South of Beifeng City, the Northern Tea House.

Within an ancient-themed private room on the second floor, three people sat around a table.

On the table sat a pot of Pu'er tea, its rich aroma filling the air, alongside several small dishes of melon seeds, candied fruits, cakes, and flaky sugar pastries.

"Ka~ Ka~"

Si Xianxian sat by the window, holding a handful of melon seeds, cracking them and gazing out the window.

This spot was truly excellent, with a view of the bustling market alley.

"Where is Lu Ran from?"

Yan Shuangzi picked up the teapot, pouring tea for the two while inquiring.

"From Wu Lie River," Lu Ran said softly, his hand resting by the teacup. "Just call me Little Lu."

Yan Shuangzi glanced up, looking at Lu Ran.

Previously in the Martial Arts Arena, Lu Ran had shown his valiant and ferocious side.

Even domineering!

Lu Ran, with a grim expression, advanced step by step toward Bu Qingfeng, while the sight of Bu Qingfeng scrambling and pleading in retreat was still vivid in Yan Shuangzi's mind.

Now seeing Lu Ran's gentle and soft-spoken demeanor, it was as if he had become a different person.

"Wu Lie River," Yan Shuangzi said softly, setting down the teapot. "It's indeed a place where heroes emerge."

Lu Ran picked up the teacup: "In a world of endless war, heroes emerge from anywhere.

Rather than the region, it's the era that shapes them."

Yan Shuangzi laughed, sighing, "I have a dear friend who is from Wu Lie River too, a person of exceptional talent and bravery, just like you.

Unfortunately, she had her heart set on her hometown and did not stay with me in Beifeng City."

Lu Ran agreed wholeheartedly, saying, "I'm probably like your friend."

Yan Shuangzi raised an eyebrow slightly, "Will you do the same in the future, Little Lu?"

Lu Ran picked up a red date from the plate and murmured, "I certainly will."

His tone and choice of words were most decisive.

Yan Shuangzi had just seen Lu Ran's terrifying strength and talent.

For someone of such extraordinary caliber to not stay beside their revered god for tutelage, advancing step by step toward heaven; nor to seek prosperous and flourishing cities beneath the feet of powerful gods, but to choose to guard his hometown?

"Heh." Yan Shuangzi picked up her teacup, took a light sip of tea, and a hint of reminiscence appeared in her eyes, "Indeed, they are of the same kind.

I remember her saying her hometown wasn't valuable, old and small.

So small that no Second-class God's Believers would go there to protect it.

So, she went back by herself."

Lu Ran's hand holding the date suddenly paused.

Yan Shuangzi naturally noticed this and asked, "What's wrong?"

Lu Ran's thoughts stirred slightly, "What's the name of your friend's hometown?"

Yan Shuangzi: "Rain Alley City."

Sitting nearby and cracking melon seeds, Si Xianxian suddenly turned her head to look at Lu Ran.

Yan Shuangzi sensed something and probed, "Which city does Little Lu come from?"

Lu Ran went straight to the point: "Is your dear friend named Deng Yuxiang?"

Yan Shuangzi's eyes widened slightly, and after a moment, she couldn't help but laugh wryly, "What a small world, do you know her?"

Lu Ran: "..."

I surely don't know her! Even if she turned to ash, I... hmm, well, I might not be able to recognize her.

After all, ashes don't have the scent of camellias.

Yan Shuangzi continued on her own, "Right, with Rain Alley City being so small, it makes sense for people like you to know each other."

"More than knowing her," Lu Ran sighed, "I'm in her team, and we've fought together for several fifteen-day cycles."

Yan Shuangzi sized up Lu Ran, "So as comrades in arms, you must be quite close?"

Lu Ran nodded, "I call her 'sister,' and not in the same way colleagues call each other 'Brother Zhang' or 'Sister Wang.'"

"Oh?" Yan Shuangzi pondered and then stood up to go to the clothes rack. From the pocket inside the large cape, she pulled out a cellphone.

The call was quickly connected, and through it came a woman's voice: "Shuangzi?"

Yan Shuangzi: "Not busy?"

"The team has no missions at the moment; I am cultivating at home, not busy."

"Mmm..." Yan Shuangzi lifted her eyes to look at Lu Ran, "Guess who I ran into here in Beifeng City?"

Deng Yu let out a light laugh, "Where would I guess from?"

"Your brother."

"My brother?" Deng Yuxiang was puzzled, "My brother said he was going to Wuling Mountain this month, how come he's arrived at Beifeng City?"

"Not your blood brother." Yan Shuangzi's smile was brimming.

The temperature inside the room seemed to have risen a bit.

Deng Yuxiang immediately said, "Little Lu Ran?"

"Little Lu Ran?" Yan Shuangzi looked interestedly at the young man across the table, "This little brother of yours is something else, eh?"

Deng Yuxiang laughed heartily, "How did he end up in Beifeng City?

Hearing your tone, did he cause trouble?"

Yan Shuangzi casually picked up a raisin, "He's new around here and has already sent Beifeng City's guards scurrying, tumbling over themselves."

On the phone, Deng Yuxiang was startled, "What? Give him the phone!"

Yan Shuangzi's smile grew deeper as she handed over the phone.

"Sister?" Lu Ran reluctantly took the phone.

"Are you injured?" Deng Yuxiang inquired.

Such words warmed Lu Ran's heart.

"No, don't listen to your friend talking nonsense," Lu Ran explained, "I was sparring with that person in the Martial Arts Arena, I didn't cause trouble."

Hearing this, Deng Yuxiang relaxed a lot and then frowned, "Did he provoke you?"

Lu Ran smirked, "I just shouted at the city gate!

Good heavens~

They kept an eye on me, and then they escalated the issue, saying I was disrespectful to the gods; how could I indulge him!"

"Hmm." Deng Yuxiang muttered softly, "What's your situation now, are you detained?"

"No, I told you it was a sparring match in the Martial Arts Arena, I didn't cause trouble." Lu Ran was quite exasperated, "After it ended, Mrs. Yan Shuangzi invited me for tea."

Deng Yuxiang guessed, "Probably they were alarmed by your impressive performance and want to question you, give the phone to Shuangzi."

Lu Ran passed the phone back.

"Speakerphone is fine." Yan Shuangzi gestured for Lu Ran to place the phone on the table.

Deng Yuxiang: "Who's the one looking for trouble?"

Yan Shuangzi was truly impressed!

Just from hearing Lu Ran's side of the story, Deng Yuxiang had made her judgment.

Yan Shuangzi: "A new disciple you don't know; I've had him kneel in the Martial Arts Arena."

"Didn't you say it was just a match? Why is there a punishment?"

Yan Shuangzi snorted coldly, "A River Realm Believer, beaten to a pulp by a Brook Realm Believer.

The face of the Beifeng Sect has been completely lost by him!"

"Hmm." Deng Yuxiang spoke softly, "Have him kneel for a few more days."

"Okay." Yan Shuangzi replied casually, toying with her teacup, "When will you come back to visit?"

Deng Yuxiang, however, said, "Shuangzi, take care of Lu Ran, don't let him be bullied again.

With such an incident, many North Wind Disciples probably hold grudges against him."

Yan Shuangzi was already displeased, "Are you asking for help or giving orders?"

Deng Yuxiang suddenly laughed, "Missy, need straightening out?"

Yan Shuangzi hastily reached out, picked up the cellphone from the table, and switched off the speaker mode.

Si Xianxian, no longer cracking seeds, looked at Yan Shuangzi in surprise.

Yan Shuangzi was, of course, incredibly dominant and overbearing.

But at that moment, her cheeks were rosy as she spoke with a mocking tone to the person on the other end.

This...?

Across the table, Lu Ran quietly held his teacup, not uttering a word.

Good heavens~

Worthy of the title Big Nightmare!

No matter how strong the other person was, the Big Nightmare was always the more "dominant" one.

After a while, Yan Shuangzi hung up the phone, lifted her eyes to look at Lu Ran.

Lu Ran pretended not to notice, snacking on pistachios.

You know, they were quite tasty~

Yan Shuangzi put down the phone and said, "Your sister asked me to take good care of you."

"No need to bother, Mrs. Yan. Please go about your business," Lu Ran hastily said. "My teammate and I will be heading down to the Demon Cave in a bit."

Yan Shuangzi thought for a moment, "You are at the Stream Realm Fifth Rank."

"Correct."

"At that rank, entering the Demon Cave for experience won't help you much."

"Hmm..." Lu Ran pondered briefly.

Strictly speaking, at his special rank, whatever Lu Ran did wasn't of much help to him.

After all, nobody knew where the "flash of enlightenment" came from or when it would arrive.

Yan Shuangzi spoke softly, "Since you've come all this way, stay in the city then.

In the coming days, let us exchange sword techniques; at least it can help with your martial arts."

"Ah?" Lu Ran looked at Yan Shuangzi, "You want to teach me?

But I'm not a North Wind Believer; wouldn't that be against the rules?"

Yan Shuangzi was undoubtedly a high-status "Inner Sect Disciple," and being personally taught by her was like striking it rich!

Such people usually lived beside the gods, often receiving revelations!

Lu Ran certainly wouldn't arrogantly think that his swordsmanship was stronger than Yan Shuangzi's.

Even Deng Yuxiang probably wouldn't dare to say that!

"Lord Beifeng is magnanimous. Swordsmen from all around the world can come learn in Beifeng City," Yan Shuangzi explained. "However, our resources are limited, so we naturally prioritize our own sect's disciples first."

Lu Ran had to admit he was very tempted.

Yan Shuangzi smiled brightly, "And you are strong, exchanging skills with you is also beneficial for me."

Lu Ran: "Mrs. Yan, you are too modest."

Yan Shuangzi continued, "It's a pity you're not a North Wind Believer.

If you were devoted to the sword, perhaps in the process of comprehending the sword, you could also grasp the method to advance to the next level."

The woman's tone, to Lu Ran's ears, did not seem like regret.

But more like some kind of hint?

As Lu Ran was thinking this over, Si Xianxian suddenly said, "We're not going to the Demon Cave anymore?"

Only then did Lu Ran remember there was another person right beside him!

"That's great." Si Xianxian's face lit up with excitement, and she turned to look out the window, cracking melon seeds again, "Someone's going to pay for my shopping spree in the city. How comfortable~"

Lu Ran: "..."

Yan Shuangzi was quite surprised, her gaze sweeping back and forth over the male and female pair.

Of course, she knew the young girl was a Fierce Heavenly believer.

She had also seen firsthand how, in the Martial Arts Arena, Lu Ran repeatedly calmed down the young girl's fiery temper.

Yan Shuangzi really couldn't fathom why such a fiery Fierce Heavenly believer would be so well-behaved by Lu Ran's side.

Lu Ran noticed her gaze, he reached for the teapot and filled Yan Shuangzi's teacup:

"Thank you for your guidance in the days to come."

"Hmm." Yan Shuangzi rested her chin in one hand, looking at the polite and courteous Lu Ran with a beaming smile.

From their first meeting until now, Lu Ran gave her the impression of a paradox, a person both extremely special and profoundly mysterious, terribly intriguing.

Yan Shuangzi picked up the teacup, accepting Lu Ran's gesture of respect:

"If Little Lu Ran is so strong, why do you choose to be an Immortal Sheep Believer?"

"That's a long story."

"It's still early; there's time for another round of tea."

Out of nowhere, Si Xianxian blurted, "Are melon seeds okay too?"

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