The fifteenth day of the twelfth lunar month arrived as scheduled.

Early in the morning, snowflakes drifted through the sky as streets and alleys were blanketed in white snow.

What should have been a desolate and bleak Rain Alley City suddenly transformed, resembling a serene fairy tale town.

The Lu siblings didn't ask Wang Ling to come pick them up.

They set out from home, walking toward Hedong Central Square.

"Attention! Salute!"

A solemn voice rang out abruptly.

Four Moon Gazers patrolling the streets stood straight and solemn, saluting the young man approaching them.

Lu Ran cupped his fist in his other hand and politely returned the salute.

He somewhat regretted choosing to walk.

Along the way, every patrol team and stationed Moon Gazer uniformally expressed their high reverence toward him.

All of this had nothing to do with the reputation of "Heavenly Pride."

In terms of status:

From the moment Lu Ran ascended to the River Realm and entered the top level of Wu Lie Building, he was no longer just an ordinary Guardian.

He was now a Human Clan Great Power, guarding the entire city!

From the perspective of Lu Ran's achievements, he had saved countless lives and families night after night on the fifteenth.

The salutes from the Moon Gazers were not just a matter of protocol, but truly from the heart.

"Hehe~"

Qiao Yuanxi was very happy, her eyes sparkling.

Every time she saw such scenes, her heart felt sweet.

She walked down the center of the road, deliberately choosing paths not yet trodden, leaving footprints in the smooth, white snow.

Lu Ran followed a few meters behind her, walking over the places she had passed.

Using his slightly larger footprints to cover her small ones.

He seemed to be enjoying himself.

In the past, when Lu Ran walked on pedestrian paths, he would deliberately step within each paving stone, never on the cracks.

He didn't know why.

It was like how sometimes, while walking, he would suddenly shoot a basketball.

For no apparent reason.

"Sis~"

"Mhm?"

"There's a team of Moon Gazers ahead, get ready to cup your fist in greeting!" Qiao Yuanxi walked backward, her hands clasped behind her, smiling sweetly as she looked at Lu Ran.

Lu Ran: "..."

Today, little Yuanxi wore a white down jacket, jeans, and Martin boots.

She still had on a white knit hat, its pom-pom bobbing.

She looked every inch the cute and charming girl; where was the demeanor of a powerful River Realm·Fifth Rank martial artist?

Indeed, on the tenth day, Qiao Yuanxi also advanced to River Realm Fifth Stage.

It was said that after her squad returned to school and submitted their mission, the school awarded the squad a Breakthrough Pill.

This pill was concocted from a variety of special plants found in a particular Demon Cave, combined and refined together.

As the name implies, it helps cultivators break through bottlenecks.

For Guan, Niu, and Wang, all being River Realm·Fifth Rank, further advancement only required insight, and taking such a pill was somewhat meaningless.

Naturally, the Breakthrough Pill fell into the hands of Qiao Yuanxi.

And then she ascended.

Beijing University really was terrifyingly rich in resources to spare even such rare medicines.

In this world, though combat pills exist, they are extremely niche.

More than 99% of Believers probably will never consume a single pill in their lifetimes.

Within Da Xia's pantheon, only one deity delves into this path.

Disciples of this faction, once they become River Realm Great Powers, can concoct various pills with their unique secret techniques.

One can only imagine just how rare these are.

Just considering the Breakthrough Pill's effect, people would rather collect a large amount of Demon Crystals to aid in their breakthroughs than to go through connections and spend a great deal of money to buy it.

That Qiao Yuanxi's squad received this Breakthrough Pill was not a reward for the monthly assessment but rather an end-of-term reward for the entire semester.

"Attention, salute!"

"Thank you for your hard work." Lu Ran cupped his fist in his hand, his attitude humble.

After the siblings passed the buildings, Qiao Yuanxi kept walking backward, winking at Lu Ran.

"Just enjoy the spectacle, have you thought about your path to advancement?" Lu Ran spoke up.

"Hmph." Qiao Yuanxi immediately turned around and walked forward, "I've thought about it long ago."

"What is it?" Lu Ran asked.

Qiao Yuanxi, with her hands behind her back and bobbing her head, the pom-pom on her knit hat bobbing along, looked adorably cunning:

"Indescribable, indescribable~"

She got this phrase from a novel she listened to, thinking it sounded mysterious and very cool.

Saying it out loud felt doubly thrilling~

Lu Ran: "..."

As Qiao Yuanxi stepped forward, she happily jumped.

Just like how Lu Ran would sometimes inexplicably shoot a basketball.

Lu Ran hesitated for a moment before saying, "Calm down and contemplate seriously.

Your body is ready, and you may ascend to the River Realm at any time. This is also your chance to surpass your teammates."

Guan, Niu, and Wang, all being first and second-class divine Believers, had higher talent than Qiao Yuanxi and had already ascended to River Realm·Fifth Stage earlier.

They had been stuck at River Realm·Fifth Stage for a while, which put the four members back at the same starting line.

At least, that's how it seems on the surface.

Should Qiao Yuanxi manage a stroke of genius or an epiphany, it will undoubtedly solidify her place on the team.

"Ey, don't talk about me!" Qiao Yuanxi protested, then added, "And when you put on the camera later, you're not allowed to talk about me either!"

"If you properly contemplate, I won't say anything."

Lu Ran certainly had no intention of publicly criticizing his own sister.

In fact, once he donned the miniature camera, he was also very restrained in his speech toward Guan, Niu, and Wang.

However, Lu Ran was Da Xia's Genius.

His various performances had already spoiled the viewers.

As brave and competent as the Beijing squad was in battle, in the viewers' eyes, they still had plenty of flaws.

Since their last appearance on "Heavenly Pride," the Beijing squad's reputation had been mixed, and the pressure was indeed not small.

But their fame had indeed been established.

Whether it was from the school, their family, or various social sectors, there was increased attention on the individuals.

As the siblings continued onward, with Lu Ran thanking everyone along the way, they finally arrived at Wu Lie Building.

By then, Guan, Niu, and Wang had already donned their equipment and were waiting at the building entrance.

"Brother Ran!"

"Morning!" Everyone greeted one another.

As the Lu siblings appeared on camera, Lu Ran's channel was immediately flooded with a deluge of comments.

"Emperor Ran has arrived~~~ Present your matters, or retreat if there's none~~~"

"I'm telling you, the one he princess-carried at the airport the other day was them! The hat matches!"

"So sweet? I want Ranbao to princess-carry me too~~"

"With blade in hand, follow my lead! Fight for Ruyi, slaughter Ran Dog!"

"It's the last battle; I hate to see it end, feeling sad [cry.jpg]."

"Lu Ran Lu Ran, when will you be number one among Heavenly Prides?"

"It's today! Today!!"

Lu Ran's image didn't stay in the camera for long.

After greeting his teammates, he entered the building and, guided by a Moon Gazer, headed straight for the top floor.

When the elevator reached the sixty-eighth floor, and the doors opened at that moment, he saw several figures waiting for a long time.

Leading them was an imposing and dignified middle-aged woman.

She wore a coat similar to a police uniform, exuding a strong presence, her hair tied back in a simple bun at the nape of her neck.

Yet, there was a kind smile on her face.

When Lu Ran's gaze intersected with hers, her expression even held a hint of affection.

"Aunt Liu, Captain Ge." Lu Ran stepped out of the elevator.

He only knew these two people out of the several leaders waiting here and nodded to each in turn.

Liu Yunlan smiled and got straight to the point: "Do you have the confidence to maintain a 17-point lead?"

Lu Ran: "I will do my humanly best, and leave the rest to fate."

Ge Bin suggested, "You could adjust your tactics appropriately and enter the state from the beginning.

With the movement speed of your Immortal Hoof Divine Technique, your guarding range can cover quite a sizable district."

Lu Ran nodded his head: "Okay."

Since it's the last battle, he indeed should give it his all.

Liu Yunlan patted Lu Ran's shoulder, leading him to one side.

Sometime during this, the great command center grew quiet.

The soldiers turned their gaze towards the youth beside Commissioner Liu.

Everyone knew what position this Rain Alley youth was in.

After tonight,

Lu Ran could very likely stand atop all of Da Xia!

Or perhaps, in the hearts of the tens of thousands of people, Lu Ran was already supreme in Da Xia.

The welcoming staff quietly dispersed.

Liu Yunlan took Lu Ran to Deng Yuxiang's favored floor-to-ceiling window again.

Outside the window, snowflakes fluttered, and the city was clad in silver.

Side by side, Liu Yunlan and Lu Ran looked out at the vast white expanse of the town, finding Rain Alley more beautiful than ever.

She whispered, "We've received word that tonight, the Evil Demon is likely to be restless."

Lu Ran: "Is there a foreign power stationed here?"

Liu Yunlan said softly, "There is one."

Lu Ran's heart sank: "What strength and realm?"

If there were no foreign powers, it signified that Liu Yunlan and Ge Bin were quite likely to protect Rain Alley.

Of course, this was just a likelihood.

After all, the Paper Kite Clan's Night of Ghosts remained vivid in Lu Ran's memory.

If not for Lu Ran wielding the Dawn Blade and activating the Divine Weapon Domain·Blessed Cloud that night, Rain Alley would have suffered immense losses.

If foreign powers were rushing over...

Then the situation would be even more terrifying.

And by knowing the strength and stage of the reinforcements, Lu Ran could also gauge the power realm of the incoming enemy from the side.

Of course, such judgment was not accurate, serving only as a reference.

"I do not know." Liu Yunlan shook her head gently.

"Ah?" Lu Ran was somewhat surprised, "I'm not asking about minor ranks, but the major realms."

Liu Yunlan sighed softly: "It's unclear. We just received a notice from higher up, we haven't even seen the person.

To this moment, we do not know where this Mr. Guan is."

"Mr. Guan?"

"Guan Xiao, Xiao as in 'hero.'"

Lu Ran noted the name, nodding silently.

Liu Yunlan suddenly turned to smile at Lu Ran: "Compared to outside assistance, just having you here is enough to put my mind at ease."

Lu Ran quickly waved his hand: "I cannot shoulder such a burden."

Liu Yunlan straightened the coat on her body, once again looking down at the city:

"Why belittle yourself?

Over this past year and more, you have guarded Rain Alley well.

Through countless nights of Ghost encounters and the descent of Demon Lords.

My trust in you and the worship from the people of Rain Alley was earned with each strike of your blade, not manufactured."

Lu Ran: "..."

Speaking of the people of Rain Alley's adoration made Lu Ran a bit uncomfortable.

He was still reluctant to accept people kneeling and offering worship, but such was the custom of venerating deities in this world.

And indeed, Lu Ran had time and again saved people's lives and their families.

Liu Yunlan chuckled lightly: "Enough about that.

I've already given the order that tonight, wherever you go, every Moon Gazer you encounter will comply with your commands unconditionally, working with you against the enemy."

"Isn't that inappropriate?" Lu Ran was uncertain.

Although in actual combat, the Moon Gazers were very willing to follow Lu Ran's suggestions.

But there's a difference between following suggestions and obeying orders.

Such words should not come from the mouth of a Divine People Bureau commissioner.

Liu Yunlan did not respond to Lu Ran's doubts.

She smiled gracefully, extending her hand toward Lu Ran: "Auntie wishes you in advance to become the true number one of Da Xia's Heavenly Prides."

Lu Ran shook her hand lightly, Liu Yunlan turned and left, leaving him alone.

He silently looked out the window.

But as he watched, his gaze adjusted, and he saw his own face reflected on the floor-to-ceiling window.

"Do you have a pen?" After a while, Lu Ran suddenly spoke.

"Yes." Not far away, a Moon Gazer, visibly excited, quickly came over with a pen.

Lu Ran took the pen and left a small mark on the vast floor-to-ceiling window...

...

Asking for some monthly tickets.

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