Chapter 305: A Thousand Strands of Auspicious Light

The sky was gradually brightening.

In the old city of Rain Alley, the atmosphere grew increasingly desolate and bleak.

Inside a warm, spacious bedroom, a man and a woman lay on a soft, large bed, sleeping soundly.

"Mmm."

Lu Ran slowly woke up, emitting a muffled nasal sound.

He rubbed his sleepy eyes again, turned his head, and saw the beauty Jiang Ruyi sleeping peacefully.

She lay on her side, one hand resting by the pillow.

Her snow-white skin matched exceptionally well with the lustrous, beautiful little red bean on her bracelet.

As he watched, Lu Ran gradually became entranced.

Precisely because this human world was filled with endless suffering, Lu Ran cherished every bit of beauty even more.

The morning sunlight, the returnee in the rainy night.

The warm dishes in the thermal container, the pretty face sleeping soundly by the pillow.

In the end, Lu Ran could not resist; risking the disturbance of her sweet dream, he leaned his face close and kissed those delicate, vibrant lips.

"Mmph."

Jiangjiang Ruyi pursed her thin lips, as if about to be woken.

Lu Ran immediately stopped his mischief, only to see her roll over and fall back into deep sleep.

He let out a sigh of relief and slowly sat up.

Looking around, the room was a mess; tables and chairs were displaced, and clothes were scattered everywhere.

Lu Ran: "."

Last night, there had indeed been a small flame burning in his heart.

Take that for being aloof!

Take that for ignoring me!

Take that for patronizing me and dismissing me with just two casually typed characters!

Thinking of last night's absurdity, Lu Ran propped his forehead with one hand and rubbed his temples.

A moment later, he crept out of bed, quietly left the master bedroom.

However, only when Lu Ran finished washing up and stood before the kitchen refrigerator did he realize the problem.

More than two months ago, when Lu Ran had left home, he had already emptied the refrigerator.

Where would there be any ingredients?

Even if there were, they would have spoiled by now.

There were still some canned goods at home, not past their expiration date.

If it were just Lu Ran himself, he wouldn't mind eating luncheon meat for breakfast, but Jiang Ruyi was still here.

"I'll go out and buy some." Lu Ran closed the empty refrigerator, returned to the small bedroom, put on his hat and mask, and after fully equipping himself, walked out of the house.

The early autumn morning was slightly chilly.

Just as Lu Ran stepped out of the apartment building, he felt a rush of cool air hit his face.

"Ugh-ah~~~"

Lu Ran stretched viciously, but his movements suddenly froze.

After a night of wind and rain, the blue sky was as if washed clean.

It was rare for Rain Alley City to have such a sky; far away on the horizon, the white clouds were actually arranged in distinct strips.

The red sun had not yet risen, but the morning glow had already arrived first.

Beautiful colors stained the strips of white clouds, strange yet lovely.

Lu Ran lowered his arms, staring blankly at the distant sky.

By the roadside, an old man walking his bird strolled past slowly with the aid of a cane, curiously sizing up the young man.

The more Lu Ran looked, the brighter his eyes became.

For some reason, his expression even carried a hint of reverence.

A wisp of inspiration surged into his mind, yet it was not clear enough, leaving Lu Ran with a feeling of being unable to grasp or catch hold of it.

"Buzz~"

Inside the small bedroom of the Lu residence, the Xia Guang Dao trembled slightly, slowly floating up from its rack.

The Xia Guang Dao did not exit through the bedroom door; instead, it opened the small bedroom's window and flew directly out.

It circled around the side of the residential building, tracing a beautiful arc, and finally flew to Lu Ran's side.

"Snap."

Lu Ran gripped the hilt: "You take a look too."

"Whoosh~"

A phantom figure diffused from the Xia Guang Dao, bearing Lu Ran's appearance exactly, standing shoulder to shoulder with Lu Ran.

"Aiyo!" Not far away, the old man leisurely walking his bird was startled into a shiver.

"Aiyo~ Aiyo~" The myna in the cage mimicked the sound, hopping back and forth.

The old man blinked hard, realizing this was not an illusion of his own making.

People living in this world naturally had some psychological preparation for all sorts of miraculous techniques.

The old man completely stopped walking, curiously observing the two figures, one solid and one ethereal.

Lu Ran frowned tightly and whispered, "I feel as though I've been enlightened, yet I remain utterly confused."

The Xia Guang Dao spirit gazed at the beautiful scenery on the horizon; although it did not speak, its words were clearly imprinted into Lu Ran's mind:

"There's a certain charm to it that's hard to put into words."

Lu Ran gazed intently at the brilliant morning glow on the horizon, watching those colorful streaks of cloud:

"Ten thousand zhang of rosy light, a thousand strands of auspicious color."

The Xia Guang Dao spirit froze slightly, chewing over its master's words: "Ten thousand zhang of rosy light, a thousand strands of auspicious color."

One man and one blade spirit stood there until the sun gradually rose and the morning clouds quietly dissipated.

Beautiful scenes in the mortal world are always so fleeting.

Yet one master and one weapon still stood motionless before the residential building.

After a long while, Lu Ran turned to look at the blade spirit, his face showing a questioning expression.

The blade spirit lowered its head slightly, as if feeling somewhat guilty.

"It's fine." Lu Ran weighed the Xia Guang Dao in his hand. "This is a Divine Weapon's Domain; how could it be so easy to comprehend?"

The blade spirit nodded gently and merged back into the blade body.

"Let's go back, move quietly, and don't wake the mistress," Lu Ran said, releasing the hilt of the Xia Guang Dao.

The divine weapon returned along its original path, leaving behind a layer of golden-red rosy clouds wherever it passed, resembling soft, flowing gauze.

"Ho!" An old man leaning on a cane clicked his tongue in wonder.

"Ho~ ho~" The myna bird in the cage opened and closed its beak.

Lu Ran: "."

Usually, you never see any elderly folks around; how did one suddenly spawn today?

I'm here racked with thought, and you two are acting as the supporting comedians?

Lu Ran pressed down the brim of his hat and quickly walked out of the residential compound.

When he returned home again, the bag in his hand held millet porridge, soup dumplings, tea eggs, and a few side dishes.

The room was quiet; had the beauty Jiang Ruyi not woken up yet?

Perhaps she was simply too exhausted from last night.

Thinking of this, Lu Ran felt greatly pleased and strode quickly toward the kitchen.

He placed the porridge and buns in a steamer to keep them warm, then went to the tightly closed door of the master bedroom and pressed his ear against it to listen.

Relying on his pair of dog-like ears, Lu Ran further confirmed that the person inside was sleeping soundly, with long, rhythmic breathing.

Lu Ran felt even better now~

This time, I woke up first!

I even went out to buy breakfast.

Say no more; I'm already far, far ahead of you.

"Pushing aside the dark clouds in the sky, as beautiful as blue velvet~"

Humming a little tune, Lu Ran went to the small bedroom and casually beckoned.

On the wall, the Xia Guang Dao automatically flew down and landed in Lu Ran's palm.

He went to the window and looked up at the blue sky.

The streaks of white clouds were still there; Lu Ran slowly closed his eyes, gently stroking the blade body of the Xia Guang Dao with two fingers as he recalled the scene of the red sun rising.

Actually, the scene that occurred when he went out this morning surprised Lu Ran as well.

Over such a long time, he had traveled north and south, witnessing many strange sights.

Yet it was precisely this morning's scene that moved Lu Ran's heart exceptionally.

Pity he failed to capture that flash of inspiration that passed in an instant.

"So, what exactly is your Divine Weapon Domain?"

Lu Ran murmured softly, his fingertips gently tracing the cold blade body.

"It must be related to that scene!" Lu Ran was very certain. "Otherwise, I couldn't have had that unique psychological sensation."

Lu Ran desperately longed to possess a Divine Weapon Domain.

As everyone knows, a divine weapon with a Domain and one without are two entirely different existences.

His own mother had already proven this.

Nowadays, once Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Wanjun got a firm grip on it, she could wield the Xia Guang Dao at will.

"Divine Weapon" sounds impressive.

But in Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Wanjun's hands, it was merely an enslaved tool, nothing more.

She had also indicated that once the divine weapon comprehended its Domain, she would likely find it very difficult to even swing the Xia Guang Dao.

This meant that the Xia Guang Dao, once it possessed a Divine Weapon Domain, would see an improvement in power comparable to a Cross Great Realm leap!

Not to mention how sharp the Xia Guang Dao would be by then, or what terrifying effects its Domain would possess!

Lu Ran closed his eyes tightly, carefully recalling that scroll of "ten thousand zhang of rosy light, a thousand strands of auspicious color."

Not knowing how much time had passed

Suddenly, a pair of hands reached out from behind and wrapped around his front.

Lu Ran's heart panicked, and his body instinctively tensed!

Ever since activating the Yemo Yemo Xiesu of the Vicious Dog, he had never been ambushed again.

Lu Ran hadn't expected that he would become so engrossed!

Once he realized what was happening, his sensory abilities immediately came online.

He perceived the soft touch behind him and the faint scent of jasmine lingering in his nose.

"Awake?" Lu Ran slowly turned around to look at the young girl.

He saw Jiangjiang Ruyi looking aggrieved, her eyes deep and mysterious, as she looked up at him.

Lu Ran was dumbfounded!

For an instant, he was dazed, as if he had seen a charming, sinful mirror demoness.

Good heavens~

So Jiang Ruyi the beauty had this side to her?

Looking at her, hmm... I really want to bully her.

Stab a knife right into her heart and offer her soul up to my lord, the Evil Sovereign...

Jiangjiang Ruyi bit her lower lip, stared at Lu Ran for a long while, and then whispered softly, "You're bullying me."

Lu Ran:???

No way!

Do you have mind-reading abilities?

"Huh? Me?" Lu Ran fumbled to hand over the Xia Guang Dao, then suddenly realized something and exclaimed with sudden understanding, "Ah!"

He immediately wrapped his arms around his girlfriend, my lord, and kept soothing her: "I was wrong."

Where there is a fruit, there must naturally be a cause!

Everything started with those two words of polite yet cold "congratulations."

Lu Ran spent considerable effort apologizing and coaxing before finally taking her out for breakfast.

Breakfast was already laid out on the kitchen table.

The two ate in silence.

Midway through, Lu Ran voluntarily picked up a tea egg, peeled it, and handed it over.

Seeing Lu Ran's cautious demeanor, Jiangjiang Ruyi couldn't help but glare at him with a smile:

"You're not allowed to bully me anymore."

Lu Ran pursed his lips: "Then you need to pay more attention to me in the future; don't be so hurtful."

Jiangjiang Ruyi opened her mouth as if wanting to say something, but ultimately lowered her head and replied softly:

"Oh."

"In a little while, I'll contact the city authorities and the school; shall we go claim the rewards?" Lu Ran asked tentatively.

"Mm." Jiangjiang Ruyi nodded gently and picked up the tea egg.

Lu Ran breathed a sigh of relief in his heart.

Fortunately, his girlfriend, my lord, was gentle enough, and it seemed she wasn't truly angry, but rather mostly shy?

Lu Ran continued, "During the day, I'll go to the Wu Lie Riverbank to comprehend; you should cultivate in front of the shrine.

I am at River Realm, Stage Five, so I don't need to cultivate, but you are different; absolutely do not delay your progress."

"I know." A trace of seriousness appeared in Jiangjiang Ruyi's eyes.

In her heart, she desperately craved strength.

Not only to protect herself, but even more so to keep pace with Lu Ran.

Jiangjiang Ruyi knew very well that to stay by Lu Ran's side, she could only continue to grow stronger!

Before Lu Ran's pilgrimage, she was one stage higher than him.

Yet after this pilgrimage returned, Lu Ran had actually reversed the situation, becoming one stage higher than her!

Such a terrifying rate of growth even caused a hint of panic in Jiangjiang Ruyi's heart.

How hard would she have to work to remain by his side forever?

"Eat; don't keep staring at me."

Lu Ran's voice was gentle as he picked up a small steamed bun and brought it to his girlfriend's lips.

"Who's staring at you?" Jiangjiang Ruyi averted her gaze, murmuring softly as she took small bites of the bun.

Lu Ran: "."

Good heavens~

She hasn't let go of her anger yet?

So I'm supposed to hold this bun with my chopsticks and keep it raised like this?

Many thanks to Hu Hu Yifan, the great patron, for the 10,000 reward toward the character card for Lu Ran!

Many thanks to the boss of Fermented Rice Turtle Soup for the donation of 16,666! You bosses are generous; thank you for your support!

Wishing all our bosses daily profits filling their coffers, ever-growing wealth, smooth sailing, and prosperity upon prosperity!

(`) Heart fingers

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(End of Chapter)