"Whoosh—"

The shrill whistle echoed throughout the venue.

The male teacher announced loudly, "Jiang Ruyi, wins!"

The playground burst into commotion.

"Jiang the beauty is amazing! Strong comeback!"

"Finally, someone has dealt with that little lamb, hahaha!"

"Fixed match! Impossible, my Ran Shen can't lose, it must be a fixed match, I'll report this!"

"No, how did Lu Ran's kick send Jiang Ruyi flying out? That's unscientific!"

"That's my master's special application of Divine Technique·Immortal Hoof." Tian Tian said with a proud look.

As she spoke, she looked around.

In the sky was the still-flying figure of Jiang Ruyi.

On the ground, was the continually sliding figure of Lu Ran.

Strictly speaking, Lu Ran had fallen out of the competition area.

Although Jiang Ruyi was further from the grandstand, she could fly...

Since she hadn't touched the ground, she wasn't out of bounds!

Tian Tian looked left and right, her gaze sweeping over a man and a woman, getting more delighted by the second.

Sister Ruyi is finally back~

They are really a perfect match!

"Huh—"

High in the sky, Jiang Ruyi's flying figure abruptly stopped, standing mid-air.

The Jade Talisman Formation had a strong effect; the previously exploding flames were completely absorbed by the White Jade Stone.

The blast-induced shockwave was solidly blocked by the water armor.

After this fierce confrontation, Jiang Ruyi still stood with a proud demeanor, gracefully elegant.

As for Lu Ran...

Well, he's still alive.

Gradually, applause and cheers rose from the playground.

"The grand competition officially ends! All units, line up!" The male teacher returned to the grandstand, loudly maintaining discipline.

As he spoke, he looked up at the sky, "Jiang Ruyi, you... you can float if you like!

It's just right to show everyone what a real powerhouse looks like."

Jiang Ruyi: "..."

She immediately flew down.

The girl obviously misunderstood, thinking her behavior was too presumptuous and had displeased the teacher.

Little did she know, the teacher was setting up a target...

"Next, I invite the top three students to come up and receive their rewards."

The teacher on the stage spoke loudly while Tian Tian stealthily approached Jiang Ruyi. "Sister Ruyi!"

"Long time no see." Jiang Ruyi waved away the surrounding White Jade Stones.

This allowed Tian Tian to get even closer.

True to form, Tian Tian moved sideways, grabbed Jiang Ruyi's arm, and secretly sniffed her clothes.

Was she smelling the familiar scent?

"Hehe~" Seeing Tian Tian's cute manner, Jiang Ruyi couldn't help but smile.

"Sister Ruyi, have you grown taller?"

Tian Tian looked up, her expression exactly as it had always been when looking up at her idol.

"Maybe it's because of the change in environment." Jiang Ruyi nodded slightly.

Before she left, she was 172cm tall; over five months, she grew 2-3 centimeters.

Tian Tian smiled sweetly, "It seems Sister Ruyi has been eating well."

Jiang Ruyi chatted quietly, "The lamb goji berry soup in Yumen Pass... hmm."

She paused, glanced towards the grandstand.

Noticing Lu Ran receiving his award, she relaxed and whispered, "The goji berry soup there is really good."

Tian Tian couldn't help but cover her mouth and giggle, whispering, "If there's no meat, it should be called goji berry water."

Jiang Ruyi slightly raised her eyebrows, looking at the girl beside her.

She could feel that Tian Tian had become more cheerful and wasn't as meek as before.

"Um." Tian Tian, apparently unable to withstand the gaze of the goddess, guiltily bowed her head.

Jiang Ruyi felt somewhat helpless.

Just after praising her, why has it gone back to this...

Jiang Ruyi softly said, "I see Chang Ying is in our team."

"Yes, teacher arranged for her to come in after you left."

"Have you been bullied?"

"No, no, Chang Ying is really nice..."

The two chatted quietly, and before long, Lu Ran returned to the team holding a River Grade Divine Power Bead.

"Hmm?" Just as Lu Ran was about to join the line, a strange phenomenon occurred!

The Cold Night Sword behind Jiang Ruyi suddenly lunged out.

However, the Cold Night Sword did not stab towards Lu Ran but hung upside down and circled around him.

"This?" Lu Ran looked at Jiang Ruyi.

Jiang Ruyi appeared not to hear, still watching the grandstand.

Lu Ran: ???

What's so interesting about a speech?

After a full 3 seconds, Jiang Ruyi still stared forward, acting as though Lu Ran didn't exist.

Lu Ran grasped the hilt of the Cold Night Sword and pretended to examine the blade, muttering softly:

"Pretend not to see, a thousand times in the corner of my eye."

Jiang Ruyi instantly broke character.

Her face flushed slightly, and she glared at Lu Ran, neither too harshly nor too lightly.

"Oh!" But by now, Lu Ran's attention had shifted from Jiang Ruyi.

The hilt of the Cold Night Sword was icy cold.

The emotions conveyed by the Sword Spirit were even more befuddling to Lu Ran.

Lu Ran had expected the Cold Night Sword to show some defiance or hostility.

Never did he expect such gentleness from the Cold Night Sword?

Though Lu Ran couldn't hear the Artifact Spirit speak, he could feel bits of joy and traces of longing.

What was this situation?

The Divine Weapon belonging to Jiang Ruyi should be conveying these emotions towards me?

If this is the attitude of the Artifact Spirit, then Lu Ran believed he could completely wield this divine weapon!

Lu Ran thought so and acted accordingly.

The result truly left Lu Ran astounded!

He was really able to wield the Cold Night Sword!

"Ah?" Lu Ran's mouth hung open slightly.

Why?

"Lu Ran!!" Suddenly, from the grandstand, the male teacher's voice boomed.

"Present!"

"When a leader is speaking ahead, what are you playing at? Stand straight and listen!"

"Ah?" The Cold Night Sword suddenly slipped from his grasp, flying towards the grandstand.

"Stop!!" Jiang Ruyi was shocked and immediately shouted sharply.

In an instant, the Cold Night Sword hung suspended in mid-air.

Below the sword, the gathered students paled, hurriedly moving aside.

The sudden scene plunged the campus into silence.

A Divine Weapon, naturally, is a treasure every student dreams of owning.

And its dangerous nature was beyond question!

"Sorry, teacher." Jiang Ruyi apologetically nodded, "I'll keep it under control."

The male teacher was stunned.

Was Jiang Ruyi putting on an act?

If she wasn't dissatisfied, would the Cold Night Sword have attacked?

But from Jiang Ruyi's behavior, the decision of the Cold Night Sword seemed unrelated to its master.

This...

It was important to note that Lu Ran also carried a divine weapon, the Dawn Blade on his back.

It hadn't moved because Lu Ran held no animosity towards the teacher and hadn't issued an attack command.

The same question troubled Lu Ran.

As the leader continued his speech on the grandstand, Lu Ran turned slightly and looked at Jiang Ruyi.

The girl was tightly gripping the Cold Night Sword, lightly scoffing at Lu Ran.

Lu Ran: "..."

He seemed to understand something.

In the philosophy of the Beifeng Sect:

The sword is an extension of the Sword Holder's thoughts, a tangible manifestation of their spiritual will.

And the state of being that one aims to achieve while nurturing a Divine Weapon coincides with this philosophy.

In other words,

The Divine Weapon - Cold Night Sword, trained by Jiang Ruyi's hand, had recognized Lu Ran as someone very special!

So, when Lu Ran first held the Cold Night Sword, he could sense the bits of longing and traces of joy from the Artifact Spirit.

The more he thought about it, the more awkward Lu Ran felt.

During our previous duel, when you sliced at me, wasn't it decisive and swift?

Ah, women!

Wait, it seems to be an Artifact Spirit?

Well... Whatever, its form is female.

The leader's lengthy sermon finally ended, and the opening ceremony was drawing to a close.

Following the teacher's announcement of this month's training tasks, the student formations disbanded.

"Man, the training task for the senior third term is worth 20 points!"

"The difficulty has also increased, right? We have to go kill Evil Demons from the River Realm."

"Yeah, in the future, we might not be able to get full marks each month."

"If we had a Divine Weapon, that would be great~"

"Ha, dream on..."

The students chattered among themselves as they left the campus.

Lu Ran and his group didn't want to draw attention and headed straight for the classroom building.

The group of five quickly returned to an empty classroom.

Jiang Ruyi looked around the familiar classroom, her eyes lingering on her old seat, a hint of nostalgia in her gaze.

"Welcome back, President Jiang." Deng Yutang finally found an opportunity to come beside Jiang Ruyi.

"Yeah." Jiang Ruyi smiled and politely nodded.

"Hello, President Jiang." Chang Ying didn't dare approach and simply waved her hand.

"How is the team?" Jiang Ruyi smiled as she looked at the tall Chang Ying.

"Very good." Chang Ying sneakily glanced at Lu Ran beside her, "Very reassuring."

Jiang Ruyi nodded in agreement, also looking towards Lu Ran.

"I have something to tell you." Lu Ran suddenly spoke up.

"What is it?" Deng Yutang was very curious.

With such a beautiful Jiang here, instead of catching up, you want to start a meeting?

Lu Ran sat perched on a desk, "Do you know about Heavenly Pride?"

"I saw it!" Chang Ying immediately said, "I watched it on the fifteenth of the first month."

"I saw it too!" Deng Yutang chimed in, "Those college students are so fierce?"

"Certainly!" Chang Ying nodded repeatedly, "I was so enthralled it went to my head.

My dad told me, after watching the program, it gave him hope to live..."

Lu Ran: "..."

Is the effect really that immediate?

Undoubtedly, Da Xia's official launch of "Heavenly Pride" was a national-level program.

Its preliminary promotions were overwhelming, and after the fifteenth of the first month, the heat from "Heavenly Pride" was almost explosive!

Tian Tian looked to Lu Ran, asking softly, "What's with the program?"

"Next month on the fifteenth, I can't join you all for the city defense."

"Ah?" Deng Yutang's eyes widened, "Brother Lu is going to?"

Everyone looked at Lu Ran in shock.

Lu Ran encouraged them, "Don't hold back, speak boldly!"

Deng Yutang incredulously said, "Brother Lu is going to participate in Heavenly Pride?"

Because Deng Yutang had seen firsthand how formidable those college students were, he was even more skeptical.

He highly recognized and respected Lu Ran's abilities.

The problem was, every one of those fierce college students was from the River Realm·Fifth Rank!

Looking around, not even a single one from the Fourth Rank of the River Realm could be found!

Moreover, they all were competitors from big cities, coming from the top universities of various provinces.

Lu Ran was still just a high school student!

"Yeah." Lu Ran nodded.

"Wow..." Tian Tian's mouth slightly agape.

Deng Yutang's eyes were full of disbelief.

Everyone knew Lu Ran was extraordinarily strong.

But this was Da Xia's officially recognized, handpicked top one hundred "Heavenly Prides"!

Only one hundred spots were available!

What does that imply?

At this moment, they all suddenly realized that such a significant figure was standing next to them!

Lu Ran was now on the same level as those elusive, brilliant Heavenly Prides.

The only difference was, Lu Ran was standing right beside them, visible and touchable.

Jiang Ruyi's eyes were tender with pride, gently watching Lu Ran.

Since she had just been teased by Lu Ran.

So this time, she wasn't using her peripheral vision.

Now it was his turn to use his peripheral vision.

...

End of the month, seeking some monthly tickets~

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