Chapter 94: Eerie Black Lamp

Chen Jing rushed over and split the Straw Demon in two with a single slash.

Although he had eliminated the evil spirit, he felt no sense of accomplishment.

After all, this Straw Demon was terrified and begging for mercy continuously; where was even a shred of ability to resist?

"Pfft~"

The Straw Demon's corpse turned into a mist that surged toward the top of Chen Jing's head.

It seemed this Red Scarf believer had hidden the Divine Power Bead inside his headscarf.

"What are you doing?" Chen Jing turned his head to look at Lu Ran.

"Killing evil spirits, of course," Lu Ran said as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Looking into Lu Ran's eerie dead-sheep eyes, Chen Jing naturally realized this was the Xianyangyi Sect's Divine Art: Immortal Pupil.

Chen Jing simply hadn't expected that a Xiang Xianyang believer, who should be avoiding battle and timid in combat, would display such a domineering and forceful posture!

He had even forcibly cornered an evil spirit against a wall, crushing it until it trembled uncontrollably!

This was truly bizarre.

Chen Jing didn't understand it, but he liked it very much!

Due to the unique nature of the deity Immortal Sheep, its believers rarely participated in combat after leaving school.

Whether in the Divine Citizen Bureau or within various military units, one could hardly ever see the figure of a Xiang Xianyang believer.

Of course, no one was willing to associate with such people, let alone dare to entrust their backs to this kind of "comrade-in-arms."

But this Xiang Xianyang believer before him...

... seemed remarkably "rebellious," didn't he?

That posture, that aura! He was simply more demonic than the demons themselves!

Could it be because of adolescence?

Chen Jing hoisted his blade onto his shoulder and sized Lu Ran up and down: "If you're killing evil spirits, then go ahead and kill one!"

Lu Ran spread his hands open: "I left in a hurry and didn't bring a blade."

Far more than just not bringing a blade.

Not only were his hands empty, but he was even barefoot, standing on the cold concrete floor.

"Then just use your sheep horns to gore it," Chen Jing waved his hand and asked puzzledly, "What did the patrol team want with you?"

"To help kill an evil spirit," Lu Ran said casually.

Chen Jing was even more confused, his face full of disbelief: "Help kill an evil spirit? Ask you?

You're a Sister Xian... ahem, with your level of strength, what help could you possibly be?"

Lu Ran's voice was low and drawn-out: "Uncle Red Scarf, watch your words.

My deity's small statue is standing right behind the window."

Chen Jing's expression turned awkward, and he was momentarily speechless.

No matter how puzzled he was, the reality stood right before him:

The powerful Ms. Deng Deng Yuxiang had specifically come here to seek help from this youth.

"D-do you have some special ability?" Chen Jing stuttered slightly, "And you don't avoid combat?"

Lu Ran was utterly speechless.

Good heavens~

Are you conducting an interview now?

Looking at this bare-chested burly man before him, Lu Ran silently cursed: You don't look like any proper Moon Gazer yourself, do you?

As he watched, a sentence suddenly slipped from Lu Ran's mouth: "Uncle, are dual blades easy to use?"

"Of course they are!" Chen Jing weighed the two single blades in his hands.

Lu Ran said: "Recently I've started practicing with dual blades too, but I always feel my left hand can't exert force; it feels a bit awkward."

"Ha!" Chen Jing perked up, full of enthusiasm, "Dual blades certainly require technique—wait a minute."

Chen Jing suddenly realized: tonight was the fifteenth!

Since nothing could be squeezed out of this young man's mouth, what was there left to chat about?

Chen Jing immediately said: "Go home quickly; don't linger outside."

Lu Ran said: "If you have time, could you give me some pointers?"

Chen Jing's expression turned solemn, finally showing a hint of the demeanor a Moon Gazer should have: "Go home immediately, otherwise I will notify the school to deduct your points."

Lu Ran fell silent for a moment, then slowly said: "Uncle, let me tell you a story?"

Chen Jing's eyebrows shot up: "Where would I find the time to listen to your stories?"

Lu Ran, however, spoke directly: "Once upon a time, there was a person who wanted to go home."

Chen Jing, who had just been blowing his beard and glaring his eyes, now asked puzzledly: "And then what?"

Lu Ran shrugged his shoulders: "Later, he didn't bring his house key."

Chen Jing:???

Chen Jing stared at Lu Ran for a long while, then suddenly burst into loud laughter: "Hahahaha..."

Lu Ran, on the contrary, felt hurt: "Is my story that funny?"

Chen Jing looked at Lu Ran with a smile, staring into those cold, forest-like pupils:

"Just now, you were almost stepping on the Straw Demon's face; that evil spirit was kneeling on the ground begging you for mercy.

And then you tell me you can't open your own window?"

Lu Ran: "..."

If the glass breaks, won't I have to spend money to buy a new one?

If the evil spirit shatters, so be it; there's no need to repair it.

Lu Ran sighed and said, "Uncle, do you know how to pick locks?"

Chen Jing turned and walked toward the window: "I, Laozi, am a dignified Red Scarf believer; I walk upright and sit straight. What are you talking about?"

Immediately, he gripped his dual blades in one hand and raised a fist the size of a sandbag: "After the unsealing, you can find someone else to fix it."

Lu Ran's voice was faint as he repeated, "The small statue of my deity is right beside the window."

Chen Jing held his fist frozen in mid-air, stopping for a long while, daring not to smash it forward.

That rugged face was stifled until it turned bright red.

Hmm. Even more befitting the demeanor of a Red Scarf believer.

"Uncle?"

"Don't make noise! I'm thinking!"

Lu Ran: "."

The shirtless burly man rubbed his chin with one hand, frowning in deep thought.

After a good while, he pressed one hand to his ear, where an invisible earpiece was clearly worn: "Send someone to open Lu Ran's window!"

This kid has returned from completing his mission but can't get back into his home."

Lu Ran looked at the Red Scarf burly man, his face full of approval: "Good tactics!"

The Red Scarf Divine Arts are quite upright; indeed, they possess no techniques for opening windows or picking locks.

Chen Jing was directly amused by anger; just as he was about to speak, Lu Ran suddenly raised a finger and pointed behind them: "Black Lantern!"

Chen Jing's state changed instantly; he spun around sharply, pulling Lu Ran back with him.

Lu Ran stepped backward continuously, looking at the palm protecting him in front, and sighed inwardly.

It truly takes a person of Wangyue!

Never mind what this burly man looks like, or whether he is bare-chested.

Even if he were running naked through the rainy night...

He is still rushing about for the safety of the people's lives and property!

"Retreat further!" Chen Jing shouted in a deep voice, gazing upward, "I'll go deal with it."

The size specification of the Black Lantern clan is not linked to their strength realm, which is why he made such a statement.

Lu Ran likewise raised his head to observe, seeing that the Black Lantern had an antique shape, resembling an ancient hand-lantern divided into four sides.

Its appearance was not exquisite; the black wooden frame was dilapidated, with carved patterns faintly visible upon it.

Above the lantern was a black wooden handle, and below hung black tassels.

What was quite distinctive was that the lantern's skin was also pure black!

That alone would be fine, but the crucial point was that the lantern fire burning within was also black!

Such a thing does not deserve to be called a "lantern."

Because it fundamentally lacks the ability to illuminate!

From another perspective, does this perhaps facilitate hiding for this type of evil spirit?

"Whoosh—"

The Black Lantern churned with energy, releasing a massive amount of black smoke.

Stream Artifact Xie Fa · Smoke Fire Lantern!

"Good move," Lu Ran praised silently in his heart, his eyes tightly fixed on the center of the smoke.

Lu Ran possessed the Xie Fa · Evil Awareness, which could help him see through the pitch-black night.

But at this moment, Lu Ran had lost his target.

He could not see through the thick black smoke, and what was even more terrifying was that the Black Lantern's own color perfectly matched Boss Boss Qihe with the dense smoke!

The most effective way to deal with this kind of Xie Fa is to stir up a strong wind to blow the thick smoke away.

Clearly, the Red Scarf believers did not possess this kind of Deng Shen Fa.

"Come out!" Chen Jing roared loudly and darted straight out.

In an instant, Lu Ran was filled with fighting spirit, his heart surging with excitement!

Within Chen Jing's roar, the Combat Shout Technique · Red Scarf Order was clearly added.

Although this method is not a taunt technique, it can cause the Black Lantern's fighting spirit to soar, effectively urging the enemy into a frontal engagement from a hostile standpoint.

"Bang!!"

Just as Chen Jing killed his way into the black smoke, a sound of explosion rang out.

Lu Ran knew that the Black Lantern had unleashed the Xie Fa · Disaster Fire Lantern!

The character "Disaster" here carries two layers of meaning.

First, for the human race, people will suffer severe explosive damage, possibly facing a calamity that overwhelms everything.

Second, for the Black Lantern itself.

This kind of Xie Fa kills a thousand enemies while damaging eight hundred of oneself.

After all, the Black Lantern detonates itself to bombard the enemy...

"Damn, grandma bear," came Chen Jing's cursing voice from the rolling black smoke, "Come!!"

The combat shout sound struck again, sending Lu Ran's fighting spirit soaring wildly in his heart!

Lu Ran immediately closed his eyes, listening carefully for the enemy's location.

Who would have expected that he would hear Chen Jing's voice again: "Kid, don't be afraid!"

A mere Stream Realm, hmh, if I catch hold of it, I'll crush it to death with one hand!"

Lu Ran: "."

With all this shouting of yours, my entire being is fired up!

I'm itching to strip bare right here, charge into the thick smoke, and fight three hundred rounds; what the hell do I have to fear?

Besides, who exactly are you insulting?

What's wrong with the Stream Realm?

Should the Stream Realm be crushed to death by your single hand? Hm?

"Right rear!" Lu Ran suddenly spoke.

"Huh?" Chen Jing exclaimed in shock.

"Bang!!"

At almost the same instant, a violent explosion struck Chen Jing's right rear.

"Fuck you—cough cough." Chen Jing cursed loudly, only to be choked badly by the thick smoke again.

Lu Ran snorted: "If you won't listen, so be it."

In that case, you might as well just stop moving; stand there in your Water Flow Armor.

After all, the Black Lantern will blow itself up sooner or later."

Chen Jing:???

Is this fucking human speech?

"Whoosh~~~"

The thick smoke billowed, covering an ever-larger area.

"Chen Jing?" A call came, and a teammate flew over at high speed.

"Stream Realm · Black Lantern, I'm fine," Chen Jing shouted back, putting his teammate greatly at ease.

At the same time, Lu Ran's voice came again: "Retreat!"

This time, Chen Jing did not hesitate; he immediately stomped the ground and flew backward.

"Rumble-rumble-rumble!"

This explosion was far more violent than the previous ones.

Lu Ran listened for a moment, then opened his eyes.

Finally, the Black Lantern had played itself to destruction.

In truth, the Black Lantern clan was not so worthless.

The first Xie Fa of this clan was a healing-type Xie Fa; it could completely repair itself and find another chance to fight.

Alas, the Black Lantern had encountered a Red Scarf believer, and Chen Jing's shouting had gotten it a bit carried away.

Thinking of this, Lu Ran's mind began to stir.

If he could activate the Black Lantern sculpture...

then when he encountered a powerful enemy, could he not hide within the black smoke to do battle with his opponent?

That would be a huge advantage!

He could fight without using his eyes, but his enemy could not!

Moreover, the Black Lantern clan possessed healing-type Xie Fa!

At that time, he too could equip himself with it as a means of healing injuries.

Tsk~

Quite tempting!

The only drawback was that none of these Xie Fa could be shown to others.

Still, for the sake of killing enemies and preserving his life, activating the Black Lantern sculpture was ultimately a good choice.

"Whoosh"

Deprived of energy supply, the thick smoke gradually dissipated in the slanting wind and fine rain.

Clutching his twin blades, Chen Jing walked over, his face full of shock: "How did you know where the Black Lantern was?"

Lu Ran watched the illusory image of the lantern draw nearer, until it was finally sucked into a pair of horizontal pupils.

Chen Jing relentlessly pressed on: "And how did you know where I was?"

Lu Ran grinned: "You've been cursing nonstop; who wouldn't know where you are?"

"Oh, is that so? But that still doesn't add up!" Chen Jing frowned tightly. "The Black Lantern wasn't cursing in the streets!"

Lu Ran's expression turned odd: "I bet it cursed; you just didn't hear it~"

Chen Jing: "."

Three updates today, 12.18.22.

Thanks to the bosses Crazy Clown in Madman's Eyes, Emperor Yao of the Starry Sky, Arun Xing, and Jiang Zhu Yu Jiang Qiao for their donations! Thank you for your support! You bosses are generous!

(<3) Heart fingers

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(End of chapter)