Chapter 286: The Top Scholar

For the next half-month or so, Lu Ran, accompanied by Night Charm, went on a killing spree within the Demon Cave.

The efficiency of the slaughter was astonishing, so naturally, the growth speed of the Yemo Yemo Xiesu was very fast!

Whenever Lu Ran returned to the city to rest and regroup, he would hide Night Charm deep within the old forests of the mountains.

To avoid losing track of her, Lu Ran would even leave the Divine Weapon·Zhan Ye Dao with her.

Between a master and his divine weapon, there is naturally a spiritual connection, so there was no need to worry about losing each other.

Time reached the fifth day of the sixth month; on this day, Lu Ran could finally leave this ghostly place!

"Phew—"

In the mountain forest, Lu Ran leaned his back against a large tree and took a deep, relieving breath.

His face showed some exhaustion, yet his expression could not conceal his joy.

Within the Garden of Divine and Demonic Sculptures, that particular Ghost General Yemo Yemo Xiesu was trembling with a buzzing sound!

As early as two days ago, the Ghost General Yemo Yemo Xiesu had already reached River Realm·Stage Five.

Now, with another promotion, it would be Jiang Jing!

Nearby, Night Charm stood guard diligently, occasionally glancing at her master.

"Mmm-ah~" — he didn't know how long had passed before Lu Ran finally opened his eyes and stretched vigorously.

The Ghost General Yemo Yemo Xiesu had reached Yi Zhijiang Jing·Stage One!

"Night Charm," Lu Ran said, leaning against the tree and turning his head to look at the demon.

Night Charm strode forward with her long legs, approaching quickly to await orders.

"I must return, and you must return as well," Lu Ran spoke softly.

Night Charm did not understand complex human speech; she merely lowered her head even further to show respect.

Lu Ran let out a heavy sigh.

Now that the trial was over and he was about to depart, he absolutely could not leave Night Charm behind in the Demon Cave.

If she were discovered, the trouble would be enormous!

A Night Charm emerging from the Tomb of Generals?

The entire world would explode into an uproar!

The problem was that this Night Charm had accompanied Lu Ran for over half a month and had been trained quite well.

To simply recall her now would be such a pity.

"Come back."

Lu Ran spoke softly; he really wanted to say something like, "You've worked hard."

But the last time he summoned Night Charm, he had been severely scolded by Xiang Xiang Xianyang.

Minions are servants, tools, energy constructs formed from Lu Ran's own energy.

"Hiss!"

The blade edge entered flesh.

Moments later, Night Charm transformed into wisps of mist, surging toward the Divine Power Bead around Lu Ran's neck.

A soul quietly materialized, drifted toward Lu Ran, and merged into his pupils.

Night Charm had returned.

From flesh to soul, everything belonged to Lu Ran once more.

"Slap!" Lu Ran patted his forehead, looking quite troubled.

Where could he get hold of a storage-type magical artifact?

Burdened by these worries, Lu Ran gripped his blade, soared high into the air, and flew toward Stone City.

In the afternoon, Lu Ran exited the Demon Cave and returned to the military camp at the foot of Nine Bamboo.

He immediately retrieved his stored items, put on his hat and mask, and departed quickly.

Coincidentally, a taxi arrived to pick up passengers; once the previous passenger disembarked, Lu Ran immediately climbed inside.

After saying "Airport," Lu Ran found a power bank in his backpack, charging his phone while turning it on.

As expected, he saw several missed calls and many messages.

Most were from Little Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi, with a few from his teammates.

Lu Ran did not hesitate, directly opening Jiangjiang Ruyi's chat window.

Jiang: "Have you arrived at the location? You should be inside the Demon Cave by now, right?"

Jiang: "Remember to eat on time and rest on time."

Jiang: "The results of our graduation final exam are out; you scored 99 points.

Since you didn't participate in the June 1st activities, your college entrance exam score is 738.6 points."

Jiang: "The official website announced it; you are the national Top Scholar! So wonderful."

Jiang: "The news reported on you; everyone online is praising you. Mom and Dad are so happy."

Jiang: "Little Li Hua keeps sticking to Mom and ignores me.

Last night, I secretly pinched its tail."

Jiang: "Wu Lie University contacted me; they have handled all the procedures for us."

Jiang: "Have you been very tired recently?"

"Jiang" recalled a message.

Jiang: "I miss you."

Lu Ran's gaze softened as he watched the girl talking to herself, message after message.

Reading each sentence, Lu Ran felt as though he could hear her soft, gentle voice.

There was a time when Jiangjiang Ruyi in his phone was so coldly aloof it was unbelievable.

One "mm" after another, keeping people at a thousand li's distance, yet now...

Lu Ran opened his contacts and dialed her number.

"Lu Ran?" The call was answered almost immediately, a voice brimming with delight coming through.

"Miss me?" Lu Ran asked with a smile.

On the other end of the line, silence fell.

Gazing at the scenery outside the car window, Lu Ran probed, "Mm?"

The young girl's voice was tiny and soft: "No."

Lu Ran chuckled: "That last message, you didn't have time to withdraw it, did you?"

In Rain Alley City, by the water's edge, within the Jiang residence.

A young girl, clad in a white nightdress, lay on the small bed in her bedroom, pouting stubbornly without uttering a sound.

"Jiang Ruyi?" That detestable voice came through the phone again.

Jiangjiang Ruyi hugged Little Li Hua, her fingers gently pinching the soft cat ears.

"My mistake, my mistake, don't be angry," Lu Ran said softly.

"Meow?" Little Li Hua looked curiously at its mistress, as if it had heard something.

That furry little head nudged closer, sniffing the mobile phone in the young girl's hand.

Jiangjiang Ruyi pulled Little Li Hua into her embrace: "You've come out of the Demon Lair?"

"Just got out; heading to the airport now."

"Has the task assigned by my lord Xiang Xiang Xianyang been completed?"

"Let's say a small part of it is done," Lu Ran replied softly from the taxi.

Nowadays, he had already been equipped with a precision-defense technique—The Ghost General's Resolve!

He would surely gain further recognition from my lord Xiang Xiang Xianyang.

Sensing the silence on the other end of the line, Lu Ran asked, "How about I go home first?"

"No!" Jiangjiang Ruyi rejected immediately.

"Meow." Little Li Hua was startled and made as if to escape the young girl's soft embrace.

However, Jiangjiang Ruyi, quick-eyed and fast-handed, caught Little Li Hua's tail.

"Meow~" Little Li Hua turned its head to look, gazing pitifully at its mistress.

Jiangjiang Ruyi moved gently, wrapping her arms around Little Li Hua once more and drawing it back into her soft embrace.

The tiny tabby cat seemed to have become a substitute.

Lu Ran's voice reached her ears: "Going back is fine too; departing from Jingcheng means tickets are easier to get."

Jiangjiang Ruyi secretly blamed herself and hurriedly said, "Just go straight to Cainan; you are not allowed to come back.

Otherwise, I won't send you any messages ever again."

"Oh ho? Learned how to threaten, have you?"

"The pilgrimage is urgent; go as soon as possible, don't let my lord Xiang Xiang Xianyang wait anxiously."

"Mm, that works too."

"By the way, you're the national top scorer; the school, the city, and even the Divine People Bureau are all giving you rewards; altogether it should be two or three hundred thousand."

Lu Ran: "Collect it! Since I'm not home, you can just collect it for me."

"Go away." Jiangjiang Ruyi laughed and playfully spat at Lu Ran, "The school knows you've gone on the pilgrimage; they said they'll wait until you return."

How can I collect it for you? I'm not your family."

Lu Ran wore an expression of distress: "What a mess this has become.

I was so busy handling serious business with you that I forgot to get our marriage certificate."

Jiangjiang Ruyi:???

After a moment's thought, she understood what "serious business" Lu Ran was referring to.

Jiangjiang Ruyi's face flushed red in an instant; both ashamed and annoyed, she hung up the phone directly.

She gave its tail a light pinch and whispered, "Bad fellow."

Little Li Hua: "Meow meow meow?"

Far away in Small Yi City, aboard a taxi heading to the airport, Lu Ran smiled and put down his phone.

He wasn't short of money, after all.

But as for money, who would ever think there's too much of it?

It's just that "The Prodigies" has too many rules and restrictions.

Otherwise, with Lu Ran's current reputation, he could casually take on a couple of advertisements and just sit back collecting money.

The influence of "The Prodigies" is truly enormous!

Once Lu Ran stepped onto the grand stage built by the Great Xia government, he represented the face of the Great Xia Nation, and many things became off-limits.

It wasn't just Lu Ran; including his relatives, and even those who appeared on camera like Sun Sun Zhengfang and Wei Long, all their behaviors were strictly constrained.

Benefiting from Lu Ran's status as a Gao Zhongsheng, "The Prodigies" offered him immense protection.

Over these past few months, the other participating students had long been approached by "The Prodigies" to cooperate with the authorities in various activities.

Once Lu Ran enters university, it will probably be the same.

Mm... there is money to be made, though.

"Buzz~"

The phone vibrated with a buzzing hum.

Lu Ran looked down and saw a WeChat message from Jiangjiang Ruyi.

Jiang: "Remember to tell me next time you advance."

Ran: "What, so you're ignoring me until before I advance?"

Lu Ran stared at his phone, waiting in vain for a long time, but received no response.

"Well, well~" Lu Ran shook his head and smiled.

Ignoring me starting right now?

Actually, Lu Ran could understand Jiangjiang Ruyi's state of mind.

Back when she went to Yumen Pass for her pilgrimage, Lu Ran hadn't dared to contact her frequently either, fearing he might disturb her heart of pure cultivation.

Suddenly, a phone call came through.

Lu Ran raised his eyebrows slightly and answered immediately: "Jiang Qiao Yuanxi?"

"Eh? It actually went through?" On the other end of the line came a girl's cute voice.

"You missed me too?" Lu Ran asked with a smile.

"Brother!!"

"Whoa!" The dog named Ran jerked his head sharply, startling the driver in front.

Lu Ran's brain was buzzing!

Even when Yemo Yemo Xiesu advanced, his mind hadn't shaken this much.

"What are you screaming about?" Lu Ran said irritably.

"You're being fierce to me," Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi said aggrievedly, her acting kicking in instantly, "Poor little Jiang Qiao Yuanxi~"

"Mom doesn't love me, and Brother doesn't care for me."

"I can only live all alone in a luxurious penthouse, eating burgers and gulping soup every day."

Lu Ran: "."

How could she be saying this while swallowing saliva at the same time?

Lu Ran threatened: "I'm hanging up, okay?"

"No, no, no." Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi giggled, "Brother, you're the top scorer!"

"You scraped up this score, nearly seven hundred and forty points; you almost took the test too well!"

In this world, ordinary people existed; the full score on the college entrance exam for ordinary students was 750 points.

If forced to compare, Lu Ran's score was indeed a bit high.

Lu Ran: "How about you?"

"Of course I nailed it!" Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi said with a charming laugh, "When school starts again, I'll be a university student at Jing University!"

Lu Ran beamed, praising sincerely: "Impressive, congratulations, congratulations."

"Brother is the most amazing!" Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi's smile faded, her tone rarely serious, "I told Mom, and she's extremely happy!"

"Both Mom and I are so proud of you!"

"Mm." Lu Ran lowered his head and responded softly.

Father would be too, probably.

Thanks to readers 20170326030721108, Abbot, Ren Hao Xiao Qi, Qing Zhu W, and several other bosses for their donations!

Thanks for the support; you bosses are generous!

( ˘ ³˘) Heart~

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(End of Chapter)