Last time, Luo Wushuang had taught them a lesson, making Lin Ran realize one thing: never underestimate any opponent.
"Yao Yao, wouldn’t it be better if we just dealt with Luo Wushuang directly now? As for the rest of the Luo family, taking them down one by one might take time, but there’s no real risk."
Luo Yao naturally understood Lin Ran’s concern. "A-Ran, I promise I’ll protect myself—and you too."
"But the secrets hidden in the Luo family’s dragon vein... I still want to see them. I feel like they’re somehow connected to me. Will you indulge me this once?"
This was indeed out of character for Luo Yao. Normally, she would prioritize Lin Ran’s safety above all else.
Lin Ran didn’t argue further. If this was what Luo Yao wanted, he would stand by her.
Before, he hadn’t known about her interest in the Luo family’s dragon vein. Now that he did, there was no point in trying to dissuade her. Besides, she had promised to stay safe.
He had hoped that finding Luo Wushuang would allow them to eliminate the threat early, but it seemed they were still bound for the old family estate.
Lin Ran cared deeply about their safety, but as long as he was facing it all with Luo Yao, nothing else really mattered.
"Then I’ll go meet Luo Wushuang first—keep him steady for now."
Luo Yao hesitated for a moment, but before she could speak, Lin Ran kissed her.
Nothing worked better than this.
When their lips finally parted, he murmured, "Yao Yao, I want to do something for you too. You can’t just think about my safety and ignore your own. If anything happened to you, I wouldn’t be able to go on living. You promised we’d face this together."
Luo Yao was still lost in the heat of his kiss, her body aching with desire.
I want to tie A-Ran to me forever, she thought.
Aloud, she simply said, "Okay."
Then she took out a small box. "Since you’re going to see him, give him this. We’ll settle everything at the old estate."
Lin Ran nodded. He already knew what this key represented—and why it had to be handed to Luo Wushuang.
Luo Yao was well aware that even if they captured Luo Wushuang, they wouldn’t get the other key. So instead of forcing it, they might as well let him have both—then strike when he tried to open the dragon vein.
Even if Lin Ran didn’t go, Luo Yao would have found another way to make sure the key "accidentally" ended up in Luo Wushuang’s hands.
And the key was a fake.
"A-Ran, be careful."
Seeing the worry in Luo Yao’s eyes, Lin Ran’s heart ached.
"I will. Are we going back to the manor tonight, or staying at the hospital?"
He knew Luo Yao couldn’t bear to be apart from him—or rather, he couldn’t bear to be apart from her.
"I’ll return to the manor tonight."
The fire inside her couldn’t be contained. Tonight, they would battle until dawn.
Lin Ran arranged to meet Luo Wushuang, and the man agreed.
But when Lin Ran arrived at the designated spot, it wasn’t Luo Wushuang waiting for him—it was Bi Yaolian.
"Where’s your man?"
Bi Yaolian’s voice, filtered through a vocal device, was grating.
"He sent me to collect something from you."
Lin Ran narrowed his eyes. "I don’t know what this is for, but I know it’s important. I’ll only hand it over to him personally."
"He’s not in the capital. He can’t come."
Lin Ran scoffed.
"Then forget it. I’m not giving it to anyone but Luo Wushuang."
He turned to leave, but Bi Yaolian called out sharply.
"Wait! He’s nearby. I’ll have him come right away."
Lin Ran smirked. Trying to play me? I’ve been tricked enough times to see through this weak act.
Sure enough, Luo Wushuang soon appeared.
He walked with a slight limp—a remnant of an old injury.
"Lin Ran, long time no see."
Lin Ran sneered. "I thought you’d spend your whole life hiding behind women."
The words visibly stung Bi Yaolian. After all, Luo Wushuang had once told her she "wasn’t really a woman anymore."
Luo Wushuang, however, remained calm. His gaze flicked behind Lin Ran, noting that he’d only brought one bodyguard.
For a moment, dark thoughts stirred in his mind—but he suppressed them.
This wasn’t the same Lin Ran from before. Now, he was a national figure, backed by the Chen family. If Luo Wushuang killed him here, the fallout would be catastrophic.
Better to wait. Lin Ran would die a "natural death" soon enough—no evidence, no blame.
His plan was simple: get the key, unlock the treasure, take control of the Luo family, eliminate Lin Ran, then enjoy the rest of his life.
Perfect.
And Lin Ran’s single bodyguard only reinforced his belief that Luo Yao was truly poisoned. If she were fine, Lin Ran would have an entire security team—or wouldn’t have come at all.
"Your tongue is as sharp as ever."
"Sharp enough to match your attitude. If I recall correctly, the first time we met, you tried to have me hunted down indefinitely. I hold grudges."
Luo Wushuang shook his head with a bitter laugh.
"Young people should be more open-minded. Don’t be so aggressive."
Lin Ran raised an eyebrow. "Trying to bait me? Not playing along."
Luo Wushuang was taken aback. This kid really didn’t follow the script.
"The money’s already been transferred. Hand over the item."
Lin Ran produced a small box and opened it. The moment Luo Wushuang saw the key inside, his eyes gleamed.
After all these years... success was finally within reach.
Just as he reached for it, Lin Ran snapped the box shut.
"Is this the right one? I hope I didn’t grab the wrong thing."
Luo Wushuang forced composure. "I need to inspect it. Give it to me."
Lin Ran grinned mockingly. "Want it? Call me ‘Daddy.’"
Luo Wushuang: ???
Lin Ran: "Well? Not calling? Guess I’ll leave."
Luo Wushuang knew Lin Ran was provoking him—though the reason eluded him. But call him Daddy? Absurd.
He’d rather die.
"Do you really think I won’t kill you?" Luo Wushuang’s voice turned icy.
"Try it."
Luo Wushuang took a deep breath. "I’ll give you one last chance. Hand it over—"
"I’m your damn daddy," Lin Ran spat.
That was the last straw. Luo Wushuang had endured many humiliations in his life, but this—this was worse than having his leg broken by Luo Yao.
For the first time, he genuinely wanted Lin Ran dead.
The moment he moved to strike, a figure materialized in front of Lin Ran, meeting Luo Wushuang’s fist with one of their own.
Luo Wushuang staggered back three steps, staring in shock at the "bodyguard" Lin Ran had brought.
with countless casualties. As a top-tier gamer, Liu Xuan volunteered to join the fight, intending to dominate with his skills, but instead he obtained the hidden class: [Pacifist]. Unable to attack. Unable to use active skills. Fortunately, with each level gained, he acquired a new passive skill. And so, armed with a body full of passives, Liu Xuan slaughtered his way through the battlefield of ten thousand races! [You attacked Liu Xuan] [You gained the debuffs: 'Poison', 'Fear', 'Burning', 'Bleeding', 'Freeze', 'Silence', etc.] [Your attack speed has been reduced by 99%] [Your armor and magic resistance have been reduced by 99%] Warriors of the Ten Thousand Races: How the hell am I supposed to fight this?!
nd fell into a coma while saving his younger sister from an out-of-control car. He became a vegetable. No one knew that his consciousness had crossed into a world of cultivation. Over the course of sixty years, he began as the lowest kind of mine slave, struggling to survive amid mountains of corpses and seas of blood. By sheer chance, he eventually obtained the complete memories of a fallen Immortal King. Alchemy, medicine, formations, feng shui, physiognomy, artifact forging… Every great inheritance of the cultivation world was now his. But when he opened his eyes again, he discovered that ten full years had passed in the modern world. To pay for his treatment, his father had sold the family’s shop and house, leaving himself covered in lasting injuries and illness. His mother had cared for him day and night, and more than half of her hair had already turned white. His younger sister, who had been only fifteen back then, was now twenty-five. To help repay the family’s debts, she had been forced to lower her head and put on a smiling face in places of glittering lights and endless revelry. Only then did Chen Xuan understand that what he had lost was not merely ten years. He had lost the life his entire family was meant to have. The good news was that he had brought back the memories of an Immortal King’s entire lifetime. The bad news was that his soul had returned alone—his cultivation had not come with him. Spiritual energy was scarce, resources were depleted, and the modern world still had firearms, surveillance, capital, and laws. If he wanted to protect his family, break free from everyone’s control, and become truly invincible beneath the heavens, he would have to start all over again.
s + Rent Collection Wealth】 At the start, he inherited a rundown house in the urban village from his grandfather. The house had no tenants, but the moment he was diagnosed with a terminal illness, a self-proclaimed empress from the Tianxuan Continent arrived as his first tenant. Ye Chuan soon discovered that with every new tenant moving in, not only did he receive massive daily payments, but he also obtained unique items related to their backgrounds. 【Acquired Bai Qianshuang’s related item: Tiger Strength Pill—dramatically enhances physical power!】 【Acquired Bai Qianshuang’s related item: Deer Blood Pill—significantly boosts vitality!】 …… From that day on, all sorts of bizarre tenants began appearing in the house: the empress from Tianxuan Continent, an apocalyptic sorceress from the Magic Realm, a mysterious scientific girl who fell through a spacetime rift… Every single day, he received strange, powerful items and endless money. Then one day, he suddenly realized—he had become invincible. Enough, enough! Stop giving me more!
lity and could only live as an ordinary mortal. He only wished to live a peaceful life. Yet he didn't know— The dog he adopted, because it ate his food, became a legendary demon king. The kitchen knife he casually forged became a peerless divine weapon, causing numerous experts to fight desperately for it. The young disciple he took in became an immortal lord that led an era, due to cultivating the techniques Ye Feng taught him. Even the skeletons he looked down on the most were ominous demon kings that suppressed countless worlds. Many years later, looking at the void shattered with a punch, Ye Feng murmured to himself: It turns out the peerless kings were myself all along...
