Chapter 415: Ascension?

"Pick a codename for yourself, Mr.," Lu Ran said with a beaming smile.

Poor Sister Sister Xian'er is about to become the Third Guardian~

Lu Ran looked at Yu Fish Changsheng's handsome face, finding him more delightful the longer he gazed.

This is a Sea Realm·Stage Four Dragon Carp Great Physician!

Tsk tsk~

In the future, when I roam within this Spirit Saint Mountain, it should be very difficult for me to die, right?

"A codename?" Yu Fish Changsheng asked in confusion.

Lu Ran pointed to the woman in the distance: "When operating within this realm, if we don't wish to use our real names, we adopt codenames."

"My sister's real name is Deng Deng Yuxiang; she is now the First Guardian of the Ran Sect·Nightmare."

Yu Fish Changsheng did not refuse, saying casually, "Just call me Fish Changsheng."

Lu Ran hesitated slightly: "That codename feels like calling you by your actual name?"

Yu Fish Changsheng was more than a full cycle older than Lu Ran; wouldn't it feel rather impolite for Lu Ran to directly address him as 'Fish Changsheng'?

"Mm." Yu Fish Changsheng pondered for a moment, then readily agreed: "In that case, call me Conglong."

"Conglong?" Lu Ran blinked his eyes.

Deng Deng Yuxiang suddenly spoke, a hint of appreciation in her eyes: "Mr. Yu has great ambition."

She had clearly understood the meaning behind this codename.

And she was quite satisfied!

Yu Fish Changsheng looked at the brilliantly beautiful and heroic woman, smiling and nodding: "Likewise."

Lu Ran felt slightly awkward and said: "No! I do intend to accomplish something great, but I never planned to ascend the throne!"

Yu Fish Changsheng smiled without speaking.

Deng Deng Yuxiang still leaned against the large tree, gazing at the sea of clouds shrouding the horizon, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly: "You have no choice in the matter."

Lu Ran: "."

Yu Fish Changsheng said: "When it's time to leave, just call for me."

He made a motion to dive, but Lu Ran hurriedly said: "Oh, right, Mr. Yu, may I ask you about someone?"

"Who?"

"Have you heard of Qin Lady Yanzhi? He is a believer of Dust Shadow, twenty-four years old, about 1.8 meters tall."

"I have not heard of him." Yu Fish Changsheng shook his head, then added, "I have also never heard of a base for believers of this sect; within this realm, believers of Dust Shadow should be extremely rare."

"Oh." Lu Ran sighed inwardly.

They don't even have a lair?

It seems this childhood friend of Young Lady Li Li Rouyin will be hard to find.

"Do you have a prior connection?" Yu Fish Changsheng asked.

Lu Ran shook his head: "A request from a friend; I just want to inquire and see if he is still alive."

Yu Fish Changsheng nodded and said nothing more.

Lu Ran continued: "Have you heard of Cheng Xin, Mr. Yu? He is a believer of Xiang Xiang Xianyang and has been in this realm for over thirty years."

"If he is still alive, he should be nearly sixty now, a little over 1.7 meters tall."

"Over thirty years?" Yu Fish Changsheng showed slight surprise.

Seeing Yu Fish Changsheng's reaction, Lu Ran knew he would return empty-handed again.

Yu Fish Changsheng also noticed Lu Ran's disappointment and comforted him: "The Spirit Saint Mountain Realm is vast and boundless; the fact that I haven't heard of them doesn't mean anything has happened to them."

"Mm-hmm." Lu Ran nodded.

Yu Fish Changsheng hesitated for a moment, then said: "If this senior entered the mountain over thirty years ago..."

"What of it?" Lu Ran asked.

"As long as he is still alive, his strength must be extraordinary! Perhaps he is up there."

Lu Ran looked confused: "Up there?"

Yu Fish Changsheng held his folding fan and pointed toward the sky.

Lu Ran looked stunned: "Isn't the sky of the Spirit Saint Mountain Realm a forbidden zone? Anyone trying to fly upward might be shattered by some mysterious energy?"

Yu Fish Changsheng nodded gently: "As you said, they 'might' be shattered; this world has never lacked those eager to stir up trouble."

"Some people simply don't believe in evil and insist on challenging it."

"Some miss the mortal world and want to go home."

"Perhaps some are just utterly weary of heart, having had enough of this hopeless life, seeking only a clean and swift liberation."

Lu Ran stood with his mouth slightly open, turned his head, and exchanged a glance with Deng Deng Yuxiang.

Yu Fish Changsheng smiled, a somewhat bitter smile: "Believe me, after you have stayed in this world for ten or eight years, tortured until you are no longer human..."

"Perhaps you too will become numb, your heart dead, all hopes extinguished, and fly toward the sky regardless of everything."

Lu Ran asked: "Have you ever flown toward the sky, Mr. Yu?"

Yu Fish Changsheng slowly shook his head: "No."

He looked at Lu Ran, adding two sentences in his heart:

Soon.

If I had not met you.

Deng Deng Yuxiang gazed up at the firmament, her eyes slightly blurred: "Is up there the way home?"

Yu Fish Changsheng advised: "Since we have clear goals and can grow freely within this realm, it is better to focus on the present."

"Let us discuss Ascension later."

Lu Ran paused for a moment: "Ascension?"

Yu Fish Changsheng smiled: "There is no such concept; it was merely my jest."

"After all, those who fly upward mostly shatter their bodies; very few simply vanish."

Vanish?!

Lu Ran looked up at the sky, but regretfully, a sea of clouds covered it today.

So those who successfully "ascend" will vanish without a trace?

Where did they go?

The mortal world?

Or perhaps, up there is another Holy Lingshan?

Watching the two silently gazing at the sky, Yu Fish Changsheng slowly sank toward the lake bottom.

After an unknown duration, Lu Ran finally came to his senses.

Mr. Yu is right!

Better to vigorously improve oneself within this realm first!

Only here for half a month, and already wanting to go home?

Is there Holy Spirit Qi back home?

Lu Ran cupped the cold lake water in both hands, scrubbed his face hard, then looked at Deng Deng Yuxiang: "Sister, do you want to bathe?"

Deng Deng Yuxiang: "."

Lu Ran chuckled: "Wake up, wake up. Mr. Yu is already at the Sea Realm, Fourth Stage, yet still dares not fly upward! We, mere River Realm underlings, should not act rashly."

Deng Deng Yuxiang raised her heroic eyebrows: "Did I say I wanted to go home?"

Lu Ran shook his head like a rattle drum: "No, no, you are an Iron Lady! You have a heart of iron and stone..."

Deng Deng Yuxiang spat lightly, strode forward with her long legs, and headed straight for Lu Ran.

Seeing the situation turn dire, Lu Ran decisively dove toward the lake bottom.

Come to think of it, having activated so many Yemo Yemo Xiesu and Divine Sculptures, he truly possessed no water-combat techniques.

After all, Lu Ran had always fought inland.

So... should he go to the seaside to find the Ink Carp Clan?

Partly to prepare for Yu Fish Changsheng, partly to be prepared against unforeseen events.

If one day naval warfare became involved, he would at least have the strength to fight.

Lu Ran nodded inwardly; this matter could be put on the agenda!

First go to Night Charm Lake, then to Heaven Disciple Mountain.

If all goes smoothly, the three of the Ran Gate could travel eastward continuously to see the great sea!

One goal after another; this little life truly holds hope!

While pondering, Lu Ran felt suffocated by holding his breath and hurriedly swam upward.

"Pfft~" Water splashed everywhere.

Lu Ran wiped his face and happened to see a pair of pitch-black leather boots before him.

Deng Deng Yuxiang stood on a layer of wind and waves atop the lake surface, looking down at someone:

"I thought you would hide for a long time, until my anger subsided."

Lu Ran quickly admitted defeat: "Wrong, wrong. Mr. Yu is still down below. Since others just joined our Ran Gate, you should at least leave the Gate Master some face."

Seeing Lu Ran pretend to be obedient, Deng Deng Yuxiang couldn't help but huff.

Yet the corners of her lips slightly rose.

Would you miss home?

Perhaps a little.

Mom and Dad, Rain Alley City, the familiar bed.

But with him here, the days are not hard to endure.

Three days later, in the Snow Forest.

A floor-standing mirror quietly opened, and the three members of the Ran Gate stepped out.

The cold wind howled, like ghosts crying and wolves howling.

Lu Ran gazed at the vast white sky and suddenly squinted his eyes.

He exerted his vision to the limit, then reached to his side with one hand and summoned an ancient bronze mirror.

"Swish~"

The ancient bronze mirror transformed into a floor-standing mirror, and another floor-standing mirror appeared in the high sky.

A wisp of Holy Spirit Qi fell into it.

Lu Ran immediately opened his horizontal pupils and inhaled deeply.

Yu Fish Changsheng stood with hands behind his back, quietly observing Lu Ran's work, while Deng Deng Yuxiang remained on guard around them, searching for any possible Night Charm Clan members.

"Vroom~"

Lu Ran's mind trembled; within the Divine and Demonic Sculpture Garden, the Divine Lie Tian Sculpture hummed.

Finally!

His face showed joy; the Divine Lie Tian Sculpture, already at the Stream Realm, Fifth Stage, was finally about to advance to the River Realm.

The method of killing across realms: Liehuo Liehuo Tiankui; Lu Ran could now equip it!

Come to think of it, when the Lie Tian believers Shi Zhan Ci Fa, once activated, it could not be stopped.

The body burning with Xiong Xiong flames would exhaust the caster's last shred of divine power and strength.

"Mm." Lu Ran pressed his lips together, his mind actively churning.

It is only right that the believers of Divine Lie Tian must abide by the Divine Laws.

Do I need to as well?

I am not a believer, but the master of Divine Lie Tian!

After the battle ends, can't I just issue a direct command, or take over for the Divine Lie Tian statue, and turn off the Divine Laws?

"Hiss!"

"Hiss!!" A sudden hissing roar, mixed with the sound of the cold wind, appeared exceptionally eerie.

"Five Night Sixes, six Night Charms!" Deng Deng Yuxiang listened intently.

"I'll handle it." Yu Fish Changsheng raised his hand.

This counted as his first battle since joining the Ran Sect; displaying more of his abilities would help his teammates become familiar and adapt sooner.

"Pop~"

One by one, pale golden little dragon carps appeared out of thin air, swimming lightly around the fair and slender palm of the handsome man.

"Could the Sect Master employ the Mirror Flower Moon technique to open the other mirror in front of the Night Charms?" Yu Fish Changsheng suggested.

Oh?

Want to play a combination move with me?

"Sure!" Lu Ran nodded immediately, reaching one hand out in front of Yu Fish Changsheng.

"Here they come." Deng Deng Yuxiang suddenly opened his eyes and looked up, seeing a squad of Night Charms speeding through the mid-air.

A full-length mirror swiftly appeared before Yu Fish Changsheng, while another full-length mirror materialized in mid-air, standing just over ten meters directly in front of the Night Charm squad.

"Whoosh~ Whoosh~ Whoosh!"

The leading Night Charm reacted with incredible speed, directly flinging a string of Night Charm blades to stab straight at the full-length mirror.

Yu Fish Changsheng, meanwhile, thrust one hand forward; his slender palm passed through the mirror, appearing in mid-air.

"Whoosh!!"

Countless pale golden little dragon carps surged forward.

Sea Grade: Dragon Carp Break!

These were not just a few fish, but a dizzying, dense school of fish!

The terrifying fish swarm, filling the sky and sweeping across the earth, instantly engulfed the speeding Night Charm squad.

The snowy forest below did not escape either, battered by the overwhelming school of fish darting chaotically in every direction.

"Good heavens!"

Lu Ran clicked his tongue inwardly.

The Dragon Carp Divine Art: Dragon Carp Break is the most basic Divine Art of the Dragon Carp faction.

When believers are in the Mist Realm, they can only fling out a single small fish.

But in the hands of Yu Fish Changsheng, a great master of the Sea Realm—damn it!

Lu Ran felt as though he were not standing in an ice-and-snow world, but had arrived in the deep sea.

So many fish~

So very, very many.

Truly worthy of being my Ran Sect's Second Protector!

Hehe~

Asking for some monthly votes.

(End of Chapter)