Chapter 26: The Eight-Bearer Palanquin?

Chapter 26: The Eight-Bearer Palanquin?

Outside the West Gate, the trio of Jiang Tian, Deng, and the others were facing off against a Mist Shadow, a Mist Realm demon.

Specifically, it was a Tier 4 Mist Realm demon.

Its realm was higher than that of the team members, but being alone, Team Leader Zhang Feng was willing to give the team a chance to gain experience and points.

However, ever since Lu Ran left, the team's combat system had fallen into disarray.

At this moment, Tian Tian was at the forefront!

Her small figure held up a large petal shield, defending against the Mist Shadow's thrown mist balls.

She was the only one in the team with a defensive skill, and her positioning was flawless.

The real issue was the tall and sturdy Deng Yutang, who was constantly crouching behind Tian Tian.

From time to time, he would thrust his spear out from behind the petal shield, stabbing at the Mist Shadow.

Undeniably, the two worked together effectively, inflicting damage on the Mist Shadow repeatedly.

But this scene... well, it was a bit hard to look at.

There was no choice; at this stage, Deng Yutang had no defensive skills to rely on.

And the Mist Shadow kept wildly swinging mist balls, throwing them like bombs!

With Lu Ran gone, Jiang Ruyi took up the wild position, floating around and trying to distract the Mist Shadow.

"Zizi~Zizi~"

The electric sparks at the girl's fingertips also traced her movements.

Again and again, the Lightning Shackling Talisman precisely struck the Mist Shadow.

However, the Mist Shadow's body structure was unique, composed entirely of gray mist, which greatly reduced the effectiveness of the talisman.

"Slap!"

Once more, the talisman accurately hit the Mist Shadow.

The fine electric current, like wriggling little snakes, crawled through the mist-filled body.

"Hehe."

Jiang Ruyi paused, panting heavily, her chest heaving.

Deng Yutang reacted swiftly, thrusting his spear forward.

The spearhead pierced the mist, creating a hole in the gray mist head.

The Mist Shadow's head was like a punctured balloon, leaking strands of mist.

"Hiss!"

As the electricity within the Mist Shadow dissipated, it roared in anger.

Its pair of gray mist claws suddenly solidified and became tangible, gripping the spearhead tightly.

"You dare, you monster!" Deng Yutang clenched his weapon, roaring in anger.

On the battlefield,

Red Handkerchief Believers never lacked the momentum to overpower their opponents!

However, in terms of sheer strength, humans of the same realm were no match for the Demon Clan.

Not to mention, the Mist Shadow was a full two tiers higher than Deng Yutang!

"Hold on!" Jiang Ruyi's slender fingers glowed with electricity once more.

To be honest, if it weren't for Jiang Ruyi, this team would have been defeated long ago.

Deng Yutang's spear would have been taken away, and Tian Tian's petal shield would have been torn to pieces countless times.

Just as Jiang Goddess was casting her spell, attempting to suppress the demon again...

"Whoosh!"

A gust of wind suddenly blew!

A figure flashed past Jiang Ruyi, causing her raincoat to flutter and her long hair to fly.

Jiang Ruyi's body stiffened, her beautiful eyes widening in surprise!

Her astonished expression gradually turned to joy.

"Mee~"

A sheep's bleat sounded quietly, hidden in the wind and rain, unnoticed by the humans but also not provoking any reaction from the Mist Shadow.

It was useless.

Lu Ran sighed inwardly.

The Mist Shadow's face had only an outline, no facial features, and thus, no ears.

It was a mystery how it perceived the world and made its howling sounds.

Nevertheless, Lu Ran's Divine Technique: Terrorizing Sound had no effect on this uniquely structured Mist Shadow.

"Huh?" The Mist Shadow suddenly turned its head, looking "back."

Although Lu Ran's divine technique was ineffective, the Mist Shadow keenly sensed the approaching enemy.

"Chh!"

The slender Radiance Blade cut through a curtain of rain.

A ghostly figure swiftly weaved through, crossing paths with the Mist Shadow.

In an instant,

The Mist Shadow was sliced in half by the Radiance Blade!

But it wasn't dead; only the sliced area leaked gray mist.

"Ha! Brother Lu is back!" Deng Yutang's eyes shone brightly, excitedly shouting, "I knew you'd be fine!"

Tian Tian pursed her lips, secretly delighted, her small hands trembling with excitement.

When Lu Ran was abducted by the Crimson Paper Doll and disappeared into the dark night, Tian Tian felt like she had been struck by lightning.

After so many years, she had finally found teammates who respected her and a warm little collective.

However, this promising story had just begun, and everything was taken away by the alluring Crimson Paper Doll.

Tian Tian's heart was weeping, but as always, even her sadness was silent.

Similarly devastated was Jiang Ruyi.

She watched helplessly as Lu Ran was carried away by the Crimson Paper Doll and vanished into the rainy night.

This scene played out like a slow-motion replay in her mind, making her lose her grip on reality.

Everyone living in this world knew how dangerous the night of the fifteenth day of the lunar month could be.

After every fifteenth, the death toll reported worldwide repeatedly reminded people of this harsh reality.

However, when someone disappeared right beside her, Jiang Ruyi still wasn't prepared.

Especially since that person was Lu Ran.

They had been desk mates for two years, laughing and playing together.

The one who trained day and night on the old rooftop, vowing to join the Jade Talisman Sect and eradicate all demons.

The memories kept replaying in her mind, making the image of his disappearance crystal clear.

Jiang Ruyi didn't dare think further, nor did she want to dwell on his fate.

Only Deng Yutang kept boosting morale, cheering the team on, saying, "He'll come back," "Don't worry," and "Lu Ran will be fine."

Interestingly,

It was the Mist Shadow, a member of the Demon Clan, that ultimately kept this team "alive."

The sudden crisis temporarily awakened their lost spirits.

Jiang Ruyi suppressed her surging emotions and fought with renewed vigor, but at the height of the battle,

The missing figure reappeared, returning to this place!

It was like an unrealistic dream.

"Huff!"

The tattered black raincoat flapped wildly in the heavy rain.

A dark and eerie figure appeared beside the gray mist man, flashing by once more.

"Roar!"

The Mist Shadow was furious, its misty body trembling violently.

It had already released the gunhead in its hand, and its misty claws were constantly gathering mist balls, wildly swinging them at Lu Ran.

"Die!" Deng Yutang wasn't going to let this opportunity pass.

He held a long spear and repeatedly stabbed.

In an instant, the Mist Shadow's arms, shoulders, and side of its head were pierced, turning into a beehive-like state, and a large amount of mist leaked out.

"Roar!" The Mist Shadow turned to fight Deng Yutang again, but its sharp claws had just emerged when they were blocked by Tian Tian's petal shield.

The Mist Shadow grabbed the petal shield, intending to swing both the shield and its wielder away! At the same time, a familiar scene unfolded once more.

The Lightning Shackling Talisman arrived just in time, electrifying the Mist Shadow's body, causing it to tremble.

Deng Yutang immediately stabbed at the Mist Shadow's claws, freeing Tian Tian.

This scene had been repeated countless times.

The battlefield was ever-changing, and as Deng Yutang continued to fight, the dark and eerie figure appeared again!

"Tsk!"

The celestial mist underfoot outlined Lu Ran's movements.

He drew a large amount of divine power from the Divine Energy Orb around his neck, and in an instant, he was behind the Mist Shadow, unleashing deadly attacks.

Decapitation!

The Radiance Blade's cold light slashed across the Mist Shadow's neck.

Slanting Slash!

The blade's tip cut from the Mist Shadow's right shoulder to its left waist.

Horizontal Slash!

With a flick of his wrist, the blade moved to the right, slicing through the shoulder, arm, and hand.

Lu Ran wielded his blade like a brush, forcefully painting a "Z" shape on the canvas of the mist-filled air.

In an instant, mist gushed out.

"Hiss!"

The Mist Shadow roared in anger, grabbing at its own arm, and turned to tear at its back.

But the solid and sharp mist claws missed their target.

The little painter behind it had already sprayed mist from his feet and was flying backwards.

The tattered black raincoat's hem fluttered forward, making a rustling sound.

It seemed to mock the Mist Shadow's futile rage.

"Tsk!"

Once again, Deng Yutang's spear pierced the back of the Mist Shadow's head.

The bright spearhead even emerged from the Mist Shadow's forehead!

Finally, the Mist Shadow, which had been leaking mist, quieted down completely.

For the Mist Shadow's clan, a pierced head did not mean a fatal injury.

It was because the mist within its body had already dispersed to a certain extent, reaching a critical point.

This strangely constructed life form finally lost its life.

"Puff!!!"

In the pouring rain, the Mist Shadow's body exploded.

A massive explosion!

The scene was quite spectacular.

"Heh." Lu Ran twirled his blade, his fingers landing on the slender, cool blade, slowly wiping it to the tip.

He wiped away all the gray mist that had adhered to it.

Don't ask,

If you ask, it's like taking out a plastic bag.

However, before Lu Ran could finish, he thought of something and hurriedly ran towards the mist.

Then, he vigorously activated the Divine Energy Orb around his neck.

The crystal orb quietly lit up, and the scattered mist finally gathered, no longer dissipating.

Strands of mist flowed like eerie lines in the air, winding around Lu Ran's neck and continuously pouring into the Divine Energy Orb.

This scene,

Mysterious and eerie!

Tsk, so comfortable~

Lu Ran placed a hand on his neck, feeling the mist brushing past his fingers and flowing into the orb.

The divine power he had consumed in the battle was replenished in an instant.

Suddenly, a hand landed on his back.

"Hmm?" Lu Ran turned his head and, with the help of the gymnasium's lighting, saw the girl's wet face.

The rain provided good cover, soaking everyone fighting in the downpour.

But her eyes were red, clearly unrelated to the rain.

"You're okay," Jiang Ruyi's voice was soft and gentle.

Her heart was full of words, but in the end, she only managed to say a few.

"Hmm," Lu Ran nodded with a smile, also sensing the girl's unusual behavior.

Jiang Meiren's eyes were filled with complex emotions.

There were too many feelings in her eyes, making it hard for Lu Ran to discern whether she was worried or happy.

Lu Ran smiled and spoke, seemingly fine, comforting his teammate in his own way: "I told the Paper Doll that marriage isn't a joke, how can it be so casual?

I don't care about the dowry, but at least give me some status, right? I've watched historical dramas too, and it has to be an eight-bearer palanquin, a proper marriage proposal, oh!"

Lu Ran subconsciously raised his hands because the girl in front of him suddenly took a step forward and hugged him tightly.

What?

Lu Ran froze in place, his usually talkative self at a loss for words.

Jiang Ruyi hugged Lu Ran tightly, as if confirming that he had truly returned.

Slowly, she loosened her embrace, took a step back, and bowed her head, saying softly:

"It's good that you're back."

Lu Ran opened his mouth slightly, and after a long while, he managed to say, "Actually, it's fine if I don't go with her.

The Paper Doll is cold, but you're warm.

By the way, does your family have an eight-bearer palanquin? Wow!"

Deng Yutang appeared behind Lu Ran, suddenly picking him up and throwing him into the air: "Yoohoo~~~

Haha! I knew it, I knew you'd come back! Haha!"

His booming laughter, filled with joy, was infectious.

Lu Ran also laughed: "Haha!"

Regardless of what their teammates had been thinking, Lu Ran was the true witness.

He had indeed walked through the gates of death.

Surviving was truly fortunate.

The pouring rain continued to fall,

But on Lu Ran, it felt like sweet rain, allowing him to experience the preciousness of life after the ordeal.

Jiang Ruyi gazed up at Lu Ran, who was thrown into the air and laughing heartily.

Finally,

A smile appeared on her face as well.

Thanks to the southern wandering souls, DaCapa, Ye Luoweifeng, and several other bosses for their rewards and support. You guys are so generous! (`) Heart

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end