"Lu... Lu..." Guan Yiren stared blankly at the young man who was at once strange and familiar.

Familiar, because Lu Ran's appearance hadn't changed.

Strange, because his power was so terrifyingly oppressive; is this truly something a member of the Human Clan should possess?

Also, what's with the golden little Dragon Carp?

Has he defected to the Dragon Carp Sect?

"Yes, it's me." Lu Ran stood on the sloping wall of the cave, looking at the pale-faced woman, his voice as gentle as possible, "Breathe, Yiren, breathe."

Guan Yiren finally came to her senses, taking a deep breath.

Lu Ran didn't look at her again but sat down against the cave wall.

Indeed, as long as he existed, he was an immense pressure to weaker beings, but not looking at her would at least lessen her burden by a tiny bit.

"I didn't expect to... to meet you here." Guan Yiren said softly.

"Yes." Lu Ran looked at the calmly flowing water covered in the golden rain, "I thought the Divine wouldn't send Da Xia's genius to Holy Spirit Mountain anymore."

"Heavenly Pride" opened up one and a half sessions.

Long before Lu Ran entered Holy Spirit Mountain, the second session of "Heavenly Pride" had already started, but was forcibly interrupted by God Demon after just a few episodes.

Qiao Yuansi had three teammates, namely Guan Yiren, Wang Ling, and Niu Zhengzheng.

Among them, Sword One believer Guan Yiren and Spear Emperor believer Wang Ling were participants in the second session of Heavenly Pride.

This point further illustrated the strength of dear mother's arrangement for young Yuanxi's team.

In Da Xia, only a hundred people were selected for each session of "Heavenly Pride", yet Qiao Yuansi's team had produced two...

"Why?" Guan Yiren asked curiously.

Lu Ran shook his head with a smile, probably because he attempted to take too large a step.

Seeing Lu Ran didn't want to explain, Guan Yiren asked softly, "You... you're so strong, what Realm level are you?"

"Above Sea Realm, Heavenly Realm."

"Heavenly Realm..."

"Second Rank of the Heavenly Realm." Lu Ran explained more specifically, "With a Great Realm difference from the first rank. So you don't need to feel embarrassed or blame yourself.

The God Demon brought a rigid hierarchy system.

Your inadequacy is not your fault."

Guan Yiren lowered her head, looking at the young man sitting at her feet.

He... seems not to have changed a bit.

Just like when he was in the Human World, as gentle as ever.

For a moment, Guan Yiren recalled so much.

Back then, under the family's arrangement, she used young Yuanxi's connections to lead a team to Rain Alley City to defend the city on the night of the fifteen.

At that time, Lu Ran was still participating in "Heavenly Pride".

The Beijing team did this to increase exposure and build momentum for the students themselves.

As facts proved, this approach was very successful, both she and Wang Ling became Da Xia's genius of the second session.

And in that cursed little city, the team underwent one special event after another.

She still remembered that during the special night of Hundred Ghosts Night Parade + Demon Lord's arrival, Lu Ran saved her from under Evil Spear Emperor's spear at the last second.

If it weren't for his knife at the time, that Evil Cloud Spear would have pierced through her skull.

Wave after wave surged in Guan Yiren's heart, as she slowly squatted down, her long skirt dipping into the water and gently floating.

"You adapt quickly." Lu Ran turned his head, looking at the woman beside him.

Guan Yiren lowered her head, her mind full of thoughts, yet she said nothing.

"How long have you been at Holy Spirit Mountain?" Lu Ran asked following the situation.

Guan Yiren shook her head, she could no longer remember.

"Why are you here?" Lu Ran asked again.

Guan Yiren was silent for a moment, then whispered, "The outside world, is dirty."

Lu Ran laughed.

A silent laugh, nodding his head.

If only one word could be used to describe Holy Spirit Mountain, then "dirty" was indeed fitting.

Such a filthy place, indeed mismatched with this snow white-clothed, elegantly cold woman.

Lu Ran sighed lightly, saying, "I heard Sword One called you for pilgrimage, so I didn't dare to find you. I thought you were also Heavenly Pride, wouldn't be thrown into this sinful place, but I didn't expect..."

Or perhaps, Divine Sword One is different from other Divine?

Other Divine would deliberately avoid throwing the first and second sessions of Heavenly Pride into the mountain to avoid disrupting the Mountain Realm's order, while Sword One always acts alone and indifferently?

Guan Yiren was shocked in her heart, turning her head to look at Lu Ran.

From those words just now, she deduced a piece of unbelievable information - Lu Ran returned to the Human World?!

Young Yuanxi once personally said, his brother challenged Divine Ruins successfully.

According to her investigation, indeed there was a Divine Ruins opened on Luoxian Mountain during the Chinese New Year of 2020.

Guan Yiren couldn't possibly think other Immortal Sheep believers had the qualification to challenge Divine Ruins, the only candidate must be Da Xia's genius leader!

And her pilgrimage to Sword Heaven Palace, following Lord Jian Yi's call, happened several months later...

"You... you've gone back to the Human World?"

"Yes." Lu Ran smiled, revealing another shocking piece of news, "That time when I went back, I brought many people into the mountain, including your teammates Qiao Yuansi and Niu Zhengzheng."

Guan Yiren's willow leaf-shaped eyes widened slightly.

Lu Ran continued, "Young Yuanxi is just above, admiring Heavenly Pool. Do you want to see her?"

Guan Yiren slightly parted her thin lips, unable to speak for a while.

"Yiren?"

"Yes... okay." Guan Yiren finally responded.

"Let's go~" Lu Ran lightly leaped up, suddenly, a magnificent silver-white fish tail emerged from his waist down.

Like a droplet of water, it merged into the cold water surface.

Guan Yiren tightened her grip on the sword hilt, then saw Lu Ran emerge from the water:

"Come on, do you need me to take you?"

Guan Yiren nodded unconsciously.

"Hold your breath." Lu Ran said softly, with her taking a deep breath, she held onto her slender wrist and took her diving into the water.

The fish tail was long, longer than Guan Yiren herself.

Shimmering with silver light, like a precious evening gown, gently fluttering, leading her swiftly through the long underwater tunnel.

Though the lake water was clear, Guan Yiren's vision remained blurred.

Apart from the gently swaying long fish tail beside her, she felt more notably the large hand holding her wrist.

A certain feeling from past years surged back to her heart.

Six unforgettable words reappeared in her mind:

Stirred by emotion, restrained by propriety.

Her self-respect and self-love made it impossible for her to sabotage a childhood sweetheart couple, impossible to do something so cheap.

And in this chaotic world, even if she took that step, it could lead to parting by death.

Not to mention, she never took that step.

Drifting apart was an inevitable outcome.

Yet unexpectedly, in this clear and cold water, she met him again.

After years have passed,

the former top genius of Da Xia now seemed akin to a deity.

"Splash!"

Lu Ran, carefree, only exposed his head above the lake surface, looking towards the lake shore: "Yuanxi?"

"Brother!" Qiao Yuansi hurriedly replied, "Have you found that Divine Weapon yet?"

"I found it, buy one get one free, and even found a person." Lu Ran smiled as he swam towards the shore.

"A person?" Qiao Yuansi blinked, under the dazzling starlight reflected on the lake, saw a figure in white.

Who is this person?

Such great importance, to have my brother personally escort... huh?

Qiao Yuansi's eyes narrowed!

As the two came ashore and stood up, the woman in the white dress tidied her hair, revealing a fair and captivating face.

"Yi... Sister Yiren?" Qiao Yuansi foolishly uttered.

Guan Yiren smiled and nodded.

"Ah! Sister Yiren!" Qiao Yuansi exclaimed in surprise, quickly ran over, not caring about the cold water soaking her ankles, and plunged into Guan Yiren's wet and icy embrace.

Guan Yiren habitually wrapped her arms around Qiao Yuansi's back, only to realize a startling fact in the next moment.

The once weakest member in the team, little Yuanxi, now surpassed her in realm?

Guan Yiren, who was at Sea Realm·Third Rank!

Truly deserving of the Da Xia's genius title, and of being a follower of Sword One.

If it were in the human world, she would be the top existence.

Even within Holy Spirit Mountain, she was undoubtedly the ruler!

She was simply fed up with the schemes and betrayals of her kin, fed up with people's lowly appearances and flattering expressions, hence secluded herself by the clear cold lake.

Guan Yiren never expected to meet the adorable little Yuanxi again in this filthy Holy Spirit Mountain...

The other had reached Sea Realm·Peak!

No matter how high Lu Ran's realm was, Guan Yiren could convince herself.

But little Yuanxi?

How did she accomplish it?

"Sister Yiren, I missed you so much." Qiao Yuansi stood on tiptoe, burying her face in Guan Yiren's neck, rubbing her cheeks back and forth.

"Mm." Guan Yiren gently patted the girl's back.

The disposition of a Sword One believer made it hard for her to say much in most situations.

Lu Ran watched this scene, smiling, then turned and soared into the sky.

He lightly grasped the hilt, intending not to disturb the Eight Desolate Blade until it spoke first.

However, a sound transmission seal imprinted into Lu Ran's mind: [That point.]

Lu Ran paused in thought, then probed, "Silver Moon Pattern?"

[Before the ripples spread.] The Eight Desolate Blade replied in a deep voice.

Lu Ran's mind stirred slightly, raised his hand pointing to the sky.

With dense energy surging, moonlight gathered at his fingertip, and he lightly tapped the air.

"Pop~"

It was as if time and space were pierced, setting off circles of mournful moon patterns.

"Buzz!" The Eight Desolate Blade trembled violently.

Lu Ran pondered for a moment, speculating, "You want your blade tip, to be like my fingertip?"

The ripples that followed clearly didn't meet the Eight Desolates Annihilation Blade's expectations.

It was the initial point of the tap that gave the Eight Desolate Blade immense inspiration!

The Eight Desolate Blade was born to destroy all.

It wouldn't consider piercing into the stone body of the Evil God along a wound others had already cut.

That would be an utter disgrace!

The Eight Desolates Annihilation should be the most destructive existence.

It wanted to concentrate all its power at the blade tip, to forcefully pierce into the formidable body of the Divine Demon, wanting to...

By the lakeside.

Guan Yiren raised her head, gazing at the circles of beautiful moon patterns expanding in the night sky.

Under the moon pattern, the young man armed with a blade remained heroic, yet was also enveloped in a layer of bright cold brilliance, exuding a hint of Immortal Qi.

Cold and beautifully mournful, untouchable.

"What is that?" Guan Yiren murmured softly.

"Eight Desolate Blade, brother is comprehending the domain with the Divine Weapon," Qiao Yuansi misunderstood, by now she considered Lu Ran's ability to perform myriad skills as natural.

She suddenly remembered something, and added, "Right! This Heavenly Star Saber was a gift from our team to brother!"

Guan Yiren naturally remembered, within the Rain Alley Home District, in front of Lu Ran's apartment building.

Wang Ling presented this luxurious gift worth millions on behalf of everyone.

"The Eight Desolate Blade has already become a Third Rank Divine Weapon~" Qiao Yuansi's expression was all smug, as if she had nurtured the blade herself.

Third Rank?!

Guan Yiren gazed silently at the night sky.

The Heavenly Star Saber made of Tianchen Steel was indeed expensive, but when the team gifted it to Lu Ran, it was still an ordinary object measurable by money.

And now...

Qiao Yuansi clung tightly to Guan Yiren's arm, as if afraid she'd run away: "If it advances further, it might just be... huh?"

In the brilliant starlit sky, clouds and mist gradually gathered.

On the clear lake surface, a thin mist faintly dispersed.

Under the starlit sky, atop the mountain peak.

A young man wielded the Divine Weapon, the blade's body trembled violently open.

"Buzz!!!"

...

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