Chapter 906: The One I Picked Up

Si Xianxian stared blankly at Lu Ran, the mist in her eyes thickening until his face grew hazy in her vision.

She had been here for more than ten days.

She had become that person everyone despised again, feeling the world's overwhelming malice.

No!

Did people merely dislike or hate her?

The people here would draw their knives outright!

She hid and fled, chased into desperate, ragged flight.

The beautiful dream someone once built for her, taking her up to Luoxian Mountain and weaving it with his own hands, had shattered completely.

She had returned to her past.

A past far worse than her former one.

Once again, she had been abandoned, standing alone against the entire world.

Lonely. Helpless.

Terrified, unable to find peace day or night.

"Wu…"

Si Xianxian pouted, sniffling as she flung herself into Lu Ran's arms.

Perhaps his smile was too warm.

Or perhaps his hand on her head was too gentle.

Si Xianxian finally broke down, burying her face against his shoulder, fingers clenched tight around his rough straw cloak, tears streaming uncontrollably.

Lu Ran let out a heavy sigh.

He gently rubbed her head and murmured, "It's over now. I'm here."

"Mm-hmm!" Si Xianxian nodded frantically, face still buried.

Lu Ran asked again, "Has Ruyi come?"

"No, Lady Jiang didn't come," Si Xianxian replied quickly.

Lu Ran exhaled in relief.

There was one thing he had never dared to think deeply about.

Now, Lu Ran knew clearly: the gods were selecting powerful, extraordinarily gifted believers and throwing them endlessly into Shengling Mountain.

And Jiang Ruyi

She was gifted beyond measure, young, and her cultivation realm was terrifyingly high!

She perfectly met the criteria for entry!

【Master.】 Yan Shuangzi suddenly sent a voice transmission, interrupting Lu Ran's thoughts, 【Is the battle over?】

【Yes.】

【I've slain a Tanlang believer. Should the Master collect the soul?】

【I'm on my way.】 Lu Ran replied, patting Si Xianxian's back as he spoke.

The girl finally pulled away from his embrace, head still bowed, as if unwilling to let anyone see her fragile, weeping face.

"Mr. Conglong, heal her again," Lu Ran called out, waving his hand. "I'm going to see Wuying."

Si Xianxian panicked, reaching out instantly to clutch the hem of Lu Ran's robe:

"W-where are you going?"

Her anxious, cautious expression pained Lu Ran deeply.

"I'll be right back. Count to ten, okay?" Lu Ran whispered, as if soothing a child.

Lu Ran knew full well what Shengling Mountain was capable of.

For Si Xianxian, newly arrived and suffering terribly, he was exceptionally gentle.

"Oh." Si Xianxian cursed herself for being addled and immediately released her grip on his robe.

How could Lu Ran ever abandon her?

He was different from the others.

Lu Ran turned, facing away from the small hill, and opened his pitch-black horizontal pupils.

No souls drifted across the battlefield.

While he had been comforting Si Xianxian, the spirits of the Tanlang disciples had already been automatically drawn into his pupils.

After confirming the battlefield's condition once more, mist of immortality swirled beneath his feet: 【Nightmare, follow me.】

【Yes!】 Deng Yuxiang responded immediately.

"Ssshh—"

A man and woman sped through the air, their wide straw cloaks flapping loudly as their figures vanished into the forest.

On the small hill, He Qifeng stood with arms crossed, remarkably composed.

At this moment, her longing gaze for talent surpassed even the greed of the Tanlang disciples.

Xun Yifei, Luoying, Yu Changsheng—

Watching each of these towering figures revered as "the boundless sea," He Qifeng nearly went mad with envy!

Burn Dog! Burn Dog!

I'll chain you up one day!

I'll drag you back and bring your entire Ranmen army into my Dafeng Hall!

While He Qifeng burned with ambition here, Lu Ran and Deng Yuxiang arrived before the corpses.

In the view of the Wangjie Eye, Lu Ran saw the soul of a Tanlang female disciple, floating beside Yan Shuangzi, screaming wildly and clawing at the air.

Clearly, this woman hated Yan Shuangzi with all her being.

But mortals and spirits walked separate paths.

No matter how furiously the Tanlang disciple raged, she could not affect the living world.

"Master," Yan Shuangzi bowed deeply, head lowered respectfully.

The Tanlang disciple whirled toward him, her hatred suddenly shifting.

She realized—Lu Ran could see her?

"You! You… you'll die miserable deaths! You %&*#!!"

"Hmph." Lu Ran snorted. To Deng Yuxiang, he ordered, "Release one soul from the coin. Make room for this new one."

This Tanlang believer likely knew plenty of intelligence.

"Yes." Deng Yuxiang raised her hand; the ancient coin on her wrist trembled slightly.

As a fragment of a artifact, Wangsheng Coins could imprison at most three souls.

Now, all three slots were full—with three Yanqing disciples of the Hai Min Gang, still awaiting Lu Ran's interrogation.

Deng Yuxiang released one soul; Lu Ran immediately devoured it, then assisted her in binding the Tanlang disciple's soul into the ancient copper coin.

When all was done, Lu Ran said, "Clean up the battlefield. Collect the divine force pearls, daggers, everything."

Tanlang believers favored daggers and short blades.

Though they had no divine weapons, they might carry divine weapon embryos!

Speaking of divine weapon embryos—

"Oh no." Lu Ran tapped his forehead. Since receiving the message, he'd rushed here to save lives and forgotten to bring the Nine-Ring Golden Chan Staff.

As he thought this, he shut off the Wangjie Eye and hurried back to the battlefield.

The Dafeng Hall members still waited atop the hill.

He Qifeng really knew how to hold her pose—still striking a dramatic stance?

To be fair, her proud, arms-crossed posture was indeed majestic, radiating true leadership.

"Thanks!" Lu Ran spoke again.

"Minor thing," He Qifeng smiled and nodded, her expression well-controlled despite her inner hunger.

Lu Ran surveyed the battlefield: "Let's split the spoils fifty-fifty."

He Qifeng laughed: "You little brat, trying to strip me of my title as Dafeng Hall's leader?"

Lu Ran: "Huh?"

He Qifeng snorted, lifting her chin proudly: "My Wu Jifeng is a righteous sect!

I lead Dafeng Hall on missions—returning with a pile of weapons? What would that look like?"

Lu Ran: "..."

Indeed, Shengling Mountain didn't produce weapons. If she brought back so many, they'd almost certainly be looted from corpses.

Even if they weren't, Wu Jifeng disciples would still suspect foul play.

Lu Ran thought a moment, then said, "You didn't lift a finger. We did everything. The spoils are my voluntary gift."

He Qifeng: "So you're paying protection money now?"

Lu Ran shrugged: "Could be."

He Qifeng laughed and scolded: "You little rascal, still trying to knock me down!"

"Hah!" Lu Ran laughed too.

"Keep it all. I don't want it," He Qifeng changed tone. "Where's my Nine-Ring Golden Chan Staff?"

Lu Ran: "..."

He Qifeng looked at Lu Ran with a half-smile: "Didn't bring it?"

Lu Ran awkwardly said, "I left in a hurry."

"Then go back and get it now—I'll wait for you," He Qi waved his hand.

To this day, Lu Ran had never told him where the Burn Sect's base was located.

In this battle, the Burn Sect members arrived so swiftly.

He Qi naturally assumed the Burn Sect's base was not far from here.

How could she know that Lu Ran's hideout was far, far away—right up against the border of Sacred Spirit Mountain?

On this journey, Lu Ran frantically activated landing mirrors; the energy in the divine power beads around his neck was completely drained!

"A few days," Lu Ran apologized. "I'll bring it to you in a few days."

He Qi: "..."

She gazed at Lu Ran for a long moment, her eyes deep, and said, "You little rascal—you deliberately kept back the staff, didn't you?"

Lu Ran looked stunned: "Huh?"

He Qi's expression turned suspicious. "You deliberately withheld it from me, so I'd keep using your Silent Night Blade and end up thinking fondly of you, right?"

Lu Ran laughed and groaned, raising both hands in surrender. "Great Lord Clear Soup, I'm innocent!"

He Qi burst into a laugh, then quickly schooled her face. "Go back and get it right now!"

Lu Ran waved his hand, summoning the Silent Night Blade.

He stepped forward, climbing the small hill: "In a few days! I'll first settle and reassure my teammates—there's still one person in the sect about to advance."

"Once everything's settled, I'll bring it to you."

He Qi stared at Lu Ran, grinding her teeth. "Again with this 'a few days' nonsense!"

Honestly, it was only Lu Ran who could get away with this.

If anyone else said this, everyone would assume the person was scheming to secretly keep the divine weapon embryo!

If you delay long enough, the divine weapon embryo matures into a true divine weapon—and the "new master" gets to reap the reward!

Lu Ran's Radiant Light Blade and Jiang Ruyi's Cool Night Sword are both examples of this.

"Here." Lu Ran held out the Silent Night Blade before He Qi.

He Qi still had her hands behind her back, glaring at Lu Ran with a sour expression.

Lu Ran grinned. "Lady He, mind your dignity—so many sect members are watching!"

"Hmph." He Qi finally reached out and gripped the hilt. "If someone in your group is advancing, you can come back to Wu Jifeng with me—I'll ensure your safety."

Lu Ran shook his head. "Thank you for your kindness, Lady He, but I must decline."

"Ungrateful fool," He Qi shot him another glare, idly playing with the Silent Night Blade.

Lu Ran: "..."

Why did that tone sound so... forlorn?

He Qi dropped the subject and turned to Si Xianxian, curiously asking, "Who is this girl to you? Why are you so concerned about her?"

"Her?" Lu Ran turned his head toward Xian'er, whom he hadn't seen in so long.

To his surprise, Si Xianxian looked back at him, forming silent words with her lips: "I counted eleven."

Lu Ran choked, then snapped, "I picked her up off the street."

He Qi's expression turned odd. "Picked her up?"

Lu Ran himself chuckled.

He looked at Xian'er, a flicker of memory crossing his eyes, and nodded gently with a smile:

"Yeah. Picked her up along the way."

(End of Chapter)