The days of preparation for battle slipped by, one by one.

Amidst the gloomy rainy days, Lu Ran and his Rain Alley City welcomed the fifteenth of July.

On this day, in the early morning hours,

Lu Ran sat before the shrine, absorbing the wisps of mist emanating from the White Sheep Jade Carving.

Around his neck, a faint glow flickered—the Divine Power Pearl!

Be it within his body or inside the Divine Power Pearl, Lu Ran had filled them up with "ammunition."

"On the fifteenth of the lunar month when the gates of Yin open, demons and evil spirits come forth of their own accord."

Lu Ran muttered to himself, hands joined in prayer: "May Lord Immortal Goat protect your disciple.

Tonight, as I follow the Moon Gazer team to execute the mission, I should be able to slaughter numerous Evil Demons and activate many Evil Demon Sculptures."

"Nourishment," a voice transmitted unexpectedly.

"What?" Lu Ran looked up at the small shrine.

White Sheep Jade Carving: "Your strength is weak and your spiritual power is insufficient.

You may capture the souls of Evil Demons to nourish the Evil Sculptures, to be activated later on.

If you insist on activating too many Evil Demon Sculptures, it will do more harm than good, and you may instead be devoured by them."

Lu Ran was startled!

The sudden message caught him off guard: "So... before I slay the Evil Demons, should I first select carefully?"

This must be a joke!

In my own team, I can decide which Demon Cave to go to, which kind of Evil Demon to slay.

The problem is, on this night of the fifteenth, I am in the Moon Gazer team!

What kind of Evil Demon we encounter, how many we slay, all that is up to fate.

The Moon Gazers won't refrain from slaughtering the incarnated Evil Demons just for me!

"Do not worry overly much, just collect the souls of Evil Demons to nourish the various Evil Sculptures."

The authoritative voice struck again: "Whether to activate Evil Demon Sculptures, I will be the one to oversee."

"Okay," Lu Ran felt somewhat relieved.

Everything's backed up by Lord Immortal Goat, which couldn't be better.

Lu Ran pondered for a moment, asking, "How many Evil Demon Sculptures am I able to activate now?"

White Sheep Jade Carving: "Being merely at Mist Realm, activating one Evil Demon Sculpture is already your limit.

Be wary of greed and rash actions.

Once you have significant advancements in your abilities, you may activate more Evil Sculptures and harness them for your own use."

Lu Ran: "..."

You could have said so earlier!

With just one spot, I need to choose very carefully!

After all, this is about which Evil Technique I will be able to wield...

Sensing Lu Ran's state of mind, the usually domineering Lord, for once, elaborated:

"The Evil Dog Clan is an ideal starting point."

"Their Evil Techniques are relatively secretive, which you may use freely, not only enhancing your senses, but also making you Swift in subsequent Evil Techniques."

"The strength of the Evil Dogs is relatively weak, and they are easier to control by us."

"Powerful Evil Demons, like the Yan Zhi you've encountered a few times, are by no means easy to subdue."

"With your current spiritual strength, activating the Yan Zhi Evil Sculpture first is fraught with danger! One misstep, and you could be played in the palm of her hand."

Lu Ran, his heart pounding, said solemnly: "Disciple understands."

From this transmission, Lu Ran also heard another message.

The Evil Dog Clan, of course, also has powerful beings of River Realm and River Realm levels.

The rare Yan Zhi clan also has weaker flunkies of the Mist Realm.

However, Immortal Sheep directly characterized the strengths of both, indicating that Yan Zhi is stronger than Evil Dogs!

That is to say, the Evil Demons mentioned by Immortal Sheep refer to the statues of stone representing the entire clan!

Thinking about it, just as there are ranks within divine beings,

there are naturally ranks among Evil Demons!

White Sheep Jade Carving retorted, "What do you understand?"

Lu Ran pondered: "Disciple should also start activating Evil Demon Sculptures from the weaker ranks within the Evil Demon ranking as I progress.

The absolute premise is to refrain from backlash!

Not hasty nor greedy, just as Lord Immortal Goat had taught—steadily grow."

"Not bad."

Rarely did the Lord Immortal Goat actually praise Lu Ran.

Lu Ran, intrigued, asked: "Does Lord Immortal Goat have a good selection of Evil Demons?

I am now at Fog Realm·Fourth Rank, not far from advancing to Stream Realm."

The Evil Demons that Lu Ran encountered this night of the fifteenth, which souls he could capture, were all a matter of fate.

But after the fifteenth, Lu Ran would be able to decide on his own, with Demon Caves throughout Da Xia, he could choose whatever type he wanted.

It was like a buffet, with a roomful of delectable dishes laid out for Lu Ran to select and feast upon.

White Sheep Jade Carving: "I see you quite fancy the Yan Zhi."

"Where... where did that come from?" Lu Ran's face colored slightly with embarrassment.

That's not something you can say, oh!

Let others hear it, and they'd think I want to betray them.

White Sheep Jade Carving: "The essence of Evil Demons is in quality, not in quantity, just as with Evil Techniques.

At Stream Realm, you may activate two or three more Evil Demon Sculptures.

However, you could also sacrifice quantity for quality."

"Oh?" Lu Ran's eyes lit up.

So, I could operate like this?

Does Lord Immortal Goat mean that after I advance to Stream Realm, I go straight to the point... hmm, directly activate the Yan Zhi Evil Sculpture?

White Sheep Jade Carving: "The Evil Technique of the Vermilion Paper school, with noteworthy defenses, could indeed protect you thoroughly."

Lu Ran: "..."

He began to understand that Lord Immortal Goat's strategy in activating Evil Sculptures was to enable Lu Ran to survive better.

But admittedly, Lu Ran was very tempted!

Yan Zhi sister... Who wouldn't want her?

And Lu Ran's ultimate goal wasn't just the Yan Zhi's Evil Techniques, but in the future, the Evil Demon herself!

With such a powerful creature offering protection...

Wouldn't I be invincible against gods and demons alike?

Lu Ran thought about it and then said: "But the techniques of the Vermilion Paper school are not exactly covert."

No one's blind.

If I suddenly don a Big Red Robe, who wouldn't notice?

Also, wouldn't that count as cross-dressing?

Although the Big Red Robe has strong defensive power and can stir up great waves, I always feel...

Embarrassingly odd~

The White Sheep Jade Carving suddenly said: "The Vermilion Paper Evil Technique, combined with our Divine Technique, is infinitely profound."

"Ah?" Lu Ran was startled for a moment, "The Divine Technique and Evil Technique can be combined?"

Indeed, Lord Immortal Goat wouldn't just activate the Yan Zhi Evil Sculpture because I like it.

Immortal Goat has its own considerations!

The voice transmitted again: "What is our Immortal Sheep sect's most renowned Divine Technique?"

"Sheep, and the Body of Substitute!" Lu Ran quickly named two highly distinctive Divine Techniques.

Regarding Divine Technique·Sheep, Lu Ran had thought a lot when he was trapped on the rooftop.

And Divine Technique·Body of Sin was even more significant!

Commonly known as the scapegoat, its effect is akin to dodging an attack.

When facing a deadly strike, Immortal Sheep Believers can pray for Lord Immortal Goat's protection to spare them from death.

Of course, the Believer circumvents the fatal injury, but Lord Immortal Goat then suffers!

Because Lord Immortal Goat is the "substitute" one...

This is the strongest protection Divine·Immortal Goat offers to its Believers.

It's particularly worth noting: Never! Ever picture that Lord Immortal Goat will manifest!

You should even mentally prepare yourself as if you never learned this Divine Technique.

Lord Immortal Goat is your god!

The being you're sworn to protect to the death!

Not your Servant or livestock, to summon at will, to arrive and take hits for you...

If you can invoke Divine Technique·Body of Sin once in your lifetime, it means Lord Immortal Goat favors you immensely.

In sufficiently long years, your loyalty and devout offerings exchange for one chance of "life."

But more often than not, your calls are in vain.

Divine·Immortal Goat has no desire to join in strife, let alone be summoned to the battlefield, and even to take a blow for you.

Are you truly an Immortal Sheep Believer?

How did Lord Immortal Goat train you on regular days?

You might as well meet your end...

White Sheep Jade Carving then asked: "What is the most feared Evil Technique of the Yan Zhi sect?"

Without a second thought, Lu Ran responded: "Paper Mache!"

Last lunar fifteenth, Lu Ran watched with his own eyes as a Yan Zhi conjured a small Paper Mache Man, holding it in the palm.

And a Moon Gazer pursuer seemed to be grasped by an invisible giant hand, crushed into a ball of flesh.

"What do you think of the combination of Paper Mache and Body of Substitute?" A deep voice carried a hint of sinister intent.

Lu Ran's eyes slightly widened!

The more he thought, the more he was shocked.

After a long moment, he said with a trembling voice: "Is Lord Immortal Goat saying that you can transfer the damage you take to the Paper Mache Man?"

"You."

"Me?"

"Paper Mache in your hand, Substitute on your body. The connection lies with you."

"Gulp." Lu Ran's adam's apple bobbed, his head buzzing.

Evil Technique·Paper Mache wasn't a defensive skill, and a tiny Paper Mache man the size of a palm couldn't protect all his vitals.

But if Evil Technique·Paper Mache could be cleverly combined with Divine Technique·Body of Sin...

For Lu Ran, damage exemption would turn into damage transfer.

For Immortal Goat, it wouldn't have to substitute anymore, only help Lu Ran cast spells, and the rest would be watching the enemy suffer and struggle.

"Drip~Drip~"

Outside the window, the sound of a car horn suddenly pierced the quiet neighborhood, strikingly out of place.

Lu Ran stared at the White Sheep Jade Carving, feeling its usually amiable smile growing increasingly eerie.

"Beep Beep!"

Finally, the horn pulled Lu Ran from his reverie.

"Thank you for the guidance, Lord Immortal Goat; allow your disciple to consider it!" With that, Lu Ran bowed respectfully.

Then he quickly rose and moved to the window.

Through the pouring rain, he saw a luxury sports car parked on the sidewalk.

Inside, a beautiful woman clad in a yellow raincoat signaled to him with a wave: "It's time to go."

"Wait a moment, I'll go get my sword."

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