Thick clouds of gloom enveloped Yan Paper God Mountain.

An exquisitely beautiful woman, adorned with a phoenix crown and wedding dress, still stood atop the peak of the Divine Mountain.

In the past, she was expressionless, always gazing into the distance as if expecting something, or perhaps waiting for something.

But now, her brows and eyes were gentle, her lips curved in a slight arc, graceful and captivating.

Her naturally hanging hands were concealed by broad sleeves, and hidden in her palm was a tiny human.

Lu Ran made the Divine Weapon vigilant, his attention focused within the Spiritual World, entering the God Demon Sculpture Garden.

"Thank you for your life-saving grace, Sect Leader!"

The enormous stone sculpture of Tu Feng, supporting its broken frame, knelt before the Lady of Ran Sect like a collapsing golden mountain and jade pillar.

He bowed his head deeply, his heart filled not only with gratitude but also with guilt.

The pair of stone maces specially gifted by the Sect Leader shattered during the battle.

Those were Fourth Rank Divine Weapons, seized from Divine·Cloud Mace's hands; yet Tu Feng was defeated repeatedly by the Martial Monk, and besides the stone maces, even a First Rank Divine Weapon Halberd broke.

As the one controlling Divine·Dongting's right arm, Tu Feng initially should have snatched the Fourth Rank Divine Weapon Halberd held by its hand, but...

Everything happened too suddenly.

Tu Feng failed to succeed, and Yan Shuangzi only managed to take Dongting's remains and Divine General away.

That top-grade Divine Weapon was thus buried in the ruins of the Divine Mountain alongside the terrifying Golden Dragon's impact, unsure if it survived.

Too poor!

Tu Feng bowed his head deeply.

Reflecting on his performance in this battle, it was truly poor; had it not been for the Sect Leader and the Evil Shadow Guardian's desperate rescue, he should have been executed by the Martial Monk.

"We are comrades who share life and death." Lu Ran stood on the fingertip of Xian Mo's stone sculpture, speaking solemnly.

Qiao Yuansi and Yu Changsheng deployed healing techniques, mending the stone sculptures damaged and fractured on the battlefield.

At this moment, nearly all soldiers of Ran Sect had returned to the Sculpture Garden, except for Huangfu Zhao, who was still advancing in rank and devouring the Divine Soul within the Fiery Phoenix Patterned Gourd, to prevent Lu Ran's mind from buzzing.

The atmosphere in the garden was very tense.

Jiang Ruyi whispered, "Although the Martial Monk hasn't seen Lu Ran, he did see the faces of several others of us; maybe he can find something out."

"Oh, my mother!" Si Xianxian suddenly spoke.

Si's mother, Si Caiqin, is the only person Si Xianxian misses in the Human World.

Previously at Nu Ying God Mountain, the Mad Immortal Guardian had sternly warned Divine·Nine Bamboo to treat the disciples better.

Si Caiqin is, in fact, a believer under Nine Bamboo.

"My old wife and daughter also..." Elder Lu Yuan spoke up for the first time voluntarily.

"I'll return to the Human World once and bring the soldiers' families back to Holy Spirit Mountain."

"Luoxian Mountain is probably not safe anymore; Immortal Sheep might be discovered," Jiang Ruyi's fingertips trembled subtly, reminding Lu Ran, "On the human level, I am the Sect Master's wife of the Immortal Sheep Sect."

In the previous battle, the Martial Monk should have seen Jiang Ruyi's face.

As an exalted First-class God, the Martial Monk naturally wouldn't care about mundane world affairs, and on the battlefield, facing the soldiers of Ran Sect, he recognized only Tu Feng.

But as long as the Martial Monk investigates, the truth will come to light.

This time, the sudden rescue from the God Demon camp caught Ran Sect off guard and disrupted all plans.

And what Ran Sect exchanged was only the death of the Second-class God·Dongting, with Huangfu Zhao having half a Divine Position.

Was it worth it?

Discussing this now is already meaningless.

Lu Ran said worriedly, "I'll go communicate with Immortal Sheep, quickly replenish energy among yourselves and adjust the state."

The future awaiting everyone is truly unknown.

"Does anyone have any means to directly resolve the Martial Monk?" Before leaving, Lu Ran ultimately asked a question out of unwillingness.

In truth, he led the team back to Yan Paper God Mountain because he harbored a slight unrealistic fantasy deep inside.

Yan Paper God Mountain is adjacent to Thunder God Mountain; this is also the nearest safe place Lu Ran could find close to the battlefield.

If Ran Sect could quickly come up with a plan, regroup and return to the battlefield to take down the Martial Monk, the situation wouldn't be too dire!

Regrettably, facing Lu Ran's question, the garden fell silent.

The powerful combat capability of a First-class God is unmatched by other gods and demons!

The majestic Golden Monk with boundless brilliance represents high attack and high defense, equipped with purification techniques and unaffected by all illusions, poisons, curses, spiritual outputs, etc...

Only hard control!

Only the Domain of Silence that prevents even purification can come is the only solution.

For so long, the targets eliminated by Ran Sect have been Third-class gods and demons or below, up to today; everyone did meticulous homework to dare sneaking upon a mighty Second-class God.

And the Martial Monk, this First-class mighty God, truly surpassed Ran Sect's current capability range.

Perhaps when Huangfu Zhao devours the Divine Soul, transforms into a Second-class God, and cooperates with the Sect Leader's Domain of Silence, supplemented by the Ran Sect warriors, only then can an attempt be made to succeed.

"Alas..." Seeing everyone remain silent, Lu Ran's figure vanished.

In the real world, he opened his eyes and once again felt humbled and insignificant.

Unknowingly, Yan paper raised its hand, and a pair of giant eyes were looking at him gently.

Previously, the high-spirited Lu Ran wouldn't have minded, but now, retreating in defeat, trembling under the gaze of a Divine being.

The absolute disparity in realm, power, skill grade, and all other aspects deeply hurt Lu Ran's heart.

This feeling was simply awful!

If only I were stronger, the battle just now, the Ran Sect wouldn't have suffered so much.

The situation Ran Sect is facing wouldn't be...

"What's wrong?" The Rou Paperman's voice was gentle, interrupting Lu Ran's thoughts.

Lu Ran quietly shook his head, organizing his words internally, pondering how to speak to Immortal Sheep.

Perhaps, I can only ask Immortal Sheep to come out of seclusion.

Sheep General had once mentioned, it could turn the God Demon into lambs to be slaughtered, but doing so would put it in a prolonged period of weakness.

Even Immortal Sheep would become a fragile lamb, at the mercy of others.

Lu Ran actually had confidence in protecting Immortal Sheep during this time.

But the problem was, would Immortal Sheep be willing to do that?

Even if willing, leaving the Divine Mountain and coming alone would certainly attract the God Demon's attention. If it remains guarding the Divine Mountain and sends only a shadow, its Divine Sculpture would enter a vulnerable period.

No matter what, the other God Demons would notice!

At that time, the situation would move in an even more unpredictable direction.

"It's just a failure, why so disheartened?" The Rou Paperman spoke softly.

"This isn't a simple failure, my plan is all messed up, the Martial Monk will likely trace and find Immortal Sheep..." Lu Ran finally spoke, bitterness in his heart.

"Martial Monk?" The Rou Paperman was somewhat surprised.

She had always thought that Ran Sect was defeated by Dong Ting and fled here in embarrassment, but there was the involvement of the Martial Monk?

"Sadly, my Divine Power is insufficient, the Domain of Silence was only enough to take down Dong Ting," Lu Ran said with resentment.

At this moment, the Fiery Phoenix Patterned Gourd was already hanging behind his waist, continuously infusing him with energy.

The small Blazing Phoenix really had a lot, but to fill Lu Ran's body container, it would take a long, long time.

The more brutal reality was, even if Lu Ran was at full strength now, would the mere three to four seconds of Domain of Silence be enough to take down the Martial Monk?

"You've already taken down Dong Ting?" The Rou Paperman's heart fluttered.

Lu Ran nodded, "Let's not talk about it for now, I..."

"I can give you Divine Power."

"Huh?" Lu Ran looked up, toward the female Divine Sculpture.

The Rou Paperman wore an elegant smile: "I can let you return to the battlefield in full glory."

"Really? Now?" Lu Ran suddenly stood up.

The Rou Paperman gently nodded, "Not only that, I can also extend your Domain of Silence time."

"How... what's... how do I do it?" Lu Ran was so anxious that he stammered.

Time waits for no one!

They escaped back here only a minute or two ago, if they could fight back now, it might not be too late to save the disaster!

"Make a contract with me." The Rou Paperman slightly raised her hand, presenting it to Lu Ran.

"Signing a contract?" Lu Ran's heart sank.

Is the Rou Paperman still unwilling to give up?

Still wanting him to break the contract with Immortal Sheep and instead join the Rou Paperman's group?

Lu Ran indeed wanted to solve the Martial Monk issue, after all, once the Martial Monk fell, many issues would be resolved.

But how could he betray the sect?

Putting aside personal character and human-god relationships, realistically speaking: the God Demon Sculpture Garden that exists in his mind uses the Immortal Sheep Divine Technique·Pupil of the Netherworld as the entrance and exit.

Once without the Immortal Sheep Divine Technique...

"Lu, no need to worry, it's not a sect contract." The Rou Paperman's voice was soft, "It's a contract with my Magic Artifact."

She had once called Lu Ran "Lu Jun," but Lu Ran wasn't used to that, insisting she just call him by his name.

But the Rou Paperman didn't.

In subsequent exchanges, she always used "you" as a pronoun.

At this moment, the Rou Paperman finally changed her tone, but instead of Lu Ran's wish, her address became more ancient, changing from Jun to Lang.

"A contract with the Magic Artifact?" Lu Ran could no longer care about these things, he looked up, focusing on the phoenix crown atop the Rou Paperman's head.

Even though it was a stone item, it didn't hide its elegance and beauty.

When Lu Ran first arrived here, as he approached the Rou Paperman, his Divine Weapon told him that the phoenix crown on the Rou Paperman's head was a top-tier Fourth Rank Magic Artifact!

Yet Lu Ran never asked about the effect of this phoenix crown.

The Rou Paperman softly said, "This is the Simurgh Phoenix Unity Crown, if you are willing to make a contract with it, from this point on, our destinies would be linked."

"Linked destiny... what exactly does that mean?" Lu Ran hurriedly asked.

"When you and I are in the same realm, the phoenixes sing in harmony, Divine Power is shared, and injuries are split."

Her voice was light, but her words were shocking: "After making the Simurgh Phoenix Unity Contract, everything of mine becomes yours, all Divine Power and Source Energy, at your disposal.

If Master Lu were to die, the Rou Paperman could not live alone."

As for the last sentence, Lu Ran was skeptical, as this Magic Artifact belonged to the Rou Paperman, she could perhaps unilaterally break the contract.

But he didn't voice these concerns, instead, he said solemnly:

"And the opposite?"

The Rou Paperman gave a gentle smile, her eyes tender: "Master Lu, would you be willing to make this Simurgh Phoenix Unity Contract with me?"

...

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