Since Old Bai Yanhui joined the Ran Sect, the defensive strength of Cloud Sea Cliff skyrocketed!

At the very least, this Spellcaster Believer gave everyone some peace of mind.

If Bai Yanhui announced there was nothing to worry about today, then Cloud Sea Cliff was unlikely to face any attacks from villains.

Nonetheless, Lu Ran still wanted to enhance the defense level further!

With a swift Evil Shadow Flash, he teleported to the cave near the beach at the base of Cloud Sea Cliff.

"Divine Power shapes the form, Source Energy builds the soul."

Lu Ran extended a hand forward, silently reciting the incantation, as a massive pitch-black slender dog gradually took shape.

After completing his mission during the Northwest expedition, Lu Ran had successfully nurtured the Evil Dog Sculpture to Sea Realm·First Rank.

Now, he could create an Evil Dog at River Realm·Fifth Rank.

"Roar..."

The moment the Evil Dog appeared, it entered hunting mode, letting out a low growl.

"Hiss..." Lu Ran drew in a sharp breath.

What a formidable River Realm Peak Demon Lord!

The Evil Dog at River Realm·Fifth Rank was 3.5 meters long and stood 2.1 meters tall at the shoulders.

Taller than Lu Ran himself!

This truly gave meaning to the phrase, "looking down on people."

At this moment, the Evil Dog bowed its massive head, its blood-red eyes locked onto Lu Ran, emitting waves of savage, bloodthirsty aura.

Lu Ran's temples throbbed incessantly in alarm!

This?

Lu Ran realized that the Evil Dog's inner self was struggling!

Because Lu Ran infused the Evil Dog with the concept of absolute loyalty during its creation, it didn't bare its fangs right away.

But the Evil Dog Clan's inherently feral nature and insatiable craving for human blood and flesh were impossible to suppress.

This led to an eerie scene!

The Evil Dog trembled violently, as its low intelligence fought against its own brutal instincts for control over its body.

"Holy crap!"

Lu Ran was completely dumbfounded.

He had thought that the intelligence of a River Realm·Fifth Rank slender dog would be higher and that it would be more obedient. But now it seemed...

Even when facing Lu Ran, the slender dog was this torn.

What would happen if it encountered other humans?

"Smack!" Lu Ran raised his hand and slapped the cylindrical dog snout hard.

This lord is your master!

What, you want to eat me?

"Roar!!" The bloodthirsty glow in the Evil Dog's eyes intensified.

Lu Ran: "..."

Normally, wouldn't a slap like that clear up a dog's gaze?

"Bark! Bark bark!"

The Evil Dog suddenly barked, its crimson eyes locked onto the mist-filled entrance of the cave.

The Demon Lord wasn't barking for nothing.

It directly activated Evil Technique·Evil Tooth!

"Stop!" Lu Ran was startled, raising his arms to encircle the slender cylindrical snout.

At the same time, four black mist threads had already emerged from his hands.

Evil Spear Emperor's Evil Technique·Evil Cloud Entanglement!

"Whimper!!" The Evil Dog growled angrily, wildly struggling.

It clearly attempted to Instant Teleport, but the snake-like black mist threads coiled around its body, seeping inside to block the flow of its energy completely.

"Ah!!" Lu Ran let out a sharp cry.

The piercing, shrill Sea Merfolk Song from the depths of the ocean rendered the dog's mind entirely blank.

The Evil Dog's spirit wavered, leaving it stunned in place.

"Shhh!" Lu Ran immediately lashed upward with the Eight Desolate Annihilation Blade, piercing the black dog's head from below.

The crisis was finally resolved.

"Phew..." Lu Ran exhaled deeply and withdrew his blade, as the massive Evil Dog's body collapsed.

Yan Shuangzi silently appeared, kneeling on one knee at Lu Ran's feet, and whispered, "Forgive me, Master."

"It's alright." Lu Ran sheathed his blade. "The Evil Dog is so perceptive; noticing you is only natural."

As he spoke, he sighed inwardly.

Lu Ran could create as many as 10 River Realm Peak Evil Dogs!

What an excellent patrol squad that would have been!

But alas, the Evil Dog Clan's deficient intelligence made it impossible to suppress their ferocious nature.

Considering Yan Shuangzi's highly unique identity...

She was the bonded inheritor of the Evil Dog Sculpture!

Even so, when the Evil Dog saw Yan Shuangzi, it still coveted her blood and tender flesh, launching an Evil Tooth attack as soon as it could.

"Forgive me; it was my reckless behavior..."

"No problem, Evil Shadow." Lu Ran spoke gently, his naturally hanging hand lightly patting her bamboo hat.

Yan Shuangzi bowed her head even further, saying, "Once I replace the Evil Dog Statue, Master will freely summon Evil Demons."

Lu Ran naturally understood what she meant.

By then, he wouldn't be summoning Evil Dogs but rather multiple Yan Shuangzis.

With Yan Shuangzi's intelligence and her loyalty to Lu Ran, they would make an army of Dead Soldiers!

"Alright." Lu Ran retrieved the Evil Dog's soul but didn't absorb its body with the Divine Power Pearl.

Since it was created, he might as well bring it back to the cliff later. For now, Feixian Hall's An Xian, still at River Realm·Fifth Rank, needed to feed on it to sustain her life.

"By the way, how's your fusion with the Evil Dog Sculpture coming along?" Lu Ran asked.

"Quite well." Yan Shuangzi replied honestly. "I can clearly sense faster cultivation progress.

Currently, I've regained my previous strength and feel close to another breakthrough."

Whenever the subject of fusion came up, Deng Yuxiang would always blush a little. But Yan Shuangzi, standing before him, showed no trace of emotion.

Like a stone.

She seemed perfectly suited for being a Stone Sculpture?

Lu Ran was suddenly struck by an idea: "Are you nearing a cultivation bottleneck?"

"Yes, Master." Yan Shuangzi replied softly. "Retracing the path I once walked before rebirth has been quite smooth."

Lu Ran lowered his gaze toward the unusually talkative Yan Shuangzi.

So, you call joining Ran Sect "rebirth?"

"Such matters should always be mentioned in advance from now on." Lu Ran thought for a moment and commanded, "Later, toss the Evil Dog corpse to Feixian Hall and then head to the seclusion room to focus on your cultivation."

Yan Shuangzi hesitated for a moment before saying, "It will take some time before I can..."

Lu Ran interrupted her directly: "Gao Yunyan's breakthrough took a long time. Go now."

Yan Shuangzi hesitated briefly before responding, "Yes."

With a flash, Lu Ran appeared on the edge of the 800-meter-high Cloud Sea Cliff.

Wispy Fog Dragon Rolls connected heaven and cliff.

The cliff edge was shrouded in mist, Divine Power coursing throughout.

Lu Ran plopped down, basking in heavenly blessings, voraciously absorbing the energy of the heavens and the earth.

Amid this tranquility, he finally had time to ponder deeply.

Currently, Lu Ran had three Believers from Feixian Hall.

Back in Beifeng City, when the Divine·Beifeng tried to snatch Deng Yuxiang's life and soul, it seemed all too easy to achieve?

So, could he similarly control the life and death of the three Believers through their master-servant contracts?

"Hmm..." Lu Ran sank into deep thought.

How should he go about it?

Lu Ran connected with the Fake God·Jade Talisman in his mind, meticulously researching.

It seemed impossible to directly extract the souls of the Believers.

The Stone Sculpture and the three Believers were indeed linked by invisible threads of contract, but no matter what interaction there was between Lu Ran and the Stone Sculpture, it couldn't affect the disciples' souls.

Was this also a kind of law?

That souls cannot be extracted from living beings?

This principle could also be observed from Evil Techniques.

Whether it was the Evil Mirror Demon's Soul-hooking Mirror or the Soul-splitting Demon's Soul Prison, both could only capture human souls after death.

Thus, when the Divine·Beifeng wanted to collect Deng Yuxiang's soul back in Beifeng City, he had to kill her first?

So then, how could he use master-servant contracts to easily take the lives of Believers?

While cultivating, Lu Ran delved into this question deeply.

He wanted to master this technique!

If Lu Ran could determine a Believer's life or death with just a thought, he could recruit disciples more recklessly.

Days passed.

Cloud Sea Cliff remained impregnable!

Every morning and evening, Deng Yuxiang would receive warnings from Bai Yanhui and relay them to Lu Ran.

Both at sea and on land, there were few ignorant creatures causing trouble.

Over these several days, though, two Angry Sea Flame Flood Dragons flew over the sky.

Lu Ran gleefully welcomed them all!

Using the boiling blood of the flood dragons, he gave the Eight Desolate Blade a thorough cleansing.

By now, the reactions of the Eight Desolate Blade had grown intense.

Having previously cultivated Xia Guang and Silent Night, Lu Ran was certain the Eight Desolate Blade was only one step away from Becoming a God.

But that last step, the divine opportunity, was elusive.

Lu Ran's vision wasn't limited to "Sky, Sea, Land"; he also considered the directional aspect.

By now, he had "lit up" many regions on the Holy Spirit Mountain map.

He had traveled north to the Snow Forest and Night Charm Lake, west to Barbaric Ten Thousand Blade Mountain, and east across the ocean to Seven Star Island.

What remained was the south?

Would the deity-ascending opportunity for the Eight Desolate Blade lie in the south?

Who could say...

On September 7th, Lu Ran received good news!

Gao Yunyan emerged from seclusion!

The terrifying Fog Dragon Rolls connecting heaven and earth gradually dispersed, though mist still lingered.

Eight full days of blessings had allowed Jiang Ruyi to thoroughly prepare herself and successfully ride on Gao Yunyan's momentum, entering breakthrough mode.

She renewed her progress!

The insightful environmental clues confirmed this news to Lu Ran, filling him with giddy delight.

Little Ruyi, truly impressive~

It was a pity, though, that if Ruyi hadn't torn up her contract and had maintained a steady cultivation rhythm, she might have already advanced to Sea Realm!

Now she was still hovering in River Realm Fourth Rank...

Uh, well, perhaps it was best not to think that way.

A cultivator's Dao Heart is an essential aspect of the journey!

Ever since Jiang Ruyi had learned about the Divine's ugly truth, she had harbored intense disdain, most importantly coupled with her devout faith in Lu Ran.

Change was her true path!

Only then could her way forward be unobstructed!

Since the Sect Leader Lady was still advancing, Cloud Sea Cliff's vigilance naturally remained intact.

As soon as Gao Yunyan emerged, she headed straight for the cliff edge in the east and found Lu Ran immersed in cultivation.

Carrying the Divine Weapon·Yellow Sand Axe, her Divine Power surged fiercely, striding forward in great strides.

The earth seemed to tremble underfoot!

Those billowing hair strands and ferocious aura...

If accompanied by maniacal laughter, wouldn't she be a smaller version of the Barbaric Female Demon?

"Whew!!"

Yan God General swept over with an overwhelming Sea Realm pressure, crushing toward the young River Realm man sitting on the cliff edge.

Lu Ran's body tightened, his whole being on the verge of exploding!

But then there was a muffled "thud."

Gao Yunyan dropped to one knee, her eyes blazing with intensity, her voice sharp and resonant: "Sect Leader!"

"Ah!" Lu Ran jerked in shock.

Good heavens~

I thought you were going to kill me like a dog!

The cliff edge fell silent.

After a long while, Lu Ran shakily stood up, staring at the awe-inspiring Sea Realm figure still bowing respectfully before him.

Excellent!

What a mighty and fierce West Desolate Divine General!

With you, Ran Sect is one step closer to storming Sword Mountain Peak and crushing Sword Ridge Peak...

...

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