"They're back."

"Finally back!" Inside the hall, where several people were drinking tea and eating pastries, they saw the returning figures of the two.

In the lush backyard, on the path paved with bluestone slabs, a man and a woman walked slowly, one after the other.

Li Rouyin had not changed; she remained indifferent as she tapped the ground with her bamboo cane, searching for direction.

Behind her, Lu Ran's expression was much more solemn.

The concern was evident on the faces of several onlookers, unsure of what had happened.

After all, the atmosphere of the bamboo house was fraught with sinister gusts, revealing eerie aspects everywhere.

"Rouyin," Hao Tian stepped forward to meet her, picking up the end of the bamboo cane and leading the girl into the hall.

Such a caring gesture was, of course, noticed by Lu Ran.

Hao Tian was indeed a good brother.

Given the character of an East Thunder believer, even when dealing with a girlfriend, it is doubtful they would be as attentive and caring.

Only a blood relationship could get Hao Tian to "stoop to such levels."

Thinking this, Lu Ran felt a sense of kinship with Hao Tian.

Recalling the past, when his team, including Little Yuanxi, underwent training, facing his sister's two teammates, Lu Ran was also very careful.

After all, these were the teammates who were to fight shoulder to shoulder with his sister, through life and death.

He feared any oversight on his part that might disturb the harmony of his sister's team.

"Sorry for the lack of hospitality," Li Rouyin's hollow eyes looked toward the group.

"It's very good."

"The osmanthus cake is delicious~" the group immediately responded.

They were not just being polite; for this group used to eating bamboo shoots every day, the pastries were a real treat.

"Brother Lu, what's this?" Deng Yutang had always been paying close attention to Lu Ran.

He noticed that there was a new piece of jewelry on Lu Ran's wrist?

It was a thin red cord with an old-fashioned coin with a square hole threaded onto it.

"This," said Lu Ran as he shook his wrist, "Lord Wang Quan thought I was fated and gave me a copper coin."

"Let me see~" Chang Ying stepped forward, lifted Lu Ran's wrist, and carefully examined it.

The others marveled and sighed internally at Lu Ran's good fortune.

Hao Tian's face changed, and he looked at his sister incredulously, "Re... Rebirth Money?"

Li Rouyin was expressionless as she hummed lightly in response.

"Rebirth Money?" Chang Ying was confused.

Deng Yutang speculated, "Since it's a gift from a divine being, it must not be ordinary."

"Yes!" Hao Tian's heart surged with tumult as he looked at the others who were clueless, "This is a Magic Artifact!"

"What?"

"Magic Artifact?" Everyone finally realized the terrifying value of the copper coin.

Li Rouyin silently turned and walked toward the bamboo staircase, seemingly going to rest on the second floor.

"Rouyin, this..." Hao Tian hesitated in his speech.

"The decision of Lord Wang Quan is not ours to question," said Li Rouyin flatly as she ascended the steps.

Evidently, she wasn't a model host, leaving her guests and climbing upstairs by herself.

However, to the Forget Spring Believers' indifferent behavior, nobody present was surprised.

"I never thought I'd see a Magic Artifact in my lifetime!" Chang Ying was excited and bent down to look closely at the copper coin.

Indeed, on either side of the square hole were the characters for "Rebirth."

Lu Ran said, "This is only a fragment of the Magic Artifact, to be understood as a piece."

Chang Ying asked, "What is its effect?"

Lu Ran hadn't spoken when Hao Tian interjected, "Rebirth Money can absorb Dead Souls from both the Human Clan and Evil Demons, using them for its own purposes!"

Upon hearing this, everyone couldn't help but be secretly alarmed.

They were high school students and small fry in the Stream Realm, unfamiliar with high-level concepts like "Dead Souls."

Their understanding was limited to special Evil Techniques of races like the Soul-splitting Demon and the Black Lantern, which could torment souls after death.

"Too much talk." A faint voice came from the bamboo staircase, where Li Rouyin stood.

Hao Tian: "..."

Lu Ran timely spoke up, "This is merely a fragment of the Magic Artifact; its effect is not as terrifying as imagined."

Deng Yutang stepped forward, "Can it absorb souls?"

"Yes," Lu Ran nodded.

"And use them for its own?"

"Also yes," Lu Ran nodded again.

Deng Yutang's expression was quite animated, his voice rising, "Isn't that powerful?"

Lu Ran: "..."

"Awesome!" Chang Ying muttered excitedly, "My captain owns a Magic Artifact, haha!"

Lu Ran helplessly explained, "What it absorbs are only Dead Souls; it cannot extract a living person's soul from their body.

It's more about refining the Dead Souls and nourishing the copper coin itself.

As its master, I can only incidentally receive a slight nourishment at the soul level."

Lu Ran had such insight because he was well-versed, even owning an Evil Demon Sculpture Garden.

But to the others, what Lu Ran said was incomprehensible!

With such a terrifying function, what more could you want?

"Brother Lu, you are ambitious, even wanting to extract living souls?" Hao Tian looked at Lu Ran, unsure how to react to this bold character.

Hmm... really wanted to hit someone!

Hao Tian frequently looked after his sister, but in all these years, he had only entered the Rebirth Hall once.

Each time he worshipped, Hao Tian did so outside the hall.

Only occasionally would the hall doors be open, allowing Hao Tian the chance to catch a glimpse of the inside's beautiful Red Line Fine Rain.

However, Lu Ran arrived as a newcomer and received a copper coin from the divine being?

This...

Lu Ran suddenly said, "Rouyin mentioned that if I cultivate this copper coin well, I might unlock higher methods of use.

Perhaps, this copper coin could command the imprisoned Dead Souls to fight for me."

Everyone: "..."

What Lu Ran said was true; Li Rouyin had just mentioned this.

But such high-level usage was difficult to achieve with a fragment; it would require the complete Magic Artifact.

This was why Li Rouyin told Lu Ran to cultivate the copper coin well.

Honestly, when Lu Ran heard about the function of the Magic Artifact·Rebirth Money, he was overjoyed!

Whether the copper coin could allow Lu Ran to command Dead Souls was no longer important.

What mattered was that, should the day come when Lu Ran could summon and control Evil Demons, this copper coin would be the perfect cover!

Li Rouyin made it clear:

Rebirth Money didn't fight using the spirits in their soul form.

In most cases, souls couldn't affect the normal world.

Lu Ran had seen many Dead Souls on the battlefield, from the Human Clan to the Evil Demons; those who didn't wish to leave after death were everywhere.

In their Dead Souls state, they still longed to battle, but in vain, as they were insubstantial, and all attacks were ineffective.

The Magic Artifact·Rebirth Coin,

would consume its own "energy" to take the Dead Souls imprisoned within as a foundation and reconstruct bodies for them.

Hmm... it was akin to reincarnation?

Just that such a reincarnation was short-lived.

However, currently, Lu Ran was more cautious, not seeking to command Evil Demons overtly.

He just felt reassured.

Should someone one day notice his association with the Evil Demons...

At least he would have a reasonable explanation.

"My goodness, this is remarkable," Chang Ying whispered, suddenly asking, "Now, does this copper coin contain Dead Souls?"

Lu Ran: "In a minute we'll go out and kill a bamboo demon, and then it will."

Speaking, Lu Ran turned to Hao Tian, patting his shoulder heavily, "Brother Hao, I owe it all to your referral!

Without you, I wouldn't have had this opportunity, nor would I have met Lord Wang Quan."

Hao Tian felt very distressed.

Not because he wanted the copper coin for himself, but from Hao Tian's perspective, all resources from the Forget Spring Sect belonged to his sister.

And here comes this bandit out of nowhere?

Lord Wang Quan actually favored Lu Ran with such a generous gift...

Thankfully, Lu Ran was already a believer, spoken for.

Even so, Hao Tian was somewhat anxious that Lu Ran might switch allegiance to the Forget Spring Sect, dividing the resources meant for his sister.

"How can I ever thank you... that's right!" Lu Ran immediately said, "I almost forgot why you brought us here.

I'll go up now and talk to your sister, persuade her to eat meat."

"No! No need!" Hao Tian quickly said.

"Huh?" Lu Ran was puzzled, "Why not anymore?"

"Uh." Hao Tian suddenly found himself at a loss for words.

He certainly didn't dare to outright say, hurry up and leave, stop lingering around Lord Wang Quan.

After all, since Lord Wang Quan favored Lu Ran, and here Hao Tian was trying to drive them away in secret, that was asking for trouble...

"Let's do this," Lu Ran considered, then spoke up, "We've intruded long enough, and I want to go back and study the copper coin.

Our team will first return to the nearest Bamboo Village to rest.

In the next few days, I'll pack more meals and deliver them to your sister, to ensure she eats well and to admonish her a little more."

Hao Tian remained silent, his emotions complicated, but after some contemplation, he nodded.

No matter his thoughts, for a brother, his sister's health and well-being were always the top priority.

"Let's go," Lu Ran called out to the group, heading for the outside of the hall.

Not long after entering the front yard, Lu Ran remembered something, turned around, and looked up at the open window on the second floor.

He shouted loudly, "Hey you, you've eaten the duck wings!"

Hao Tian's mouth hung open as he looked at the "blatant" Lu Ran.

None of your business!

How could you be so bold?

"You hear me?" Under Hao Tian's astonished gaze, Lu Ran shouted again, "If you don't eat, I will!"

Others naturally assumed that Lu Ran was talking about eating duck wings.

But Li Rouyin knew what Lu Ran was claiming.

With Lord Wang Quan's attitude toward Lu Ran, if he asked, perhaps he could really get more copper coins.

Li Rouyin's heart began to bleed again...

From the second-floor window, a faint response finally came, "Hmm."

Lu Ran smiled with satisfaction, nodded towards Hao Tian as a sign, "Done!"

Hao Tian: ? ? ?

"We're leaving now, no need to see us out, goodbye," Lu Ran called out to the group, quickly departing.

Hao Tian stood in place for quite some time before turning and looking up at the second-floor window.

Trying to cope with his feelings, he couldn't help saying, "Rouyin! I've tried to persuade you every day and you ignored me.

This Lu Ran meets you once, and you eat just because he says?"

Indoors, a cool voice replied, "Oh, then I won't eat."

"No, no, no!" Hao Tian's nerves were frayed, "I was wrong, please eat, eat more..."

...

Three updates today, 12.18.22.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.