Chapter 92: Energy Source?

Jiang Ruyi lived up to everyone’s expectations!

That night, while the team stayed in Shitoucheng, she suddenly had a breakthrough and ascended successfully.

Unfortunately, only Deng Tian witnessed it; Lu Ran and Deng Yutang remained unaware.

After all, everyone slept in separate rooms.

At that moment, Lu Ran was carefully washing his bloodstained clothes in the bathroom of his room.

“By the way, Xiang Xianyang,” Lu Ran paused his movements.

He furrowed his brows and pondered: “If I venture deep into the demon lair, far enough, I can reach the front-line walls of Shitoucheng.

If I can catch the demonic horde’s invasion…

Then beneath the walls, corpses will pile into mountains!”

The more he spoke, the brighter Lu Ran’s eyes grew: “What’s the maximum range of our soul-restraining ability?

Could I stand atop the wall and, with the military’s help, harvest demonic souls en masse?”

This would be vastly more efficient than Lu Ran killing demons himself.

A voice suddenly echoed in his mind: “Such recklessness will expose your presence prematurely.”

“Expose?”

Xiang Xianyang asked suddenly: “Do you think we use the souls of demonic foot soldiers to nourish our own demonic statues?”

Lu Ran frowned in confusion: “Isn’t that right?”

“No. It’s qi.”

“Qi?”

Xiang Xianyang: “Though each foot soldier is an individual, their life is granted by the demonic statue’s essence.”

Lu Ran nodded.

Xiang Xianyang: “Each foot soldier carries a thread of ‘qi’ from the demonic master’s statue.

This thread can be understood as the demonic master’s energy source.

This thread lies deep within the foot soldier’s soul.”

Xiang Xianyang’s voice grew hoarse and grim as he continued: “Our demonic statues grow stronger precisely because we constantly steal the enemy statue’s energy source.”

It’s because we’re constantly seizing the energy sources of the enemy statues.

Lu Ran’s heart jolted.

Isn’t this like plucking teeth from a tiger’s mouth?

Xiang Xianyang: “If you restrain a large number of souls in a short time, you will draw the demonic master’s statue’s attention.

What consequences follow will be impossible to predict.”

Lu Ran’s head buzzed!

He fell silent for a long while, then said: “But if we keep stealing the demonic master’s qi to cultivate our own statues…

Won’t they eventually notice?”

Xiang Xianyang: “Yes, they will notice.

The sculpture garden in your mind is enough to shake the demonic master’s foundation.

You must gain sufficient strength before they realize it—enough to withstand the demonic master’s wrath.”

Lu Ran stood there, mouth slightly open, unable to speak.

He had thought the sword hanging over his head was merely the monthly lunar fifteenth.

I had thought that the fifteenth day of every lunar month was a sword hanging over my head.

Another, sharper, deadlier sword had descended!

Xiang Xianyang delivered another blow: “‘Withstand wrath’ doesn’t begin to describe what you face.

You must understand—you are slowly devouring the demonic master, stealing his energy source!

So when the demonic master comes for you…

It will be either your death or his destruction.”

Lu Ran: “...”

Xiang Xianyang warned: “Avoid greed and rashness. Do not absorb vast numbers of souls in a short time.”

“I understand,” Lu Ran nodded firmly.

Seeing Lu Ran’s unease, Xiang Xianyang added: “Still, there’s no need to worry excessively.

Every day, countless demonic foot soldiers die; on their way to the afterlife, some of their ‘qi’ inevitably dissipates.

Moreover, the demonic master’s statue is constantly growing stronger itself.

At your current rate of soul absorption, you still haven’t drawn the demonic master’s notice.”

Lu Ran spoke gravely: “If so, at what stage of growth will our demonic statues become noticeable to them?”

Xiang Xianyang paused, then replied: “No definitive answer exists.

Perhaps River Realm. Perhaps Sea Realm. Or even higher.”

Lu Ran exhaled in relief.

After all, Xiang Xianyang had mentioned River Realm outright.

Meaning, for a long time ahead, as long as he didn’t deliberately court death, he’d be safe.

If he was cautious enough, perhaps he could secretly cultivate his demonic statues to Sea Realm?

If I’m careful enough, perhaps I can secretly cultivate our own demonic statue to the Sea Realm?

“Xiang Xianyang!” Lu Ran’s mind raced as he asked, “Can I control soul-restraining myself?”

Though called soul-restraining, Lu Ran had never performed any “restraining” action.

Every time he killed a demon, its soul automatically entered the garden.

If he could control it, he could go to the front lines and slowly absorb souls himself.

Xiang Xianyang: “You must understand: your demonic statues truly exist within your spiritual realm.

Within fifty meters of you, whenever a demonic foot soldier dies, the statues automatically absorb their souls.

As the statues grow stronger and larger, their absorption range expands.

As the demonic statue’s realm advances and it grows larger, its absorption range expands further.

“Unless what?”

“I can help you shut down this demonic sculpture garden.”

“No need to go that far!” Lu Ran immediately refused. “Rest assured.

I’ll proceed slowly, bide my time… uh, act cautiously!”

“Good.” Xiang Xianyang sounded satisfied with Lu Ran’s response.

“Good.” It was clear that Xiang Xianyang was quite satisfied with Lu Ran’s response.

Regarding the “life-or-death” struggle with the demonic race, Lu Ran, though feeling a dagger at his back, accepted it calmly.

Lu Ran was human; from the moment he was born, he stood in irreconcilable opposition to the demonic race.

Your weakness won’t earn their mercy.

Your tears and pleas will only excite them, make them more cruel.

For humanity, there is only one path to survival—resistance!

“Lu Brother?” A voice called from outside the wooden door.

“Brother Lu?” came Deng Yu Tang’s voice from outside the wooden door.

“Are you done yet? I need to use the toilet.”

“Oh.” Lu Ran quickly rinsed his clothes.

Deng Yutang waited nearly two minutes, then knocked again: “Lu Brother, I don’t want to end up like Qian Hao.”

“Hold on! Think of your reputation!”

The next morning, Lu and Deng arrived at the cafeteria on the first floor of Shitou Inn, checking the time.

When they arrived, Jiang Tian and the others were already seated at a small square table, eating.

“Yutang,” Jiang Ruyi raised her hand and waved lightly.

Lu Ran’s expression turned strange—he had walked ahead of Deng Yutang.

Jiang Ruyi noticed his expression and rolled her eyes, then bent her head to peel a boiled egg.

“Haha!” Deng Yutang laughed at Lu Ran. “The class monitor’s still mad at you.”

“Just soothe her. Watch closely—I’ll only show you once!” Lu Ran picked up a tray.

Yesterday’s line—“No need to chase hard; I promise you”—had been devastatingly effective!

It had left Jiang Meiren flustered and furious, ignoring him for hours.

“Alright,” Deng Yutang said, intrigued.

The breakfast at Shitou Inn was simple: thin porridge, steamed buns, stir-fried turnips, and boiled eggs.

Lu and Deng quickly filled their trays and joined the small table.

“Yutang told me to soothe you,” Lu Ran set down his tray and began peeling an egg.

Deng Yutang blinked: “Huh?”

Didn’t you say that yourself?

Jiang Ruyi didn’t look up, continuing to eat her egg in small bites.

Jiang Ruyi didn’t lift her head, continuing to eat her egg in small bites.

Lu Ran: “I know I’m wrong, don’t be mad at me.”

Tian Tian paused, an unexpected pang of pity rising in her heart.

Deng Yutang also halted his motion, sensing something was off.

“You jerk!” Jiang Ruyi said, both angry and amused.

“You hid the word ‘mei’ pretty well, didn’t you?”

“Oh?” This time, it was Lu Ran’s turn to be stunned.

Deng Yutang and Tian Tian had already fallen for it; if Lu Ran kept saying ‘mei,’ they’d soon start calling him ‘Ran Bao.’

But Jiang Ruyi—

Lu Ran’s eyes lit up: “You’ve advanced?”

“Mm.” Jiang Ruyi extended her hand and waved it in front of Tian Tian’s face. “Snap out of it.”

“Oh, oh!” Tian Tian came to, quickly lowering her head to eat.

“Is this all you’re teaching me?” Deng Yutang finally caught on. “I can’t learn this!”

Lu Ran shrugged. “Fine, I’ve taught you—now it’s not my problem.”

He looked at Jiang Ruyi and asked, “Have you mastered the Frost Rune too?”

Jiang Ruyi lifted her hand and tapped the air with her fingertip; frost spread in delicate particles.

Her gaze swept over her fingertip and landed on Lu Ran across the table, her beautiful eyes carrying a faint threat.

“If you dare hide characters again—”

Too bad, Jiang Meiren was too gentle—her threat held no real intimidation.

“Congratulations!” Lu Ran beamed, completely ignoring her words.

No wonder Jiang the top student had such exceptional talent!

Luck, sudden inspiration—all of it rested on a foundation of innate talent.

Though Jiang Ruyi was a devotee of the Third-Rank God, Jade Talisman Sect, don’t forget: on the Altar of Worship, she had refused the Second-Rank God, Heavenly Phoenix!

That means Jiang Ruyi’s talent was at least on par with Deng Yuxiang’s.

“No more worries about Mist Shadows or other demons,” Deng Yutang sighed.

Demons came in many kinds, their bodily forms wildly varied.

Some were stitched from mist, others from stone, wood, and more.

Using the Electric Shackles Rune to control such demons yielded little effect—but when Jiang Ruyi unleashed a Frost Rune—

Just freeze solid, you little bastards!

At the very least, you’d move painfully slow.

“Eat up, eat up!” Lu Ran urged. “Let’s go kill some dogs and test the Frost Rune!”

Jiang Ruyi huffed, but didn’t object.

Poor little dogs.

Previously, they’d been electrocuted until paralyzed, charred on the outside, raw inside.

Now, they’d be turned into ice sculptures.

Truth be told, the little dogs could’ve suffered less—Jiang Ruyi had originally planned to head to Mount Wuling.

But the evil canine clan’s techniques were too tempting; how could Lu Ran resist?

At this moment, Lu Ran’s goal was crystal clear:

From now until the squad left the Demon Cave, he needed to kill 300 Stream Realm evil dogs.

Once the evil dog sculptures reached Stream Realm, Third Stage, his skill pool would unlock the Evil Technique: Evil Shadow!

This evil technique allowed the caster to summon a phantom to lure and confuse enemies.

As Lu Ran improved the quality of the Evil Technique: Evil Shadow—

The phantom he summoned could even become a true clone!

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(End of Chapter)