Chapter 954: Moonlight Over the Desert

In the deep of night, the heavy rain ceased, and the sea of clouds dispersed.

The sky brimmed with countless stars, and a bright, clear moon hung high.

The haunting white moonlight spread across the entire desolate desert, settling upon the peak of a barren mountain, upon two shadowed figures.

The two sat cross-legged on the ground; the woman in white leaned slightly, resting against the man beside her, eyes closed in quiet bliss as she listened to his words.

Suddenly, Jiang Ruyi lifted her head from Lu Ran’s embrace and whispered, “The Sculpture Garden? Inside your mind?”

Lu Ran nodded gently.

Jiang Ruyi’s heart erupted in shock!

That meant—Lu Ran himself possessed a full set of statues of every god and demon in this world?

And he could steal the power of gods and demons alike?

Jiang Ruyi absorbed this astonishing revelation, remaining silent for a long, long time, before finally asking softly, “When did Lord Xiangyang give it to you?”

Lu Ran’s expression turned apologetic: “The moment I became a follower of Lord Xiangyang.”

Jiang Ruyi’s gaze grew even more complex.

She had worried so much about him back then!

She had resolved—even if he dragged her down—to team up with him, take him on missions, ensure he graduated, and survive this cruel world.

Yet from the very moment he became Lord Xiangyang’s follower, Lu Ran had already become a god.

A hidden, quietly rising false deity.

A new god waiting to seize the thrones of gods and demons.

“Don’t be mad,” Lu Ran whispered, unnerved by Jiang Ruyi’s gaze. “Lord Xiangyang told me not to say anything!”

Jiang Ruyi: “.”

Lu Ran continued: “I’ll tell you, Lord Xiangyang is terrifying!

He tells me to shut up, I shut up; he tells me to sleep, I sleep—he treats me like a perfect girlfriend… uh, sorry.”

Jiang Ruyi gave him a reproachful look, lightly rolling her eyes.

She knew, deep down, Lu Ran was telling the truth.

How could a weakling like him defy a god?

And to accomplish such a “blasphemous” grand scheme, caution was absolutely necessary!

“You’ve hidden this so long—why reveal it now?” Jiang Ruyi whispered.

“The situation is dire. I have no choice,” Lu Ran said, smoothing her jet-black hair before drawing her back into his arms.

Jiang Ruyi’s gaze flickered slightly, allowing him to hold her.

Lu Ran added: “The Sacred Spirit Mountain Realm is a remote backwater—gods’ hands rarely reach here.

Its followers cannot communicate with gods or betray secrets.”

Jiang Ruyi nodded slightly, favoring this answer.

He was entrusted with great hope by Lord Xiangyang—a man seeking to reshape the world’s order, worthy of such potential.

Lu Ran must never act solely from selfish motives—he must always consider the greater picture.

“Everyone who witnessed your techniques today must be properly dealt with,” came Jiang Ruyi’s cold, distinctive voice from within his arms.

“Don’t worry too much,” Lu Ran said gravely. “The people of this realm are different from devout believers in the mortal world.

Everything here is enough to make them see the true face of the gods.

Jiang Ruyi lowered her eyelids and whispered, “We are livestock bred by gods and demons, servants generation after generation.”

Jiang Ruyi lowered her eyelids and whispered, “We are livestock bred by gods and demons—slaves, generation after generation.”

Of course—how could such a brilliant mind not have deduced it?

Lu Ran lowered his head and gently kissed her hair.

A gesture of both acceptance and comfort.

With further confirmation, Jiang Ruyi shut her eyes tightly, silent and curled against him.

The haunting white moonlight painted a faint glow over the two figures on the barren mountain.

Jiang Ruyi’s thoughts influenced the atmosphere—this world itself seemed to grow sorrowful.

Lu Ran cupped her cheek, lifting her face toward him, and kissed her.

One second, two seconds, three seconds…

Jiang Ruyi’s emotions shifted; her lips responded softly.

The air around them changed with her heart.

Long moments passed before Lu Ran finally released her.

Jiang Ruyi’s eyes were slightly dazed, breathing lightly, her flushed face buried in his chest.

Through the surrounding atmosphere, Lu Ran clearly sensed the woman in his arms was no longer as sorrowful—he whispered:

“Tell me your story after you entered the mountain.”

“You go first,” came a muffled voice from his chest.

“You go first,” Lu Ran said, smoothing her jet-black hair—though the familiar jasmine scent was absent.

But it didn’t matter. Lu Ran could imagine it himself.

Just as seeing a picture of an eraser let him “smell” its scent without holding one, he needed no actual scent to feel it.

“You go first,” Jiang Ruyi repeated.

“I kissed you!” Lu Ran laughed, greedily inhaling the imagined jasmine fragrance.

Jiang Ruyi: “.”

Is this your threat? Your punishment?

She suddenly lifted her head, her dark eyes locking onto Lu Ran’s.

“Fine, fine—I’ll go first!” Lu Ran muttered. “Why so fierce?”

Jiang Ruyi looked at him, exasperated yet amused.

“I fell with Great Nightmare in the central-eastern region of the Sacred Spirit Mountain…” Lu Ran recounted his journey.

Jiang Ruyi’s heart rose and fell with every step of his path into the mountain.

Ambush by the Heaven Disciples, capturing Long Li in the highland lake.

Repeated assassinations on Sword Peak, narrowly escaping death each time.

Journeying east toward the sea, subduing the Twin Divine Generals Xiang and Luo, taking root at Cloud Sea Cliff.

Marching north to Blade Ridge Peak, rescuing people from snow and wind.

Rushing to Wu Jifeng, slaughtering the wolf pack to save the immortal.

Reuniting with old friends, allying with Great Wind Hall; crossing the sea eastward, seizing the Seven Star Island.

Too much—far too much.

In just over half a year, Lu Ran’s journey was astonishingly intense.

He grew fiercely, constantly rising—either fighting, or on his way to fight.

Yet even now, Lu Ran only recounted key moments.

He omitted things like slaying Night Shades, clearing the Deadwood Forest, defending Cloud Sea Cliff from attacks by the Shi siblings and the Sea Tribe.

This epic struggle stirred Jiang Ruyi’s heart deeply.

She held back her questions again and again—until she couldn’t help but interrupt: “Is Xian’er with you?”

“Yep~” Lu Ran grinned.

He had originally planned to surprise her.

But then he thought—no need. Let her know sooner, so she could rest easier.

Lu Ran added: “Xian’er is safe in my hideout, training hard every day. Cloud Sea Cliff is guarded by a sea realm expert—she’s secure. Don’t worry.

By the way—do you want to speak with her?”

“Oh?” Jiang Ruyi raised an eyebrow.

Lu Ran tapped his temple: “To free Xian’er from Lie Tian’s corruption, I had her sever her master-slave pact with the god.

Now, she’s bound to the Lie Tian statue in my Sculpture Garden—I can communicate with her anytime.”

“No need. Don’t distract her training. We’ll see her when we return.”

Jiang Ruyi spoke these words, yet her mind raced, her eyes glinting faintly.

“Alright!” Lu Ran chuckled. “Perfect—we’ll give Xian’er a big surprise when we get back!”

Jiang Ruyi suddenly asked: “Can I sever my pact with Yu Fu and bind myself to a statue in your Sculpture Garden?”

Lu Ran paused, then said seriously: “Ruyi—severing a pact has severe consequences! Xian’er had no choice—Lie Tian’s corruption grew worse daily. We had to act.”

He then explained in detail the consequences for a lowly human who voluntarily breaks a pact.

After Lu Ran finished speaking, he added, “When we return to the mortal world, we can ask Master Xiang Xianyang for help—he can resolve the issue from a higher dimension.”

When he finished, Lu Ran added: “Once we return to the mortal world, we can ask Lord Xiangyang for help—he can resolve this from a higher dimension.

Then you won’t drop in rank! That’s how Great Nightmare did it.”

Jiang Ruyi stared straight into Lu Ran’s eyes, her lips parting softly: “But I no longer wish to be Yu Fu’s follower.

I don’t want to be livestock. I don’t want to be a slave anymore.”

Seeing her determined gaze, Lu Ran opened his mouth—but no words came out.

Clearly, ever since learning the true face of the gods, she despised them utterly.

She had been deceived for too long…

[101] Once, she had been so devout to the gods—now, her hatred burned as fiercely.

Since entering Sacred Spirit Mountain and fully regaining her clarity, Jiang Ruyi had suffered greatly, burying this pain deep within her heart.

Because she had no other choice—in this perilous world, she could only adopt others’ methods to protect herself.

But now it was different!

She had Lu Ran!

A man with countless pseudo-god stone statues, determined to steal the power of gods and demons alike!

“Ruyi,” Lu Ran whispered gently, “you said just this afternoon that you could break through to River Realm, Fifth Stage.”

Once you reach the peak, you may step into Sea Realm at any moment.

If you sever the bond now, you’ll almost certainly drop a stage—this inner and outer delay would cost you far too much.”

Before Jiang Ruyi could speak, Lu Ran added: “You’re not like Xian’er. She’s newly bound—she’s Lie Tian’s emotional trash bin. If this continues, she’ll go mad.”

The God Yu Fu merely makes your disposition colder—it doesn’t seriously hinder your growth.”

Jiang Ruyi whispered, “But my thoughts and emotions will become a barrier, constantly interfering with my growth! I’ll accept dropping a stage!”

Lu Ran frowned deeply.

People have different temperaments and handle problems differently—if she truly faced such a burden, it ought to be resolved soon.

Then again, binding Jiang Ruyi to the pseudo-god stone statues sooner also had certain advantages.

She could fuse with the statues earlier, raising her innate potential ceiling and accelerating her cultivation speed!

Jiang Ruyi suddenly said: “Aren’t you still months away from reaching River Realm, Fifth Stage? If I really drop a stage, I’ll just be waiting for you.”

Lu Ran: ???

You girl, that’s a cruel thing to say!

A fleeting smile passed over Jiang Ruyi’s face, then vanished—her expression turned solemn, her beautiful eyes locking onto his.

Lu Ran’s breath caught slightly.

Jiang Ruyi rose to her knees, her slender hands cradling Lu Ran’s face, their gazes meeting directly.

Her eyes were unwavering, utterly serious, as she repeated slowly, word by word:

“Lu Ran, I trust you.”

“Mm, good.”

Lu Ran gazed at the face so close to his, and pressed his lips to her soft ones.

Of course you can trust me.

My pseudo-god Yu Fu stone statues were made for you.

You.

Were always meant to trust me.

(End of Chapter)