Chapter 76: My Turn?

Chapter 76: My Turn?



After two squads finished their registration, they were joined by an accompanying instructor.

He was a middle-aged male soldier named Cai Yunfei, who, contrary to expectations, was not stern and spoke with a distinct Tianjin accent.

Lu Ran was particularly fond of this accent, which was inseparable from the unique historical context.

Tianjin, known as the hometown of Quyi art, produced cultural products that were a spiritual feast for the people of Daxia.

On the night of the fifteenth, they would come every month.

Many in the shelter and at home spent their anxious nights listening to cross-talk, storytelling, and other works to ease their nerves and find joy in adversity.

The Lu Ran of the past was one of them.

"If we encounter the Soul Shredder Demon, don't be scared. Cough, don't be a coward!"

Instructor Cai's style was vastly different from Instructor Dou in Rain Alley City.

As he led the way, he advised, "The more you run, the more it chases you!"

Everyone: ".”

Cai Yunfei: "If you run around like this, the formation will be disrupted. Once the formation is disrupted, the tactics will fall apart."

Lu Ran: ".”

Why keep staring at me? If something unexpected happens, it's probably because of the words "Immortal Sheep Follower."

Before entering the demon's lair, the students naturally had to register their detailed information.

Although Lu Ran had already made a little name for himself, it was limited to the small Rain Alley City.

Upon arriving in Tianjin, Lu Ran was just an ordinary person.

As they spoke, the group circled around a stone pillar and descended the rotating stone steps, reaching the entrance to the demon's lair.

It was also a starry sky curtain, mysterious and beautiful.

The first person to see this wondrous sight probably wouldn't have imagined that behind the dazzling stars lay so many ferocious and terrifying creatures.

"Hoo~"

As the group entered the demon's lair, a night gale suddenly blew, causing their clothes to flutter wildly.

Looking down,

A hundred meters below, Lu Ran saw a massive, torch-lit camp made of dark wood.

Looking into the distance,

He saw a path of torches stretching into the depths of the night, resembling winding fire dragons.

The scene was set! All it needed was an epic background music.

"Let's go." Jiang Ruyi placed her hand on Lu Ran's back and spoke softly.

"Oh." Lu Ran came back to his senses and continued descending while scanning the area with his eyes.

Inside the lair, there were vast expanses of dark forests.

These trees were entirely black, extremely thick, and could grow to over a hundred meters tall.

Lu Ran knew that this type of black giant tree was called "Black Soulwood," known for its sturdy nature and high resistance to fire. It was a specialty of this demon's lair.

The wooden camp under their feet was likely built by the military using locally available materials.

"This way." Cai Yunfei led the group down the stone pillar and headed straight for the south gate.

Outside the camp's main gate, several wooden barricades were arranged in a disorderly yet aesthetically pleasing manner.

Apparently, they were set up to prevent a desperate charge by the Soul Shredder Demon clan.

"Be bold and fearless! If things get tough, I'll be there!" Cai Yunfei suddenly transformed into a crow and flew straight into the night sky.

"Let's go." Qiao Yuansi held the Cool Night Sword in one hand and extended the other forward.

With a surge of energy, an ancient, elegant eight-faceted lantern silently took shape.

Lantern Divine Art: Mystic Fire Lantern!

Its structure was exquisite, with dragon and phoenix carvings on the wooden frame and a carrying rod.

However, the eight facets of this ancient lantern were all blank, devoid of any patterns, contrasting sharply with the intricate wooden frame.

Uncoordinated?

No problem. Once Qiao Yuansi gains the ability to seal demons, she'll make it work.

"Go." Qiao Yuansi gripped the lantern's rod and gently pushed it forward.

The eight-faceted lantern flew forward on its own, heading towards the dark wilderness.

The Mystic Fire Lantern slowly drifted forward, casting an eerie red glow on the surroundings.

Beautiful as it was,

In this pitch-black and eerie realm, it seemed somewhat uncanny.

"Hmm," Lu Ran's expression was somewhat peculiar.

Why did he feel that this ancient lantern emitting a dark red glow matched the style of the Paper Doll so well?

It's a must-have for a grand wedding!

"Isn't it beautiful?" Qiao Yuansi approached Jiang Ruyi and struck a proud pose.

Jiang Ruyi was surprised that the other girl sought her out.

Not wanting to spoil the mood, she smiled and nodded lightly, "Hmm."

Qiao Yuansi's next action surprised Jiang Ruyi even more.

She held Jiang Ruyi's arm with one hand and slowly raised the other.

Guided by its owner, the Mystic Fire Lantern slowly floated into the night sky.

"It can also be a sky lantern!" Qiao Yuansi gazed at the gradually distant eight-faceted lantern.

Jiang Ruyi looked at Qiao Yuansi's pretty profile and spoke softly, "You're from Stream Realm, First Stage, right? You should have learned the Blazing Fire Lantern?"

Qiao Yuansi, with her hand already raised, suddenly spread her fingers and whispered, "Bang!"

Lantern Divine Art: Blazing Fire Lantern!

"Boom!"

In the night sky, the Mystic Fire Lantern transformed into a ball of flame and exploded.

The Mystic Fire Lantern, the most basic divine technique of the Lantern Sect, only had the function of illumination.

Its "mystery" lay in its ability to change its nature at will, serving as a vessel for numerous subsequent divine techniques of the Lantern Sect.

Qiao Yuansi: "There you go, your fireworks."

Jiang Ruyi observed the explosion's range and smiled, nodding.

Although their interaction was brief, Jiang Ruyi had already understood her playful and adorable younger sister's childlike nature.

Seeing Jiang Ruyi's gentle smile, Qiao Yuansi couldn't help but lose herself in admiration.

Tsk tsk,

So beautiful~

Guan Yiren, standing nearby, slightly turned her head, glancing at the two with a seemingly indifferent gaze.

However, this Sword One follower maintained her aloofness and said nothing.

Tian Tian stood behind Jiang Ruyi, watching Qiao Yuansi holding Jiang Ruyi's arm, also saying nothing.

"Brother Ran." Iron Fang held a ornate battle axe and chuckled, "I heard from Yuansi that you're Rain Alley's top high school student?"

Lu Ran, rarely humble, replied, "It's not worth mentioning in such a small place.

"As for Qiao Yuansi's two teammates, Lu Ran has always been friendly."

After all, these two would accompany his sister throughout high school, and Lu Ran didn't want to ruin the team's atmosphere because of himself.

"That's first place too," Iron Fang stubbornly insisted.

Qiao Yuansi curiously asked, "What are you up to?"

Iron Fang: "Let's have a competition?"

"You're not going to start trouble again, Iron Head!" Qiao Yuansi stopped him, "We're here to fight together, not to compete."

Lu Ran suddenly spoke up, "I can do it."

Qiao Yuansi had already given him a heads-up, saying that Iron Fang was a straightforward person.

Well,

When it comes to men,

A good fight is worth a thousand words.

Qiao Yuansi was exasperated, "Why are you following his lead?"

But Lu Ran just laughed, "He calls me 'Brother Ran', so I have to live up to that title!"

"Haha!" Iron Fang exclaimed, "Swords and knives have no eyes, let's save the sparring for later.

Let's just see who can take down the enemy more decisively!"

"That works." Qiao Yuansi agreed immediately, "But we should look for a Fog Realm Soul Devourer, not take on something too strong."

Lu Ran looked at Qiao Yuansi with surprise.

Unexpectedly, his mischievous sister was actually quite thoughtful? However, Lu Ran didn't realize that Qiao Yuansi was worried he might not be able to handle a Stream Realm Soul Devourer, so she made this decision.

Of course, Qiao Yuansi knew that Lu Ran always performed excellently in assessments.

But she had never actually seen him fight.

Moreover, Lu Ran was a Divine Sheep Follower, and his Divine Technique was clearly more suited for maneuvering and harassing enemies.

Naturally, Qiao Yuansi believed that her brother's excellent performance was largely due to the support of his team.

Asking her brother to take on a Stream Realm Soul Devourer alone?

That would be too much for the sheep! The role of a follower was never about solo combat but about shining in their designated position.

"Alright, I'll follow your lead." Iron Fang strode forward.

"Don't worry." Jiang Ruyi, with her keen mind, sensed Qiao Yuansi's concern.

"Hmm?" Qiao Yuansi turned to Jiang Ruyi.

Jiang Ruyi: "Since becoming a follower, you haven't seen your brother?"

"Yeah." Qiao Yuansi nodded.

Jiang Ruyi spoke softly, "When your brother gets into trouble, even the six of us together might not survive."

Qiao Yuansi: "What?"

Tian Tian, standing behind them, was also taken aback.

From start to finish, Lu Ran had been her teammate, the one who led the squad to success.

Tian Tian had never imagined what it would be like if Lu Ran were the enemy.

The more she thought about it, the more anxious she became!

She genuinely didn't know what she should do to survive against Lu Ran.

"Thank you for standing up for my brother." Qiao Yuansi was serious, "But I can't let him win too easily."

Among the crowd, the lowest-ranked disciple was a Fifth Rank God.

Not to mention the presence of followers of Xi Xiang and Sword One, whose power was explosive.

How could her brother win against them?

Would he have to bleat like a sheep and beg for mercy?

"Your brother's combat talent is something else, but you'll see for yourself." Jiang Ruyi was a bit helpless but didn't blame him.

After all, if she hadn't seen it herself, she wouldn't have imagined that this little sheep could ride on top of everyone else, acting so arrogantly.

"Ha, they're finally here!"

After a long journey, the group finally spotted a wandering Soul Devourer in the wilderness outside the torch-lit path.

Iron Fang let out another excited shout.

"Brother Ran, it's your turn!" Iron Fang shouted, holding the heavy Ornate Battle Axe.

Iron Fang's loud bellow

Startled the Soul Devourer on the other side.

"Hehe." Iron Fang grinned.

The Soul Devourer was massive, and even the weakest Fog Realm Soul Devourer stood over 2 meters tall.

Its body was pitch-black, with a fierce bull's head, standing upright on four hooves that had been demonically modified.

Coincidentally, Iron Fang was also well-built and stood over 2 meters tall.

In the relatively dim light, Iron Fang's shout genuinely startled the Soul Devourer.

"Huff!"

Taking advantage of the Soul Devourer's momentary daze, Iron Fang rushed forward and swung the axe forcefully from below.

Xi Xiang Divine Technique: Sandstorm!

In an instant, a cloud of sand and dirt flew up, directly at the Soul Devourer's face.

"Moo!"

The Soul Devourer, blinded by the sand, instinctively closed its eyes and roared in anger.

Iron Fang didn't hesitate; the axe, already in an upward swing, came down with a vicious chop.

The power of splitting Mount Hua!

And as the axe blade descended, a phantom axe shadow appeared around the massive axe head.

Xi Xiang Divine Technique: Shattered Wilderness Axe!

This technique had an extraordinary characteristic.

If a Xi Xiang follower didn't have a weapon, they could summon a large axe with shattered patterns out of thin air.

If the follower had a weapon, the shattered axe shadow could attach to the weapon, enhancing its power!

"Ssss—"

Blood splattered.

The Soul Devourer stood like a wooden post, split in half from top to bottom by the axe! A powerful and decisive strike!

The Fog Realm Soul Devourer, blinded by the sand, could only retreat and roar in anger, stomping its hooves without any proper resistance.

At the same time, Lu Ran silently counted in his mind, reaching five.

"How was that?" Iron Fang turned to look at the torch-lit path.

"Five seconds." Lu Ran answered honestly.

And those five seconds included the time it took for Iron Fang to run over.

Indeed, a worthy follower of the Second Rank God Xi Xiang.

So reckless and violent! Iron Fang crouched down, searching for the magic crystal, and shouted, "Brother Ran, it's your turn.")



"It's my turn?"

Lu Ran swung his hands downward, thrusting both blades into the ground.

Then, he reached into his pocket.

Under the curious gazes of the crowd, Lu Ran pulled out a red handkerchief from his pocket.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end