Chapter 977: The Meat and Wine True Person

Five days later, on a barren cliff.

The members of Ran Gate stood in silent wait.

Lu Ran and Jiang Ruyi stood side by side, gazing toward the northwest sky, where beneath churning clouds, two crows flew in from afar.

The Sacred Spirit Mountain realm had no birds or beasts.

These two jet-black crows were clearly followers of the Seventh-Rank Divine—Wu Crow Sect.

“They’ve come,” Lu Ran said.

In their line of sight, the two crows halted, circled briefly, then turned and flew back.

They clearly dared not approach the Ran Gate group.

“They’re moving fast,” Lu Ran sighed again.

Over the past five days, Lu Ran had used the Dark Art—Mirror Flower, Moon Reflection with extremely low frequency; overall, Ran Gate had covered less than half the journey.

But the Great Wind Hall, guided by Silent Night Blade, had raced southeast without pause.

Soon, Lu Ran understood why He Qifeng and others were moving so swiftly.

From the dense forests far away, two more crows took flight.

On their tiny claws, they clutched supple branches, the other ends of which were gripped by disciples of Biwu.

Two Biwu disciples were carried aloft by the crows, while simultaneously releasing more supple branches to bind and carry several teammates.

Hmm. Bird lovers strongly condemn this!

Two tiny crows carrying two strings of people? One of those strings included a fatty.

A fatty?

Lu Ran couldn’t help blinking.

Cultivators’ physiques could be robust, lean, or gaunt, at worst, well-proportioned.

How could there be a fatty?

Moreover, Jiang Jing people survived by absorbing divine power; there was little to eat inside the Sacred Spirit Mountain.

This…?

Lu Ran was stunned: “How did this flesh grow?”

Jiang Ruyi was also surprised, staring at the fat monk in a large yellow robe.

The man was over fifty, bald-headed, and had a sizable belly!

He had gentle features and a perpetually smiling expression.

Lu Ran nearly thought he had met Maitreya Buddha.

Under such an aura, the divine power beads around his neck looked like Buddhist prayer beads.

“Caw~ caw~”

The crows cawed, circling the sky.

Though small in size, these were genuine Jiang Jing greats; they carried strings of people, flying swiftly and steadily, closing in on the cliff.

“Oh?” He Qifeng murmured in confusion, gazing at the Ran Gate group on the cliff.

The next moment, she gripped Silent Night Blade and severed the branch binding her.

Silent Night Blade shot forward, dragging He Qifeng with it in a swift thrust.

As He Qifeng landed steadily, she released her grip; Silent Night Blade reversed, its hilt thrust toward Lu Ran.

“Snap!”

Lu Ran seized the hilt, feeling an unusual emotion.

It was the feeling of a weary bird returning to the forest.

Peaceful. Warm.

Silent Night favored stillness, always silent and reserved.

Now, it merely revealed a trace of emotion—not truly transmitting thoughts.

“You’ve worked hard,” Lu Ran murmured apologetically.

As his fingers brushed the blade’s surface, deep purple patterns emerged one after another on the jet-black Silent Night Blade, chasing his fingertips.

Mysterious. Beautiful.

While Lu Ran here apologized to Silent Night Blade, He Qifeng before him stared in astonishment at Jiang Ruyi.

“Lady Luo Xian?” He Qifeng grew even more surprised.

Partly awed by the former girl’s transformation, partly incredulous that in this cold, cruel Sacred Spirit Mountain realm…

Could lovers truly be together day and night?

“He Tianjiao, long admired,” Jiang Ruyi smiled and bowed slightly.

“Congratulations! Congratulations!” He Qifeng exclaimed twice, smiling, “Where did you meet?”

Lu Ran held Silent Night Blade in one hand and draped the other around his fiancée’s shoulder, grinning:

“Didn’t you ask me earlier what was in the northwest?”

“Hah!” He Qifeng burst out laughing, “Truly heaven’s mercy… oh?”

Unintentionally, He Qifeng spotted another person.

Due to terrain elevation, He Qifeng slightly bent her knees and tilted her head to see the face beneath the person’s hat brim.

“Ha! Isn’t this Feng’er?” He Qifeng was delighted again.

Xue Fengchen had long heard of He Qifeng’s exploits in the mountain realm, rising to prominence.

He had also been bluntly informed by Lu Ran that He Chengzhu was now a vast ocean!

Now that they met, Lu Ran had not lied.

Even though He Qifeng was warm and friendly, that terrifying pressure crushed Xue Fengchen’s heart with quiet dread.

“He Tianjiao,” Xue Fengchen bowed with clasped fists, deeply ashamed.

He Qifeng raised an eyebrow: “Our Western Desert Feng’er has joined Ran Gate?”

Xue Fengchen nodded firmly.

He Qifeng stood beside Lu Ran, her beautiful eyes fixed on Xue Fengchen, whispering:

“Damn it, you got there first!”

“Heh, whoever grabs it first owns it,” Lu Ran chuckled.

Xue Fengchen: “…”

Hearing Lu Ran’s boastful words, He Qifeng huffed.

Her gaze swept over Deng Yu and Gao Yun, observing them closely, then sighed: “Your journey to the northwest has yielded great gains!

Did you recruit another Hai Jing great?”

“She was Jiang Jing when I recruited her,” Lu Ran shrugged. “I just chatted with her, and she ascended to Hai Jing .

Couldn’t stop her!

Honestly, I have no idea how it happened~”

He Qifeng: ???

You bastard!

Are you pretending again?

“Hah!” Gao Yunyan couldn’t help laughing, her voice carrying the boldness unique to the Western Desert.

Lu Ran’s words held not a single falsehood.

Gao Yunyan knew well: without meeting Lu Ran and following the right leader, her spiritual realm would never have soared so dramatically!

There would have been no ascension to Hai Jing .

In youth, everyone was arrogant, convinced of their own greatness.

But look at Tianhuang Mountain!

Among its masses of believers, how many weren’t elite second-rank divine disciples?

At forty or fifty, how many Western Desert believers still remained stuck at Jiang Jing Stage Five?

“Hmph.” He Qifeng resented Lu Ran’s boasting yet admired him more deeply—fiercely conflicted.

Awkward.

“What are you huffing for?” Lu Ran huffed back. “Don’t I remember someone who ascended to Hai Jing after chatting with me?”

He Qifeng fell silent.

She pressed her lips tightly, no longer huffing.

He Qifeng’s ascension to Hai Jing was, of course, her own doing.

But undeniably, it was while demonstrating herself to Lu Ran that her Dao heart reached a brilliance sufficient to shatter her cultivation bottleneck.

“Alright, alright,” Lu Ran, seeing He Qifeng about to burst, quickly changed the subject. “Who are these elders?”

This time, Great Wind Hall sent fourteen people.

Four were Wu Crow followers, still circling overhead, on guard.

Clearly, several Wu Crow disciples had been well-trained by He Qifeng.

Of the remaining ten, Lu Ran recognized most.

Elders Gu and Jin, the grandly named Yin Tianlong.

Biwu disciples Zhu Huai and Zhu Hua, and the Top Eighteen Talent List member—Hou Yun.

The other three, Lu Ran didn’t recognize—but all three were Hai Jing .

Judging by their aura, these three are likely high-level Sea Realm cultivators, perhaps even at the peak!

Including He Qi, the Great Wind Hall has sent four Sea Realm experts this time.

Lu Ran didn’t know how many Sea Realm cultivators Wu Jifeng had in total; if we assume twenty,

then Wu Jifeng sending one-fifth of its Sea Realm experts is acceptable.

“Huh.” He Qi let out a deep breath.

The frustrated Mayor He struggled to calm his emotions.

In the Wu Seng girl’s dictionary, there was only victory—never defeat.

But since meeting Lu Ran, a new page had been added to her dictionary.

“Qi Feng?” Lu Ran called out.

“Mm.” He Qi glared at the annoying Jiang Realm lackey, suppressing the urge to slap him flat.

She turned to introduce Lu Ran:

“These two elders both bear the surname Zhang—you may address them as Elder Zhang.”

“This is the True Man of Wine and Meat.”

“Ehh…” Lu Ran was baffled, staring at the smiling “fat monk.”

What kind of title is this?

Seeing Lu Ran’s stunned expression, He Qi felt a bit pleased and nudged him with her elbow: “Say hello!”

“Ah! Ah!” Lu Ran immediately greeted them both.

“Good, good, good! Young friend, welcome!” The True Man of Wine and Meat chuckled, his large, plump hand raised before his chest. “Hearing a hundred tales is not as good as seeing once!”

“You’re even more heroic and majestic than the rumors say!”

Lu Ran had been stunned moments ago; now, his cheeks were slightly flushed.

This… you fat monk, you’re already buttering me up the moment we meet?

Hehe~

You really know how to read people!

“Huh?” He Qi looked at Lu Ran as if she’d discovered a new continent. “So the Lord of Lu Sect can blush too?”

Lu Ran scratched his head. “Let’s go. Time waits for no one—let’s talk as we walk.”

“Young Master Lu.”

“Huh? Wine and Meat… Master?” Lu Ran hesitated.

The True Man of Wine and Meat asked: “I’ve heard the Thousand Boats Alliance has Smoke Rain Tea and Fruit Cake?”

“Ah, yes!” Lu Ran nodded immediately. “But the taste isn’t great—Master, don’t expect too much.”

Earlier, when Lu Ran invited He Qi, he had indeed mentioned he was attending a banquet, drinking tea, and eating cake.

“Good, good, good!” The True Man of Wine and Meat’s plump face beamed with delight as he nodded eagerly. “Let’s go quickly—let’s set off at once!”

Lu Ran: “...”

In all his life, he had never met a follower quite like this.

Is this really a Wu Seng disciple known for reputation and brute force?

This fat monk is so strange.

Lu Ran glanced questioningly at He Qi. The Wu Seng girl had a smile on her face again, feigning confusion: “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Lu Ran grinned and changed the subject. “Four Sea Realm Wu Seng—now the Thousand Boats Alliance is saved.”

Who knows? We might even storm the dragon’s den and directly attack Jingting Mountain!”

The Divine Wu Seng, as a first-class deity, grants disciples the ability to master Sea Realm techniques.

A Sea Realm Wu Seng follower, when punching the ground, can summon countless golden dragons surging from beneath the earth!

Like a dense, spouting fountain!

The destructive power is beyond measure!

With such techniques, even if Jingting Mountain’s disciples aren’t crushed by the dragons, won’t they be blasted skyward?

Then what’s left to say?

Lu Ran and the others—just attack and finish it!

“No!” He Qi refused outright.

“Huh?” Lu Ran was confused, turning to the Wu Seng girl—only to see her face stern and serious.

(End of Chapter)