Chapter 87: Autumn Rain Separates Loved Ones (Silver Great Meng Bonus Chapter 13 for Left Eye Inviting Disaster)

"Why go out of town?" Lu Ran stepped forward. "Is your family moving? Are you transferring schools?"

Lu Ran's rapid-fire questions brimmed with deep concern.

Hearing them, a hint of sweetness rose in Jiangjiang Ruyi's heart.

"Speak!" Lu Ran plopped down beside the feeding machine, startling Little Li Hua.

"It's nothing, it's nothing." Jiangjiang Ruyi gently smoothed Little Li Hua's fur.

Only after the little creature buried its head in its food again did Jiangjiang Ruyi speak: "We're not moving; my family has lived here for generations."

Saying this, she turned her gaze to Lu Ran: "My father and mother are just like you."

"Unable to leave our hometown, unable to walk out of this old, small city."

Lu Ran pressed his lips together.

Rainy Alley Small City truly had nothing good about it.

Year-round gray skies, incessant drizzle, cold and oppressive.

Yet, everyone has reasons they are unwilling to leave their hometown.

Strictly speaking, the two words "hometown" suffice to explain everything.

As for Lu Ran, his unwillingness to leave stemmed more from one person who remained here forever.

Although he had already opened the Pupil of the Death Realm and knew the other no longer existed, this did not stop Lu Ran from frequently visiting the Wu Lie Riverbank.

Jiangjiang Ruyi said softly: "I am going to Yumen Pass."

"Yumen Pass?" Lu Ran frowned slightly. "The Western Regions?"

Suddenly, a thought struck Lu Ran: the main statue of the deity Master Yu Fu stood precisely in the Western Regions, at Yumen Pass!

He looked at Jiangjiang Ruyi: "Are you going on a pilgrimage?"

"Mm." Jiangjiang Ruyi nodded gently, shifted her posture, and knelt on the floor.

The living room fell silent; only the small cat between the two munching away heartlessly made a "crunch crunch" sound as it ate.

Lu Ran felt somewhat puzzled: "Why go on a pilgrimage?"

Such a question ought not to come from the mouth of a believer.

Lu Ran also realized his mistake and quickly changed tack: "When are you going on the pilgrimage?"

Jiangjiang Ruyi replied: "The high-speed train at three in the afternoon, the flight at six in the evening."

Lu Ran was quite baffled: "So urgent?"

Jiangjiang Ruyi lowered her eyelids, lightly twisting the cat's ear between her fingers: "Mm, I must leave before the city is sealed off."

"This is too rushed."

"After I returned home last night, I prayed before the small deity statue as usual," Jiangjiang Ruyi said in a low voice. "Suddenly, Master Yu Fu descended a voice transmission to me."

No wonder!

Lu Ran understood immediately; no wonder Jiangjiang Ruyi's decision was so sudden—it was because a deity had issued an edict.

For Lu Ran, a deity's voice transmission was nothing remarkable.

Domineering Sheep could startle Lu Ran at any moment.

But for Jiangjiang Ruyi, receiving a deity's voice transmission was probably a first?

Jiangjiang Ruyi continued: "Master Yu Fu instructed me to go beneath the deity statue to listen to his teachings."

Lu Ran nodded and sighed deeply: "This is a tremendous blessing!"

Such situations where a "deity personally summons a believer" were not common, but they did occur.

Believers summoned by a deity were generally those of exceptional talent, extremely devout, and highly favored by the deity.

Ordinary believers would never get such good fortune.

You trek over mountains and rivers on a pilgrimage, and the deity might not even acknowledge you; yet you dream of being personally appointed for an audience?

Keep dreaming until snot bubbles fly from your nose!

The only problem was:

Such personally appointed believers were usually at the level of Stream Realm·Fifth Stage, River Realm·Fifth Stage, or Jiang Jing·Fifth Stage.

The deity appreciates you, which is why they are willing to offer some guidance to help you leap over the dragon gate.

But Jiangjiang Ruyi's current cultivation realm...

She was only at Stream Realm·Second Stage!

Even if given a few more days, assuming everything went smoothly, she would merely reach a mere Stream Realm·Third Stage.

On what grounds would she receive a personal audience from the deity?

"I'm sorry." Jiangjiang Ruyi showed a look of guilt on her face. "I must leave the team for a while and cannot fight alongside you all."

"No need to apologize; you have no qualification to refuse." Lu Ran shook his head. "Besides, this is a great blessing."

"Indeed, very fortunate." Jiangjiang Ruyi sighed with emotion. "My strength is so lowly, yet I have received the deity's attention."

Lu Ran thought for a moment and speculated: "Perhaps your aptitude is high; Master Yu Fu Highly Valued you especially."

"Back on the God-Revering Platform, you rejected the Second-Rank Deity, Tian Luan!"

"You pledged yourself so firmly to the Third-Rank Deity, Master Yu Fu, making a dignified Second-Rank Deity eat humble pie."

"That behavior probably earned you huge bonus points."

"Don't say that." Jiangjiang Ruyi looked at Lu Ran and softly stopped him.

Lu Ran also reached out, pinching Little Li Hua's other cat ear: "How long will you be gone?"

Jiangjiang Ruyi smiled instead: "You are also a believer; why ask me?"

Lu Ran: "..."

This question was destined to have no precise answer.

From a personal emotional standpoint, Lu Ran naturally hoped Jiangjiang Ruyi would leave early and return early.

But considering her development, the longer Jiangjiang Ruyi stayed at the feet of the deity's statue, the greater the benefits she would gain!

The surging divine power that the deity's main statue could bestow upon believers was incomparable to any other region.

Not to mention, the deity intentionally intended to cultivate Jiangjiang Ruyi.

"Meow~"

Little Li Hua, having its left and right ears pinched by the two of them respectively, was ultimately unwilling to accept it.

It refused to even eat, turned its head, and ran away.

"Baa~"

The sound of a sheep bleating rang out, causing Little Li Hua to halt abruptly.

In front of a "great demon" like Lu Ran, neither Little Li Hua nor ordinary people possessed any personal will.

When a Xiang Xiang Xianyang believer deviated from their sect's core philosophy of existence, yet would not be disciplined or punished by their own deity...

Such a Xiang Xiang Xianyang believer was undoubtedly a scourge upon society.

An extremely dangerous existence!

"Meow~" Little Li Hua meowed and returned to Lu Ran's arms.

Lu Ran, however, passed Little Li Hua toward Jiangjiang Ruyi's arms: "Your Jiang Ruyi sister is about to go for further studies; let her pet you a bit longer."

Jiangjiang Ruyi smiled and shot Lu Ran a playful glare; gentle as she was, she soothed the kitten for a while before letting Little Li Hua go again.

Lu Ran pursed his lips.

Unappreciative of good intentions!

Jiangjiang Ruyi watched Little Li Hua's figure rapidly disappear into the distance: "During my absence, you must lead the team well."

Lu Ran: "Oh."

Jiangjiang Ruyi: "Take good care of Tian Tian; she has always been humble and her thoughts are very sensitive."

Lu Ran: "It's been over three months now; she has grown a lot and is very strong now."

Jiangjiang Ruyi turned her head, her beautiful eyes fixed on Lu Ran: "Encourage her more; try not to blame her."

"Okay, okay, okay." Lu Ran raised his hands in a gesture of surrender.

Jiangjiang Ruyi couldn't help but smile, but soon after, the smile faded from her face, and she simply looked quietly at Lu Ran.

The room fell into silence once again.

Indeed, without Little Li Hua, the atmosphere felt a bit awkward.

Lu Ran reached out and waved his hand in front of her face.

Jiangjiang Ruyi realized she had just been lost in thought; feeling somewhat shy, she immediately stood up: "I'm going back."

Lu Ran: "Leaving already?"

Jiangjiang Ruyi walked quickly toward the door: "The train is at three."

Lu Ran also stood up: "As for the teammates..."

Jiangjiang Ruyi, while putting on her shoes, said: "I'll call them in a moment."

With those words, she finished putting on her shoes, picked up her umbrella, opened the door, and walked out.

She did not look back, nor did she stop walking.

"Then..." Lu Ran stood at the doorway, watching the tall, graceful figure in the hallway, "I wish you success in your studies?"

Jiangjiang Ruyi stood before the apartment building entrance, one hand resting on the door: "Thank you."

Her expression seemed somewhat disappointed.

Lu Ran's voice came again: "Come back early."

She still faced away from Lu Ran, but this time, a faint smile finally appeared on her face:

"Mm, okay."

"Click."

The girl pushed open the apartment building door, and at the same time, a small figure darted out from beneath Lu Ran's feet.

"Meow~"

"Eh?" Lu Ran hurriedly chased after.

Jiangjiang Ruyi bent down and reached out, easily catching the fast-moving Little Li Hua.

Through the dark red knitted scarf, her lips gently pressed a kiss onto Little Li Hua's small head.

You little rascal,

you are much more sensible than your master.

Lu Ran arrived immediately and took Little Li Hua back into his arms.

Jiangjiang Ruyi opened her umbrella and stepped away: "Take care."

All along, she seemed to be deliberately speeding up, not wanting to prolong the farewell.

"You too." Lu Ran watched the young girl depart.

The autumn rain was chilly, the autumn wind bleak.

That figure stepped upon the ground covered in withered yellow leaves, growing farther and farther away...

He suddenly shouted: "Jiang Ruyi!"

"Mm?" Jiangjiang Ruyi turned her head to look, gazing from afar at someone standing at the apartment building entrance.

"Wait for me a moment!" Saying this, Lu Ran vanished from sight.

Jiangjiang Ruyi hesitated for a moment, but still held her umbrella and stood in the rain, waiting quietly.

In just a short while, Lu Ran walked out, carrying a Black Ice longsword.

Jiangjiang Ruyi's eyes widened slightly.

She certainly recognized that sword—Liang Ye.

"Where has all your usual gentleness and consideration gone?" Lu Ran stepped under the umbrella in the pouring rain, muttering, "You didn't even come to meet me."

Jiangjiang Ruyi's thoughts were in chaos; it seemed she hadn't heard his words.

"Here." Lu Ran handed over the Liang Ye sword.

Jiangjiang Ruyi shook her head and did not take the sword: "It is too valuable; I cannot accept it."

Lu Ran grumbled: "It cost several hundred thousand!

I'm just lending it to you; you must return it when you come back."

Jiangjiang Ruyi couldn't help but laugh, shaking her head with a smile.

Parting with this kind of fellow didn't seem to require deliberately speeding up the process; anyway, the atmosphere would not become somber.

Lu Ran directly stuffed the Liang Ye sword into the young girl's embrace: "Take it.

When you go to the gods' side, you will inevitably undergo trials; you might even have to enter a demon cave—these are all possibilities.

Having a sharp weapon on your person will also allow you to better complete the tasks assigned by the gods."

Without waiting for the other party to speak, Lu Ran added another sentence: "Take it; it will also put my mind at ease."

Jiangjiang Ruyi Wu Shi Zhu the golden sword hilt, silently gazing at the golden sword tassel.

In her mind, there was nothing but the conversation between the Lu siblings in the back of the van.

"That's it then; I'm going back," Lu Ran said to bid farewell.

"Hold this for me," Jiangjiang Ruyi suddenly said.

"Ah?" Lu Ran, bewildered, took back the umbrella and the sword.

Seeing only Jiangjiang Ruyi remove the dark red knitted scarf from around her neck and smoothly slip it around Lu Ran's neck.

Lu Ran's expression turned peculiar: "You're quite good at making deals?"

Jiangjiang Ruyi:???

Lu Ran chuckled: "I didn't see that coming!"

Jiangjiang Ruyi suddenly exerted force with her hands, tightening the dark red scarf wrapped around Lu Ran's neck.

She took the umbrella and sword from Lu Ran's hands, turned, and walked away immediately.

"Good heavens~" Lu Ran tugged at the scarf, finally able to breathe a sigh of relief as he watched that slender figure rapidly departing, "You wanted to strangle me!"

Jiangjiang Ruyi lowered her head slightly, her face flushed crimson, and walked even faster.

Being strangled would be fine too;

it would save me from missing you again.

Thanks to bosses Jiang Zhu Yu Jiang Qiao, Xuan Yuan Shi Luo Bo, and Book Friend 20200712190057778 for their tips! Thanks for the support, bosses, you're generous! (`) Heart fingers.





(End of Chapter)