Chapter 807: Transcendence?

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

Poor Sister Xian, now you're the Third Guardian~

Lu Ran stared at Yu Changsheng's handsome face, growing more delighted the longer he looked.

This is Yu Changsheng, a Dragon Carp physician of Sea Realm, Stage Four!

Hmm~

From now on, as I wander these Sacred Spirit Mountains, death will be hard to find, won't it?

Yu Changsheng frowned. "Codename?"

Lu Ran pointed to the woman in the distance: "In this realm, we don't use our real names—so we chose codenames.

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

Yu Changsheng didn't refuse; he said casually, "Then call me Changsheng."

Lu Ran hesitated. "That codename sounds like your actual name."

Yu Changsheng was more than a decade older than Lu Ran; calling him "Changsheng" outright felt impolite.

"Hmm," Yu Changsheng pondered a moment, then readily agreed, "Then call me Conglong."

"Conglong?" Lu Ran blinked.

Deng Yuxiang suddenly spoke, her eyes holding a hint of admiration: "Mr. Yu, you have great ambition."

She clearly understood the meaning behind the codename.

And she was quite pleased!

Yu Changsheng looked at the radiant, fiercely elegant woman and smiled, nodding slightly. "Likewise."

Lu Ran looked embarrassed. "No! I do want to accomplish something, but I never meant to ascend the throne!"

Yu Changsheng smiled but said nothing.

Deng Yuxiang still leaned against the tree, gazing at the cloud-sea that veiled the horizon, her lips curling slightly: "You don't get a choice."

Lu Ran: "."

Yu Changsheng said, "Call me when you're ready to leave."

He made as if to dive deeper; Lu Ran hurriedly added, "By the way, Mr. Yu, I'd like to ask about someone?"

"Who?"

"Have you heard of Qin Yanzhi? He's a Dust Shadow believer, twenty-four, about one meter eighty tall."

"Never heard of him," Yu Changsheng shook his head. "I've also never heard of any Dust Shadow base in this realm. Their followers here must be extremely rare."

"Oh." Lu Ran sighed inwardly.

No hideout at all?

Li Rouyin's childhood friend might be impossible to find.

Yu Changsheng: "Do you know him?"

Lu Ran shook his head. "A friend asked me to look into him—see if he's still alive."

Yu Changsheng nodded, saying nothing more.

Lu Ran added, "Have you heard of Cheng Xin? He's a Xiangyang believer, been in this realm over thirty years.

If he's still alive, he's nearly sixty, about one meter seventy tall."

"Over thirty years?" Yu Changsheng looked slightly surprised.

Seeing Yu Changsheng's reaction, Lu Ran knew he'd get nothing again.

Yu Changsheng sensed Lu Ran's disappointment and offered comfort: "The Sacred Spirit Realm is boundless. I haven't heard of them doesn't mean they're dead."

"Yeah, yeah." Lu Ran nodded.

Yu Changsheng hesitated, then said, "If this elder entered the mountains over thirty years ago..."

Lu Ran: "What?"

Yu Changsheng: "If he's still alive, he must be utterly formidable. Perhaps—he's already above."

Lu Ran looked puzzled. "Above?"

Yu Changsheng held his folding fan and pointed upward.

Lu Ran's face turned stunned. "Isn't the sky above the Sacred Spirit Realm a forbidden zone? Those who try to fly up get shattered by mysterious energy?"

Yu Changsheng nodded lightly. "You said 'might' get shattered. There's always someone foolish enough to challenge it.

Some refuse to believe the legends and insist on testing fate.

Others miss the mortal world and want to go home.

Or perhaps some are simply weary—tired of this hopeless life, seeking only a swift release."

Lu Ran opened his mouth slightly and turned to meet Deng Yuxiang's gaze.

Yu Changsheng smiled, a bitter edge to it: "Believe me—after you've spent ten or twenty years trapped in this realm, broken and deformed—

You too might grow numb, lose all hope, and fly upward without a second thought."

Lu Ran asked, "Have you ever flown upward, Mr. Yu?"

Yu Changsheng slowly shook his head. "No."

He looked at Lu Ran, silently adding two more thoughts:

Soon.

If I hadn't met you.

Deng Yuxiang gazed at the heavens, her eyes distant: "Above—is that the way home?"

Yu Changsheng advised, "Since we have clear goals and can grow freely within this realm, focus on the present.

The matter of transcendence can wait."

Lu Ran blinked. "Transcendence?"

Yu Changsheng smiled. "It's not a real concept—just my idle words.

After all, those who fly up mostly die shattered; very few vanish without a trace."

Vanish without a trace?!

Lu Ran looked up at the sky, but today's cloud-sea obscured it.

So those who "transcended" successfully—vanished?

Where did they go?

The mortal world?

Or is there another Sacred Spirit Realm above?

Yu Changsheng watched the two silently gazing upward, then slowly sank into the lake's depths.

Long after, Lu Ran snapped back to reality.

Mr. Yu is right!

First, I must grow stronger within this realm!

Only been here a month and a half, and already thinking of going home?

Does home have Sacred Spirit Qi?

Lu Ran cupped the icy lake water in both hands and splashed it hard over his face, then turned to Deng Yuxiang: "Sis, you bathing?"

Deng Yuxiang: "."

Lu Ran chuckled. "Wake up! Even Mr. Yu, at Sea Realm Stage Four, daresn't fly upward. We're just River Realm nobodies—don't be reckless."

Deng Yuxiang raised a sharp eyebrow. "Did I say I missed home?"

Lu Ran shook his head like a rattle drum. "No no no! You're a steel woman! You're made of iron and stone—"

Deng Yuxiang spat lightly, then strode forward with her long legs straight toward Lu Ran.

Seeing trouble brewing, Lu Ran promptly dove into the lake.

Come to think of it—he'd activated so many demonic and divine statues, yet had zero water-combat techniques.

After all, Lu Ran had always fought inland.

So... should he go to the coast and seek out the Ink Carp clan?

One reason: to prepare for Yu Changsheng. Another: just in case.

If a sea battle ever comes, he'll at least have some fighting chance.

Lu Ran nodded inwardly—this could be added to the agenda!

First, Night Phantom Lake. Then, Tian Tu Mountain.

If all goes well, the three of the Burn Sect can march eastward and see the sea!

One goal after another—this little life had real promise!

As he thought, Lu Ran felt suffocating, and hurried upward.

"Puff~" Water sprayed everywhere.

Lu Ran wiped his face—and saw a pair of black leather boots right before him.

Deng Yuxiang stood on the lake's surface, a layer of wind and waves supporting her feet, looking down at him:

"I thought you'd hide longer—until I calmed down."

Lu Ran quickly surrendered. "Sorry sorry! Mr. Yu's still down there! He just joined our Burn Sect—give the Sect Master some face!"

Deng Yuxiang looked at Lu Ran's feigned innocence and snorted.

But her lips curled upward slightly.

Miss home?

There might be a little.

Mom, Dad, Rain Alley City, my familiar bed.

But since he's here, life isn't so hard to bear.

Three days later, in the snow forest.

A full-length mirror quietly opened, and the three members of Ruan Gate stepped out.

The cold wind howled, like ghosts wailing and wolves screaming.

Lu Ran gazed at the endless white sky and suddenly narrowed his eyes.

He strained his vision, then reached to his side and summoned an ancient bronze mirror.

"Shhh~"

The bronze mirror transformed into a full-length mirror, and another full-length mirror appeared in the high sky.

A strand of sacred spirit energy fell into it.

Lu Ran immediately opened his horizontal pupils and sucked in fiercely.

Yu Changsheng stood with his hands behind his back, silently observing Lu Ran's actions, while Deng Yu Xiang guarded the surroundings, searching for any possible Night Phantom clan members.

"Wum~"

Lu Ran's mind trembled; inside the Sculpture Garden of Gods and Demons, the Lietian Divine Statue buzzed loudly.

Finally!

A smile broke across his face—the Lietian Divine Statue, already at Stream Realm Stage Five, was about to ascend to River Realm.

The Over-Level Killing Technique: Lietian Divine Champion—Lu Ran could now equip it!

By the way, when Lietian believers activate this technique, once started, they cannot stop.

Their bodies burn fiercely, draining the last ounce of divine power and physical strength.

"Mm." Lu Ran pursed his lips, his thoughts turning active.

Lietian believers must abide by divine laws—this is only natural.

Must I abide by them too?

I'm not a believer—I'm the master of Lietian!

After battle, I can just command—or replace the Lietian Divine Statue—to shut off the divine law, right?

"Sss!"

"Sss!!" The sudden hissing cries, mixed with the howling wind, were chilling.

"Five or six Night Phantoms!" Deng Yu Xiang listened intently.

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

This was his first battle since joining Ruan Gate—showing off a bit would help his teammates grow familiar and adapt quickly.

"Pop~"

One by one, pale golden Long Li fish appeared in midair, gently swimming around the slender, elegant hand of the handsome man Bai Xi.

"Master, could you activate Mirror Flower Moon and open another mirror directly before the Night Phantoms?" Yu Changsheng suggested.

Oh?

Want to try a combo move with me?

"Sure!" Lu Ran nodded immediately and reached forward toward Yu Changsheng.

"Here they come!" Deng Yu Xiang suddenly opened her eyes and looked up—above, a squad of Night Phantoms raced toward them.

One full-length mirror appeared swiftly before Yu Changsheng; another appeared in midair, directly ten meters ahead of the Night Phantom squad.

"Swoosh~ Swoosh~ Swoosh!"

The lead Night Phantom reacted with astonishing speed, flinging a string of Night Phantom blades straight at the mirror.

Yu Changsheng extended his hand forward—his slender palm passed through the mirror and emerged in midair.

"Huuu!!"

Countless pale golden Long Li fish surged forward in a tidal wave.

Sea Rank: Long Li Break!

These weren't just a few fish—they were an overwhelming, densely packed school!

The terrifying fish swarm instantly swallowed the charging Night Phantom squad.

The snow forest below wasn't spared either, battered by the flood of fish darting everywhere.

"Damn!"

Lu Ran muttered in awe.

The Long Li Divine Art: Long Li Break is the most basic divine art of the Long Li sect.

Believers at Mist Realm could only summon a single little fish.

But in the hands of the Sea Realm master Yu Changsheng—this damn thing!

Lu Ran felt he wasn't standing in icy snow, but plunged into the deep ocean.

So many fish~

So many, many fish~

No wonder he's Ruan Gate's Second Guardian!

Hehe~

Requesting some moon tickets.

(End of Chapter)