Someone indeed stole the show.

Undeniably, Deng Yuxiang performed exceptionally well, her demeanor was striking, and her attacks were fierce.

The problem is, that's exactly how she should be!

As one of the first disciples selected for the official list, if you don't have the skills, what right do you have to be deemed "Heavenly Pride"?

On the other hand, looking at that young man in black...

One could tell he was young, and that dark red knitted scarf couldn't fully cover his somewhat tender face.

Moreover, this young man was an Immortal Sheep Believer!

The grace he displayed on the battlefield truly caught the internal audit staff by surprise!

This... god damn...

Does the Immortal Sheep sect even have divisions of labor internally?

Where the hell did this battle sheep come from?

The audit personnel immediately reported the situation and began to investigate Lu Ran's personal information.

Far away in Rain Alley City, Lu Ran, naturally, had no idea about this situation.

He was still patrolling diligently, endeavoring to help Deng Yuxiang attain good results.

However, nothing special happened in Rain Alley City that night.

It seemed like heaven had finally taken pity, sparing the small, battered city for once.

Objectively speaking, this resulted in the battlefield not being very high-level.

Even though Deng Yuxiang had dominated and cut through the night of the fifteenth of winter...

It would still be tough for her to rank at the top of the Heavenly Pride list.

It was like taking an exam:

Deng Yuxiang received a primary school test, simple questions with a test score capped at 100 points.

Those who experienced special events got a college entrance exam paper, difficult questions but a full score of 150 points!

The score limits were not the same!

Lu Ran had no solution but to assist Deng Yuxiang as much as possible, helping her shine.

He didn't know that many eyes had already shifted towards him...

Dawn broke gradually, and Rain Alley City had a rare moment of normalcy.

On the team's patrol, Lu Ran came once again to the overpass outside Hexi Park.

"Ah..."

Lu Ran raised the Dawn Blade, and through the clear black ice material, he gazed at the white abyss of the sky.

The rising sun—the one hidden behind snowfall and frost—gave light to the world but did not wish to reveal itself.

No rosy clouds.

Still none.

Lu Ran's right hand gripped the Silent Night Blade tightly, the endless night of slaughter made him feel close to the blade's edge.

He felt even more that the Silent Night Blade was taking big steps forward on the path of gathering an Artifact Spirit.

Only this Dawn Blade, also a companion through the night, had yet to greet its moment.

"Why the sigh?"

Ahead in the distance, Deng Yuxiang suddenly stopped.

Lu Ran was somewhat helpless: "This Dawn Blade, it never meets with the dawn's rosy clouds."

Deng Yuxiang didn't turn around, and spoke softly, "Why are you fixated on the rosy clouds?"

Lu Ran explained: "On the day that the Night-slaying Great Saber transformed into a Divine Weapon, I was given some advice.

That morning, I set a goal for the Dawn Blade: to fight through the fifteenth night and bring forth dawn's rosy clouds."

Deng Yuxiang nodded lightly: "Sounds lovely."

Lu Ran looked at the Dawn Blade lifted above his head again, feeling silently regretful.

Deng Yuxiang suddenly said: "Is the focus on the dawn's rosy clouds?"

"Hm?"

"If you just want the rosy clouds, then go find a city with a pleasant climate, lift the blade every morning, and wait for the dawn's light."

Lu Ran: "..."

"Isn't that so?" Deng Yuxiang finally turned around, looking at Lu Ran, "The focus isn't on the rosy clouds.

It's on the bloodied night before greeting the rosy clouds."

Lu Ran silently looked at Deng Yuxiang.

Good Lord, a life coach?

"The day has dawned, Lu Ran," Deng Yuxiang said softly, "Rain Alley City has been defended, we've won."

Lu Ran nodded silently.

Deng Yuxiang gestured to the Dawn Blade: "Now, the blade in your hand, that's the dawn's rosy clouds you were looking for."

Her whisper entered his ears.

Lu Ran felt a stir in his heart, and in his hand, the invaluable Dawn Blade trembled slightly.

"Buzz~"

Lu Ran's face lit up with surprise as he looked at the Dawn Blade.

Do you approve as well?

The reaction of the weapon naturally meant that it was in the process of gathering its Artifact Spirit!

In the past, before the Night-slaying Great Saber had turned into a Divine Weapon, it would often react vehemently.

Reaching that stage meant that it might undergo a metamorphosis into a butterfly at any moment.

At this moment, the Dawn Blade's reaction was not as intense as that; it clearly had a ways to go.

But receiving the Dawn Blade's approval and response was enough to delight Lu Ran!

"Heh." Deng Yuxiang certainly noticed the vibration of the blade.

She looked at Lu Ran's joyous smile for a moment, then turned and left.

"Carrying deep ambitions while shunning fame," she thought?

After a while, Lu Ran looked ahead, watching the woman's figure as she stepped forward through the snow.

Would their conversation add to her score?

Looking after the team members and guiding those at a crossroads should surely add points.

Ah~ How satisfying!

With this thought, Lu Ran's spirits were lifted even higher.

Until seven in the morning, a team came to collect the camera equipment from the small squad of four.

Just like on the fifteenth of the previous month, as the patrol team was passing by the Rain Alley Home Community, Lu Ran said goodbye to everyone:

"I'm heading back first."

"I'll walk you home," Deng Yuxiang still took the lead, saying she'd walk him home, but it felt more like she was a guide.

"There's no need, it's quite safe here," Lu Ran said as he stepped up to follow.

Deng Yuxiang walked faster and faster, which the others clearly perceived.

Sun Zhengfang, that shrewd man, guessed Deng Yuxiang's intentions, so he went with Wei Long to the guard booth at the gate to learn about the situation from the Moon Gazers stationed there.

"Still walking me home?" Lu Ran watched as Deng Yuxiang entered the stairwell, confused.

Deng Yuxiang didn't say a word, she walked straight to Lu Ran's doorstep.

"Come in for a glass of water?" Lu Ran pulled out his keys, inserting them into the lock of the security door.

"Click."

Before Lu Ran could open the door, Deng Yuxiang suddenly reached out her palm and grasped Lu Ran's wrist.

"Sister?" Lu Ran, not understanding, looked at the woman.

Deng Yuxiang remained silent, simply lifting Lu Ran's wrist and gently kneading it through the sleeve.

Lu Ran pursed his lips and asked, "When did you notice?"

Deng Yuxiang snorted coldly: "You hid it so well, how could I have possibly found it."

Lu Ran: "..."

"Night-slaying told me," Deng Yuxiang found the expected object, and her thumb repeatedly traced the edges through Lu Ran's cuff.

Beneath her fingers, the outline of the Copper Coin was revealed.

"Such keen sense in a Divine Weapon?" Lu Ran couldn't help marveling.

Deng Yuxiang: "Night-slaying isn't from the Human Clan, it exists differently from us.

It said it faintly sensed the presence of its kind.

The closer it got to you, the clearer the feeling became."

Lu Ran smiled: "This is my treasure, and not something I can reveal easily."

"Little Lu Ran." Without the cameras, Deng Yuxiang added a "little" before addressing him. Her face was serious: "Though you're not a Moon Gazer, we're comrades in arms.

For the sake of improving our survival chances and combat efficiency, you had better be open with your comrades."

Lu Ran fell silent.

Deng Yuxiang continued: "Moreover, what you're hiding is a Divine Weapon.

If you could've told us in advance, we could've made appropriate battle plans."

Lu Ran suddenly said: "You should've said this last night, in front of the cameras.

This principle, as well as the guidance you provide to the younger team members, would definitely have scored you points."

The Magic Artifact·Rebirth Coin could certainly be made public—it was rightly obtained, clear and aboveboard.

And in the days to come, Lu Ran would proactively reveal the existence of this Copper Coin, after all, he needed to cover for his manipulation of the Evil Demon.

Deng Yuxiang glanced at Lu Ran dispassionately, not sure whether to be happy or annoyed:

"All you think about is points!

Since you didn't tell us, it's obviously because you didn't want to reveal it.

How could I possibly point it out in front of everyone?"

Hearing this, Lu Ran laughed: "Then why are you pointing it out now?"

Deng Yuxiang also laughed: "Now it's just us two, why won't you tell me?"

Lu Ran: "..."

"Hm?" Deng Yuxiang hummed inquisitively.

"Here." Lu Ran finally rolled up his sleeve and showed the Copper Coin to Deng Yuxiang.

"What is this?" Deng Yuxiang frowned slightly, her fingertip lightly touching the Copper Coin.

Clearly, it was no ordinary object.

Lu Ran said: "Magic Artifact."

Deng Yuxiang had been prepared, but upon actually seeing a Magic Artifact, she couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement.

"Last month, I came upon a piece of fortune..." Lu Ran briefly recounted the story.

In the end, Lu Ran said: "I didn't tell because it's just a fragment, still growing.

For now, it's of no help to our battles."

Deng Yuxiang was filled with emotion: "To gain the favor of another divine being is truly fortunate."

"I've always been lucky." Lu Ran pried open the fingers of the Big Nightmare and pulled back his wrist, "And you've been pretty good to me, too."

Deng Yuxiang's tone held a slight reproach as she advised: "Show some respect for the divine, how can you compare me with a deity."

"Maybe in the future."

"What?"

"A slip of the tongue, I mean, I'll be careful in the future," Lu Ran said casually, and finally opened the door to his home.

"Alright, rest well," Deng Yuxiang patted Lu Ran's shoulder and left.

Lu Ran turned and called out, "Aren't you coming in for a glass of water?"

The Big Nightmare simply pushed open the building door without looking back.

Such an attitude, truly befitting of Heavenly Pride~

Lu Ran smirked: "Take care of yourself!

If you're thirsty, just squat by the roadside and eat some snow, it looks rather white."

Deng Yuxiang, having stepped out of the stairwell, finally turned around and glared at Lu Ran with a laugh just before the door closed.

Lu Ran stepped into his home, placed the two blades aside, and his palm came to rest on his wrist.

Through a thin strand of spiritual connection, he could sense two Dead Souls within the Copper Coin.

It was those of the two Ghost Talisman Dolls that the squad had eliminated at the start of the fight last night.

Of course, Lu Ran wasn't raising little ghosts.

On the contrary, he was "eating" the little ghosts with the Rebirth Money...

The Dead Souls of the Ghost Talisman Dolls could nourish the Copper Coin, making this Magic Artifact Fragment stronger.

At the same time, the Magic Artifact·Rebirth Coin could also nourish its owner, enriching Lu Ran's soul.

For Lu Ran at this stage, being nurtured in the soul didn't seem to have much practical use.

It simply made him feel an inexplicable sense of joy and well-being.

But in the future, as he entered higher-level battlefields, encountering various powerful means from a myriad of strong opponents, it would be necessary for Lu Ran to have a strong soul!

Growth, naturally, must be holistic, without any blind spots.

Lu Ran walked into his bedroom, approached the shrine, and brought his hands together: "Lord Immortal Sheep, last night, my gains weren't that substantial."

A voice transmitted in reply, deep and resonant: "Hundreds of Evil Demon souls, two or three Human Clan believers.

For an ordinary night of the fifteenth, it is sufficient, no need to be too harsh on yourself."

Due to Lu Ran being in a patrolling team with a wide operational range, many Evil Demons he didn't slay himself—provided their souls still lingered on the battlefield—would be sucked into the enclosure by Lu Ran.

Lu Ran was a good man.

Wherever he went, there was no such thing as "lonely wandering ghosts."

He was kind-hearted, providing sanctuary to each home-seeking wandering spirit, finding a place they could belong to...

...

The image of Divine·Forget Spring has been updated, you can check it out in Chapter 136 "Old Acquaintance" if you're interested.

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