"Brother, tell him to speak!"

Qiao Yuansi waved his hand, reminding the young human being interrogated in his palm.

"Hoo~" An illusion of a god and demon surged from within the girl's Divine Sculpture, swiftly creating a Heavenly Realm body, then steadily landing on the giant stone hand.

At the same time, Lu Ran also extinguished the Soul Fire.

The cries of the god gradually diminished but couldn't completely cease, always groaning in pain.

Experiencing the sensation of a soul being burned, the Jade Talisman had a clear and thorough understanding. When he looked at Lu Ran again, there was even a hint of fear in his gaze.

Lu Ran remained unmoved and said in a deep voice, "Continue."

"It was Martial Artist, Martial Artist made me do it..." Jade Talisman was still passing the blame. Seeing the unkind eyes of the young human, he quickly said, "Qiao Wanjun defied the order, and I, under Martial Artist's command, executed Lu... Lu Xing first."

"Dad died?" Qiao Yuansi exclaimed.

Did I just hear it wrong?

Didn't Jade Talisman say that dad wasn't dead?

Why change his words... hmm, the original words from Jade Talisman seemed to be "Lu Xing still exists."

"I preserved his dead soul, I properly preserved it!" Seeing the reaction of the siblings, Jade Talisman hastily said.

Qiao Yuansi tightly pursed her lips, her eyes already slightly red.

"Heh." Lu Ran lowered his head and let out a self-deprecating laugh.

He was indeed too naive, believing Jade Talisman's nonsense.

Perhaps Jade Talisman did not know that the soldiers of the Ran Sect, especially Lu Ran himself, have some knowledge about the mysterious level of dead souls.

At least Lu Ran could be very certain that souls lingering in the world cannot exist for too long.

The year his father died, Lu Ran was only 13 years old.

Now Lu Ran is already 23.

A full ten years.

No matter what kind of dead soul, it would dissipate into nothingness...

Even a divine soul of such strength as Jade Talisman's fears it cannot last for ten years, how could his father still exist?

"I preserved Lu Xing's dead soul, he must still exist! He must!" The cries of Jade Talisman, in Lu Ran's ears, resembled that of a desperate gambler.

Lu Ran's voice grew even colder: "Stored where? Stored in your Divine Sculpture body, as your nourishment?"

"No! I still need to keep him, I must keep him!" Jade Talisman was so anxious, regardless of expression or attitude, yet seemed unlike one who was lying.

He spoke rapidly, "Lu Xing's death didn't make Qiao Wanjun obediently comply; instead, it aroused her even greater resistance, she even attacked the god and demon.

Martial Artist was also thoroughly enraged!

He wants to let you two... make her watch as you two die in front of her, and then personally deal with Qiao Wanjun..."

Qiao Yuansi: !!!

Lu Ran remained silent, expressionless.

Martial Artist first sent people to act against Qiao Wanjun's husband, forced her into compliance, objectively using Qiao Wanjun's two children as a threat.

But obviously, Qiao Wanjun did not yield.

Lu Ran pondered, if he were the one being pressured by the god and demon, would he be willing to abandon the grand vision of the Ran Sect, give up everything earned through struggles, and end his own life for the family?

It seems somehow disproportionate when put this way.

After all, as splendid as Cloud Sea Sect was, it wasn't like the Ran Sect, capable of erasing gods and demons from the root.

Yet even asserting so is irresponsible.

Who could confirm with absolute certainty that the path Qiao Wanjun walked was impassable?

Such a figure standing at the pinnacle of the Human Clan, could her true intentions be small?

From Qiao Wanjun's perspective, perhaps she, like the present Lu Ran, was very close to success.

If it can't be clarified, then let's change the angle—comparison with comrades.

Would Lu Ran massacre the entire Ran Sect for the lives of his family?

Deng Yuxiang, Yu Changsheng, Si Xianxian, Yan Shuangzi.

Just these four protectors had already trapped Lu Ran completely.

Which one could he bear to harm?

Besides these four protectors, there were far too many people in the Ran Sect—eight Divine Generals, two Heavenly Emperors, two elders, and those lovely guys during his growing years, Deng Yutang, Tian Tian, Chang Ying...

"My judgment is correct! Choosing to preserve the dead soul is correct, Sword One has indeed intervened!" Jade Talisman anxiously expressed, trying hard to increase his credibility.

"Sword One."

"Yes! Lord Jian Yi!" Jade Talisman repeatedly said, "Lord Jian Yi especially valued Qiao Wanjun, perhaps having long planned for her to inherit the Divine Position.

Sword One personally intervened, stood up for Qiao Wanjun! Even at the cost of opposing the force led by Martial Artist, she protected Qiao Wanjun.

She took Qiao Wanjun back to the Human World and imprisoned her."

Lu Ran understood in his heart.

No wonder mother was respectful towards Sword One.

Also no wonder during the years in Beijing, mother always took him and his sister to Jiantianque City to worship, pleading with Lord Sword One to accept her children as believers.

That being said, although mother escaped death, she didn't personally destroy the force she created, but the ending was tragic.

After she left, Cloud Sea Sect retained its name but suffered constant oppression and persecution by the gods and demons.

The once splendid sect with hundreds of Heavenly Realm disciples, among which numerous disciples from the groundbreaking generation of the 1980s...

Now...

Only one-tenth remains.

Lu Ran, in his journey, wandered across the Heavenly Realm Battlefield but found only a mere five or six members of the old Cloud Sea Sect.

Now he recalls the words uttered by Yan Chou upon their first meeting:

"Your mother never abandoned us, nor did she give up resisting, she was invited back to the Human World."

Invited?

This word is still too mild.

If it appears in history books, it will convey the wrong message.

That was forced, a coercive departure, possibly an act of desperation in a dire situation.

The sentiments revealed in Yan Chou's words were completely consistent with those of the other remnants of the Cloud Sea sect; when Lu Ran was gathering the remnants scattered across the Heavenly Realm, almost everyone evaluated her mother in this manner.

She has never stopped resisting.

Never abandoned us.

However, such belief is founded on the fact that Qiao Wanjun truly left the Heavenly Realm, and the Cloud Sea Sect was almost destroyed.

It's hard to imagine what Qiao Wanjun managed to accomplish back then.

To have exchanged such harsh endings for such an evaluation.

To have Lu Ran encounter each old member of the Cloud Sea, receiving respectful greetings and loyal following.

"I don't know how the Martial Artist forces could allow Sword One to act like that, how they negotiated..."

Jade Talisman's voice was assertive, uncertain if it was exaggerated: "But I know, Qiao Wanjun might become another face of Sword One in the future.

Might even become the new Sword One!"

"Become Sword One?" Qiao Yuansi knelt beside Lu Ran, clutching Lu Ran's arm in both hands, dazedly watching the dying god, listening to the amazing statements.

Jade Talisman hurriedly said: "Yes! Your mother hasn't become another face of Sword One yet, most likely because the Martial Artists have always been keeping an eye, waiting to strike at a critical moment!

Your Human Clan's lifespan is too short, a hundred years, two hundred years, Qiao Wanjun will naturally die of old age...

If it continues like this, Sword One will ultimately fail to achieve his desires, absorbing less and less energy, weakening gradually over time."

"Get to the point." Lu Ran said in a deep voice.

Jade Talisman paused before quickly saying: "I can't be treated as a disposable pawn! Even if there's a slight chance of your mother becoming Sword One, she will trace it back to me eventually!

So Lu Ran, trust me!

I secretly preserved Lu Xing's dead soul, he still exists! The Martial Artists don't know, nobody knows, I hid the dead soul!"

"Where is it?" Qiao Yuansi immediately inquired.

But this time, Jade Talisman, known for being forthcoming, didn't give a clear answer.

He looked at the siblings: "I can hand over your father's dead soul to you! But you first have to do something for me aaahhh..."

Before finishing his sentence, screams echoed.

Lu Ran played with a ball of black mist in his hand, a faint soul fire burning in his palm.

"Burn me... you'll never get Lu Xing's dead soul! You ahh... hand me to Lord Evil Spear Emperor... then I'll tell you ahh..."

"Aren't you afraid of being devoured by him if we hand you over to the Evil Spear Emperor?"

"No, I won't be! Give me to the Evil Spear Emperor, hand my Divine Soul to him, I'll tell you where your father is uh ahh..."

Qiao Yuansi's eyes went red, looking up at his brother.

"The Divine Soul of Jade Talisman can only be in my possession, it can't be given to anyone." Lu Ran gently embraced his sister, softly speaking.

"Mm." Qiao Yuansi responded quietly, burying her head in her brother's embrace, not interfering with any decision he made.

Yet one of her small hands tightly gripped the hem of his clothes.

Lu Ran slightly lowered his head, softly imprinting over her hair through a layer of the Blood Crystal Mask: "Don't worry, he will speak, he will tell us everything."

"No! Way!" Jade Talisman screamed harshly, "You must hand me over to the Evil Spear Emperor... otherwise, burn me to death, just burn me to death!!"

"Heh." Lu Ran chuckled, the soul fire in his hand never ceasing, "Remember your words now, let's see how long you can hold out."

[Seems you've received the gift I sent you.] Suddenly, a deep voice rang into his mind.

"Immortal Sheep Lord?" Lu Ran raised his head instinctively.

[Do you like it?]

Lu Ran opened his mouth, then realized what the "gift" the Immortal Sheep Lord was referring to was.

People are always aware after the fact.

He suddenly remembered that before they started to kill Jade Talisman, the Immortal Sheep Lord had specifically given a reminder:

"Eat carefully."

Carefully...

That's what it meant.

"Thank you, Immortal Sheep Lord!" Lu Ran gratefully expressed.

[It's too early to be thankful.]

Lu Ran opened his mouth again, unsure of what to say.

[Where do you think your father's dead soul is hidden by Jade Talisman?]

Lu Ran frowned, watching the agonizing struggle of the Divine Soul in his hand: "Perhaps stored in a magic artifact, hidden somewhere?"

[You also have magical artifacts for imprisoning souls, do you think a dead soul can be preserved for so long? Jade Talisman is sure your father's dead soul still exists.]

"If the magic artifact's power is insufficient, then it must be..." Lu Ran's speech stopped.

"Gulp." Lu Ran's Adam's apple moved as he slowly raised his head to look upward.

[Hehe...] The Immortal Sheep's laughter was slightly hoarse, [I have no involvement in this matter.]

"Understood." Lu Ran felt both awkward and guilty, lowering his head.

In this world, there are many gods and demons capable of imprisoning and tormenting dead souls.

But those simple methods are merely rudimentary applications.

Demons can only use such means to amuse themselves, extract negative emotions like fear, and derive the energy carried within the soul.

It is by no means acquiring the power of the dead soul itself!

To truly engage with the realm of dead souls, utilizing souls and even relying on such methods as a foundation for existence, aside from the Immortal Sheep Lord...

Lu Ran suddenly opened his eyes wide, standing upright:

"Wang Quan?!"

...

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