Chapter 918: The Vast Sea

One man, one blade, pierced the remaining ten-meter-long dragon body and emerged from its head.

This time, the Furious Sea Flame Dragon had no right to even cry out.

The blazing dragon head plunged into the sea, staining vast stretches of water with blood, flames scorching the ocean and rising thick steam.

Lu Ran stood midair, both hands gripping the hilt, holding the Bahuang Sword upright before him.

Scalding dragon blood dripped continuously from the blade's surface.

"Wake up, Bahuang."

Lu Ran murmured softly, his bloodshot eyes burning as he stared at the Bahuang Juemie Sword.

The hilt in his hands hummed, its vibrations growing more intense.

Lu Ran was filled with joy and anticipation.

One second, two seconds, three seconds.

"Plop!" In the sea, the massive corpse of the Furious Sea Flame Dragon shattered into specks of energy.

Even the blood-stained seawater turned into wisps of mist, rapidly fading.

This world was fantastical enough—such a colossal crimson dragon vanished entirely, as if it had never existed.

Lu Ran paid no attention to what was happening beneath him.

He only stared, eyes blazing, at the Bahuang Juemie Sword.

Excitement. Anticipation. Confusion. Disappointment.

In just a few dozen seconds, Lu Ran's emotions rode a rollercoaster.

It was like enduring unrequited love.

All his joy and hope vanished before he could muster the courage to confess, only to see his goddess happily nestled in another's arms.

It hurt so much~

"Don't stop!" Lu Ran watched as the Bahuang Sword fell silent.

Keep shaking! Why did you go quiet again?

Did you run out of power?

Lu Ran gripped the hilt with both hands, cradling it like a burning incense stick, swaying it back and forth.

"Bahuang, let's talk—can you please wake up?"

Nearby, Xun Yifei had silently watched this whole scene, then suddenly smiled without a sound.

When a person is utterly speechless, they sometimes laugh for no reason at all.

Just moments ago, how mighty had Lu Ran's aura been?

How proud and commanding his presence?

He had stomped on the Furious Sea Flame Dragon's face, slashing wildly, then finally pierced through its blazing head!

He had carried the aura of a sovereign ruling all under heaven!

Now look at him!

Lu Ran clutched the sword like an incense stick, pitifully shaking it, begging like a child pleading to his grandparents.

"Is it not enough?" Lu Ran lowered his eyelids.

"Land battle, sea battle, aerial battle—I've done them all."

"Over the past half year, we've traveled far and wide within Sacred Spirit Mountain, evading pursuit, slaying villains, rescuing comrades."

"Wu Jifeng, Withered Wood Forest, Night Phantom Lake, Sword Ridge Peak, Blade Spine Peak's Tian Tu bandits, Hidden Wolf Forest gang, Sea Folk Clan."

"And the endless sea—our Seven Star Island."

Lu Ran pressed his forehead against the blade, whispering softly.

Is this not enough?

"Hum~" The Bahuang Sword trembled slightly.

As if answering, as if comforting its master.

Since early June, when Lu Ran slew the Sea Shark Clan far out at sea, the Bahuang Sword had reacted.

It had birthed a faint consciousness.

In the years of battle that followed, the Bahuang Sword grew slowly, occasionally offering Lu Ran a faint feedback.

Until today's battle, the sword's reaction had been unprecedentedly intense!

Lu Ran had believed success was imminent—yet the Bahuang Sword still could not coalesce a complete spirit.

"It's so hard," Lu Ran sighed deeply.

He had a clear cultivation path for weapons; the experiences of these past six months were ones ordinary warriors would never encounter in a lifetime.

Yet even with such a master and such meticulous cultivation, the Bahuang Sword still could not take the next step.

Xun Yifei stood beside him, silently keeping watch.

He occasionally glanced at Lu Ran, clearly seeing his disappointment.

But just seconds later, Lu Ran's expression changed.

He wiped his bloody hand across the blade's surface; his disappointment vanished, replaced only by resolve.

Xun Yifei silently nodded.

Neither arrogant nor discouraged—that is the bearing of a great general!

"Xun."

"Here!" Xun Yifei's feet wrapped in flowing water, he dashed across the turbulent sea.

"Let's return," Lu Ran said softly.

"Yes!" Xun Yifei bowed and left—but after gliding only a few meters, he stopped. "Men Zhu."

"Hmm?"

"You will succeed. You just need a little more time."

Xun Yifei was not a talkative man; his sudden words of comfort surprised Lu Ran.

"Of course!" Lu Ran nodded firmly.

I can mend broken people—how much harder can it be to fix a complete sword?

Nightmare, Evil Shadow, Mad Immortal—weren't all of them cast into abysses, shattered and scarred? Yet under my hands, weren't they all pieced back together, radiant and renewed?

"Plop!"

Lu Ran plunged into the sea, carefully washing the blade.

Though the Bahuang Sword failed to coalesce a spirit this time, Lu Ran was certain—it had advanced greatly along the path to becoming a divine weapon!

Perhaps it was only one step away.

Lu Ran had experience cultivating Radiant Light and Silent Night; he knew exactly what this level of feedback meant.

Perhaps the Bahuang Sword only needed a catalyst.

For Lu Ran, within Sacred Spirit Mountain—catalysts were everywhere!

Lu Ran thought silently, washed the blade clean, then returned to Cloud Sea Cliff.

As for the Furious Sea Flame Dragon's soul, it had already been automatically drawn into Lu Ran's Eye of the Dead Realm.

It was a pity the mist formed from the dragon's shattered body had gone unharvested—Lu Ran had been wholly focused on the sword and hadn't activated his Divine Power Beads to absorb the energy.

Doesn't matter.

Within Cloud Sea Cliff, Nightmare and Evil Shadow were both ascending—energy was the one thing in abundance.

Lu Ran returned to his usual spot and sat by the sea cliff, continuing his cultivation.

I have to say, the promotions of these few members of Ran Gate went surprisingly smoothly.

Apart from a foolishly aggressive Flame Serpent of the Furious Sea, no other creatures visited in the following days.

Two days later, at midday, Lu Ran received a message from Yan Shuangzi.

【Master, I have successfully advanced.】

【Excellent!】 Lu Ran had anticipated this, yet still felt overwhelming joy, 【Congratulations! You've returned to River Stage Two!】

In the pitch-black cultivation chamber, Yan Shuangzi quietly lowered her head.

Had it not been for those unforeseen events, she would have been on par with Deng Yuxiang.

Even if Deng Yuxiang had joined Lu Ran's sect early and become bound to the Evil Sculpture, at least she wouldn't have been left so far behind by her former best friend.

But now,

Deng Yuxiang is about to become a Sea Stage powerhouse, capable of shattering mountains and severing seas with a wave of her hand.

Meanwhile, she is still struggling at the early stage of the River Stage.

【Evil Shadow?】

【Yes.】 Yan Shuangzi snapped back to attention, 【What are your orders, Master?】

Lu Ran frowned slightly: 【You don't seem very happy?】

Yan Shuangzi: "..."

After a moment's thought, Lu Ran realized the issue must lie in the phrase "returned to River Stage Two."

Did those words trigger painful memories for Yan Shuangzi?

Lu Ran carefully chose his words, speaking softly: 【Every experience in your past has shaped who you are today—and will forge who you will become.】

Raising a person is like tending a flower.

Even someone regarded by the world as an unstoppable, mighty river.

But to Lu Ran, a River Stage powerhouse is still a person—capable of vulnerability and sorrow—and deserves gentle care.

He continued: "Don't misunderstand me—I'm not praising suffering.

I'm acknowledging and praising you, the one who endured all that suffering and still rose again."

Yan Shuangzi pressed her lips together and whispered, "Yes, Master."

Lu Ran sighed helplessly and corrected, "Menzhu."

"Yes, Menzhu."

"You should also recognize yourself. You should admire yourself." Lu Ran said solemnly. "Stabilize your mind and consolidate your cultivation realm inside the meditation chamber.

Evil Shadow, we still have a long road ahead."

"Yes, Master."

Lu Ran: "."

He stood up, standing firm at the edge of the high cliff, letting out a quiet sigh.

Take it slow.

I'll heal you eventually.

"Swoosh~" Just then, the Patrol Lightblade flew past the cliff's edge, circled Lu Ran once, then vanished into the mist.

Lu Ran stood motionless in the thick fog, unable to see far, only hearing the sound of crashing waves.

Counting the days, Great Nightmare should be coming out of seclusion soon.

Jiang Jing's breakthrough to a major realm truly took long—almost ten days, nearly maxed out.

Of course, the longer Deng Yuxiang's cultivation process takes, the better!

After all, every moment of her advancement bathed her body in divine energy.

As Lu Ran pondered silently, the vortexes of mist connecting heaven and earth suddenly snapped apart.

Gradually, the mist atop Cloud Sea Cliff thinned.

Lu Ran sensed it at once, his heart leaping with joy.

Deng Yuxiang succeeded!

Became the Vast Sea, revered by all?!"

Lu Ran held back, restraining himself from sending a telepathic message. He waited patiently for a while, then suddenly realized something and flashed to the side of Nightmare Residence.

The members of Ruan Sect had indeed gathered here.

And the one being congratulated was Deng Yuxiang—the woman he hadn't seen in nearly ten days!

Lu Ran couldn't help but feel moved.

Deng and Yan, two warriors with nearly identical styles, both crawled out of the abyss—but took different paths.

Deng Yuxiang had regained her former brilliance, radiant and dazzling as ever.

Now, surrounded by adoring crowds, the atmosphere inside and outside Nightmare Residence was joyful and lively.

Yan Shuangzi, by contrast, had fallen utterly silent.

Always quiet and withdrawn, she had barely interacted with Ruan Sect members; upon her breakthrough, she had told only Lu Ran.

The Ruan Sect members didn't even know that Evil Shadow Protector had also broken through.

Lu Ran pondered silently: Should he call her out to share this joy with everyone?

"Hm?" Lu Ran suddenly felt a tightening in his chest and looked up.

Not far away, Deng Yuxiang was watching him.

"Menzhu."

"Menzhu." The crowd all greeted him.

Lu Ran didn't respond. He stared at the woman—both unfamiliar and familiar.

Deng Yuxiang certainly harbored no ill will toward Lu Ran, yet he still felt a crushing pressure.

It was the terrifying aura of the Vast Sea.

Even though Lu Ran was at Jiang Jing·Third Stage, he struggled to breathe under it.

Perhaps because Deng Yuxiang had just broken through, her brilliance was too sharp—it even dimmed the presence of several nearby Sea Realm cultivators.

"We can go seek revenge now," she suddenly spoke.

"Huh?" Lu Ran hadn't expected Deng Yuxiang's first words after seclusion to be this.

Deng Yuxiang strode forward, long legs carrying her toward Lu Ran.

In Lu Ran's perception, it was as if an unimaginably fearsome entity, wielding overwhelming might, was crushing down upon him.

Far more terrifying than the Furious Sea Flame Dragon from a few days ago.

Deng Yuxiang arrived before Lu Ran, her eyes hiding shocking killing intent, her thin lips uttering three words:

"Tian Tu Mountain."

"Tian Tu Mountain." Lu Ran steadied his breath and repeated softly.

The place where the dream began?

(End of Chapter)