"Brat, you're finally seeing things clearly," Long Yu said, smiling at the two and nodding with satisfaction from time to time.
Tang Yi stared at Bai Ran and Long Jin Han, her heart pounding with excitement. "Will the Demon Realm soon have a young master?"
"That requires marriage first. Only after marriage can there be a young master," Jing Feng said with a smile, looking at the beautiful couple before him with joy.
Hearing the voices around her, Bai Ran's earlobes gradually turned red, and she glared at the man in front of her.
Long Jin Han lowered his gaze, his eyes filled with gentle affection. "Then it's settled."
Bai Ran put her fist to her mouth and coughed lightly, glancing awkwardly at Long Jin Han. "Mhm... has there been any news from the Ghost Realm?"
Logically speaking, the competition she had set was once a month, and if it had proceeded as usual, it should have been held five times by now, and there should be some news from the clan.
Hearing this, Jing Feng stepped forward, recalling something. "Miss Bai, the Ghost Realm has indeed sent a message."
Originally, the clan elder intended to contact Bai Ran using a communication jade pendant, but upon learning that Bai Ran was in seclusion for cultivation, they switched to sending a letter.
It wasn't anything important, and it would be fine to check it after her seclusion.
With that, Jing Feng took out five letters from his storage ring and handed them to Bai Ran. "One letter per month, a total of five."
Bai Ran nodded, took the letters, and read them one by one. As she read, her face broke into a smile.
The monthly competition had indeed proceeded normally, but the entire clan was unusually united. Not a single departed soul had spread any unfavorable rumors during the five months the Ghost King was away.
Even Fang An, who had set the competition upon first meeting Bai Ran, didn't ask or say anything further when Bai Ran hadn't returned for a long time.
After the Ghost King's departure, the clan elders took charge, managing the entire Ghost Realm. Even the people from the Divine Realm, after that battle, dared not linger carelessly near the Ghost Realm's territory.
In summary, everything was developing in a positive direction, and at the end of each letter, there was the same sentence.
'Little girl, one day, the Ghost Realm will rule all Nine Heavens, and you will forever rule the Ghost Realm.'
Putting down the letters, Bai Ran chuckled and smiled unconsciously. "This old man is quite skilled at stirring up emotions..."
"Miss Bai, there are some other letters for you... Would you like to see them...?"
As he spoke, Jing Feng took out a thick stack of letters from his storage ring, almost unable to hold them with both hands.
"These are from Xiao Zi, Zhu Que, and the others... It's just... a lot..."
Bai Ran's mouth twitched. She wanted to read them but also didn't want to. If she read such a thick stack of letters, wouldn't it take several days?
"Have you read these letters? Just tell me the important parts," she said, putting her hand to her forehead, a hint of helplessness on her face.
Jing Feng shook his head. "Without Miss Bai's permission, I cannot open the letters privately."
"However, there is one letter that seems different. You should take a look." Jing Feng rummaged through the envelopes and took out a golden one.
The sender was Bai Hu, and it exuded a faint spiritual aura, seemingly protected by a formation.
"Isn't this...?" Bai Ran turned her head and glanced at Long Jin Han behind her. Long Jin Han's brows furrowed slightly, and he immediately recognized the formation.
"It's no different from the formations in that ancient book. It's a formation that destroys itself immediately after being viewed."
Bai Ran frowned and, under their watchful eyes, slowly opened the envelope and began to read.
As she read through more than half of the text, her expression gradually turned cold. After finishing, the envelope indeed burst into flames, burning into ashes.
"Madam, what did it say? Your expression seems quite grim...?" Tang Yi asked cautiously, observing Bai Ran's darkening face.
"Zhu Que and the others have already sent word. They will meet us outside the Divine Realm tomorrow."
Jing Feng was startled, his expression also becoming serious. "They successfully infiltrated the Divine Realm?"
Bai Ran nodded. "That's right. Bai Hu transformed into human form and competed for that vacant position of Holy Lord."
Fortunately, after five months, Mo Ze had not discovered Bai Hu's true identity.
However, it was also possible that Mo Ze had already discovered it and was merely waiting for her appearance... Bai Ran's eyes narrowed, and a chilling coldness emanated from her.
...
As the moon rose, four figures streaked across the sky above the Demon Realm, moving so fast that only afterimages were left behind before they vanished into the night.
The bright moon slowly descended from above the treetops. Time passed, and the warm sun rose from the east, its dazzling light bathing the land and casting a golden veil over everything.
Outside the Divine Realm, people came and went, and soldiers patrolled the noisy streets.
Several figures, disguised as ordinary and unremarkable people, moved quickly, turning into a common inn in the blink of an eye.
"What would you like to order, guests?" the waiter asked, rubbing his hands together with a fawning smile.
"Just some of our usual small dishes," a calm female voice replied. She surveyed the inn, chose a seat near the crowd, and slowly sat down with the others.
"Certainly, guests, please wait a moment." The waiter then withdrew.
These people were Bai Ran and her companions, who had disguised themselves. They now looked like ordinary commoners, exceptionally ordinary.
Zhong Zi, beside Bai Ran, picked up the teapot and poured her a cup of tea. Whispers from the inn reached their ears.
"Hey, have you heard? The newly appointed Holy Lord has gotten into trouble recently."
"The newly appointed Holy Lord? You mean the new hall master of the Tianzhe Hall? What did he do wrong?"
"I heard that the Divine Emperor wants to bestow marriage upon him, but he refuses to comply no matter what, thus angering the Divine Emperor."
"Bestow marriage? Which family's young lady is it?"
"Rumor has it, it's..."
Before she could finish hearing, a figure blocked the woman's view. The next moment, a sharp voice followed.
"Who are you? Don't you know this is my young lady's seat!"
Bai Ran looked up and saw an arrogant and overbearing woman standing at their table. She was also wearing a red dress, with her eyes slightly upturned, giving her a rather sharp appearance.
Zhong Zi frowned and stood opposite the woman, his eyes flashing with a cold glint. "And who are you?"
Before the woman could speak, her maidservant stepped forward, sizing up Zhong Zi with disdain. "Looks like a freshly promoted person from the lower realms. You reek."
"Reek?" Dong Ling's expression darkened. Before he could stand up, Bai Ran pulled him back, forcing him to sit down.
"My young lady is the Divine Emperor's personal alchemist, the legitimate daughter of the Fu family, Fu Zhu!"