Chapter 210: As You Wish

At noon, in the Rain Alley Home Community.

Lu Ran, carrying a heavy backpack, arrived at his small bedroom.

"Thud~"

The backpack hit the floor, emitting a clattering sound of magic crystals colliding within.

Lu Ran stood before the shrine, palms pressed together: "Lord Xiang Xiang Xianyang, your disciple has returned."

"On this trip to Evil Dog Village, the Evil Dog Yemo Yemo Xiesu within the Sculpture Garden has been cultivated to the fifth stage of the River Realm."

Inside the shrine, the Bai Yang jade carving remained perfectly still, showing not the slightest reaction.

Lu Ran added: "This disciple feels that breakthrough is imminent."

He reported his status, but after this speech, Lord Xiang Xiang Xianyang still did not manifest any divine response.

Lu Ran waited a moment, then bowed and turned to head straight for the bathroom.

When Lu Ran returned to the small bedroom after bathing, feeling refreshed, he witnessed a rather amusing scene.

Little Li Hua was clinging to the schoolbag, peering inside with curiosity.

This little creature is quite intelligent; it even knows how to unzip the zipper itself?

"Meow~"

Sensing someone's approach, Little Li Hua lifted its furry little head and gazed curiously at Lu Ran.

"Come here." Lu Ran squatted down and beckoned to Little Li Hua.

Little Li Hua turned and fled, darting toward the bedroom door.

"Baa~"

"Meow?" The calico cat halted abruptly, turning its head to look at Lu Ran.

"You really don't learn your lesson," Lu Ran said, watching Little Li Hua, whose will he had forcibly altered, come running back swiftly.

Little thing,

what use is resistance?

"Just submit to me, hehe~"

Lu Ran extended his demonic claws and scooped Little Li Hua into a full embrace.

He didn't even need to stroke the cat; he only needed to enjoy it.

Under the control of the Divine Art: Sound of Compassion, Little Li Hua's entire mind focused on Lu Ran, constantly nuzzling and rubbing against its master.

Lu Ran hurried to the shrine and plopped down.

He unzipped the backpack, grabbed the bottom with one hand, lifted it, and shook it up and down.

"Rustle-rustle~"

Piles of magic crystals were poured out, scattering across the floor.

Lu Ran looked around, sensing waves of energy churning.

Regardless of whether his breakthrough succeeded or failed, these magic crystals must be completely absorbed before the fifteenth.

Otherwise, Lu Ran's humble home would be targeted by the demonic races.

Although Lord Xiang Xiang Xianyang presided here and petty villains might not dare to be too presumptuous, Lu Ran saw no need to cause trouble for his own deity.

"Be good." Lu Ran sat cross-legged, pressing Little Li Hua against his chest and stroking it gently. "Accompany your master in the breakthrough."

"Meow~"

Lu Ran suddenly thought of something and raised his head toward the shrine: "By the way, Lord Xiang Xiang Xianyang, during this trial, your disciple encountered a Jiang Jing-level Evil Dog."

"That thing was truly fierce! Thank you, Lord Xiang Xiang Xianyang, for guiding me to activate the Evil Dog Yemo Yemo Xiesu."

"This combination of Zu Xie Fa is simply unparalleled!"

As Lu Ran spoke, his heart was filled with emotion.

"Even an Evil Dog with low intelligence, after acquiring the Shun Yi Zhi Fa, can become this powerful..."

"Then when I break through to the third stage of the River Realm and equip myself with the Xie Fa: Evil Shadow Flash, won't I be soaring to the heavens?"

"Once you have mastered this technique, you will be qualified to venture into certain places."

The voice transmission came suddenly; Lord Xiang Xiang Xianyang's voice was, as always, deep and hoarse.

"Oh?" Lu Ran's heart stirred. "Venture into what places?"

Lu Ran's face was full of anticipation, yet he received no response.

"Do you mean the depths of the Demon Cave?"

"By the way, I once saw the Lord Bei Feng Divine Ruins; after Lord Bei Feng disciples broke in, they vanished without a trace, never knowing where they were teleported to."

"Lord Xiang Xiang Xianyang, please speak?"

"Where exactly am I able to go?"

Lu Ran was stunned!

What a Lord Xiang Xiang Xianyang, killing but not burying!

Dropping a single sentence and fleeing, leaving only a desperately curious Lu Ran scratching his ears and cheeks before the shrine.

"Lord Xiang Xiang Xianyang..." Lu Ran was completely helpless.

"If I possessed your skill at teasing the heartstrings, wouldn't that little Jiang Ruyi be hooked until her little mouth reached the sky?"

Lu Ran sighed, striving to compose his mood, and gradually entered a state of cultivation.

Presumably, Lord Xiang Xiang Xianyang said this to add fuel to the fire, hoping to make the disciple cultivate and break through with greater effort.

It was not until noon two days later that a phone call disturbed Lu Ran.

Thinking it was a call from the Divine People Bureau, Lu Ran quickly went to the bedside and picked up his mobile phone.

But upon seeing the caller ID, Lu Ran was somewhat surprised and answered the call: "Chang Ying?"

"Ran Bao!!"

Chang Ying's voice was exceptionally excited.

Lu Ran immediately pulled the phone away, holding it far from his ear.

Chang Ying shouted loudly: "I've advanced! Haha! I've advanced!"

Infected by this overwhelming joy, Lu Ran smiled and said: "Congratulations, then?"

Chang Ying spoke with incredible speed: "I listened to you; ever since I got home, I've been kneeling before Lord Spirit Tally, praying."

Lu Ran nodded inwardly.

Lord Spirit Tally—what a clever move.

With this seed planted in Chang Ying's heart, she would naturally pray even harder to the deity in the future.

Of course, all of this was merely Lu Ran's speculation.

It could also be a coincidence; perhaps Chang Ying simply felt something stir within her at this exact moment, leading to a sudden flash of inspiration.

"How about you?" After reporting her good news, Chang Ying did not forget to ask after Lu Ran.

"I..." Lu Ran hesitated for a moment, forcing out a few words: "Soon, soon."

"Eh?" Chang Ying lowered her phone, looking at the screen display: "I called Ran Bao, so why did Deng Yutang answer?"

Lu Ran hung up the phone in annoyance.

"Beep... beep... beep..."

Lu Ran set down his phone and looked at the large quantity of magic crystals scattered across the floor of the small bedroom.

Even now, he had not yet absorbed the magic crystals.

Over these past two days, Lu Ran had been making preparations.

Instead of cultivating day and night without rest, he had eaten and slept normally to restore his energy.

By this moment, Lu Ran believed he had adjusted both his body and spirit to their peak condition.

He could now absorb the magic crystals and, in one continuous effort, charge at the bottleneck!

"Knock, knock, knock~"

Suddenly, a knocking sound rang out, leaving Lu Ran slightly stunned.

He quickly walked out of the small bedroom to open the door.

"Click."

As the security door swung open, a tall, graceful figure came into view.

"Wow!" Lu Ran let out a soft sigh, as if he had traveled back to last autumn.

The visitor was none other than Jiangjiang Ruyi.

She wore the same light-colored long trench coat from the day they parted, her jet-black long hair cascading over her shoulders.

She remained just as pure, beautiful, and captivating as before.

The only difference was that she no longer wore the dark red knitted scarf around her neck.

Moreover, compared to last year, Jiangjiang Ruyi had grown slightly taller, her demeanor and aura even more striking than in the past.

"Hehe~" Jiangjiang Ruyi looked at the dumbfounded Lu Ran, a smile on her face: "Do you intend to let me stand here forever?"

Lu Ran indeed had not let the visitor inside; instead, he asked: "What's the meaning of this? Are you leaving again?"

Hearing this, Jiangjiang Ruyi's heart skipped a beat.

Lu Ran, heartless as stone, stated directly: "We agreed beforehand; if you've come to bid me farewell..."

"... then don't even think about stepping through this door."

"Is that so?" Jiangjiang Ruyi raised an eyebrow slightly, her playful mood rising: "Then I'm leaving?"

Lu Ran was shocked: "You're really leaving?"

A hint of mischief danced in Jiangjiang Ruyi's beautiful eyes: "You really won't let me in?"

"In, in, in," Lu Ran said, his face full of distress as he stepped back several paces.

Jiangjiang Ruyi stepped inside, and only then did Lu Ran notice she was carrying a shopping bag, filled to the brim.

Lu Ran immediately took it from her and saw it contained meat, vegetables, and other ingredients.

"What's this?" Lu Ran asked curiously.

Jiangjiang Ruyi, however, stood still in place, staring at the slippers on the shoe rack without moving.

Lu Ran: "..."

Women truly do have a thousand faces.

When she was with her teammates, she was a steady and calm commander; nothing like this "lively" behavior, which even carried a touch of playfulness.

Lu Ran bent down to grab a pair of slippers and tossed them near her feet: "You're not here just to cook for me, are you?"

Indeed, Jiangjiang Ruyi had been waiting for Lu Ran to fetch the shoes.

She took off her leather boots, put on the slippers, and said softly: "I'm not leaving."

"Hmph." Lu Ran snorted: "Seeing you dressed like that makes me a bit uneasy."

"It feels like dreaming back to autumn."

Listening to Lu Ran's muttering, Jiangjiang Ruyi could detect a slight nervousness in his psyche.

Unconsciously, a happy smile bloomed on the young girl's face.

Regarding the phrase "a smile like a blooming flower," Lu Ran witnessed its most perfect interpretation.

Well... mainly because Jiangjiang Ruyi carried a faint scent of jasmine flowers, inevitably reminding Lu Ran of that very expression.

"Meow?" Behind Lu Ran, a cat's cry sounded.

Jiangjiang Ruyi tilted her head slightly: "Long time no see, Little Li Hua."

Her long hair cascaded down, making Lu Ran's heart pound with excitement.

Little Li Hua felt no such excitement, for the automatic feeder suddenly sounded off!

Meowing, acting on pure reflex, it darted straight toward a corner of the living room.

Jiangjiang Ruyi stepped past Lu Ran: "This morning you said you were nearly ready and planned to attempt your breakthrough tonight?"

"It's earlier than expected; I'm fully prepared." Lu Ran, carrying a bag of ingredients, followed after her.

"Luckily I arrived early." Jiangjiang Ruyi murmured softly as she reached the small bedroom door and saw spirit crystals scattered all over the floor.

She frowned slightly: "With my lord the deity present, you didn't even bother to tidy up."

Lu Ran leaned against the doorframe: "What do you know? This is called atmosphere."

Jiangjiang Ruyi couldn't help but shake her head and smile.

After all, this was a matter between Lu Ran and his deity; since my lord Xiang Xiang Xianyang hadn't taken offense, she had no right to say more.

The young lady also had no intention of ruining this so-called "atmosphere."

She stood on tiptoe, searching for empty spots to step on amidst the spirit crystals covering the ground, and made her way step by step to the shrine.

This sight thoroughly amused Lu Ran.

This silly Miss actually took it seriously?

"Jiangjiang Ruyi pays respects to my lord Xiang Xiang Xianyang." Jiangjiang Ruyi pressed her palms together, bowed her head respectfully, and bent at the waist. "I apologize for the disturbance."

Inside the shrine, there was silence.

Jiangjiang Ruyi bowed once more, then turned and walked back.

Seeing Lu Ran still carrying the ingredients, she couldn't help but laugh.

At this moment, their thoughts were remarkably similar: both considered the other rather foolish.

"Go cultivate; I will be very quiet." Jiangjiang Ruyi reached out and took the ingredients.

"Are you going to cook me a grand meal?" Lu Ran asked again, his heart racing with anticipation.

In the two days since returning home, he had indeed eaten nothing but canned food and drunk cold water.

Little Jiang Ruyi was truly so considerate!

Jiangjiang Ruyi said: "While cultivating over at Jade Gate Pass, I learned a dish."

Her words paused noticeably before she continued: "Beef and goji berry soup; I'll let you taste it."

"Great, great, great!" Lu Ran was overjoyed, even feeling quite hungry now.

Jiangjiang Ruyi gestured toward the small bedroom, saying: "Go ahead, and keep a calm mind."

"Mm!" Lu Ran walked into the small bedroom, kicking aside spirit crystals along the way.

Jiangjiang Ruyi: "..."

So just now, you watched me walking back and forth on tiptoe like that?

Lu Ran plopped down sitting before the shrine, looking at the graceful figure by the doorway: "Stop standing there; hurry up and cook!"

Jiangjiang Ruyi smiled and shot Lu Ran a glare.

She grasped the doorknob and gently closed the small bedroom door.

"Click~"

Lu Ran sat cross-legged in meditation, immediately closed his eyes, and swiftly entered the state.

Separated by only a single door.

Jiangjiang Ruyi stood quietly, her eyelids lowered, whispering in her heart.

May the deity bless,

Bless Lu Ran with smooth success and the fulfillment of all his wishes...

Requesting some monthly votes.

Thanks to boss Qi Qi Heji for the donation!

Thanks to Happy Little Bambi and reader 20240802070556740 for donating character cards for Lu Ran and Jiangjiang Ruyi! Thanks for the support, bosses, you're generous!

(⁎˃ᴗ˂⁎) Heart fingers

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(End of Chapter)