Chapter 9: The Display

Chapter 9: The Display

The school bus swayed as it headed west, leaving Rain Alley City behind.

Lu Ran held the Radiance Blade, leaning against the window, gazing silently at the rainy scenery outside.

"Caw Crow!"

"Oh, I see it." The students in the bus chattered noisily.

Lu Ran looked up and saw a colossal statue looming in the misty rain.

It was a beastly deity, entirely black, resembling a crow.

Perched atop a hundred-meter-high pillar, it stood with its head raised, wings spread wide, as if about to take flight.

Its massive wings, unfurled, were so vast they seemed to blot out the sky, an awe-inspiring sight! Caw Crow's ranking was not high, merely a seventh-rank deity, but his followers were highly sought-after.

Caw Crow's divine techniques specialized in reconnaissance, disruption, and transformation, and no team would refuse an exceptional scout.

However, the followers of Caw Crow also had a noticeable weakness—they lacked sufficient output, a significant imbalance in their abilities.

"Finally, we're here." Wu Shanshan reached forward and tugged at the red headscarf wrapped around Deng Yutang's head.

"What's up?" Deng Yutang turned to look at the girl.

Wu Shanshan said, "Once we enter Evil Dog Village, you'll need to shout a few times to boost our morale."

Deng Yutang smiled and said, "You're already scared before we even enter the demon cavern?"

Wu Shanshan hummed and secretly thought to herself, 'I'm worried that someone might be afraid and desert us.'

Lu Ran's advancement ahead of the others was due to his natural talent, but how he would perform in actual combat was another matter.

While Lu Ran had indeed faced off against the Demon Confiner's disciple, Kou Yingquan, in Wu Shanshan's mind, Kou Yingquan was still human, not an evil demon that took people's lives.

"Ding, ding!"

The school bus convoy passed through multiple checkpoints and entered a military camp. As the vehicles came to a stop, the students disembarked one by one.

Many students stood in awe, gazing up at the massive divine statue.

Wherever a divine statue stood, the surrounding hundred-li area was considered a military stronghold, and it was rare for people to get a close-up view of the deity's true form.

"Number 91!"

"Number 95!"

"Number 98!" Voices echoed through the rain.

"They're calling us." Deng Yutang spotted a soldier and headed over.

"I'm your escort instructor for this training mission, Dou Zhiqiang." The male soldier's expression was solemn as he addressed the four reporting students, "After entering Evil Dog Village, you'll have three hours of free time.

Under normal circumstances, I won't interfere with your actions.

However, once I give an order, you must execute it unconditionally. Any violation will result in the entire team being sent back immediately."

The four listened attentively to each rule, and after a few minutes, Instructor Dou led them inside the building.

The students were like curious tourists, marveling at everything they saw.

Lu Ran was certain that the massive pillar in the center of the hall was the very pillar upon which Caw Crow stood.

A spiral staircase was built around the pillar, winding downward into the depths below.

Led by Instructor Dou, the team descended the spiral staircase, and as they ventured deeper underground, the divine power around them became increasingly dense.

"The entrance to the demon cavern," Lu Ran said, leaning on the staircase railing and looking downward.

"So beautiful!" Wu Shanshan craned her neck, murmuring in awe.

The online images couldn't compare to seeing it in person! Below, in the deeper recesses, there was a massive interdimensional gate.

It was as vast and beautiful as the starry sky, like an oval-shaped dark curtain spread out on the ground.

This mysterious and wondrous sight was enough to leave anyone speechless.

The pillar upon which the deity Caw Crow stood was embedded straight through the cosmic curtain.

Dou Zhiqiang ordered, "Quiet down! Stay close, and if you're afraid of heights, close your eyes and hold on to the shoulder of the person in front of you!"

The group fell silent, not daring to speak another word.

As they stepped through the cosmic curtain,

"Whoosh!"

A gust of night wind blew, causing Lu Ran's clothes to flutter.

The surroundings transformed abruptly; day turned into night, and the underground depths became a hundred-meter-high sky.

The four stood on the staircase, appearing in the night sky, and as they looked down along the pillar, they realized that the real ground was a hundred meters below.

From this height, their view extended far into the distance.

In the pitch-black night, Lu Ran looked down and saw a stone city illuminated by countless torches, casting a fiery glow.

Outside the city, more torches formed paths that twisted and turned like fiery dragons, extending to the edge of the night sky.

From this aerial view, Lu Ran could also see several other brightly lit stone cities several kilometers away.

Mysterious, beautiful, and majestic.

This scene deserved a fitting background music!

Lu Ran imagined the theme song of 'Game of Thrones' playing in his head.

Demon Cavern No. 386, Evil Dog Village!

"Maintain your pace and keep moving downward!" Instructor Dou reminded the students, not intending to let them stop and admire the view.

A hundred meters in height was equivalent to at least thirty stories in human society's terms.

"Flap, flap, flap!"

"Flap, flap, flap!" As the group descended the staircase, they encountered a flock of crows flying upward along the pillar.

Inside Evil Dog Village, there were only the evil demons of the Evil Dog Clan, which meant that the crows were transformed human soldiers.

Likely, they were returning to Earth for their shift change.

Lu Ran looked up enviously at the freely flying crows.

The ability to fly was one thing, but the prestige of transforming into crows was even more impressive!

Especially in Rain Alley City, where it often rained,

The crows against the gloomy sky and cold, rainy nights made for a perfect match! After a while, the four finally reached the ground, stepping onto the land of Evil Dog Village.

"Stay close and pick up the pace!" The stern-faced instructor barked, leading the four of them straight towards the West City Gate.

Lu Ran was filled with admiration as he walked, taking in the surroundings.

The stone houses, towers, walls, and other structures were naturally built by the human army.

It was said that in the early 1980s, when the human warriors attacked this demon cavern, the casualties were extremely heavy!

It was a tragic history of blood and tears.

In the end, amidst a sea of corpses, people built a small, shabby outpost.

It was like a small boat rocking in the midst of raging waves, holding off wave after wave of attacks from the Demon Clan's Evil Dogs.

And that little outpost was none other than the renowned Evil Dog Village, the very grand stone city where Lu Ran currently stood.

Decades had passed, the village was no more, and tall walls had been erected, but the name "Evil Dog Village" had endured.

"It's 10:03 now," Dou Zhiqiang announced as he led the team to the city gate. "In three hours, I'll take you out of Evil Dog Village.

You can explore the city, which is relatively safer.

If you want to leave the city to hunt the Evil Dogs, you can search along the walls or follow the torch paths, but you must stay within the illuminated areas.

Now, you're free to move around."

As he finished speaking, a surge of energy rippled through Dou Zhiqiang's body.

"Puff~"

Right before everyone's eyes, the instructor abruptly transformed into a crow and took flight.

Lu Ran couldn't help but feel envious.

Following the black crow's silhouette, he saw the night sky filled with twinkling stars, a truly beautiful sight.

And in the direction they had come from, that towering giant stone pillar seemed to pierce the night sky a hundred meters away, creating a gaping hole.

The scene was eerily surreal!

"Let's leave the city." Wu Shanshan suggested eagerly.

The team's ranking points were earned by killing the Evil Dogs.

The accompanying instructor was like an exam proctor, recording the performance of the team members.

"Let's go!" Deng Yutang was excited, striding quickly towards the city gate.

"Deng Yutang, can you shout first?" Wu Shanshan followed him, taking a step forward.

Deng Yutang refused, "There are other students around."

A person's mental willpower could indeed affect their combat strength.

Coming from a modern city, everyone felt a sense of foreboding as they entered this stone city with flickering torches, not to mention the Evil Dogs roaming the village!

"You..." Wu Shanshan felt a surge of anxiety but couldn't bring herself to say it directly. Instinctively, she glanced at Lu Ran.

To her surprise, Lu Ran showed no fear, not even the slightest hint of hesitation.

"What?" Lu Ran happened to meet the girl's gaze, feeling puzzled.

"No, nothing," Wu Shanshan shook her head repeatedly.

Jiang Ruyi furrowed her brows, her keen intuition sensing something.

But now wasn't the time to discuss it. She patted Lu Ran's shoulder, "Let's go, let's move further away, we're running out of time."

"Oh." Lu Ran immediately quickened his pace.

Starting from the West City Gate, more than twenty torch paths stretched out, resembling fire snakes crawling across the boundless wilderness and hills.

The team observed for a moment and chose an untouched path to avoid colliding with other student squads.

As they moved forward, they could hear the fierce barking of dogs echoing through the night.

"Over there!" Deng Yutang raised the Heaven's Spear, "Is that one?"

"Yes!" Jiang Ruyi held her sword in one hand, while the other hand naturally hung by her side, her fingertips emitting a faint divine power as she drew something in the air.

Divine Techniques also had varying qualities, categorized by the same terms as divine power: Mist, Stream, River, Sea, and so on.

Jiang Ruyi's Lightning Shackling Talisman was the lowest-grade Mist-level technique, and the talisman couldn't sustain its power for long or enchant weapons.

So, she could only use it momentarily.

Compared to Jiang Ruyi, Wu Shanshan's casting speed was much faster.

Wu Shanshan had already taken off her hunting bow slung across her shoulder. With two fingers on the bowstring, she drew the bow, and in an instant, a water mist arrow was formed.

"Swoosh~"

The blue water arrow flew straight towards the Evil Dog exposed on the hill.

"Woof!" The Evil Dog barked and quickly dodged.

Unexpectedly, it didn't charge forward immediately but kept barking.

Jiang Ruyi's expression turned grave, "Does it have teammates?"

The four-person team cautiously scanned their surroundings, and Lu Ran suddenly spoke up, "Left front, that small mound!"

Sure enough, another Evil Dog emerged.

The Evil Dog from the Demon Clan was pitch-black, resembling a slender dog breed.

They stood over 1.2 meters tall, with slender bodies, heads, legs, and tails.

In short, they were slender all over!

"Here they come!" Deng Yutang gripped the Heaven's Spear tightly.

The team's current location was near the human camp.

These two Evil Dogs had managed to cross through the defensive walls, and it was likely that the soldiers had intentionally let them in to provide practice for the students.

So, these two Evil Dogs were undoubtedly weak, and like the students, they were probably low-level Mist-ranked weaklings.

But these weakest of demons had a significant psychological impact on the team!

The terrifying speed of the Evil Dogs, their vicious eyes, and the menacing aura that enveloped them...

No matter how many videos you watch online, nothing compares to facing a demon in person!

"Hah!" Deng Yutang roared, no longer holding back.

Crimson Order!

In an instant, the team's spirits soared, and the desire to fight pushed back the fear in their hearts, surging into their minds.

"You two, don't move!" Jiang Ruyi flicked her slender fingers forward, and a bolt of electricity shot forward.

A lightning snake streaked past Lu Ran and Deng Yutang, and as it flew, a faintly visible jade plaque appeared, carrying the lightning talisman, and struck the Evil Dog.

"Woof!"

The first Evil Dog, approaching from the right front, was not only fast but also agile and nimble.

It only took one maneuver for Lu Ran to dodge the Lightning Shackling Talisman and the Mist Arrow, and he charged straight at Deng Yutang.

"The pitiful cries of weak creatures can also attract hunters."

Suddenly, a voice transmission entered Lu Ran's mind.

"Hah!" Deng Yutang let out another angry shout, infusing divine power into the Heaven's Spear, and fiercely stabbed at the evil dog's gaping maw.

However, this strike didn't pierce the dog's mouth. Instead, the evil dog used its sharp teeth to bite down on the spear tip.

"Up!" Deng Yutang took a step back and then forcefully lifted the Heaven's Red Tassel Spear, intending to throw the evil dog into the air.

This strategy was quite clever.

The evil dog clan didn't possess the ability to fly. Once thrown high into the sky, it would become a helpless lamb waiting to be slaughtered.

The dream was beautiful, but the evil dog's biting force was astonishing, and it wasn't thrown off at all!

"Hold on!" Wu Shanshan shouted as she nocked an arrow, aiming at the evil dog that was biting the spearhead.

"Swoosh~" The Mist Arrow shot out again.

"Rumble!" The evil dog's combat instincts were particularly impressive, and it clearly sensed the impending danger.

It stepped forward with its front legs onto the spear shaft and then, releasing its bite, kicked off and turned to pounce towards the ground.

Lu Ran was left standing there like a useless decoration.

The evil dog used the Heaven's Spear as a pole, vaulting over Lu Ran.

Lu Ran was dumbfounded!

Damn, this cunning dog!

Showing off its skills?

And it showed me up, running straight for the back row!

These days, even dogs know to target the backline?

"Oh no." Deng Yutang's face turned ashen. The second evil dog had already pounced, and he was too busy to chase after it.

Lu Ran immediately grabbed his cleaver and gave chase, shouting as he ran:

"Baa~~~"

Divine Art of Compassionate Voice!

But the evil dog, falling rapidly towards the ground, paid no attention to Lu Ran. It dug its legs into the ground and pounced towards the two girls.

Wu Shanshan and Jiang Ruyi both retreated, moving to the sides.

As Wu Shanshan backed away, she called out, "Oh dear, Lu Ran! Don't cause more trouble!"

To be honest, if it weren't for the effect of the Compassionate Voice, Wu Shanshan would have cursed out loud.

How could such a vicious and cruel evil dog have even a shred of mercy?

By bleating at it, you'd only affect your teammates, not make the evil dog pause for a moment.

"Not weak enough, not desperate enough." The voice transmission entered Lu Ran's mind again.

"Huh?" Lu Ran chased after the evil dog relentlessly, but it was good at choosing its target, picking the most beautiful girl on the team.

However, when the evil dog saw the electric glow on Jiang Ruyi's fingertip, it immediately became aware and started dodging left and right, constantly shaking its head and twisting its body.

Move, move~~~

"Think about your state of mind when facing the Crimson Paper People on the Shrine Platform."

"Think about how you looked around and couldn't find any deities."

Lu Ran's brain buzzed with the deep and authoritative voice, taking him back to the sixth day of the sixth lunar month.

"Die!" At the front of the team, Deng Yutang was furious, wildly stabbing at the second evil dog.

The team's formation was in chaos, and the teammates were in a dangerous situation. As the forward, Deng Yutang had to take full responsibility.

The team's tactics were for Deng Yutang to hold off the enemy while Lu Ran assisted from the side, providing a stable output environment for Jiang Ruyi and Wu Shanshan.

But now, everything was in disarray!

"Swoosh~ Swoosh~"

The first evil dog was chasing after Jiang Ruyi, and Wu Shanshan, temporarily safe, quickly nocked another arrow.

The lowest-quality Divine Art of Mist Arrow was being used by her as if it had a 'rapid-fire' effect.

The evil dog was incredibly agile, dodging and attacking simultaneously, giving several humans a lesson in combat.

Jiang Ruyi's face was stiff, and she kept retreating, not daring to easily throw the Lightning Shackling Talisman in her hand.

If she missed, it would take at least 3-5 seconds to draw another one.

But the Lightning Shackling Talisman in her hand wouldn't last much longer, and if she didn't throw it soon, it would dissipate.

Left, right, right.

Indeed, Jiang Ruyi's grace under pressure was remarkable. In this critical situation, she remained calm, trying to find the evil dog's dodging pattern.

"Baa~"

At that moment, a faint sheep's cry quietly sounded.

On this chaotic battlefield, the teammates couldn't hear it, but the two dogs with keen hearing noticed the weak creature's plaintive bleat!

The evil dogs not only heard it but seemed to lose control, suddenly turning their heads towards the feeble creature.

Their eyes gleamed with greed, and drool dripped from their mouths.

How could a dog that kept shaking its head and twisting its body, constantly sprinting, maintain its balance when it suddenly turned around?

Jiang Ruyi's eyes narrowed, and she threw the Lightning Shackling Talisman.

"Crack!"

Electric light overflowed, and the Jade Talisman struck the dog's body.

Jiang Ruyi paused, preparing to throw another Lightning Shackling Talisman.

"Tsk!"

The Radiance Blade in Lu Ran's hand was infused with divine power, and with a sound that tore through the air, he charged forward.

The evil dog was like tofu, its head instantly severed, clean and efficient!

At the same time, the battle on Deng Yutang's side also ended, but he was perplexed: Why did the evil dog suddenly look away when the battle was so intense?

Deng Yutang turned to look behind him and saw Wu Shanshan with her mouth agape and Jiang Ruyi looking surprised, both staring at the same thing.

His heart tightened!

What happened to Lu Ran?

Deng Yutang followed the girls' gaze and looked over.

He saw Lu Ran standing silently, his back to them.

In the flickering firelight, he held the Radiance Blade, and drops of fresh blood dripped from its blade.

Hmm. Quite a handsome fellow.

Thanks to the fourth Roman Emperor, Lin Deng Wan, and the two darlings, Qing Bao and Bao Bao, for their generous rewards and many monthly votes. I'm truly grateful! Thank you!

May you live long! Hurray!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end