertips.

The pitch-black arc in her heart grew ever clearer.

"Hah!" A laugh suddenly echoed from afar.

Yan Shuangzi tilted her head slightly, listening intently.

But the wind was too strong, the rain too noisy—she could not make out the sound clearly.

The blade spirit grew anxious, transmitting thought: "Master, focus!"

Yan Shuangzi frowned slightly, her expression displeased.

"You know all my history—that's why you recognized me and chose to follow me." She gripped the cold, thin blade, speaking softly, "So you should know—I have a master too."

Evil Moon Blade: "."

Yan Shuangzi turned her attention back to Lu Ran, listening carefully, and finally understood why he laughed.

It wasn't through hearing—it was that she sensed the surrounding energy had grown denser.

And it kept growing denser with time.

So, Xun Yifei had successfully broken through his bottleneck and entered the advancement phase?

"Huh~"

The Evil Moon blade spirit suddenly shot out, racing toward the sea cliff.

"Master!"

"Huh?" Lu Ran startled, asking quickly, "What's wrong, Xiaguang?"

Xiaguang Blade rarely spoke.

"Behind you."

Lu Ran immediately turned his head and saw a phantom figure flying toward him.

The phantom wore a conical hat and a cape; the lower half of its face resembled Yan Shuangzi.

Was this the blade spirit of Evil Moon Blade?

Clearly, this divine weapon highly recognized Yan Shuangzi—otherwise, its spirit would never have gradually taken on her form.

Lu Ran lowered his guard and reached out his hand.

The blade spirit immediately made contact with his palm, swiftly transmitting its thoughts.

Moments later, Lu Ran understood the full story—his heart swelled with both surprise and helplessness.

He never expected the blade spirit had come to complain—to seek him out as judge?!

【Shadow.】 Lu Ran's mind received the thought.

"Master." Yan Shuangzi's figure flickered into view before Lu Ran.

Lu Ran snatched the Evil Moon Blade from between her fingers, reversed its angle, and shoved the hilt into her palm: "Go. Chamber Four. Focus on comprehending the divine weapon's domain."

The Evil Moon blade spirit still looked sulky, lips pursed—but upon hearing Lu Ran's words, it merged back into the blade.

Yan Shuangzi: "."

Lu Ran felt helpless but spoke firmly: "Execute the order."

"Yes." Yan Shuangzi's figure flickered again, blade in hand, vanishing without a trace.

"Double blessings!" Lu Ran, having sent Yan Shuangzi away, couldn't help but smile broadly.

If Xun Yifei successfully advances to Sea Realm Stage Three, the Rang Sect's strength will naturally grow—and Yan Shuangzi, by accident, has touched upon the divine weapon's domain with Evil Moon Blade?

If she can master it, the Rang Sect's power will leap to a new level!

Think of Xiaguang Blade's domain—it can repel the entire army of ghostly night-walkers.

Of course, different divine weapon domains differ not only in function but also in strength.

Regardless, a divine weapon domain can't possibly be weak!

"It's an entirely new domain, unclaimed by any other divine weapon." Lu Ran suppressed his excitement, turned, and gazed at the raging sea.

Waves crashed relentlessly against the rocks, roaring with thunder.

Dark clouds loomed over the city, wind and rain howled—but they only stoked Lu Ran's fervor!

Yes, things will get better.

No matter how fierce the storm over the Sacred Spirit Mountain Realm, we will grow stronger!

Lu Ran closed his eyes, feeling the wind and rain, drawing in the thick mist of heaven and earth.

Whenever a human cultivator advances, it becomes an opportunity for all nearby humans, divine weapons, and artifacts!

Lu Ran would never let such a cultivation opportunity slip away.

Time passed slowly, day and night turned.

The rain fell, stopped, fell again—but Lu Ran never waited for Yan Shuangzi to achieve mastery.

Xun Yifei's advancement was only a minor stage leap—it summoned mist, not a "mist tornado" like a major realm breakthrough would.

A divine weapon unlocking its domain, however, might trigger a higher-tier celestial phenomenon!

Unfortunately, Lu Ran waited three days and never witnessed it.

Yet these past days, the Cloud Sea Cliff had remained peaceful, offering Lu Ran some comfort.

"Splish-splash"

The rain poured harder, heavier.

Along the coast of the Sacred Spirit Mountain Realm, overcast days were common, rainy days even more so.

In the dead of night, near the Black Sea Bay's reefs, a shadow seemed to surge onto the rocks with the waves.

Only when he broke free from the waves and stood atop the stone did his human silhouette become clear.

Was this figure made of water?

Yan Qing Divine Art: Water Body!

"Splish-splash~"

The surging tide hurled another towering wave—the shadow stepped upon the water, merged into the torrential rain, and silently ascended.

Yan Qing Divine Art: Water Flow!

The water-shadow crept stealthily up the middle of the steep cliff, crushed rocks with his palm, swiftly dug out a small hole, and tunneled into the mountain's interior.

"Swoosh~"

Ten seconds later, a slender blade flashed beneath the steep cliff face.

Xiaguang Blade, which had been circling the Cloud Sea Cliff, suddenly halted.

Then, slowly, it drifted diagonally upward, finally hovering at the mouth of the dug-out hole.

Meanwhile, atop the sea cliff:

Lu Ran's expression changed instantly—he vanished in a flash.

The next moment, he gripped the hilt of the blade and stood suspended in midair before the small opening.

"Damn bastard!" Lu Ran cursed inwardly.

Are you a mole?

Is it really this hard to advance peacefully within the Sacred Spirit Mountain Realm?!

If discovered, the opponent will never miss the chance!

Whether you had past grudges or even met before doesn't matter.

Malice is inherent in every soul of this world!

Lu Ran's face darkened; he pressed one hand against the edge of the small cave and peered inside.

This narrow tunnel, just wide enough for one person, turned a corner ten meters ahead, hiding any enemies within.

Lu Ran held the blade before him, letting the divine weapon drag him inside.

At the corner, the Radiant Light Blade sent a thought: "Master, there's someone diagonally below."

"Stab straight up!" Lu Ran transmitted the thought.

"Swoosh!"

The Radiant Light Blade shot forward violently.

"Ssshh—"

Lu Ran lay flat in the tunnel, mist swirling beneath his feet.

With the Radiant Light Blade leading, he only needed to add a bit of force.

As the Radiant Light Blade surged forward and turned again, Lu Ran glimpsed a shadow in the pitch-black tunnel.

Divine Art: Fiery Heaven Power!

Currently, Lu Ran's Soul-Shattering Demon Sculpture was River Realm · Stage One, while his Fiery Heaven Divine Sculpture was River Realm · Stage Two.

Naturally, the Fiery Heaven Power added slightly more strength than the Soul-Shattering Power.

Lu Ran gripped the Radiant Light Blade tightly and stabbed forward with all his might!

"Huh?" Deep in the tunnel, a man startled—he felt a figure hurtling toward him from behind!

"Huu~"

The next instant, the man's entire body turned to clear water.

"Sss!" The blade pierced the water-figure's back without resistance.

Lu Ran landed atop the man.

Yan Qing's Divine Art: Body of Water allows the caster to transform their body into water, hiding within it while becoming immune to physical damage.

"Snap! Snap! Snap!"

The sound of whips suddenly rang out.

"Crash!"

The tunnel began to collapse!

Countless water whips erupted from the water-figure, flinging Lu Ran away and lashing wildly at everything around.

Yan Qing's Divine Art: Thousand Water Whips!

Xun Yifei once used this art to strike down countless feathers shot by Shi Yali; the Yan Qing disciple here used it to lash everything around—and to repel enemies behind.

Lu Ran was slammed hard into the stone wall, his face grim, now clad in a black-gold imperial robe.

Demon Spear Emperor Art: Demon Cloud Robe!

On the man, Lu Ran sensed no pressure—so he knew the man was no Sea Realm cultivator.

Since he wasn't Sea Realm, this would be easy.

The black-gold robe expanded, halting the tunnel's collapse while absorbing the man's attacks; Lu Ran activated another Demon Spear Emperor Art—Demon Cloud Bind!

Several tendrils of black mist, like venomous snakes, slithered into the pile of rubble and coiled tightly around the man's body in the dark, cramped space.

The man was still digging through the mountain to escape—his face turned pale.

He suddenly realized something was interfering with the flow of his divine power?

His Body of Water could fail at any moment—he'd revert to flesh and blood!

"Bang!!"

Just as the man panicked, the collapsing tunnel was violently torn open—a cold blade stabbed straight into his spine.

"No!!" The man finally spoke, screaming in terror.

Four black mist serpents clung desperately, merging into his body, blocking the flow of divine power.

The Body of Water that granted immunity to physical damage. The Thousand Water Whips used to repel enemies.

Even his water-armored suit—all were nullified!

"Sss!" The Radiant Light Blade pierced straight into the man's heart.

Lu Ran's pupils turned icy; he slashed upward sharply, cleaving the man's skull open along his neck.

Blood sprayed everywhere!

"Huu~"

The Emperor Robe blotted out the sky.

It carved out a small protected zone for Lu Ran.

"You're pretty sneaky," Lu Ran growled through clenched teeth.

If not for the Radiant Light Blade sensing him, the man would've slipped away!

Whether disturbing Xun Yifei or Yan Shuangzi could trigger serious consequences.

"Huu~"

Lu Ran immediately summoned a black mist, trapping the man's soul within.

"You! How can you… you?" The man's terrified face surfaced on the mist.

The man knew this was the Soul-Shattering Demon Clan's demonic art—Soul Prison.

But how could this youth possess so many demonic arts?

"Ahh! Aaaahhh!" Before the man could recover, searing agony struck him.

It was a level of pain no living being could ever endure or even conceive in their flesh.

Lu Ran's face was grim: "Tell me—how many of you are there?"

(End of Chapter)