Three days later, by the sea cliff.

Lu Ran sat cross-legged in deep meditation, focusing intently on his cultivation. Resting across his knees was the Eight Desolates Annihilation Blade, and nestled in his arms was a delicate gourd.

Taking advantage of the Ran Sect's two Guardians advancing their ranks, Lu Ran and his bonded weapons and artifacts were frantically absorbing the dense energies between heaven and earth.

In such a cultivation environment, it would be difficult not to grow rapidly!

Suddenly, Lu Ran felt an indistinct summoning, like someone was calling out to him.

It must be Sister Xian'er.

After all, the Big Nightmare was still ascending, and Lu Ran had a perpetual mental connection with the Evil Dog and Evil Sculpture, always keeping an open line with the Evil Shadow Guardian.

Lu Ran accepted the "voice call" immediately, and a sentence imprinted itself in his mind:

[Young Master~~~]

The deliberately drawn-out tone made Lu Ran grin instinctively.

Well now!

That sweet little voice was truly delightful~

Lu Ran could already imagine the sweet smile on Sister Xian'er's face.

[Did you succeed?] Lu Ran tested cautiously.

[Haha, I'm back to the River Realm!] Si Xianxian exclaimed in excitement, practically leaping for joy. [Finally, no more eating dried fish meat~]

Lu Ran also smiled and reminded her warmly: [Congratulations! The Big Nightmare is still advancing, and the sacred power within the cliffs is abundant. Don't get complacent; make sure to take this opportunity to stabilize your Realm thoroughly.]

[Mhm mhm, thank you, Young Master, for saving me from disaster! Even if I must serve as your horse or ox, I'll repay your great kindness and virtue.] Si Xianxian's voice was sweet and filled with laughter.

Lu Ran: "..."

Si Xianxian: [Why aren't you saying anything? What, you don't believe me?]

Lu Ran pouted: [You should focus on your cultivation, you little First Rank River Realm chick! And to think you call yourself a Ran Sect Guardian... I can't bring myself to acknowledge that.]

Si Xianxian immediately pulled a long face: [Are you saying I embarrass you?]

Lu Ran let out a snort: [When we first met, I was in the Stream Realm, and you were in the River Realm. Now I've reached the River Realm, and you've only just crawled out of the River Initial Stage.]

Si Xianxian's temper flared instantly, her beautiful eyes practically shooting flames: [Young Master! Have I been too lenient with you?!]

Her earlier good mood due to her breakthrough vanished without a trace.

Cursed man!

He knew exactly how to stab right into someone's heart!

Si Xianxian gritted her teeth: [Come on then, tell me where you are! I'll come riding the Fiery Fire Heavenly Leader to find you!]

[No time! Not seeing you! Focus on your cultivation!] Lu Ran decisively cut off the connection.

Truthfully, Si Xianxian was still just at the Initial Stage of the River Realm, which in the Holy Spirit Mountain Realm was hardly worth mentioning.

The issue, however, was that she was a Fierce Heavenly believer!

More precisely, Si Xianxian was destined to replace the Divine Position of Lie Tian.

"Cross-realm slaughter" — these four words seemed custom-made for her! When this girl went mad, she could even kill those in the Sea Realm...

"Hoo~" Lu Ran exhaled deeply, calming his mind.

Playful banter aside, Lu Ran truly felt a weight lifted off his heart upon Si Xianxian's successful breakthrough.

It meant her body had finally recovered.

She now had a clear and precise goal, and her Mental Realm had re-stabilized.

No doubt, the Human Clan was indeed the lowliest existence, and the cost of rebelling against the gods was unbearably heavy!

Si Xianxian's voluntary act of tearing apart her pact with a god brought devastating backlash upon herself.

Lu Ran had reason to believe that it was precisely because of this overseas venture, where he nurtured the Divine Sculpture's ascension in the garden, leading to Si Xianxian's continuous fusion and resonance with it, that she had fully restored herself.

"Good, it's good that she's healed." Lu Ran murmured softly.

Si Xianxian had completely bid farewell to a tragic past! The rest of her life would have no shackles, allowing her to take bold, unrestricted strides and soar with each step!

Eventually, she would transform into the Ran Sect's one and only Mad Immortal.

Lu Ran's lips curled into a smile once more. With one hand gripping the blade's handle and the other holding the Blazing Phoenix Patterned Gourd, he focused intently on training.

Si Xianxian's breakthrough from the River Realm to the Second Rank of the River Realm took her only three days.

Meanwhile, Deng Yuxiang's breakthrough to a Great Realm, ascending to the Sea Realm, would take five to ten days.

Strictly speaking, these five to ten days were a phase where Deng Yuxiang would see explosive growth.

The surging Divine Power would continuously expand her meridians, nourishing every inch of her flesh, and enhancing her physical strength.

Thus, from the moment she broke through her bottleneck, the longer she took to advance, the more beneficial it would be for her!

There was only one problem: this was Holy Spirit Mountain!

The longer her advancement took, the more likely she'd encounter an attack from unscrupulous foes.

On Deng Yuxiang's sixth day of advancement, something happened!

A worried Lu Ran suddenly received a telepathic transmission from Yan Shuangzi.

[Sect Leader!]

[What's the matter?] Lu Ran's heart sank. Among his subordinates, the Evil Shadow Guardian was the most dutiful and the quietest.

To his surprise, Yan Shuangzi transmitted: [I've hit a cultivation bottleneck and just wanted to report this to Sect Leader.]

Lu Ran: ???

The thick, rolling mist brought about by the Big Nightmare's advancement was enormous, forming one Fog Dragon Roll after another, still linking heaven and earth!

In such an environment, cultivation among the Ran Sect members naturally progressed with half the effort for twice the effect.

The problem was…

Lu Ran vaguely remembered that Yan Shuangzi had only returned to the River Realm this past March. Now it was late June.

In just three months, she was ready to advance again?

Such cultivation speed was almost catching up to Lu Ran himself!

Wait!

Lu Ran suddenly recalled that Yan Shuangzi had been knocked down from the Second Rank of the River Realm.

Could it be that rebuilding her Dao Heart and retracing her cultivation path allowed her to advance more skillfully and quickly?

[This is wonderful news!] Lu Ran suppressed his thoughts and replied. [Coordinate with Jing Hong to hand off your responsibilities, then come to the sea cliff. I'll lend you the Little Chi Feng.]

Yan Shuangzi hesitated for a moment: [But the Nightmare Guardian is still advancing. Shouldn't I...]

[It's fine!] Lu Ran interrupted firmly. [Cultivation and growth are the top priority! If you fall behind for even a step, you'll fall behind for every step after that! The only reason to deliberately slow your progress is if you aren't ready yet.]

Yan Shuangzi's fate had already been far too tragic.

She had faithfully followed him; how could he let her suffer further?

Yan Shuangzi pressed her thin lips together and responded softly: [Understood.]

After a brief pause, Lu Ran transmitted: [Sister Yuxiang will surely be ecstatic to know how spectacularly you've rebuilt and are progressing.]

[Understood!] Yan Shuangzi replied solemnly.

"Things are improving." Lu Ran picked up the Blazing Phoenix Patterned Gourd and weighed it in his palm.

Breakthroughs were happening in succession.

The Ran Sect's overall strength was growing visibly and rapidly.

As the leader of the sect, how could Lu Ran not feel joy in his heart?

Half a minute later, Yan Shuangzi silently appeared at Lu Ran's side, lowering her head and kneeling on one knee.

Lu Ran handed over the Treasure Gourd: "Focus on breaking through. That's the only thing you should concern yourself with right now. Providing you with a secure environment is my responsibility."

Yan Shuangzi accepted the Fiery Phoenix Patterned Gourd, lowering her face beneath the brim of her bamboo hat, and nodded silently.

"Go on. I await your good news."

"Understood!" Yan Shuangzi disappeared.

Lu Ran remained seated for a moment before slowly standing up and taking a deep breath.

He had been in the Holy Spirit Mountain Realm for nearly half a year.

Lu Ran had forged a foundation; where once he had only Deng Yuxiang by his side, now he was surrounded by many loyal, like-minded companions. Everything was falling into place.

When he arrived as a newcomer, weak and helpless, this harsh and cruel land couldn't prevent him from finding his footing.

Nor could it suppress his rise!

From now on...

Lu Ran raised his head, his resolute gaze piercing through the layers of mist, as if seeing the heavens beyond.

You will not stop me!

With his hands behind his back, Lu Ran stood tall, drawing in the dense energy around him.

His Dao Heart gleamed brilliantly, growing and thriving in a place unseen by others.

Time passed slowly as the sky began to darken.

"Hiss..."

Suddenly, from the eastern sky, the faint sound of a dragon's roar echoed forth.

Lu Ran's eyes snapped open.

That sound... was it the Angry Sea Flame Flood Dragon?

The eastern sea near Cloud Sea Cliff was under the control of Lu Ran's Mo Li team and Sea Merfolk squad. It was virtually impossible for an Evil Demon to get through the defenses there.

The only ones capable of getting through would be creatures like the Angry Sea Flame Flood Dragon.

Both comfortable in the ocean and dwelling within the sky.

Dwelling in the sky?!

Lu Ran's heart stirred as he gripped the Eight Desolates Annihilation Blade: "Eight Desolates, you and I fighting the Angry Sea Flame Flood Dragon—could this be considered an aerial battle?"

"Sect Leader?" Through the dense mist, Luo Ying's voice called out.

"Luoshen General, hold your position. I'll take a look!" Lu Ran commanded loudly and vanished in a flash.

After three instances of Instant Teleportation, Lu Ran appeared three kilometers away, standing between the sea and sky.

"Hiss!!"

A dragon's roar shook the heavens and earth.

In the darkened skies of the east, a gargantuan dragon flew straight toward him.

Its body stretched for hundreds of meters, every scale glowing a menacing blood red!

That massive form seemed to turn the whole sky crimson.

Its enormous dragon eyes locked onto the direction of Cloud Sea Cliff—its attack target couldn't have been clearer!

The Angry Sea Flame Flood Dragon's speed was extraordinary, completely ignoring a "tiny" being like Lu Ran in its path.

Lu Ran glanced over his shoulder.

Cloud Sea Cliff was still shrouded in mist, with fog dragon rolls linking heaven and earth. It was certainly an enticing sight for anyone—or anything.

"Roar!!"

The Angry Sea Flame Flood Dragon opened its large, bloody maw, roaring in rage as it charged violently, exuding ruthless terror and an overpowering aura!

Lu Ran abruptly ascended skyward, not opting for a sneak attack but instead positioning himself directly in the dragon's flight path.

"Hiss!!"

The Angry Sea Flame Flood Dragon finally noticed the puny human.

Yet it didn't unleash any special skill—instead, it simply continued forward.

Obviously, with its commanding, colossal body charging forward, a tiny human would naturally be crushed into dust.

"Eight Desolates, wake up."

Lu Ran slowly raised the blade in his hand.

Amidst the billowing stormclouds, a solitary figure stood between sea and sky, his blade pointing directly at the blood-colored dragon far away.

The Angry Sea Flame Flood Dragon, stretching hundreds of meters long, brought with it a crimson-stained horizon, roaring as it surged forward, seemingly intent on obliterating all under heaven.

Even before the battle began,

this scene already carried an epic, legendary aura.

"On land, I've wielded you to slay countless Evil Demons and cut down innumerable fiends."

"In the deep sea, we've fought battle after grueling battle, staining countless waters red with the blood of Evil Demons."

"This fight, Eight Desolates, is our aerial battle!"

Gripping the blade tightly, Lu Ran watched as the furious dragon drew closer and closer.

The overwhelming aura crashed toward him, accompanied by fierce sea winds that sent his bamboo cloak fluttering wildly.

Lu Ran's eyes burned with murderous intent, locking onto the massive beast with its bloody maw wide open.

Eight Desolates,

Today, let's wash your blade with this scalding dragon blood.

Eight Desolates,

It's time for you to awaken!

...

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