CHAPTER 1109: CHAPTER 1036: THE FILIAL SON

Lu Ran led Deng Yutang and Guan Yiren into the Fiery Phoenix Patterned Gourd, then easily summoned the divine sculpture within the garden to merge with the two of them.

When he flew out of the gourd, Wang Ling and Bai Manni were still waiting.

"What are your plans?" Lu Ran inquired from a distance. "The two of them have already advanced; there’s no free ride here anymore. Do you want to go back to Cloud Sea Cliff?"

"Ran Shen, I’ll continue to stay on the island for closed-door cultivation!" Wang Ling said decisively.

His teammates Qiao Yuansi, Niu Zhengzheng, and his uncle Wang Quan, who entered the mountain with him, have all become gods. Guan Yiren is also about to transform into a god.

Only Wang Ling himself remains at the Fourth Rank of Sea Realm, which made him quite embarrassed.

Lu Ran understood his emotions and advised, "You’ve been delayed in the human world for too long. Now you’re high-ranked in the Sea Realm, which is already a great achievement."

"Thank you for your encouragement, Ran Shen!" Wang Ling’s eyes were resolute. "I’ll advance to the Heavenly Realm before I step out of Tianya Haijiao.

To protect Yuanxi, and fight side by side with everyone!"

"Good." Lu Ran nodded approvingly. Since Wang Ling was determined, he did not persuade him further.

Lu Ran then looked at Bai Manni.

Under the moonlight, this fair-skinned girl still appeared radiantly white.

No, wait!

Lu Ran knocked on his forehead, musing to himself that his stereotype was too strong; Manni shouldn’t be called a girl anymore, she was a mother now.

"Ran Shen, I... I want to go see Lingyi, is that okay?" Bai Manni asked timidly.

"Of course!" Lu Ran immediately nodded, smiling, "Don’t be like that, it makes me seem unfeeling.

Also, have you both forgotten what to call me?"

"Okay, Lu Ran." In the last two words, Bai Manni’s voice was very soft and gentle.

If Lu Ran didn’t have sharp ears, he might not have heard it.

"Let’s go." Lu Ran summoned an Ancient Bronze Mirror.

Bai Manni, now at the Peak of the Sea Realm, just needed a profound revelation and a stroke of luck.

Going back to see her daughter might bring unexpected joy?

Unfortunately, the Caster Ghost Moon Fox had already submitted to the Ran Sect, meaning that Bai Manni and her grandfather Bai Yanhui would maintain their status as Fake Gods for a relatively long time.

Although they won’t hold a Divine Position, as long as they merge with the stone sculptures in the garden, they will exist for a long time.

Eventually, a Divine Position will fall upon them.

Hmm... if the Ran Sect can succeed, that is.

"Hoo~" The Landing Mirror violently tore through the space-time continuum. Under Wang Ling’s respectful farewell, a pair of young men and women entered the mirror one after the other.

With one step, they reached the Human World·Nightmare City.

Having the experience from a few months before, this time, the Inner Sect Disciples guarding the divine residence were no longer as alarmed as before.

As expected, the exact same people emerged from the Ancient Bronze Mirror, opened in the same spot.

"Hello." Lu Ran gazed up toward the sky outside the wall, where a female disciple was observing the situation and hadn’t yet landed. "Come over here."

A Nightmare Believer swiftly flew into the garden.

Lu Ran looked at Bai Manni: "Let this disciple take you to the back. Uncle and Aunt Deng have been living in the rear residence with Little Lingyi."

Ever since the Deng Family couple was brought back to the human world, they’ve lived in the ancient city where their daughter, God’s Daughter Deng Yuxiang, resides.

Now, their son is also close to becoming a god.

In no time, Deng Yutang will descend to the human world, stationed in the ancient city once occupied by Divine·Red Cloth, bringing back this school of thought to humanity.

At that time, will the couple visit their divine son’s place for a few days?

As he pondered, Lu Ran couldn’t help but sigh over the Deng Family couple’s good fortune.

Although ordinary people, they’ve amassed substantial fortune in this tumultuous world. Their son possesses a Tianchen Steel level spear worth millions, and their daughter travels in a luxury car worth two to three million, a showcase of their family wealth.

Now over fifty, the Deng Family couple has children who have become gods and a cute little granddaughter too.

Lucky Old Deng Family, how much virtue did their ancestors accumulate?

Looking at his own family, though!

A son traumatized by the early death of his father,

A daughter who suffered greatly because of her mother,

Such a fragmented family.

Damn!

Lu Ran sighed inwardly and looked up at the crescent moon in the night sky.

Moonlight illuminated the human world, where some enjoyed familial happiness, and others were tormentingly alone and intense.

Better not to compare, it’s suffocating.

He summoned the Ancient Bronze Mirror once more. Since he was here, he might as well visit his resurrected father...

It’s been three months now, and his father’s condition should have improved significantly?

"Hoo~"

The Landing Mirror swiftly formed, and Lu Ran took a step into the Demon Cave beneath the Nightmare God Sculpture, arriving again at the lake district in the dense forest.

As soon as he emerged, he found himself locked onto by multiple gazes.

Looking around, he saw only Deng Yuxiang.

Counting those in the distance battling his father, there were a total of seven Nightmare Minions, some in the Sea Realm and some in the Heavenly Realm.

Lu Ran carefully examined but did not see the Nightmare goddess herself.

While he observed, the battle in the distance had already come to a halt.

"You’re here." A blood shadow flickered, appearing in front of Lu Ran.

The malevolent eyes, ferocious face, a palpable bloody aura, yet with a relatively gentle voice.

"Ah, Dad." Lu Ran tried to steady himself but still felt a little uneasy, pretending to glance around, "Is the Nightmare goddess not around?"

"She’s very busy, leaving a few minions to spar with me." Lu Xing replied.

Thinking his response might not have been the best, he added, "The Nightmare Guardian comes every few days, paying much attention to the task you assigned and often sparring with me personally."

Lu Ran: "..."

Is my dad poking fun at me here?

In just a few seconds, Lu Ran overcame his psychological barrier, facing his father squarely, looking at the two Tang Cross Blades in his hands:

"Do those two swords feel comfortable, Dad?"

"Very well, I like them a lot." Lu Xing held the blade with his blood-red hand, the Tianchen Steel blade’s surface flowing with boiling blood.

Blood droplets fell to the ground, burning holes into it, producing a constant "sizzle."

Evidently, this was the Blood Skull Evil Technique: Blood Burning Blade.

If Lu Xing had no weapon, he could summon two slender blood blades.

When he wielded a blade, the Blood Burning Blade could envelop the original blade, adding a fairly remarkable tearing effect, as well as being extremely hot.

"Shall I spar with you, Dad?" Lu Ran raised his hand, the Black Gold Emperor Robe surged, a Venerable Slayer Blade emerging from within the sleeve.

Lu Xing smiled, "Testing the results?"

Lu Ran slightly raised an eyebrow.

His father’s composed smile was something unseen before.

Confidence, indeed, comes from strength.

And strength, is... well, the best cosmetic for a man!

"Dad, just so we’re clear." Lu Ran grinned, "I’m not 13 anymore! Now you might not be able to beat me."

Lu Xing casually said, "I can’t even beat the protectors under your command."

"Ah, you don’t need to worry about that too much. When that girl gets fierce, even I’m intimidated." Lu Ran mumbled softly.

Lu Xing: "..."

Lu Ran: "Little Yuanxi heard that I sent you to the Nightmare, and keeps murmuring that I’m too harsh... with you!"

Reaching the last word, Lu Ran suddenly made a move.

A blade straight toward his father’s face!

Ferocious, ruthless!

"Swoosh!" The Venerable Slayer Blade cut through the air, piercing through a blood-red silhouette in an instant.

Lu Xing reacted swiftly and had already teleported away.

Blood Skull Evil Technique: Blood Residue Shadow!

From afar, Lu Xing’s hoarse voice came, "Ranran, I always thought you followed the King’s path."

Lu Ran twirled the blade in his hand, dispersing his father’s afterimage, retorting:

"Actually, I’m following the path of filial piety."

"Hmm?" Lu Xing’s expression turned somewhat strange.

Lu Ran shrugged his shoulders, "Dying by my hand is better than under the feet of the Faceless Jade Venerable."

"Whoosh~ Whoosh~" Two extremely sharp arcs of blood swept rapidly across the lakeside, carving deep traces on the ground, slashing directly toward the emperor-robed youth.

Yet, the searing arcs of blood quickly dissipated.

Could not even get close to Lu Ran before vanishing completely.

The Black Gold Emperor Robe’s power was overwhelming!

Any acts of defiance, all kinds of tactics, would be crushed by its invisible pressure.

Lu Ran did not hinder the magnificent display of power by the Black Gold Emperor Robe.

Only in this high pressure can the authenticity of the Heavenly Emperor be tested.

"Buzz!"

Lu Xing’s tall figure trembled violently, his entire body’s blood boiling.

Not just within him, blood droplets oozed out from his blood-red skin, violently erupting outward but not departing too far, continuously falling back onto his body.

Blood Skull Evil Technique: Burning Blood Body!

At the cost of burning blood and divine power, causing the entire body’s blood to boil, triggering a comprehensive enhancement of attributes!

Lu Ran narrowed his eyes, his pupils darting quickly from side to side.

Blood-red silhouettes flashed one after another, appearing everywhere.

"Clang!"

Lu Ran abruptly raised the Venerable Slayer Blade, blocking a pair of blades descending from an angle.

"Clack Clack" two crisp sounds!

Though Lu Xing’s twin blades were intercepted, two arcs of blood flicked off the blades, directly latching onto Lu Ran.

Blood Skull Evil Technique: Blood Burning!

The distance between them was so close that even the Black Gold Emperor Robe couldn’t completely crush the enemy’s technique in an instant.

Fortunately, Lu Ran’s reaction was very swift, slightly ducking his head.

The crossed arcs of blood, with their lower halves slashing across Lu Ran’s shoulders, were firmly blocked by the top-level artifact, the Evil Emperor Robe.

Heavenly Techniques do have the power to shatter Fourth-tier Artifacts.

But they cannot shatter Fourth-tier Defensive Artifacts!

Through the three interlocked blades, Lu Xing’s eyes met his son’s cold, piercing gaze.

Unintentionally, a flash of red glinted in Lu Ran’s eyes.

Lu Xing: !!!

In just an instant, Lu Xing fell into a deep crimson world, thousands of red lines weaving wildly.

They pierced his skin, penetrated his bones, and traversed every inch of his flesh.

"Ahhh!!" Lu Xing couldn’t help but scream miserably, decisively closing his eyes and retreating backward.

Lu Ran followed closely like a shadow!

As Lu Xing’s tremulous body just appeared, Lu Ran already arrived with the Venerable Slayer Blade.

"Slash!"

With a flash of the blade, blood lines soared.

The Venerable Slayer Blade swiped across Lu Xing’s neck, with hot blood gushing out, splattering onto Lu Ran’s face.

A blood-colored head flew high into the air.

Lu Ran’s blood-stained pupils followed its ascent: "No way, Dad. How can I trust you to go to the battlefield like this?"

Just as he finished speaking, he slightly shifted his gaze, noticing a cloaked woman flying in the night sky.

"Thud~"

The blood-colored head reached its peak height and began to fall back down.

The Emperor Robe’s tail flapping behind Lu Ran, like a surging black tide, fell to the ground along with the descending head.

As the dust settled.

In other battles, Deng Yuxiang might have immersed herself, savoring this domineering display by Lu Ran.

Yet now, suspended in the night sky, her lips moved:

"I... I’ll make sure to train uncle more diligently."

[I did it on purpose, wanting to make my dad more nervous, to get another level of strength before heading out, so he’d be more at ease handling the Faceless Jade Venerable later.]

Lu Ran continued to transmit his thoughts, [You’ve trained him well, his spirit is restored, reactions quick, his attacks fierce!

It’s just that he’s still unaccustomed to my myriad techniques and inadvertently looked into my eyes.]

Deng Yuxiang bit her lips, keeping silent.

[That expression... Is there a need to feel guilty?] Lu Ran was somewhat helpless, [What do you take me for? The Blood Skull lacks Spirit Defense Techniques, and so do you.

The Heavenly Realm Body limits your capabilities, you wouldn’t last more than a few rounds in my hands.

Besides, that Faceless Jade Venerable can’t withstand many of my strikes either!]

Deng Yuxiang gave Lu Ran a sideways glance, letting out a light "hmph."

"Buzz~"

As the blood-red head rolled beneath the blade tip, the Venerable Slayer Blade suddenly trembled lightly.

Lu Ran’s face stiffened: ???

...