Chapter 309: Unparalleled in Daxia?!

Chapter 309: Unparalleled in Daxia?!

Lu Ran rested for two full days before he could recover from his exhausted state.

That morning, it also happened to be the day the results of Heavenly Pride were announced.

With an astonishingly high score of 149 points, Lu Ran stood tall among his peers, jumping from third place on the overall leaderboard straight to the top!

The number one spot on the Heavenly Pride rankings!

As for the one point deduction,

No one knew!

Perhaps his sleeping habits were too annoying?

Regardless, this honor left Lu Ran pleasantly surprised.

It also thrilled his supporters, as the atmosphere on various forums was as festive as the New Year.

The youth who had once reigned supreme in Rain Alley had finally become the undisputed "Unparalleled in Daxia"!

Ten teachers who participated in the scoring left comments for Lu Ran, and the shortest one was the most talked-about.

It was just five simple words:

"The Best in the World!"

This evaluation made people's blood boil with excitement and filled his supporters with pride.

Regardless of whether he could maintain this ranking after the next two issues of Heavenly Pride, for now, Lu Ran was at the top of the Heaven Rank!

In an instant, Lu Ran became so famous that he was almost overhyped.

The Heavenly Pride officials also reached out to Lu Ran, hoping he could cooperate and participate in an interview, then accompany the crew to visit some remote areas and bring warmth and encouragement to the believers and students there.

Previously, Lu Ran had been exempted from many activities due to his identity as a high school senior.

Now that he had entered university, the officials naturally sought him out.

Lu Ran found the activity meaningful and genuinely wanted to participate.

The problem was that he was in a crucial period of ascending to the River Realm and needed to focus on his insights.

Helpless, Lu Ran explained the situation to the program's leaders.

They didn't make things difficult for him and agreed to wait for Lu Ran to ascend to the River Realm before participating in the activity.

No one believed that Lu Ran would be stuck at the Fifth Stage of the River Realm like other believers.

As the number one talent in Daxia, he could advance at any time!

No one wanted to be the villain in Daxia.

However, the Heavenly Pride team still hoped that Lu Ran could spare two hours for a simple interview.

Lu Ran couldn't refuse again, so he agreed.

On the nineteenth day of the lunar month, when the nationwide lockdown was lifted, the Heavenly Pride crew arrived in Rain Alley.

For this interview, Lu Ran participated with Jiang Ruyi, and the large crew left promptly after exactly two hours, heading back to the capital with efficiency.

Lu Ran was left dumbfounded!

If he hadn't signed over a hundred autographs, he would have thought that these people couldn't be bothered with him.

However, Lu Ran's good days seemed to last only a few days.

When everything returned to normal, Lu Ran fell back into his old routine of daily failures.

He had grasped the glimmer of the Radiant Light Domain but couldn't grasp himself.

Sometimes, Lu Ran reflected on whether he was too hasty.

Even the most talented Second Rank Divine Disciples could be stuck at the Fifth Stage of the River Realm for three to five months.

He had only been home since August 4th, and if you counted the days, he had only been cultivating for a few days.

With this in mind, Lu Ran calmed himself and dedicated himself to his insights, spending another fifteenth day in Rain Alley City.

On the night of the fifteenth of September, Lu Ran still patrolled with Sun Zhengfang and the others.

That night, the heavens showed mercy and spared Rain Alley City, which had endured so much suffering.

The heavens finally spared Rain Alley City, but not Lu Ran.

He still couldn't find the path to advancement.

Jiang Ruyi watched as Lu Ran became more silent each day, and her worries grew.

Lu Ran's path to advancement had always been too smooth.

At the age of eighteen, he was even the top-ranked on the Heaven Rank during the summer, and no matter how mature Lu Ran was, his ambition remained unwavering.

Now, day after day, his efforts yielded no results.

To say he wasn't affected would be a lie.

On the fourth day of the tenth lunar month, the seemingly ordinary days underwent a slight change.

That day, Lu Ran stayed on the abandoned skydeck by the Wulie River until 2 AM before returning home.

When he reached the main bedroom door, he stood there, dazed.

The room was empty.

Only her faint fragrance lingered, but her figure was nowhere to be seen.

It had been two months since Lu Ran had gotten used to returning home to warm meals in the kitchen and her sleeping figure in the master bedroom.

But on this day,

The food remained, but the beauty was gone.

"Hmm."

Lu Ran took a deep breath and leaned against the doorframe, his body slanting.

Had he neglected her?

It seemed so.

He had been neglecting her for a long time.

Each day, he returned home later than the last.

By the time he woke up in the morning, she had already prepared breakfast and left to worship the gods at the Jiang family shrine.

Every day, the two of them barely exchanged a few words.

There were even days when he got caught up in his own stubbornness and didn't come home all night.

Perhaps she had been dissatisfied for a long time.

Lu Ran silently stared at the empty bed, and after a while, he picked up his phone and scrolled through their chat history.

Their last conversation on the phone dated back a long time ago.

Seeing the time, it was past 2 AM.

Lu Ran hesitated for a moment before putting away his phone.

After having a late-night snack in the kitchen, Lu Ran returned to the master bedroom and fell asleep.

Usually, he only slept for four to five hours, and sometimes, Jiang Ruyi was still asleep when he quietly left home.

Ascending to the River Realm had become Lu Ran's obsession.

But on this day, Lu Ran slept soundly, unaware of the world around him.

In the evening, Jiang Ruyi opened the door, stepped inside, and as she closed the door, she noticed a pair of shoes under the shoe rack to the side.

(End of Chapter)She couldn't help but freeze for a moment.

"Thud." The door closed, the sound neither loud nor soft.

Jiang Ruyi snapped out of her daze, and her heart tightened.

She took off her boots and, without putting on slippers, quietly walked towards the room.

As expected, she saw Lu Ran's figure on the bed in the master bedroom.

"I'm back," Lu Ran said softly.

"Did I wake you up?" Jiang Ruyi's voice was gentle as she stepped into the room.

Lu Ran, still drowsy, looked at Jiang Ruyi who had come to the bedside, momentarily lost for words.

She was wearing a dark, long windbreaker and a dark red knitted scarf around her neck, looking elegant and beautiful.

Compared to the day of their separation last autumn, the youthfulness on her face had faded significantly.

Even with the warm-toned scarf, it couldn't hide her increasingly elegant and aloof temperament.

"Why didn't you go to cultivate today?" Jiang Ruyi knelt by the bed, slightly leaning forward, looking at the silent Lu Ran.

Seeing her still gentle gaze, Lu Ran became uncertain.

She didn't seem to be angry at all?

"Lu Ran?" Jiang Ruyi called out softly.

"Tired," Lu Ran averted his gaze, speaking casually.

This reason was flawless; there was not a single fault to pick on.

It had been two whole months, and except for the 15th and its surrounding days, Lu Ran had been coming home late every day.

His physical exhaustion was one thing, but his mental fatigue was another.

"Are you sick?" Jiang Ruyi reached out and placed her hand on Lu Ran's forehead.

It was cold and soft.

Jiang Ruyi frowned slightly, "Why is it so hot?"

Lu Ran looked at his girlfriend helplessly, "Your hand is cold."

Jiang Ruyi: "..."

Lu Ran: "..."

In the tenth month of the lunar calendar, it was already the transition from autumn to winter, and it was indeed a bit cold outside.

"It's good that you're not sick." Jiang Ruyi lightly glared at Lu Ran, stood up straight, and walked out of the bedroom while removing her scarf.

Soon, her tall and slender figure reappeared at the master bedroom door, with one hand resting on the doorknob, as if about to close the door:

"Do you want to sleep some more?"

Suddenly, Lu Ran said, "Last night, you weren't home."

Jiang Ruyi paused.

Lu Ran: "Was there something going on with Uncle and Auntie?"

Jiang Ruyi pursed her lips, her face showing hesitation, "I..."

"What's wrong?"

Jiang Ruyi hesitated for a long time before speaking softly, "I've advanced to the Fifth Stage of the River Realm. I've been cultivating in front of the shrine and didn't come over."

"Hmm?"

"Fifth Stage of the River Realm."

"That's great!" Lu Ran's heart filled with joy, but then he became puzzled, "Is there something you find hard to say?"

Jiang Ruyi glanced at Lu Ran cautiously and then shook her head lightly, "No."

It had been two months since Lu Ran had already reached the Fifth Stage of the River Realm.

When he first returned from Luoxian Mountain, he seemed like a celestial being, with stars hidden in his eyes.

Day after day, Jiang Ruyi witnessed the light in his eyes gradually dimming.

She was powerless to do anything, so she could only strive to take care of his daily needs and restrain herself from disturbing his enlightenment.

Now, two months had passed, and the two of them were once again on equal footing.

Jiang Ruyi knew how much Lu Ran had endured and the struggles he faced in his heart.

She was indeed a little worried that Lu Ran might be affected by this setback.

"You..." Lu Ran thought for a moment and understood her mental state.

He looked at his girlfriend with a mix of annoyance and amusement, waving his hand, "Come here."

Jiang Ruyi slightly lowered her head and walked over.

As she approached the bed, a warm palm grabbed her cold wrist.

"Mm." Jiang Ruyi let out a soft call, and she was pulled down onto the bed.

Lu Ran held her down, his hands supporting her body on both sides, and looked down at her eyes:

"You've advanced, and I'm so happy I can't even express it!

In your heart, am I such a petty person?"

Jiang Ruyi raised her eyes, carefully examining Lu Ran's eyes.

After a long while, she averted her gaze and spoke softly, "I was afraid you'd be upset."

"Hehe." Lu Ran couldn't help but laugh.

When he saw a smile appear on Jiang Ruyi's face, Lu Ran felt his teeth itch with frustration!

What kind of person am I in your heart? My own failure is terrifying, but my girlfriend's success is even more heart-wrenching?

"I'll go make dinner," Jiang Ruyi said softly, as if about to sneak away.

Lu Ran held her back, "Let's go out to eat and celebrate!"

When he said the word 'celebrate', Lu Ran intentionally emphasized it.

"Oh." Jiang Ruyi looked away, "What are we going to eat?"

Lu Ran hummed, "Hotpot lamb, to match your great achievements."

"Pfft~" Jiang Ruyi couldn't help but laugh, then quickly controlled herself.

Lamb, as an ingredient, would never appear on the Lu family's dining table.

Although the Immortal Sheep had no connection to the earthly sheep, it didn't care at all.

But lamb still carried the character 'sheep' in its name.

"Let's go." Lu Ran urged, as it had been a long time since they had hotpot lamb, and he was indeed a bit craving it.

The two of them put on their clothes, hats, and scarves, fully prepared, and quickly left the house.

At this moment, the two were still unaware of what this outing would bring them.

(End)

Chapter end