The next morning, deep within the cave.

A straw cloak served as a blanket on which Lu Ran lay, sound asleep.

The cave was empty, save for the tall figure of Jing Hong, blocking the narrow entrance securely, diligently standing guard.

"Hmm..."

After a long time, Lu Ran groggily opened his eyes, looking around in confusion.

It took him a while to realize where he was.

Holy Spirit Mountain...

Lu Ran sat up and rubbed his head, feeling that his hair had grown a bit long and needed trimming.

"Jing Hong?"

"Sect Leader, you are awake." Jing Hong looked at Lu Ran in his dazed state, slightly taken aback.

A freshly awakened Lu Ran was less imposing and appeared more approachable.

By age, his children were about the same age as the Sect Leader, weren't they?

Jing Hong pondered silently.

No, the Sect Leader was actually only nineteen years old, younger than his kids by a few years.

He wondered how they were faring in the human world.

"Where is everyone?" Lu Ran rubbed his eyes.

"They were afraid of disturbing your rest, so they all left," Jing Hong whispered.

Lu Ran frowned slightly, "Call them back."

The condition and mental state of Yan Shuangzi were not suitable for running around outside without proper rest.

"Yes!" Jing Hong obeyed and left.

Lu Ran got up, picked up the straw cloak from the floor, and dusted it off.

As he donned his coat, the Ran Sect members filed in one after another.

"Oh?" Lu Ran immediately looked at Yan Shuangzi, exclaiming in admiration.

The woman was still frail, but her vitality had significantly improved, her skin fair and moist, no longer appearing in a sorry state as she did yesterday.

Though she couldn't compare to her former glory, at least she now appeared to be "alive."

"Mr. Cong Long, it's miraculous!" Lu Ran said with a smile.

Yu Changsheng also smiled, "I can only heal her body; the illness of the heart, that is up to the Sect Leader to cure."

Lu Ran: "..."

Alright!

Today, I will show you what it means to be a master healer!

While the two were talking, Deng Yuxiang had already brought Yan Shuangzi in front of Lu Ran.

"How do you feel?" Lu Ran inquired with concern.

Yan Shuangzi had clearly cleaned up, no longer dirty and showing a fresh face.

Yan Shuangzi lowered her voice, "It feels like a beautiful dream near death, all unreal."

Lu Ran paused thoughtfully, "I meant, how does your body feel?"

Yan Shuangzi barely managed a smile at the corner of her mouth, "Pretty good."

The blindness and the severed arm constantly reminded her that this was no dream.

So, indeed, it was pretty good.

Deng Yuxiang combed Yan Shuangzi's long hair, "I have informed Shuangzi about our situation."

"Hmm." Lu Ran nodded lightly.

Deng Yuxiang sighed, "She no longer wishes to worship the Divine Sculpture of North Wind."

Sending Yan Shuangzi to worship the Divine Sculpture·North Wind was a decision Lu and Deng had discussed last night.

Yan Shuangzi had always been a disciple of North Wind; worshiping the Fake God·North Wind in the Sculpture Garden would require no adaptation, allowing for a seamless transition.

Don't underestimate the significance of a "seamless transition"!

To take Divine Technique·Flying Wind Order as an example, Lu Ran possessed the same Evil Technique·Night Charm Blade.

Even to this day, Lu Ran couldn't quite handle the Night Charm Blade!

If summoned in too great a number, he couldn't control them.

But for people like Deng Yuxiang and Yan Shuangzi, who have dedicated themselves to this craft over the years, they can easily wield a large number of Wind Blades at their will.

"Teacher Yan, your situation is quite unique; we currently cannot heal your eyes. However, the North Wind Sect possesses the Divine Technique·Wind Listening..."

"Lu Ran." Yan Shuangzi suddenly spoke.

"Hmm?"

"Don't make me worship North Wind," Yan Shuangzi said, her head lowered, her voice small and light.

So light that it tugged at the heart.

Lu Ran's voice was exceedingly gentle, "You have to understand, the statue you worship is not the true Divine·North Wind, but rather my own Divine Sculpture.

Who knows, in the future, you might overthrow North Wind, replace him, and seize the Divine Position of North Wind.

Return a hundredfold the deception North Wind has wrought on you, and all the direct or indirect harm he has caused you!"

Yan Shuangzi trembled, raising her hand to find Lu Ran's shoulder, gripping tightly, "Lu Ran, I have grown to despise him, despise everything about him.

They gouged out my eyes with Wind Blades and repeatedly opened up wounds on my body with Wind Blade.

Don't make me pick up the Wind Blade again, don't let me touch it..."

The cave fell into silence, the only sound being the slightly choked-up voice of the woman.

Lu Ran's expression was fearsome in its darkness.

He knew Yan Shuangzi had suffered greatly, but in his mind, it was just a concept of "being tormented."

When Yan Shuangzi articulated the specific actions at Sword Ridge Peak, Lu Ran's anger surged uncontrollably.

Those evil bastards!

They were truly loyal to Divine North Wind, weren't they?

"All right, all right, we won't touch it, won't touch it." Deng Yuxiang gently wrapped Yan Shuangzi in her arms.

Deng Yuxiang also knew that Yan Shuangzi was better suited for North Wind.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have discussed this result with Lu Ran.

However, the deep-seated aversion within Yan Shuangzi, that near physiological repulsion, was something she herself couldn't control, let alone suppress.

"Okay, Teacher Yan, we won't touch it." Lu Ran suppressed his anger, apologizing to the nearly collapsing woman.

"Lu Ran, Yuxiang has told me a lot, about your goals, your abilities, the path you have..."

"Does Teacher Yan have any favored Divine or Evil Demon?" Lu Ran's voice grew ever more gentle.

He still had two activation slots; in this Holy Spirit Mountain realm, anything was possible.

Yan Shuangzi broke free from Deng Yuxiang's embrace, faced Lu Ran, and said something that left everyone dumbfounded:

"Make me into that dog."

"Ah?" Lu Ran froze for a second.

Why speak in such a manner?

Why abase herself?

Yan Shuangzi once more raised her solitary left hand, gripping Lu Ran's shoulder tightly, "It suits me well."

Lu Ran pondered deeply.

Yan Shuangzi couldn't see the world, but the Evil Dog Clan possessed Evil Technique·Evil Recognition, which indeed suited her for combat and life.

The only problem was that the Evil Dog Clan lacked a formidable technique.

Though its various minor skills were quite practical, its combat strength ceiling was slightly lower.

In the God Demon Series, there were other gods and demons with perception techniques, like the Mountain Lord and Greedy Wolf from the "Eight Celestial Demons" series.

They possessed good perception techniques, along with powerful techniques.

Among them, the Divine·Mountain Lord was a second-class god, possessing not only a River Grade technique but even a Sea Grade technique!

Including the arch-nemesis of Mountain Lord, the Evil Demon·Ferocious Tiger Clan was also complete in techniques.

As Lu Ran was contemplating, Yan Shuangzi continued, "In the human world, I was like a dog.

I knew nothing and willingly became North Wind's loyal hound."

Her words were a rebuke to many people.

Jing Hong quietly gazed outside the cave, Luo Ying silently wiped the divine bow, Yu Changsheng could only smile and shake his head.

Lu Ran hadn't thought that Yan Shuangzi considered it suitable from such a perspective.

Yan Shuangzi spoke softly, "After arriving at Holy Spirit Mountain, I lived even more like a dog at Sword Ridge Peak.

A wretched life, devoid of dignity.

To them, to the North Wind Sect, I was just a blind dog."

Deng Yuxiang's face turned somewhat unpleasant, "Shuangzi..."

Yan Shuangzi paid no heed to her dear friend, her heart seething with boundless hatred, she said in a heavy voice, "Let it be as they wish."

Lu Ran: "Oh?"

Yan Shuangzi lowered her head, trying to conceal her distorted expression, "I'll become that evil dog, tearing their flesh, crushing their bones..."

Lu Ran and Deng Yuxiang exchanged a glance.

Her eyes carried a slight sense of inquiry, he nodded lightly.

The Evil Dog Clan indeed had no terrifying techniques, but talent comes in different forms!

It's not necessary to move mountains and fill seas to be an extraordinary powerhouse.

Transform into an evil dog, you might not have the ability to destroy worlds, but you can silently kill those who do!

Perhaps the unique path Yan Shuangzi was looking for was this one?

Evil Recognition was a necessity for Yan Shuangzi.

Evil Sensitivity would allow Yan Shuangzi to face the extraordinarily fast North Wind Clan with more agility and swiftly take on North Wind believers one-on-one.

Evil Technique·Evil Shadow Flash would grant her the ability for ghostly assassin feats.

As for the remaining three techniques, they all have substantial uses.

Long-ranged casting of Evil Teeth, provocation technique Evil Bark, and the lesser-used skill by Lu Ran, summoning illusions to confuse enemies with Evil Shadow.

In fact, River Grade Evil Shadow could already summon clones,

But these clones were quite unstable and could shatter at any moment; at this stage, the method's primary use was as bait, confusing enemies.

Once Evil Shadow ascended to Sea Grade, it might truly be used as a clone!

Yan Shuangzi: "Yuxiang said, you aim to destroy gods and demons, to change the landscape of the human world, is that so?"

Lu Ran's voice was serious, "That is the goal of our Ran Sect."

"Good!" Yan Shuangzi lowered her left arm, clenching her fist, her shoulders trembling slightly, "I believe in you! Take me in, Lu Ran! From now on, my humble life belongs to you..."

Lu Ran interrupted, "You are my sister's dear friend, our like-minded partner!"

Deng Yuxiang held onto Yan Shuangzi's shoulder, gently pressing down.

Yan Shuangzi dropped to one knee.

Lu Ran turned to look at Deng Yuxiang, who returned his gaze with an expression of calm.

A moment later, Lu Ran looked back at Yan Shuangzi, "Is it definitely the Evil Dog?"

Yan Shuangzi said firmly, "Yes."

Luo Ying, seated not far away, halted her bow-wiping action, looking up in this direction.

Her husband Xun Yifei once intended to break the original contract to verify Lu Ran's abilities, but such a notion was persuaded otherwise by Lu Ran.

Now, Luo Ying could witness everything with her own eyes!

"Hoo!!"

Suddenly, a massive phantom unfurled from Lu Ran's body.

The entirely pitch-black, gigantic evil dog looked dreadfully fierce, with crimson eyes glaring, its aura especially terrifying.

It lowered its head, staring intently at the human being kneeling before its master.

Slowly, Lu Ran extended a hand downwards.

The dog's head descended as well, its nose overlapping with Lu Ran's hand, resting on Yan Shuangzi's head.

Yan Shuangzi: !!!

Her body gave a heavy tremor, as waves of energy gradually surged forth.

For a long time, the massive phantom slowly converged, merging into Lu Ran.

And Yan Shuangzi...

She slightly tilted her head, seemingly listening to something, then wrinkled her nose.

Though she had no eyes, she was no longer "blind."

Evil Technique·Evil Recognition enhanced her perception in all aspects.

In this quiet cave, even if everyone remained speechless and motionless, she could clearly perceive the subtle energy fluctuations from everyone's bodies!

This enabled her to pinpoint everyone's locations.

The unique aura of each member also allowed Yan Shuangzi to easily distinguish different people.

Yan Shuangzi was so overwhelmed with excitement that she was speechless.

She had once been a powerful martial artist, with sharp eyes and ears that listened to the wind, familiar with every detail of the battlefield.

But when she lost everything, the enormous sense of disparity and bitterness was unimaginable to most people.

Lu Ran, Lu Ran...

Yan Shuangzi lowered her head, pressing her lips tightly.

First, he saved her life.

Then, he rebuilt her.

Everything taken from her was returned by him.

He even granted her the qualification for revenge, providing a road to breaking chains and overturning the world.

What could possibly repay such a debt?

Merely this humble life of hers...

Is it really enough?

...

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