Chapter 567: Sea Realm! Sea Realm!

In the dead of night, the sky was filled with stars.

The cold moonlight spilled over the Holy Lingshan Realm, falling into the small courtyard of Cloud Sea Residence.

A wooden rocking chair swayed gently back and forth.

Lu Ran lay back in contentment, gazing at the myriad stars in the night sky.

The beauty, Jiang Ruyi, lay on her side, pillowing her head on his arm, half-embraced in his arms, sleeping soundly.

She was draped in Lu Ran's wide white robe; it hung loosely on her body, spilling over onto Lu Ran as well.

Her waist-length jet-black hair, smooth as silk, was held in Lu Ran's hand, twirling lightly around his fingers.

The evening breeze blew softly, caressing them gently.

It was a mountain wind, and also a sea wind.

For a fleeting moment, Lu Ran deeply wished that time could freeze forever in this instant.

A beautiful night sky, a tranquil sea cliff, a warm home.

And her, sleeping so soundly.

Did it not seem perfect?

Hmm... no.

Lu Ran gazed at the star-filled sky, then shifted his eyes slightly to look at the bright night moon.

No matter how beautiful, it was all false.

There were no such splendid sights in the heavens above; there was only an invisible barrier, imprisoning the living beings within the mountain.

Would the heavens above

bring one closer to home?

Or would it be another cage, a higher-level slaughterhouse for the human race?

Who knows.

Lu Ran suddenly smiled silently.

During the previous decisive battle with Mount Jingting Mountain, before everyone slew Lady Lü the Third, she had once claimed she possessed value and knew the way home.

Know my foot!

At the start of the interrogation, she had still tried to continue deceiving them.

But she was ruthlessly exposed by Lü Xiao, who hated her to the bone.

Later, under the torment of burning soul fire, she was reduced to nothing but crying out and begging for mercy, constantly apologizing and admitting her faults.

Lu Ran had originally harbored the fantasy that he might catch a glimpse of the path home.

Facts proved that it was merely a lie woven by Lady Lü the Third in order to survive.

"Mmm." Jiangjiang Ruyi, sleeping soundly, emitted an unconscious sound; her hand resting on Lu Ran's chest moved her fingertips slightly.

It seemed she was sleeping somewhat uneasily.

Lu Ran hastily reined in his thoughts and dispersed the murderous energy in his heart.

The fairy in his arms breathed gradually more steadily, long and rhythmic, making Lu Ran feel even more at ease.

He carefully turned his head, looking at that enchanting face under the cold moonlight.

She did not have to come.

Lord Xiang Xiang Xianyang, as a deity, had condescended and voluntarily offered to help her remain in the mortal world.

In the mortal world, she was the respected wife of a sect leader, a mighty expert of Jiang Jing standing high above others.

She could have continued to enjoy the reverence of the people, and furthermore, within Lady Luo Sister Xian's Mountain where the deity Xiang Xiang Xianyang resided, she could have enjoyed blessings and grown steadily.

But she insisted on coming to Holy Lingshan.

She transformed from a mighty expert into an ant at the mercy of others.

She personally pushed away the Lord Deity, abandoned everything in the mortal world, and embarked on a journey to find someone, uncertain of life or death.

Lu Ran still remembered the words she spoke after the two of them met at Ten Thousand Blades Mountain:

"I missed you."

Those few short words nearly caused Lu Ran's emotions to collapse.

Beneath her noble and cold exterior lay an incompassionately fervent heart.

Therefore...

Lu Ran looked at the face sleeping soundly before him.

How could the false scenic beauty of Holy Lingshan be worthy of such a sincere and passionate person?

If time could truly freeze,

then let it be only after the clouds and dust of the sea have cleared.

Let it be when the mortal Great Xia is prosperous and brilliant, within a warm rainy alley where light rain drifts down.

"Hum~"

Behind the rocking chair was the wooden window of the study on the east side of Cloud Sea Residence; hanging on the wall beside the wooden window was a Tian Chen Dao, which trembled slightly.

The Zhan Ye Dao and Ba Huang Dao hanging on the wall remained silent and motionless.

The Xia Guang Dao, however, quietly rose into the air.

Using its tip, it pressed against the hilt of the Cloud-Clearing Blade, gently removed the blade, flew out the wooden window, and delivered the Cloud-Clearing Blade into Lu Ran's palm.

With one arm embracing the warm, fragrant soft jade, Lu Ran let his other hand fall outside the rocking chair and grasped the hilt.

He slowly turned his head once more to gaze at the intoxicating starry sky.

Today, the weather at Cloud Sea Cliff was exceptionally good, with no sea of clouds shrouding it.

And those brilliant stars, for some unknown reason, appeared to Lu Ran as the "dust" that often hid within the sea of clouds.

Comparing the gods and demons to brilliant stars hardly does injustice to those transcendent beings, does it?

Lu Ran tightened his grip on the sword hilt.

Unintentionally, his other hand also exerted slightly more force.

"Mm," the beauty Jiang Ruyi opened her hazy, sleepy eyes and, borrowing the moonlight, saw his profile.

"Not sleepy?" Jiangjiang Ruyi whispered softly.

Perhaps because she had just been awakened, her voice was soft and sticky, vastly different from her usual self.

Unexpectedly, Lu Ran did not respond to her.

Jiangjiang Ruyi became slightly more awake and realized that he was immersed in some kind of emotion.

She immediately fell silent, even closing her beautiful eyes again, fearing that her gaze might disturb his deep thought.

Exhausted as she was, drowsiness struck her once more.

In her dazed state, she vaguely felt energy surging.

Jiangjiang Ruyi suddenly opened her eyes wide!

The person beside her had energy fluctuations within his body growing increasingly intense.

A hint of joy rose in Jiangjiang Ruyi's heart; she carefully got up and, with the help of the Ice Heart Bracelet, slowly floated upward.

"Whoosh!!"

Lu Ran had built up his momentum, and a terrifying energy fluctuation rippled out from within his body.

"Cloud Sea Yunhai Chenqing," Lu Ran murmured.

"Hum~" Cloud Sea Yunhai Chenqing trembled gently.

It still had a long way to go before becoming a divine weapon, but tonight, it was undoubtedly thousands and tens of thousands of times more active than usual.

"Truly a good name," Lu Ran said, gripping the sword hilt.

Only belatedly did he realize something.

The name of this sword was one Lu Ran had asked his mother to bestow.

And what My Lady had bestowed upon him was not merely a sword name.

If sudden inspiration also had a thematic name, then Lu Ran's breakthrough this time ought to be called "Cloud Sea Yunhai Chenqing" as well.

Taking his own experiences and desires as the foundation for everything.

Taking Jiang Ruyi as the entry point.

Supplementing this with the name bestowed by My Lady to nurture the sword and nurture himself, clarifying his aspirations and enlightening his heart.

In the world between heaven and earth, the mist grew thicker and thicker.

Lu Ran rose and walked toward the courtyard exit; he dared not blink, fearing he might sever his connection with this realm of heaven and earth.

Fortunately, the entrance to Cloud Sea Cliff Seclusion Chamber No. 1 was located in the mountain forest north of Cloud Sea Residence.

Floating in midair, Jiangjiang Ruyi watched Lu Ran's silent figure depart into the distance; she did not mind, her eyes filled with delight.

The situation was far better than she had imagined.

She certainly knew that Lu Ran possessed understanding far surpassing that of all beings in the world, harbored ambitions difficult for ordinary people to reach, and was steadily walking this path.

This so-called Jiang Jing Stage Five might block the vast majority of those at the Jiang Jing realm.

But it absolutely could not block Lu Ran!

Yet Jiangjiang Ruyi still had not expected that Lu Ran would not need to enter seclusion for quiet contemplation.

He had simply tossed her about for half the night, then held her while resting in the courtyard, watching the moon and stars, and afterward experienced sudden inspiration, breaking through his cultivation bottleneck?

Wasn't that a bit too carefree and elegant?

Jiangjiang Ruyi felt somewhat shy, but more than that, she felt joy.

"Whoosh~ Whoosh~"

One blade after another flew out of the wooden window, yet they heard the female master's voice: "The three of you."

Xia Guang Dao and Zhan Ye Dao hovered in midair one after another.

Only Ba Huang Dao flew forward a little further, but in the end, it too came to a stop.

Jiangjiang Ruyi calmed her emotions, precisely caught the Little Chifeng Pattern Gourd, and summoned Liang Ye Sword: "Xia Guang, take the lead; go protect your master.

During his seclusion, you must patrol around Cloud Sea Cliff continuously; do not slack off."

"Hum~" Several divine weapons responded in unison and flew away.

"Jiang Ruyi." From within the mist, a voice approached from afar.

"Lu Ran has advanced and gone to the seclusion chamber," Jiangjiang Ruyi replied immediately.

"Good!" Deng Deng Yuxiang was equally delighted, then said, "I will go arrange duties."

"Sister Deng Yuxiang."

"Mm?"

"I recall that previously at Misty Rain Lake, when Alliance Master Yun advanced, you reported to Lu Ran that you were also close to touching your cultivation bottleneck."

Deng Deng Yuxiang fell silent.

Jiangjiang Ruyi knew Deng Deng Yuxiang well enough to understand that she valued Lu Ran above all else.

Jiangjiang Ruyi advised, "The defensive forces of Ran Sect are not weak; they are no longer like they were in your early days of establishment, so do not delay yourself.

Continue your guard duties as usual, but during the process, if there is an opportunity to catch this fast train of Lu Ran's, do not hesitate for a moment."

"Understood." From within the mist came Deng Deng Yuxiang's response.

Jiangjiang Ruyi, being very clever, adopted Lu Ran's tone and said, "This is an order."

Cloud Sea Residence remained quiet for several seconds before Deng Deng Yuxiang's voice came again, her address changed: "Yes, My Lady."

Jiangjiang Ruyi lifted the Little Chifeng Pattern Gourd and pushed it forward: "Go, follow her."

"Buzz~"

The Little Chifeng Pattern Gourd flew off crookedly, seeming somewhat unhappy.

Originally it had wanted to seek its master, but instead it had been assigned work.

Over with Lu Ran, the Little Chifeng Pattern Gourd only enjoyed itself and needed to do no labor, because Lu Ran had already broken through his bottleneck and entered the promotion stage.

But here with Deng Deng Yuxiang, little Little Chifeng was clearly going to have to exert some effort.

"Heh." Jiangjiang Ruyi could not help shaking her head and smiling.

Through the Dharma Artifact · Ice Heart Bracelet, she perceived little Little Chifeng's reluctance; its flight was somewhat slow.

Jiangjiang Ruyi immediately said, "Sister Deng Yuxiang, guide little Little Chifeng properly; after all this time, it remains merely a first-rank Dharma Artifact, unable to fulfill Lu Ran's wish of devouring living beings."

"Yes!" Deng Deng Yuxiang stepped forward voluntarily and firmly grasped the chubby precious gourd.

Little Little Chifeng: "."

They are all so fierce~

The male master is better; he has always been so gentle and soft.

Deng Deng Yuxiang took the Little Chifeng Pattern Gourd to arrange defense matters, while Jiangjiang Ruyi returned inside, removed Lu Ran's loose white robe, and changed into her own long skirt.

For the next five to ten days, no one knew what Cloud Sea Cliff would undergo.

It was said that within this special region, every time someone promoted, it would summon a special demonic race · Nu Hai Yan Jiao?

To this day, Jiangjiang Ruyi had yet to see this terrifying demonic creature with her own eyes.

Suddenly, Jiangjiang Ruyi's movements paused; the Ice Heart Bracelet told her someone was approaching.

"Forgive me, Lady, I fell asleep." From the darkness, Yan Yan Shuangzi's voice of guilt indeed came.

"We were the ones who told you to go home and rest," Jiangjiang Ruyi casually soothed, then ordered, "Go summon Generals Feng and Yan; have them guard the entrance to Seclusion Chamber Number One to the death."

You patrol nearby; report immediately upon any situation."

"Yes." The Evil Shadow Protector vanished silently.

Moments later, Jiangjiang Ruyi also finished dressing, flew out of her solitary courtyard, and proceeded to the Assembly Hall to oversee operations.

Lu Ran was finally about to promote to Bian Shi Hai Jing.

During this period, not the slightest error could be allowed!

Once Lu Ran succeeded, the overall strength of the Ran Sect would undergo a qualitative leap!

After all, once Lu Ran was equipped with sea-grade techniques, within this entire Sacred Lingshan, those truly qualified to contend with him would likely be exceedingly few.

Even a great expert at the peak of the sea realm...

would not suffice!

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(End of chapter)