Chapter 30: My Master is Too Sweet!

"The trial itself will take over a month, and with the added time for visiting home, won't it be a while before I can see Ran'er again?" Leng Wuyan felt a sense of desolation.

With her cultivation level, even closing up for decades would be nothing, just the blink of an eye. But now, she found it quite hard to endure even a month of separation.

Li Ran squeezed her small hand, "I'll come back as soon as possible, looking forward to our second date, Master."

"Hmph, dream on. Who would want to go on a date with you?" Leng Wuyan said, though a hint of a smile crossed her eyes.

The darkness in her heart faded away somewhat.

"Oh, thinking about not being able to see you for so long, it makes me feel uneasy... Should I not go after all?" Li Ran sighed.

"Alright, cultivating has no sense of time. For you and me, this is just a short moment in the grand scheme of things. The days ahead are still long," Leng Wuyan consoled him.

Li Ran, with a mischievous glint in his eyes, turned the tables, "Then, before I depart, could you fulfill a small wish for me?"

"A wish? Tell me about it," Leng Wuyan asked curiously.

Li Ran cleared his throat, "It's about the name you mentioned earlier. Your disciple really wants to hear you call it out once."

"Ah?"

Leng Wuyan suddenly felt flustered, her expression a mix of panic, "No, I can't say it!"

"Alright..."

Li Ran's expression was filled with regret.

Looking at his appearance, Leng Wuyan hesitated for a long time, then whispered, "If I were to say it, would you come back sooner?"

"Of course!"

Li Ran's eyes brightened, "I promise to return quickly!"

"Fine..."

Leng Wuyan covered her cheeks and said in a faint voice, like a mosquito, "Hus-, Husband~"

Through the gaps between her fingers, you could see her cheeks flushed.

Before Li Ran could respond, she suddenly disappeared, so embarrassed that she used teleportation to leave.

Li Ran sat there, still in a daze, for a long time.

He covered his heart that was wildly pounding, muttering, "My Master is unbelievably sweet..."

...

Five Yang City.

This was the imperial capital of the dynasty, the most prosperous city-state.

At this moment, the streets were bustling with people, all gathered in front of the Daoist Inquiry Platform, looking up at the Daoist elders on the platform.

The Ascension Conference!

This was the day when the mundane and the cultivation worlds were closest.

Major clans would send their most outstanding descendants to the platform to test their talents, hoping to earn a chance to join an immortal sect.

Various sects would also pay close attention to not miss out on talents.

When Li Ran was eight years old, he revealed his Holy-Quality talent on this platform, triggering a scramble from top-tier sects.

In the end, he was taken in by the Hidden Gauze Sect.

At this moment, the presiding steward announced, "Now, disciples from the Xiao Clan will come forward to test their talents."

A group of young boys and girls walked up, and among them was the youngest, who looked only six or seven years old.

They went up in the order on the list, each touching the talent-testing stone with their hand.

"Xiao Feng, Low-Quality talent."

"Xiao Yun, Low-Quality talent."

"Xiao San, Mid-Quality talent."

...

Until the very end, the best result was a Mid-Quality talent.

One could say that it was quite pitiable.

When only the last person remained, the best talent was still only Mid-Quality.

The last girl took a deep breath and placed her right hand on the talent-testing stone.

After a while, there was no response.

The steward loudly announced, "Xiao Qingge, No Cultivation Talent!"

She withdrew her hand, her eyes cast downward.

"As expected, there's no miracle... My talent has truly disappeared..."

...

It wasn't her first time participating in the Ascension Conference.

When she was young, her Superb-Quality talent was revealed, only slightly inferior to Li Ran's, but still extremely rare, a one-in-a-thousand occurrence.

She was immediately accepted into a top-tier sect, the Divine Dao Sect.

At the age of ten, she cultivated Qi, at fifteen, she built her foundation, and at eighteen, she had already touched the threshold of the Golden Core realm.

Her cultivation speed was second only to Li Ran, who was known as the reincarnation of the great emperor.

Coupled with her stunning beauty and elegance, she was hailed as the "Pure Immortal" and had countless admirers throughout the land.

Without a doubt, she would become a formidable figure, leading the Xiao Clan to prosperity.

But all of this changed not long ago.

Half a month ago, her cultivation abruptly disappeared, rendering her ten years of hard work into nothingness.

Even her previously Superb-Quality talent had turned into the worst "No Talent."

Both the sect and the clan tried every method, but they couldn't find a solution.

In the end, they could only attribute it to "heaven's will."

The sect didn't support useless people, and with her talent completely gone, she didn't even qualify to be a menial worker within the sect.

Once it was confirmed that her cultivation couldn't be restored, the Divine Dao Sect found an excuse to expel her.

From soaring heights to such a tragic fall.

The crowd looked towards the platform, and discussions arose.

"Wow, I can't believe Xiao Qingge really lost her talent!"

"Yeah, I thought it was just a rumor, but this time it's confirmed!"

"Goodness, she consumed so many resources, and now she's become worthless. The Xiao Clan must be in a huge loss this time!"

"I heard she was expelled from the Divine Dao Sect..."

"Not only that, the Li Clan is even clamoring to break off the engagement!"

"Xiao Clan and Li Clan were engaged? How come I've never heard of this?"

"Well, it's a long story... You see..."

Xiao Qingge stepped down from the Daoist Inquiry Platform, calmly walking through the crowd, seemingly indifferent to everything happening around her.

<+ >

If you want to see more of this story and don't mind paying $5 each month to read the latest post, please go to my Patreon1.

The current chapter in Patreon: Chapter 113: The Second Date and Li Ran's New Year Gift!

https://www.patreon.com/HannibalNotBarca2