Chapter 751: Lantern Festival

After leaving the Sky Sparrow Pavilion, Lu Ran went to the Silver River Waterfall at the Nine Heavens Cliff to cultivate in seclusion for two days before finally preparing to return home.

Before returning to the Cloud Sea Cliff, Lu Ran specifically borrowed a conical hat and a straw raincoat from Deng Deng Yuxiang.

Deng Deng Yuxiang pondered briefly, understood Lu Ran's intention, and couldn't help but shoot him a sideways glance.

The Da Da Mengyan Guardian, however, indulged a certain someone, removing her hat and coat to hand over to him, while holding his tattered, knife-scarred straw raincoat in her arms.

She did not disdain it, nor did she plan to discard it.

This was undoubtedly a battle robe!

Since the Sect Master dared not let the Lady or his sister see this garment, Deng Deng Yuxiang planned to place it in her own wardrobe for safekeeping.

"So fragrant~" Lu Ran, draped in Deng Deng Yuxiang's oversized straw raincoat, sniffed at the collar.

Especially her conical hat, which carried a faint scent of camellia flowers.

Beautiful~

Deng Deng Yuxiang barely suppressed the urge to kick him: "Open the bronze mirror."

"Hmm?" Lu Ran turned his head to look.

Deng Deng Yuxiang's voice was icy: "Activate the Mirror Flower Moon."

"Stingy ghost," Lu Ran muttered softly, then turned to cast the Sinful Mirror Xie Fa.

Deng Deng Yuxiang watched Lu Ran's back, recalling how he had just held her clothes and sniffed around everywhere.

For the first time ever, she actually felt her cheeks growing slightly hot.

The teleportation mirror circulated within the Pear Garden Sect, then arrived outside the private courtyard of Elder Lu at the Cloud Sea Cliff.

Deng Deng Yuxiang departed directly, while Lu Ran picked up the precious gourd: "Evil Shadow, you've worked hard these past few days; go back and rest."

"Yes."

Lu Ran released Elder Lu, expressed his gratitude profusely, and only then returned home.

In the afternoon, the Cloud Sea Residence was peaceful; when Lu Ran went to the study to store his divine weapons and magical artifacts, he happened to see Jiangjiang Xianzi cultivating inside.

"You're back." Jiangjiang Ruyi rose to greet him, her cold features quietly thawing, "This morning, Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi was still worried that you had forgotten today."

The divine weapon blades automatically flew out, each still in its scabbard, landing on the blade rack upon the wall.

Lu Ran casually wrapped his arm around Jiangjiang Xianzi's slender waist, leaned down, and placed the Fiery Phoenix Patterned Gourd on the low desk.

Sniff~

This time, it was Jiangjiang Ruyi's turn to carefully sniff the floral scent.

Lu Ran's movements froze.

Oh no!

The fairy's beautiful eyes shifted, gazing gently at Lu Ran.

"Uh, listen to my excuse, I mean—" Lu Ran felt slightly awkward, cleared his throat lightly, "You know what the Blood Skull clan is like."

Jiangjiang Ruyi raised her hand to help him remove his outer garments.

Lu Ran explained, "The Blood Skulls were spurting blood everywhere; my straw raincoat was soaked through, bright red with blood; even the Water Flow Armor couldn't wash it out, so I borrowed one from the Great Da Da Mengyan."

"Mm." Jiangjiang Ruyi responded softly, then asked casually, "Have the remnants of the Thunder Shock sect been completely eradicated?"

"It's over." Lu Ran let out a long sigh, filled with a sense of relief, "Finally over."

"It's good that it's over; don't put too much pressure on yourself."

"Mm." Lu Ran once again held her in his embrace, enjoying this rare inner peace.

Jiangjiang Ruyi's body gradually softened; resting her chin on his shoulder, she whispered, "You are becoming more and more outstanding."

Lu Ran's expression became somewhat strange: "Now, everyone sees me and acts extremely respectful, speaking to me with nothing but praise."

"If you act like that too, I'll really start floating away."

Jiangjiang Ruyi chuckled helplessly, explaining, "After killing for so long in the Blood Pool, I thought you would be filled with murderous aura, but you are far calmer than I imagined."

Lu Ran nodded inwardly.

It was worth being smashed by the Silver River Waterfall for several days.

"Is the Blood Skull Xie Fa useful?" Seeing Lu Ran remain silent, Jiangjiang Ruyi asked softly.

"Extremely useful; it fits me perfectly!" Lu Ran instantly perked up, like a child who had received a beloved toy.

Jiangjiang Ruyi smiled as she looked at Lu Ran: "Then you will surely like the gift little Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi has prepared for you."

"Oh?" Lu Ran was quite surprised.

"Go to the backyard to find her; see her early so she can set her mind at ease sooner."

"Alright." Lu Ran flashed away, leaving behind a blood-colored afterimage.

It was terrifying and shocking, yet faintly revealing his gentle smiling face.

Very contradictory.

Jiangjiang Ruyi raised her hand, her slender jade fingers gently brushing across the blood-colored afterimage's cheek.

Beneath her fingers, the faint outline of blood mist quietly dissipated.

"Heh." Jiangjiang Ruyi shook her head and smiled; it was clear he truly liked the Blood Skull Yemo Yemo Xiesu.

His subconscious teleportation no longer required the Evil Dog Xie Fa · Evil Shadow Flash.

Lu Ran casually draped on a white robe, came to the outside of the west wing room in the backyard, and gently knocked on the door.

"Knock knock knock~"

"Who is it?" A girl's puzzled voice came from inside, "Coming, coming!"

Accompanied by the approach of footsteps, the door split open.

"Brother!" Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi's eyes were full of delight; she gave Lu Ran a big hug, "You actually remember to come home!"

"It's the fifteenth; of course I have to come home." Lu Ran tried hard to make his voice sound gentler.

"Hmph, I suppose you have some conscience after all," Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi muttered softly, taking two steps back and sizing someone up from head to toe. "How is it that nothing at all happened to you?"

Lu Ran:?

What kind of thing is that to say!

"I worried over you for nothing." Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi covered her mouth with a light laugh, turned her head, and walked inside. "Come in."

Lu Ran: "."

"Oh, right, Brother, I prepared a birthday gift for you~" Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi suddenly remembered something and immediately ran toward the bedroom.

Lu Ran's birthday fell on the seventh day of the first lunar month, but he never celebrated it; he would only mark it incidentally together with his sister on the fifteenth of the lunar month.

"Take it slow." Lu Ran walked into the main hall and sat beside the eight-immortals table.

Before long, Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi emerged with her hands behind her back, looking mysterious. "Close your eyes first!"

Helpless at heart, Lu Ran could only cooperate and shut his eyes.

He heard a soft sound from his ears as an object was placed upon the eight-immortals table.

"Open your eyes!" Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi's face brimmed with excitement; her small hands kept waving. "Ta-da~"

Lu Ran was very curious; he opened his eyes to look, then slightly widened his mouth.

A half-face mask?

For the lower half of the face, it could cover roughly the middle of the nose bridge.

It was crystal-clear and translucent, as if forged from blood-colored crystal.

Within the mask, one could see strands of blood-red lines slowly drifting and wandering, at times converging into streams, at times dispersing into a thin mist.

Eerie yet beautiful.

"Blood-crystal material?" Lu Ran asked in surprise.

"You know your goods!" Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi sat beside the table, propping her chin with her small hand. "We melted down two blood-crystal daggers just to forge this, you know!"

"This—" Lu Ran picked up the blood-crystal mask; it felt warm to the touch.

Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi giggled. "Ten days ago, Jingxian Mountain took a disciple under its protection—a rare believer of Blood Crystal!"

The deity Blood Crystal ranked in the eighth row.

Like the Tianchenyi Sect, the Blood Crystal faction were also masters at forging weapons.

This faction was born with an exceptional affinity for the demon-void ore known as blood-crystal stone, and possessed a unique flame capable of forging blood-crystal material into weapons.

"Truly a decision that betrays one's ancestors." Lu Ran examined the blood-crystal mask over and over, unable to put it down.

Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi smiled. "This is Spirit Saint Mountain; how could the great deity possibly care?"

The fire of the Blood Crystal faction was meant for forging weapons!

It was not meant for crafting other objects! In the mortal world, if any believer of Blood Crystal dared to do such a thing, they would simply be tired of living.

Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi whispered, "I had wanted to forge a set of blood-crystal battle armor for you, but Sister Jiang Ruyi talked me out of it; there isn't enough material, and the practical effect wouldn't be great.

You would still need to infuse divine power into it, covering your water-flow armor over the battle armor to protect it instead..."

Not to mention blood-crystal material; even with the finest Tianchen steel, when Lu Ran wielded the Cloud Sea Blade, he still had to infuse energy into it and coat it with a layer of divine power.

Otherwise, the Cloud Sea Blade would easily shatter in battle.

By comparison, the divine weapon Ba Huang Dao was far better; it could release divine power on its own.

Even so, when struck by technique bombardments, Ba Huang Dao could still shatter; the perilous scene that occurred during the earlier fight with Blood Skull was the best example.

"Thank you; I like it very much." Lu Ran looked at Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi. "What made you think of giving me this?"

Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi cupped her cheeks with both hands, her smiling eyes curving into lovely crescents. "Sister Jiang Ruyi said you had never clearly stated what kind of stone sculpture you liked.

But on the morning of the first day, you said you especially liked Blood Skull!"

Lu Ran gave a slight nod.

Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi said, "This dark-red blood-crystal mask matches the Blood Skull clan so well!"

"Indeed." Lu Ran tried putting on the blood-crystal mask, covering the lower half of his face.

Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi tilted her head to size him up, clicking her tongue in admiration. "You look just like a great villain!"

Lu Ran: "."

Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi smiled again. "By the way, since you like Blood Skull so much, be very careful when you meet Mother in the future~

The Liangye Jian Yi sect hates the Blood Skull clan the most! Don't let Mother cut you down with a single sword stroke..."

Wearing the lower-face mask, Lu Ran's voice sounded a bit muffled. "I'm already at the mid-stage of the Sea Realm; this time I've come back to enter secluded cultivation and break through to the high stage of the Sea Realm.

Even if Mother is extraordinarily powerful, she shouldn't be able to finish me off with one sword strike, right?"

"Audacious!" Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi pretended to slam the table. "How dare you question Her Majesty Mother's heavenly might! Just wait until I see Mother again—"

As she spoke, Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi's voice grew quieter and quieter.

The joyful atmosphere in the room vanished without a trace, and the smile gradually faded from the young girl's face.

Lu Ran looked at his sister, whose eyes seemed a little dim, and gently comforted her. "We will meet again."

Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi pressed her lips together.

In the past, whenever her birthday came, no matter how busy Mother was, she would always spend it with her.

And Brother too.

Those were the few times each year when the whole family reunited, and also the happiest time of Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi's year.

But this time, it was impossible.

Mother was in the mortal world, while she was on Spirit Saint Mountain.

Spirit Saint Mountain, so very, very far from the mortal world...

"We will meet." Lu Ran spoke softly, knowing that little Jiang Qiao Yuanxi missed her mother.

Those surging emotions were the best proof.

Lu Ran thought for a moment, then pulled a bell from his pocket and coaxed, "Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi, I prepared a birthday gift for you too."

"Mm." Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi was still immersed in her emotions until she saw Lu Ran kneeling halfway before her feet; only then did she come to her senses. "Brother?"

"Let me put it on you. It's called the Sky-Sound Bell; it can protect you and clear negative states from your spiritual layer."

"Should it be worn on the foot?" Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi looked down at her brother.

Lu Ran paused, then scratched his head again: "Uh, well, it can be worn anywhere."

Since Jin Que'er wore the magic tool Sky-Sound Bell on her ankle, Lu Ran's habitual thinking persisted, so he intended to do the same.

"Pfft-hehe~" Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi chuckled, seeing Lu Ran's dazed expression, and finally broke Po Le Gong. "Then you put it on."

She slipped off her shoes, placing one pale, tender little foot on Lu Ran's knee, watching as he gently wrapped red thread around it several times, carefully arranging it, then tied a bow.

Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi kept silently looking down, her heart rippling with faint waves.

He was a mid-tier powerhouse of the Sea Realm, the revered master of the Ran Gate, a deity devoutly worshipped by countless disciples.

But before her, he had never changed.

His voice came again to her ears: "You still have me, Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi. I'll spend your birthday with you."

As he spoke, Lu Ran lifted his head: "Moreover, we will definitely meet Mother again. We will reunite. I promise."

Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi pouted, looking at his earnest eyes and hearing that ever-gentle tone; her emotions surged once more.

Her eyes reddened slightly: "You, you, get up."

Lu Ran immediately rose.

He saw Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi extend her arm, her eyes red, and whisper softly: "Hug me."

"Mm." Lu Ran stepped forward half a pace and gently ruffled her hair.

"Huff!!"

Suddenly, a violent surge of energy rippled outward.

Lu Ran's expression turned startled as he looked down.

The little Jiang Qiao Jiang Qiao Yuanxi in his arms buried her face, her voice small and faint:

"We will reunite. We definitely will."

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(End of this chapter)