Chapter 29: Waning Moon

That night, Lu Ran was overly joyful.

His bedroom was too small to contain his joy, so he climbed out the window and darted back and forth along the sidewalk and across the lawn within the compound.

In the steady drizzle, a series of hissing sounds echoed continuously!

Streams of divine mist traced the path of Lu Ran’s movements.

Only when most of his divine power was spent did Lu Ran stop, watching as his pair of white-mist sheep legs slowly faded away.

“Awesome~!”

Lu Ran wiped his damp face and shook his head vigorously.

He hadn’t felt this wild in a long time.

As he sighed, he crossed the lawn and climbed back through the bedroom window.

“Hmm.” Lu Ran, soaked through, collapsed onto the floor and let out a long breath.

With such a divine art to bolster him, tomorrow’s city defense battle would grant him another advantage!

As he pondered, Lu Ran suddenly realized that the Divine Sheep had been extraordinarily permissive with him.

The Divine Sheep originally created the Divine Art—Divine Hooves—to help believers avoid danger and escape conflict.

Of course, a deity permits believers to practice the divine art, but just now, Lu Ran had gone far beyond practice—he was simply drunk on joy.

Thinking of this, Lu Ran rose and walked to the shrine: “Thank you, Divine Sheep!”

The jade carving of the Divine Sheep remained pure white, silent and still.

Lu Ran paused, then asked respectfully: “Tomorrow, I will inevitably use this art to confront the demonic race directly, not to flee. I humbly seek your approval.”

“Afterward.”

The Divine Sheep, long silent, finally delivered a voice from beyond.

Lu Ran instantly perked up: “Afterward?”

“Not just tomorrow—afterward.”

Lu Ran clenched his fists. This was exactly the response he expected!

From the beginning, the Divine Sheep’s attitude had always encouraged Lu Ran to fight—never once had it urged him to flee or surrender!

This was evident even from the way the Divine Sheep taught him the special divine art—Sound of Grief and Dread.

Lu Ran clasped his hands together and spoke solemnly: “I will strive to make the Divine Sheep Sect shine brightly and not let down your expectations!”

“By the way.” Lu Ran suddenly remembered something and hurriedly asked, “Does the Divine Art—Divine Hooves—have any special usage methods?”

If I could create something like the Sound of Grief and Dread from the Divine Art—Merciful Sound, wouldn’t that be a windfall?

The room fell silent.

Lu Ran waited patiently, but no reply came.

No special version?

Lu Ran felt a small disappointment, but dared not complain aloud.

It was all because the mysterious, domineering Boss Sheep had given him too many surprises lately—he’d truly spoiled this guy.

Lu Ran fell silent. He sat cross-legged before the shrine, drawing divine power from heaven and earth, preparing fully for tomorrow’s city defense.

The rain fell all night.

Lu Ran stayed awake all night, accompanied by the gentle patter of rain.

Until early the next morning, the city’s deep, lingering alarm sounded again:

“Wuuu~~~”

Lu Ran opened his eyes. His gaze was unusually bright, faint energy swirling within.

He stood, mist curling around his body, and walked to the windowsill.

Dark clouds loomed; the drizzle had not ceased.

Judging by this, tonight’s full moon would be unseen.

Lu Ran sighed inwardly, reaching for the Creek-grade Divine Power Pearl hanging at his neck, feeling its full store of divine power.

These past days, every time he trained before the shrine, he had poured divine power into the pearl—all for the sake of the fifteenth day of the lunar month.

“Wuuu~~~”

The alarm still echoed through the city, lingering without end.

Lu Ran wasted no time. He washed up, then hurried to his father’s bedroom to retrieve his father’s sword—Radiant Light.

A dozen minutes later, Lu Ran, clad in a black raincoat and clutching Radiant Light wrapped in cloth, stepped onto the empty streets.

Unavoidably, he became the center of attention.

Especially as he passed residential compounds, curious citizens peered from balconies and windows.

Some even shouted at him, urging him to go home and not wander about.

Yesterday, ordinary citizens could still go out shopping; today, it was completely forbidden!

Lu Ran did not respond to the citizens’ warnings, only feeling deep emotion.

Once, he had been one of them—helpless, begging heaven for mercy, enduring these fifteenth nights in agony.

He hadn’t even had the right to stay home!

Only those who had a divine statue enshrined in their home could remain indoors.

Whether the statue was enshrined by you or a relative, you could kneel devoutly before the shrine and beg for one night’s peace.

Someone like Lu Ran could only, under official organization, flee to shelters and spend the night in terror.

Now, everything had changed.

Lu Ran had become a believer, possessed divine arts, and dared to raise his blade against the demonic race.

This feeling—

“Huh.” Lu Ran took a deep breath, clutching Radiant Light tightly, gazing through the rain at the streets.

Seventeen years—

It’s finally my turn to step forward.

When Lu Ran arrived at school, the playground was packed. Most students wore raincoats—they all knew the same thing: no one could fight holding an umbrella.

“Lu Brother!” Deng Yu waved from afar.

The problem was, he held a red headband in his hand—and the way he waved made it seem odd.

“Lu Brother, feeling down?” Deng Yu studied Lu Ran’s grim expression.

Tian Tian stood behind Jiang Ruyi, peering out from half her face, curiously watching Lu Ran.

“I’m fine.” Lu Ran shook his head.

On the way to school, he had stopped again by Wu Lie River, hoping to give himself and the cat one last chance.

But heaven did not oblige.

Now, Lu Ran’s arms still held only the sword—no mottled cat.

I hope it survives the night.

“What’s wrong?” Jiang Ruyi looked at Lu Ran, a flicker of concern in her eyes.

“Really, I’m fine!” Lu Ran replied casually, then turned to Deng Yu with a frown. “Next time you call me, don’t wave that handkerchief.”

Makes me feel like a john~

Deng Yu casually handed him the red headband: “Here.”

Lu Ran: “Huh?”

“It’s for you.” Deng Yu smiled. “Didn’t you say last time you wanted to try wearing one?”

“Hehe~” Lu Ran’s disdain vanished instantly. “That’s too kind of you!”

Though he spoke humbly, his hands moved smoothly—he snatched the headband without hesitation.

Jiang Ruyi watched the man’s hypocrisy and felt speechless; Tian Tian covered her mouth, stifling a laugh.

“Hah!” Deng Yu burst into laughter, smugly glancing at Jiang Ruyi. “A bet’s a bet, Jiang Class Monitor!”

Jiang Ruyi sighed and accepted the two red headbands Deng Yu offered: “Thank you.”

“What bet?” Lu Ran was confused.

Deng Yu: “I prepared one for each of us on the team. The class monitor said they were too valuable to accept.”

Then we made a bet—if you accepted yours, she’d accept hers.”

Lu Ran felt awkward and quickly changed the subject: “By the way, Deng Shao, what does your sister do?”

Deng Yu: “She’s with the Full Moon Task Force, under the Divine People’s Bureau, stationed at Yunshan City’s headquarters.”

Rain Alley City is a county; the prefecture-level city governing it is Yunshan City.

There, the population reaches millions, and the Seventh-Rank Divine—Lord Wu Ya—has a statue standing tall.

“Divine People’s Bureau, Full Moon Task Force.” Lu Ran understood.

Deng Yu’s sister is a Cop Uncle!

That’s why she showed up at Wu Lie River—and why she meddles so much.

The Divine People’s Bureau is a law enforcement agency of Great Xia.

Unlike ordinary police, it targets believers, primarily cracking down on believer crimes.

The Full Moon Task Force is a division within this bureau; its members are collectively called “Full Moon People.”

“Full Moon” is a lunar phase, also known as the full moon.

In Great Xia’s lunar calendar, each day’s lunar phase has a specific name—“Full Moon” refers precisely to the fifteenth day of the lunar month.

Every fifteenth night,

The Moon-Watcher is the city’s protector, the one the citizens rely on and trust most.

“Why all of a sudden bring her up?” Deng Yu tang was baffled.

Beside him, Jiang Ruyi let Tian Tian tie a red sash around her arm, her beautiful eyes glancing at Lu Ran, half-hearted.

“Just bored, thought I’d ask,” Lu Ran muttered under his breath, sighing inwardly.

The Dream Nightmare was actually a public official—and a Divine Citizen Enforcer!

Trying to spank her? That would be next to impossible.

You might even

end up getting sent to sew machines yourself.

“What’s your sister’s name?” Lu Ran pressed. “Be specific.”

“Deng Yuxiang. Jade’s ‘yu,’ Xiang River’s ‘xiang.’”

“Oh.” Lu Ran scratched his head—unsurprisingly, he scratched the hood of his raincoat.

He really had mispronounced her name.

“Why do you keep asking about her?” The usually bold Deng family son felt a rare pang of unease.

Lu Ran: “Just asking. Why the panic?”

Deng Yu tang’s expression turned strange: “I know in others’ eyes, my sister is beautiful, powerful, and incredibly rich.”

“But Lu brother, listen to me—don’t go near her!”

“Me? Go near her?” Lu Ran smirked.

Your sister’s beauty makes your nose drip, and she’s the kind you’d wipe with cash without blinking.

But she’s the one who oversees believers like me!

Perfectly suited to her role,

do you think I’d walk into the tiger’s den?

“Lu brother, I’ve always treated you like a brother!” Deng Yu tang clamped an arm around Lu Ran’s shoulder.

Lu Ran: “...”

I never meant to be your brother-in-law.

Besides, this little frame of mine can’t handle her long blade!

“Alright, Sister Ruyi,” Tian Tian whispered after tying the red sash.

“Mm.” Jiang Ruyi murmured, idly watching the bow she’d tied on her arm.

Tian Tian waited eagerly, hoping Jiang Ruyi would tie her own red sash.

But Jiang Ruyi merely toyed with the bow, ignoring the girl entirely.

Tian Tian opened her mouth, then shut it, silently stuffing her red sash into her pocket.

Beside them, Deng Yu tang kept pleading: “Lu brother, don’t jump into the fire pit!”

“You’ve got it wrong,” Lu Ran sighed. “Yesterday during training, I happened to run into your sister on patrol, and then—”

“And then what?”

“And then she beat me up!” Lu Ran looked miserable. “I didn’t want to say—it makes me sound like a tattletale.”

“Oh, so that’s it,” Deng Yu tang exhaled. “Then why not say it? Telling me won’t help.”

“I wouldn’t dare cough.”

Lu Ran: ???

Where’s the legendary bravery of the Red Sash believers?

Jiang Meiren snapped back to attention, looking down at the silent Tian Tian: “Where’s your red sash?”

“I-I’ve got it in my pocket,” Tian Tian whispered.

“I’ll tie it for you.”

“Oh, okay!” Tian Tian’s gloom vanished instantly; her face lit up with a smile as she pulled out the red sash.

“How did she beat you?” Deng Yu tang pressed on.

“Don’t bring it up—your sister’s a follower of the North Wind Blade, and you never told me!”

Lu Ran sighed, muttering under his breath: “She beat me so bad I had to crawl around looking for my cat...”

Deng Yu tang: “Huh?”

Lu Ran waved him off, unwilling to elaborate.

“Hah!” Deng Yu tang burst out laughing. “My sister doesn’t hold back when she hits, but afterward, she always gives pointers.”

“Lu brother, didn’t she teach you a few moves?”

Lu Ran’s heart stirred; he looked at the red sash in his hand.

Yesterday, the Dream Nightmare had truly opened a new world for him:

She’d repeatedly told Lu Ran to listen to the wind’s voice, not just rely on his eyes to see the world.

“She really did teach me,” Lu Ran said, folding the sash into a long strip and trying to blindfold himself.

Deng Yu tang stared for a long while, still confused: “What exactly did she teach you?”

“Can’t you tell?” Lu Ran, blindfolded, listened intently to the noisy surroundings.

Deng Yu tang frowned at Lu Ran.

Admittedly, the blindfolded look was kind of cool!

“I get it!” Deng Yu tang’s eyes lit up. “She taught you to cosplay the Ninja Turtles?”

Lu Ran: ???

You’ve got some weird tastes, huh?

Thank you, Dead Ghost Da Meng, for your 100,000 reward!

Long time no see—you’re back~

Wishing you find true love soon, may lovers become spouses (`) 💖





(End of Chapter)