Three days later, Beifeng City.

The streets and alleys were decked with lanterns and streamers, and the city was crowded inside and out.

On the twenty-sixth of the lunar winter month, which was also January 1st on the solar calendar, it was the New Year's Day celebration.

On this day, the world officially stepped into the year 2019.

On this day, believers of the North Wind from all over Da Xia flocked here for a pilgrimage, making Beifeng City extraordinarily lively.

Lu Ran stood in the Martial Arts Arena and could see from afar into the inner city, where thick clouds of incense rose up, emanating from the base of the Divine Sculpture.

It was truly a spectacular sight!

Compared to that, the Martial Arts Arena seemed rather empty.

In the Snow Forest, Lu Ran stood alone in the snow, as if he had booked the entire place for himself.

Most people had gone to worship in the inner city, unwilling to miss such a grand ceremony.

Lu Ran didn't go.

He wanted to, very much so, to broaden his horizons, but...

He didn't want to kneel.

At the entrance of Beifeng City, you could admire the elegance of Lord Divine without necessarily having to kneel.

After all, you were a believer of another deity, which was a plausible excuse.

But entering the inner city?

It was your choice to walk in there, to come before Divine·Beifeng of your own volition. Wouldn't you worship then?

In the midst of a crowd of believers kneeling, praying, and offering incense devoutly, would you just stand there?

What's the meaning of that?

Are you the only sober person amongst a city of drunks?

You could stay sober; no one would bother you, but you couldn't provoke!

Lu Ran feared that once he went in, he wouldn't be able to come out again...

Si Xianxian was dragged into this by Lu Ran, and she also missed the great worship ceremony.

At the moment, Si Xianxian was sitting under a large tree by the Martial Arts Arena.

She still held a candied haw stick in her hand, with only one hawthorn left, seeming reluctant to eat it.

Si Xianxian just sat there, looking at the remaining hawthorn, her tongue occasionally licking her lips, resembling someone with a craving.

Hmm... somewhat cute?

"Eat it; I'll buy you another one," Lu Ran's voice came from within the arena.

"It's like I don't have money to buy it myself!" Si Xianxian rolled her eyes, still not willing to eat the last piece.

The Martial Arts Arena was far from the commercial street; to replenish her candied haws, she would have to walk a long way...

"Hurry up and eat; you're bothering me," Lu Ran's voice came again.

Si Xianxian was annoyed, "How can I bother you when I'm sitting here quietly, not making a sound?"

Lu Ran, with both swords in his arms, standing alone in the snow: "Your face is full of what's in your heart.

Your heart, it's bothering me."

Si Xianxian: ?

Lu Ran commanded, "Eat."

"You're being tyrannical; it'll be the death of you," Si Xianxian grumbled, but opened her small mouth and took a bite.

"Crack~ Crunch~"

Between her lips and teeth, the sugar coating continuously shattered, producing an enticing, crispy sound.

It sounded delicious.

"You've been standing there stupidly for half a day," Si Xianxian mumbled with her mouth full, "What are you thinking about?"

Her displeasure from just moments ago was gone, her mouth sweet with treats, and her mood suddenly much lighter.

Even her voice seemed to have become sweeter by three degrees.

Lu Ran, still embracing the swords, remarked, "Quiet, I'm contemplating the Dao."

Si Xianxian, holding the stick in her hand, suddenly wanted to stab Lu Ran to death...

These past few days, Yan Shuangzi had kept her promise to Deng Yuxiang, taking very good care of Lu Ran.

What Lu Ran did not expect was that the first lesson Yan Shuangzi gave him was not about sword skills, but about presenting an idea.

She said there were three realms for a swordsman.

One was Body and Blade Unity.

Two was Heart and Sword Unity.

Three was Person and Sword Unity.

She said that the vast majority of swordsmen in the world were in the first realm.

The so-called Body and Blade Unity meant being adept at using the blade in one's hand.

This was the most basic usage.

In your superficial understanding, the blade is just a tool.

A weapon to help you win and slay enemies.

But in truth, for a true swordsman, the blade in one's hand is an extension of a swordsman's spirit.

This is the second realm: Heart and Sword Unity.

In this realm,

The blade can be firm, dominating, or even compassionate.

With this, the blade in your hand is no longer a cold object.

Instead, it is a physical manifestation of your will and spirit!

Yan Shuangzi gave Lu Ran high praise.

She said that during Lu Ran's match with Bu Qingfeng, she glimpsed the embryonic form of "blade intent."

Lu Ran's blade could indeed "speak."

At the very least, it was babbling.

However, Lu Ran was not a North Wind Believer; his understanding of the blade didn't need to be so profound.

He didn't even need to delve into it!

After all, everyone's energy is limited, and for believers of other sects, delving deep into this path wouldn't be of much help to them.

Only North Wind Believers must grasp it, as it was a mandate of the sect!

If you wanted to learn and perform the great Jiang Realm Divine Techniques of the Beifeng Sect, believers had to reach the third realm—Person and Sword Unity.

In this realm: the person is the blade, the blade is the person.

After Yan Shuangzi explained this concept, Lu Ran suddenly awakened!

Before, when Lu Ran first scrutinized Yan Shuangzi closely, he had such a thought:

"She's like a great blade standing in the icy snowscape.

Chill and sharpness emanate from her, an imposing air all around!"

This was Lu Ran's instinctive feeling about Yan Shuangzi, something he thought but never shared with anyone.

And when Lu Ran understood the concept of "Person and Sword Unity," he realized just how powerful Yan Shuangzi was!

Lu Ran felt fortunate to have been exposed to these ideas.

Indeed, he was not a North Wind Believer, but he was the Evil Sect Master!

Before long, Lu Ran would activate the Night Charm Evil Sculpture.

The Night Charm Evil Skills below the River Realm, Lu Ran could naturally perform at will.

But once the Night Charm Evil Sculpture reached the River Realm, did Lu Ran need to reach the "Person and Sword Unity" realm to perform the incredibly powerful Jiang Realm·Night Charm Evil Skill?

After all, the North Wind Clan and the Night Charm Clan were quite similar to an excessive degree.

"Lu Ran?" A voice called out, awakening the contemplative Lu Ran.

"What's up?" Lu Ran turned to look.

Si Xianxian shook the stick in her hand, "I'm going to buy some more candied haws, be right back."

"No, you can't go right now; the market is too crowded," Lu Ran immediately objected.

"What's the problem with a crowd?"

"I'm afraid someone will bump into you, and you'll slap them away," Lu Ran scoffed, "We'd both end up in jail."

"You and your fussing!" Si Xianxian shot up to her feet, having tolerated Lu Ran for quite some time.

The previous few times didn't matter, but now, he was keeping her from eating candied haws; how could she agree?

"Don't be mad," Lu Ran promptly tried to calm her.

"Ugh." Si Xianxian stumbled a bit, one hand to her forehead.

A few seconds later, the re-oriented Si Xianxian looked at Lu Ran again with a smoldering gaze.

"Fine, fine, I'll go with you," Lu Ran sighed with helplessness and started toward the edge of the arena.

"Hmph, that's more like it," Si Xianxian didn't wait for Lu Ran, striding into the depths of the Snow Forest.

Half an hour later, in the bustling commercial street.

Si Xianxian held a warm sugar cake in one hand and a stick of strawberry candied haws in the other, her eyes gleaming with delight.

Where was the hint of rage from a moment ago?

"Crunch~"

With one bite, the sugar coating crunched crisply, the sweetness filling her mouth.

"Mmm." Si Xianxian closed her eyes, a look of utter bliss on her face.

Lu Ran poked her spine, "Let's go."

Si Xianxian started walking, clearly in great spirits, her steps light and airy.

Perhaps the strawberries were too sweet; she was so happy she bobbed her head, muttering:

"I'm a little wild horse, I trot and gallop~"

Lu Ran: ???

Well, well...

She's indeed a patient; what kind of state is this?

Has she really been so satisfied by eating?

Perhaps, Auntie Si wouldn't dare take her daughter to such a lively market, right?

Her life before must have been very dull and repressive.

"Eh?" Si Xianxian, still lost in happiness, suddenly got bumped by a running child.

Instantly, the strawberry candied haw fell from her hand.

Being a martial artist, she instinctively kicked it back up with her foot and caught it in her hand again.

"That's definitely a little wild horse, wow!" Lu Ran couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Si Xianxian's face darkened, "Shut your mouth!"

Lu Ran continued laughing, "Such injustice for that candied haw!

Not only does it get eaten, but it also gets kicked first?"

Si Xianxian glared at Lu Ran fiercely, then looked for the possible dust stuck on the sugar coating of the candied haw.

Hmm... not a big deal.

What's a little dirt; it won't make you sick to eat it!

She gave a symbolic blow and bit into it again.

"Wow!"

"Such presence..." Suddenly, exclamations of awe came from the crowd.

Lu Ran looked up and saw a group of North Wind Believers flying overhead, heading towards the inner city.

At least three to four hundred people covered the sky like a great canopy!

Every North Wind Believer seemed full of vitality, enviable to onlookers.

They were all here for the pilgrimage?

Lu Ran paused to watch for a moment, his heart imagining a day in the future when he could fly carefree in the sky.

Of course, by then, he wouldn't be using Divine Technique·Breeze Dance, but rather Evil Technique·Night Dance!

"Let's go, head back to the inn," Lu Ran came back to his senses and proceeded with Si Xianxian.

"Just a little longer, please!" Si Xianxian was reluctant to leave.

"You go back and eat; I've been practicing all morning and want to rest."

"Alright..." the two chatted as they crossed half the street and entered an inn.

This was their place to stay in Beifeng City, with the room fee paid by Yan Shuangzi.

It was hard to imagine how expensive a room would be during such a special time.

"Don't wander off, okay?" Lu Ran got to the second floor and before entering his own room, he cautioned again worriedly.

"Got it, got it," Si Xianxian, with treats in hand, entered her room and closed the door behind her.

Lu Ran sighed and pushed the door to enter his own room.

The inn inside the city was very traditional, adorned with an ancient elegance.

Lu Ran went to the window and flipped through his phone on the table.

It had been a long time since he received a message from that person; she must be busy.

Busy cultivating, busy experiencing the world.

For Jiang Ruyi, Lu Ran had refused Si Xianxian's suggestion to visit the Ice and Snow World together.

Yet, even in the hustle and bustle of Beifeng City, everything Lu Ran saw was fresh and intriguing to him.

More than once, he thought how nice it would be to replace the 'little wild horse' with Jiang Ruyi...

"Happy New Year," Lu Ran typed four words and sent it out.

Lu Ran waited for a moment and, as expected, there was no reply.

He then texted his family, but at that moment, an anomaly suddenly occurred!

"Buzz!!"

The entire Beifeng City seemed to tremble.

Lu Ran was alarmed and abruptly lifted his head to look out the window.

"What the--!" Lu Ran gaped, what was he seeing?

A mirage?

In the sky far north of the Divine Sculpture, a phantom appeared.

It was a majestic Chinese palace!

As if a relic projected from ancient times, with overwhelming grandeur!

"Divine Ruins," Lu Ran muttered to himself.

He had seen the Evil Nest, which was a powerful method of the Evil Demon Stone Sculpture, capable of deploying endless minions of Evil Demons in a specific area.

And now, this grand and illusive architecture before him, was a particular method of a divine being.

It would not bring calamity to the world but instead was another form of blessing from the divine.

Seems like Lord North Wind was in high spirits, ready to reward his disciples?

Creating Divine Ruins was as exhausting as creating Evil Nests for divine beings, both costing tremendous amounts of Qi!

Lu Ran used his Extreme Vision and saw more than a dozen North Wind Believers rise up and reach the front of the big hall.

These individuals looked vigorous and full of spirit!

No joke, was that just a dozen people?

In Lu Ran's eyes, they were more than a dozen blades.

And among these blades stood Yan Shuangzi, like a great sword herself!

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