Chapter 8: In Life, a Little Bit of Showboating Goes a Long Way

Chapter 8: In Life, a Little Bit of Showboating Goes a Long Way

On the 5th day of the Lunar New Year, the sky was overcast with gloom.

Amid the incessant buzzing of the alarm, Lu Ran opened his sleepy eyes and swiftly silenced the death-knell-like ringing.

With a quick motion, he performed an unconventional version of the 'carp jumping over the dragon gate' exercise, rising to his feet without bending his knees, like a zombie emerging from a coffin, standing tall and straight.

Youth is all about a flexible waist~

He took long strides to the shrine, where he bowed respectfully, "Divine Sheep, good morning! Today, I'm going to the Evil Dog Village for training. Please bless me."

Lu Ran paused, and his body shivered.

Within the shrine, the white jade sheep sculpture released wisps of mist, which continuously drifted towards Lu Ran.

Lu Ran immediately responded, repeatedly compressing and solidifying the divine power within his body, leaving room for the gifts from the Divine Sheep.

"Ugh~" Lu Ran leaned against the cabinet and slowly sat down on the floor.

His body trembled violently, and he felt like he was about to burst from being inflated!

"Huff!"

The divine power surged and overflowed.

Mist Realm, Second Stage!

"Hehe."

Lu Ran breathed heavily, his heart filled with joy.

Last night, he had meditated in front of the shrine, practicing diligently until late, but he couldn't seem to get past this final hurdle.

And now, early this morning, he had received such good news.

Awesome~!

Lu Ran savored the feeling of power, enjoying it for a while before looking up at the shrine, "Thank you, Divine Sheep, for your help! Today, I will definitely work hard to achieve good results and bring glory to our Divine Sheep sect."

The white jade sheep sculpture silently released mist, nurturing Lu Ran's human body, but it did not respond.

"You said before that when I reach the Second Stage of the Mist Realm, I can learn the special version of the Divine Art of the Compassionate Voice?" Lu Ran asked with his palms pressed together, his eyes full of anticipation.

The three words, "Evil Dog Village," entered Lu Ran's mind.

After a moment of thought, he understood the deity's intention.

So, the Divine Sheep was going to teach in a practical combat setting?

"Good!" Lu Ran nodded vigorously and then rushed to the bathroom to brush his teeth and wash his face.

After his morning routine, he headed straight to the master bedroom.

Since his father's passing, Lu Ran rarely visited this room, but now he strode in, making a beeline for the Tang Crossblade hanging on the wall.

This blade was no ordinary wooden product but a genuine weapon forged from black ice.

Black ice is a mysterious mineral produced in the Demon Cavern.

It feels as cool and light as ice, with a semi-transparent lacquer black sheen and a sturdy texture.

The blade is long and slender, measuring 77cm in length and two fingers wide, with a 33cm long handle.

"Huff!" Lu Ran blew gently, and dust flew in all directions, making his eyes water.

This blade is named 'Xiahua'.

It was Lu Xing's weapon, and countless runes had been inscribed on its body.

Unfortunately, Lu Ran was not a follower of the Deity Jade Talisman.

In his hands, this Tang blade struggled to recreate the colorful rainbow, the burning fire, the entwined electricity, and the frost that once adorned it.

However, Class Monitor Jiang is a follower of Jade Talisman.

When she grows up, Lu Ran can have the Class Monitor enchant his blade before each battle?

"Come with me, Xiahua."

Lu Ran channeled his divine power into the blade, and wisps of white mist swirled and flowed over the slender blade, brushing away the dust.

"Buzz!"

Xiahua trembled slightly, emitting a pleasant sound.

Since Lu Xing's passing, it had gathered dust for four years.

Today, as it accompanied its former owner's successor, it must be happy to see the world again.

The gloomy sky was filled with drizzle.

In Rain Alley City, the name suits the place.

It rains a lot, even more than London.

Amid the drizzling rain, Lu Ran arrived at the entrance of First High School, holding his blade and an umbrella.

The playground was already filled with students, gathered in small groups.

Lu Ran looked around and quickly found his three teammates because Deng Yutang's appearance was so eye-catching! Ever since becoming a follower of the Deity Red Veil, Deng Yutang had bought a red headscarf and wrapped it around his head.

It was a unique personal style.

The location where the three stood happened to be where Lu Ran had set up his stall before.

Lu Ran felt they were doing it on purpose.

From a distance, Jiang Ruyi spotted Lu Ran approaching. Seeing his strange expression, she couldn't help but smile.

Just as she was about to wave, Wu Shanshan beat her to it, gesturing, "Lu Ran, over here!"

Jiang Ruyi: ". "

Wu Shanshan's face lit up with curiosity as she stepped forward, "Let me see, what kind of divine weapon did you bring?"

Lu Ran's Xiahua blade was wrapped in cloth to avoid drawing attention.

Black ice is a rare and precious mineral, and finished black ice weapons are incredibly valuable, not something an ordinary family can afford.

Lu Ran's family wasn't particularly wealthy, but his father, Lu Xing, had served in the military, and this blade was a special award from the army in recognition of Lu Xing's outstanding contributions.

"Wow, it's made of black ice!"

Wu Shanshan crouched beside Lu Ran, pinching the fabric and slightly lifting it to reveal the blade, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Shh," Lu Ran signaled the girl to be quieter.

"I didn't know you were a rich second-generation heir," Wu Shanshan said with a smile, teasing him.

Also?

Lu Ran caught a word, and he looked down at Wu Shanshan, "I wish I were a rich second-generation heir."

"You're being modest. Is that a knife you're holding?" Wu Shanshan lightly tapped the blade, "You're holding an Audi A6!"

"It's not that expensive," Lu Ran said humbly, waving his hands, "At most, it's a Cullinan."

Wu Shanshan: ???

You don't understand the price, wait a minute!

Wu Shanshan's heart stirred, and she asked incredulously, "Have you already nurtured a blade spirit?"

That's not right either!

If a blade spirit had been nurtured, this blade would be beyond monetary value.

Weapons with spirit entities are true divine weapons, the dream of every follower!

Lu Ran shook his head, "Wu Shanshan, you're giving me too much credit. I don't have that ability."

Wu Shanshan was even more confused.

It was just a normal black ice blade without a spirit entity.

Wu Shanshan scoffed, "So, you don't understand cars or knives?"

Lu Ran raised the blade and gently patted the girl's head, "It's you who doesn't understand me."

Wu Shanshan: "Pfft."

So what if you don't understand cars, but you're still so stubborn?

Lu Ran smiled and asked, "What did you mean when you said 'also' just now?"

Wu Shanshan gestured to the side, "There's also a Porsche Panamera over there."

Lu Ran turned to look at Deng Yutang, examining the red-tasseled spear in his hand.

The spear with red tassels seemed to be made of ordinary material, nothing special, but combined with the price Wu Shanshan had mentioned,

Lu Ran's heart raced, "Heavenborn Steel?"

Like black ice, Heavenborn Steel is also a mysterious material produced in the Demon Cavern, and it's far rarer and more precious! Deng Yutang readily acknowledged this and handed over the Heavenborn Red-Tasseled Spear, "Lu Ran, give it a try?"

"Tsk, tsk." Lu Ran took the heavy spear from him and weighed it in his hands.

This kid had been hiding his wealth so well!

If you said Deng Yutang was low-key, he would call himself 'young master' every day, making a show of it.

But if you said he was high-profile, Lu Ran had no idea that Deng Yutang's family was so well-off after two years of being classmates.

Now, as they were about to enter the Demon Cavern, this kid finally flaunted his wealth.

For the sake of grades and lives, he brought out a Heavenborn Steel spear worth millions. Hold on a second!

Lu Ran suddenly looked up, his gaze landing on the red bandana wrapped around Deng Yutang's head.

In his mind, the 9.9 yuan headwear instantly transformed into a 999 yuan brand-name item.

A few days ago, Deng Yutang had given Lu Ran a headscarf, suggesting they wear them together to look cool.

Lu Ran had politely declined, as he wasn't a Red Bandana Follower and wasn't used to wrapping his head, but now...

"Brother Deng, is this red headscarf also quite valuable?" Lu Ran asked.

"A headscarf is worth a few bucks," Deng Yutang shook his head.

"Oh," Lu Ran nodded, feeling much better.

Who would've thought that Deng Yutang would casually say, "It's worth a few thousand."

Lu Ran was shocked.

I was already guessing high, thinking it was worth 999, but you say it's worth a few thousand?

Damn, I lost big time!

Lu Ran whispered, "Brother Deng, you gave me one before."

Seeing Lu Ran's unseemly behavior, Jiang Ruyi couldn't help but smile and give him a sidelong glance. "You said you weren't used to wearing it, right?"

"What are you talking about!" Lu Ran waved his hand. "You'll get used to it if you wear it! How can I refuse a gift from a friend?"

Thinking about it, Lu Ran felt like he had hurt Deng Yutang's sincere feelings.

It was all because he was too young and naive.

Wu Shanshan couldn't hold back her laughter. "Alright, alright, stop justifying yourself. I believe you when you say your family is poor!"

Lu Ran: "."

Deng Yutang: "."

Jiang Ruyi also found it amusing and changed the subject with a smile. "By the way, Lu Ran, did you advance?"

Lu Ran casually returned the red plume spear, saying, "You tell me."

Deng Yutang's spirit lifted. "Looking at Lu Ran's confident expression, it seems he succeeded."

Lu Ran nodded, as if it were obvious. "I told you yesterday, didn't I?"

Sorry, everyone,

While you're enjoying the feast, I took out a plastic bag!

Don't say anything,

I'm packing it up~

Wu Shanshan's eyes widened. "You really advanced?"

Deng Yutang burst into laughter. "Haha, good!"

Jiang Ruyi watched Lu Ran's smug expression, and she couldn't help but smile and give him a sidelong glance.

Interestingly,

Despite her usual gentle and elegant demeanor, her classmates called her 'Beauty Jiang'.

But in front of Lu Ran, she often lost her composure and became less reserved.

"You guys should also work hard," Lu Ran said casually, exuding a sense of a master's loneliness.

To be honest,

Although Lu Ran seemed as steady as an old dog, he was actually quite nervous inside!

After all, he had only advanced this morning when he worshipped the deity.

To pull off this act,

He couldn't do it without the help of the domineering Sheep Boss.

"Everyone, line up according to your team numbers!" A male teacher stood on the platform, holding a microphone and shouting.

The group stopped laughing and immediately went to line up.

There were 399 followers in the second year, divided into 100 teams.

Due to the number of students, one team only had three members, but no one knew who the unlucky ones were.

"Everyone, focus!"

"After entering the Evil Dog Village, you must obey the orders of the instructor assigned to your team."

"Don't assume your team is fixed. Those who violate discipline or show a bad attitude will be removed!"

"Also, show your worth! The school will rearrange the teams based on the final rankings and individual characteristics."

Lu Ran listened to the teacher's lecture without any reaction.

Today was July 17th on the solar calendar, and until early September, before the start of the third year, the teams were not fixed.

There were nearly a hundred deities in Daxia, each with their unique divine techniques. To form a team with good chemistry, it was natural to try out different combinations.

If Lu Ran and Jiang Ruyi were to be separated one day, it would be an unavoidable situation.

Lu Ran wanted Jiang Ruyi to enchant his saber, but what if others wanted the same?

Without putting in the effort, he wouldn't even have the chance to curry favor.

"Hmm?" Jiang Ruyi seemed to sense something and turned to look at Lu Ran.

But she saw Lu Ran staring blankly at her legs.

Jiang Ruyi's cheeks flushed, and she coughed lightly.

Lu Ran snapped out of his daze and looked up, his expression searching.

"Hmph." Jiang Ruyi's face was as red as if it were on fire, and she gave Lu Ran a sidelong glance before turning away.

"Lu Ran, do you have to be so sentimental?" Deng Yutang approached.

Lu Ran: "Huh?"

Deng Yutang's face was filled with disdain. "If the class president were wearing a skirt, I wouldn't mind, but what's so interesting about those school uniform pants?"

Lu Ran: "."

Was I looking at her legs?

I was looking at her sidekick! Oh?

I can't explain this.

"Don't let your deity be ashamed of you! Did you all hear that?" The teacher on the platform spoke louder, helping someone out of an awkward situation.

"We heard you."

"We heard you!"

"Good." The male teacher on the platform nodded in satisfaction. "Line up according to your team numbers, board the bus, and head to the Evil Dog Village!"

The so-called Evil Dog Village was, in fact, a Demon Cavern.

Demon Caverns were scattered throughout Daxia, each with different settings and inhabited by various types of demons.

Wherever a Demon Cavern was opened, there would be a divine statue to suppress it.

Although there were nearly a hundred deities in Daxia, there were even more Demon Caverns, and their numbers were still growing.

Therefore, the various deities created 'divine statue clones' to suppress the entrances of these Demon Caverns.

In Lu Ran's city, Rain Alley, there was a divine statue clone of the Seventh Rank Deity, Caw Crow. The original statue was located in a prefecture-level city over a hundred kilometers away.

Whether it was the original or the clone, wherever there was a divine statue, followers would be drawn to worship.

In the past few days, Lu Ran had also researched and learned that the original divine statue of his deity, the Immortal Sheep, was located in the Cloudy South.

Not bad location,

The Immortal Sheep was in the southwest of Daxia, not the northwest.

Otherwise, it would be easy to get 'doused'.

Actually, whether the followers went on a pilgrimage or not wasn't that important, as each follower had a mini divine statue at home.

Worshipping the mini divine statue was equivalent to meeting the deity in person.

But Lu Ran still planned to find an opportunity to personally visit the original divine statue of the Immortal Sheep.

He really wanted to see if the face of the Immortal Sheep could turn black.

Thanks to the generous reward of 100,000 from the Black Lord, the Great Magistrate. Cheers to the boss for being so generous! Wishing the boss a long life, may you live as long as the heavens! Hurray~

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end