The Evil Spear Emperor smiled faintly: "They will eventually fall, just not by the hand of the Jade Venerable."

Lu Ran nodded silently.

The God Demon Camp was indeed like a heap of loose sand, superficially united but inwardly divided.

If they continued to be devoured by the Faceless Jade Venerable, it seemed their downfall was only a matter of time.

However, Lu Ran's sudden rise caused significant damage to the God Demon Camp in a very short time, which disrupted the Faceless Jade Venerable's 'boiling frog in warm water' strategy.

"Human Clan, what is your goal?" Evil Spear Emperor asked.

Lu Ran's fingers repeatedly traced the exquisite golden cup, his muffled voice emanating from behind the Blood Crystal Mask:

"Cloud Sea Dust Clear, eternal peace."

"Cloud Sea Dust Clear..." Evil Spear Emperor gently nodded, raising the golden cup again, "Your mother is indeed a being worthy of respect."

Lu Ran was taken aback, raising his eyes to look.

Only to see the Evil Spear Emperor gulping down the Green Plum Wine, the clear wine trickling down his lips, dripping onto the Black Gold Emperor Robe.

"Gulp, gulp..."

Lu Ran quietly waited until the emperor set down the wine cup, then asked: "You paid attention to my mother?"

Evil Spear Emperor's face carried a touch of reminiscence as he sighed: "The collapsing sect hall, the tragic death of followers, swords shattering one by one.

An image stained with blood, staggering steps, a bowed head.

And those hands that once ruled life and death, now reduced to trembling and wiping away tears again and again..."

Lu Ran's eyes gradually widened!

With just a few words, a tragic image of his mother had already formed in his mind.

This, Lu Ran did not know.

About his mother's history of struggle, Lu Ran had only a vague concept, unaware of the specific battles.

The old members of Cloud Sea had never divulged these, and the Cloud Sea Sword had not mentioned a word.

The few gods and demons who defected to the Ran Sect might have been too worried to bring up that past.

"The scene of an emperor's end..." Evil Spear Emperor sighed lightly, picking up the wine jug, "If you saw it, you would also sigh."

Lu Ran clenched his fists tightly.

Different people view the world from different perspectives.

To the old members of Cloud Sea, Qiao Wanjun was the sect master they loyally followed; in the eyes of the Evil Spear Emperor, Qiao Wanjun might have been the emperor of the human clans of that world.

But to Lu Ran, Qiao Wanjun was his mother.

"I thought you came to discuss cooperation." Lu Ran said in a deep voice.

If one wanted to negotiate, they should have softened the major issues and sought common ground while reserving differences, rather than putting sharp contradictions on the table.

Making a son listen to his mother's history of suffering.

And the Evil Spear Emperor's deep impression of the 'emperor's end' clearly indicated that he had been present at the time, one of the gods and demons besieging Qiao Wanjun.

"Cooperation?" Evil Spear Emperor laughed, his grin extremely carefree, "With the way you act, would you really be willing to share Da Xia with me?"

Lu Ran slowly nodded: "Then why did you invite me here, after all?"

As the Evil Spear Emperor poured more wine, he replied: "Since only one of us is destined to exist, let this victory and death be decided between you and me."

Lu Ran's expression froze.

What did he mean?

A duel?

Can I just say, is it possible that I'm only on the Second Level of the Heavenly Realm?

The Evil Spear Emperor filled his cup with wine, flicking his sleeve: "Human Clan, you previously sent an envoy, saying that the struggle between our forces should remain on the Heavenly Realm battlefield.

It should stay at the level of gods and demons.

I wholeheartedly agree."

Lu Ran felt a bit uncomfortable.

The Evil Spear Emperor didn't just 'wholeheartedly agree'.

He elevated it to a higher level, gambling all the forces on a direct confrontation between leaders...

As expected, the Evil Spear Emperor continued: "All beings are but ants, gods and demons are just minions beneath our feet.

Why not bypass the complexity and leave one sovereign between you and me?

If you win, all the gods and demons under my command will submit to you, Da Xia will be yours to rule.

If you lose, I will treat your subordinates well."

Lu Ran was silent for a long time before speaking: "My side is strong, it seems I have no need to take this risk?"

The Evil Spear Emperor remained calm: "Human Clan, you have exposed a weakness."

"Oh?"

"This path of climbing upward has not eroded your humanity; your actions indicate you still care for all living beings."

Lu Ran's expression remained unchanged, but his heart sank.

The threat was already very clear.

Even now, there were still a large number of human followers worshipping the gods of the northwest powers.

Qiang Xiu, West Desolation, Qian Gu, Poison Bee, Huang Que, Spiritual Fortune...

Truly, All Gods have the ability to pile human corpses into mountains.

Lu Ran slowly said: "You have agreed to keep the struggle between our forces at the Heavenly Realm battlefield and the god demon level, so why say such a thing?"

The Evil Spear Emperor laughed, his eyes as dark as ink, softly gazing at Lu Ran:

"Am I not the sly and deceitful Evil Demon?"

"Ha." Lu Ran scoffed, "I thought you had your own pride, disdaining such means."

The Evil Spear Emperor continued to smile, a hint of amusement in his tone: "I also thought you wanted to end this chaotic world soon, to let all beings live out their lives in peace sooner."

Lu Ran raised his tone somewhat: "You want me, a Second Level Heavenly Realm, to engage in a life-and-death battle with you, a first-class Evil God?"

The Evil Spear Emperor was indifferent: "You, a mere small Heavenly Realm human, first killed the Martial Monk, then beheaded the Blood Skull, and even left India's Fire Goddess in Da Xia, didn't you?"

Lu Ran: ???

Wasn't that done by me alone?

The countless devoted followers under my command, who aided the cause of the Ran Sect in so many ways, do you not know about them?

Lu Ran remained silent, and the Evil Spear Emperor was in no hurry, once again raising his head to drink.

"Gulp, gulp..."

Seeing him drink so heartily, Lu Ran just wanted to step forward and give him a hard kick!

By the time the Evil Spear Emperor put down the wine goblet, Lu Ran's expression had already turned as cold as stagnant water.

"Hahahahaha!" The Evil Spear Emperor looked at the "human emperor" forced to the end of the road, his smile unrestrained, "Human clan, as long as you care about those ants, you have no other choice."

Lu Ran's voice was ice-cold and piercing: "After you die, how can you guarantee your subordinates will obediently submit to me?"

"Hmm?" The Evil Spear Emperor raised an eyebrow and looked at Lu Ran.

"What, you really think I'm afraid of you?" Lu Ran also raised an eyebrow, confronting him head-on.

I possess a plethora of Divine Weapons and have countless skills at my disposal!

Invisibility, Instant Teleportation, and the fire that kills beyond its level...

Are they all just for show?

Seeing the young man's strong stance, the Evil Spear Emperor slowly nodded, seemingly approving, or perhaps admiring.

There was even a hint of appreciation in his tone: "If I were defeated and killed by you, the gods and demons kneeling at my feet would naturally submit and pay homage to you."

He downed the remaining green plum wine in the golden goblet with a flourish.

Very dashing.

Lu Ran suddenly felt something was amiss.

Listening to the other party's tone, and looking at the other person's demeanor, he couldn't help but feel an anomaly in his heart.

The Evil Spear Emperor is...

Lu Ran pondered for a moment, then said coldly: "You, a dignified first-class Evil God, even if you kill a heavenly realm person like me, can win my brothers would not submit to you."

With a "thud".

The Evil Spear Emperor placed the gold goblet on the table and waved his hand casually: "No matter!

If you perish, the Ran Sect would naturally disband as well."

Lu Ran's eyes locked onto the Evil Spear Emperor's eyes, as if trying to read something from those dark pupils.

The Evil Spear Emperor felt something, and looked up.

The emperor of the God Demon Camp, and the newly risen human emperor in his eyes, their gazes intertwined.

The Divine Worship Hall fell into a dead silence.

After an unknown period, Lu Ran slowly raised his hand and removed the Blood Crystal Mask: "I once imprisoned the Divine Soul of the Jade Talisman. He had something I wanted and attempted to negotiate with me.

Do you know what the Jade Talisman asked for?"

The Evil Spear Emperor's sword eyebrows slightly raised.

"He said he wanted me to give his Divine Soul to the Evil Spear Emperor." Lu Ran stared directly into the Evil Spear Emperor's eyes, "I've dealt with too many Gods and Demons to know how despicable they are.

So, when the Jade Talisman proposed this condition, I asked him if he wasn't worried about his Divine Soul being devoured by the Evil Spear Emperor.

It seems now, I was overthinking."

The Evil Spear Emperor quietly watched Lu Ran.

Lu Ran observed his reaction and continued: "Later, the Rou Paperman told me that the Evil Spear Emperor was different from other Gods and Demons, that he was a true ruler.

He possesses so many excellent qualities that a leader should have.

Apparently, that's indeed the case."

The Evil Spear Emperor spoke: "Human clan, what do you want to say."

Lu Ran sighed inwardly at his own lack of experience, still uncertain if the Evil Spear Emperor, due to the decline of the Northwest Camp, wanted to find a way out for his followers in such a manner.

Looking back at Ran Sect's journey, of all the Gods and Demons they faced, few survived.

If the Ran Sect and Northwest forces engage in a full-scale war, the Northwest Gods and Demons are bound to suffer heavy casualties.

It might even be like the forces of the Martial Artist and Jade-faced Snake, completely annihilated!

However, if not engaging in full-scale war, but deciding victory or defeat through a battle between leaders, subordinate Gods and Demons could directly follow Lu Ran and submit to the Ran Sect, likely ensuring a large number survive!

Lu Ran's deduction was naturally based on the Evil Spear Emperor's true nature, and his unique reputation among the God Demon group.

It was also based on the Evil Spear Emperor's atypical threatening means that night.

Since the probing led nowhere, Lu Ran simply said: "One battle is not enough, change the life-and-death battle to three!

I cannot accept Spiritual Fortune and Lie Tian submitting to Ran Sect."

The Evil Spear Emperor squinted slightly: "You talk tough, so you want two out of three."

Unexpectedly, Lu Ran shook his head and said: "Those two life-and-death battles can be disregarded, victory or defeat lies solely between you and me.

Even if I'm killed by you, before I die, I want to see the two of them die first!"

The Evil Spear Emperor's expression was quite colorful: "Such hatred?"

"Quite ironic, hah~" Lu Ran shook his head with a smile, "You invade the human world every month on the fifteenth, and yet I have drinks with you. Those two granted gods' Divine Technique to the human clan, yet I cannot coexist with them."

The Evil Spear Emperor's tone was playful: "You're so sure you can win both battles?"

Lu Ran shrugged, the meaning obvious.

The same casual air.

With strong confidence.

"Hahahahaha!" The Evil Spear Emperor laughed heartily and boldly, "Good, good, good! In that case, then match your generals, king against king!

The final battle should have some opening accompaniment.

I accept it on their behalf!"

Lu Ran said: "This is a life-and-death battle, can you ensure Spiritual Fortune participates?"

The Evil Spear Emperor poured wine into the golden goblet and said lightly: "No one can disturb the battle between you and me."

"Alright!" For the first time Lu Ran picked up the gold goblet and toasted from afar.

"Please!" The Evil Spear Emperor also raised the gold goblet, smiling at the young human.

"Gulp, gulp..."

Lu Ran raised his head and drained the goblet in one go.

A strong taste of wine.

A faint scent of plum.

...

The previous chapter was the thousandth, I forgot to throw flowers, making up for it now~

✿✿ヽ(°▽°)ノ✿✿

Throwing flowers~

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