Qin Wuyao blinked, her eyes flickering with a faint light deep within.

For girls, when a boy you already have a good feeling towards, or even like, stands before you.

And says somewhat assertively: "Don't wander off anymore, stick with me from now on."

Who in the world could resist that?

But...

"Where to?" Qin Wuyao instinctively asked.

"The world is vast, where couldn't we go?" Lu Ran shrugged and said.

"Then what about leveling up..." Qin Wuyao pondered.

"We can both level up and have fun, and you can even help me find the necessary materials for crafting equipment," Lu Ran casually said.

To be honest, it's very tempting!

Getting to stay by Lu Ran's side, of course Qin Wuyao was happy.

But...

Still, Qin Wuyao always felt the gap between her and Lu Ran was growing larger.

She needed to grow, but she didn't want to grow by just tagging along with Lu Ran.

"I... I want to..." Qin Wuyao bit her lip, struggling to hold back her reluctance, stammering out her words.

"What do you mean you 'want to,' let's go," Lu Ran saw through Qin Wuyao's hesitation and interrupted her words outright.

At the same time.

He brazenly put his arm around Qin Wuyao's shoulder and started walking outside.

The action startled Qin Wuyao.

Her petite body instantly tensed up, a completely instinctive reaction, but she immediately relaxed.

If it were another boy doing this, Qin Wuyao would have exploded.

But she didn't resist when Lu Ran did it.

She originally wanted to say something more.

But Lu Ran added, "I talked to your dad, although it was just a few words, but I get your point. You want to grow, and why can't you grow anywhere? Life is short, a few decades, isn't it suffocating to waste time leveling up, competing, and this so-called growth?"

Qin Wuyao was stunned, turning her head to look at Lu Ran in surprise.

Lu Ran continued, "The world's datafication provides new life paths and goals, but it's not the only way to live. Before the world became datafied, people didn't need to level up to survive, right? There was no equipment, no monsters, no dungeons, and the world still turned, didn't it? It's about being human, your happiness is what's most important, don't you think?"

Lu Ran wasn't typically the kind to motivate others, nor was he very articulate.

But the reasoning was simple.

After the world became datafied, the global structure changed massively, nearly everyone was fixed into one way of survival.

Which was leveling up, fighting monsters, getting equipment, enhancing one's combat power, and then classifying each person's identity based on their profession, level, and combat power.

But that wasn't the only way to live.

Song Chao, with his life profession, isn't just happy every day?

Those chefs, and even farmers, aren't they living their own little lives?

Qin Wuyao stared at Lu Ran blankly, understanding what he meant, as she had heard it before, but this time, it truly sank in.

Finally.

Qin Wuyao nodded and said, "It's true, I've never been to other places for fun since I was a kid. Before I awakened my profession, my dad wouldn't let me leave Black Fire City. It was hard enough to awaken my profession and then I had to level up and clear dungeons, but I have many places I want to visit."

Seeing Qin Wuyao realize this, a smile appeared on Lu Ran's lips.

He casually asked, "Like where?"

"Hmm..." Qin Wuyao tilted her head and said, "The seaside! Black Fire City is an inland main city, and though the sea is dangerous, I want to see it, as I've never been."

Oh?

Lu Ran's eyes lit up.

"Perfect timing! We happen to be heading to the seaside!" Lu Ran laughed heartily as he said this.

"Really? Where to?" Qin Wuyao looked at Lu Ran skeptically.

She suspected Lu Ran was just making excuses, with no actual destination in mind.

"Celestial Domain, first to Celestial Domain, then to the undeveloped Chaotic Domain to find materials. That way, we won't just see the sea, but also explore it thoroughly. Exciting, isn't it?" Lu Ran chuckled.

For other girls, it might be different.

But as for Qin Wuyao, Lu Ran knew her well enough.

Though she was a rich girl, she wasn't a pampered one, and she had ideas different from many other girls.

Sure enough!

Hearing Lu Ran's words, Qin Wuyao excitedly said, "Yes, yes! Let's go now!"

"Let's go!" Lu Ran waved his hand expansively.

They went to the Teleportation Array, directly transporting to Celestial Domain.

At this moment.

Just as they were about to leave the headquarters of the Liuyun Guild.

Lu Ran suddenly stopped and turned to look at the reserve members behind him.

Originally, these reserve members were also watching Lu Ran's back.

When they saw Lu Ran suddenly turn around, it startled them, and some quickly looked away, turning their heads, not daring to meet Lu Ran's gaze.

Lu Ran didn't mind.

He casually said, "Just saying, with a guild like this, why join? You're welcomed when you join, killed when you leave, and it's a second-rate guild at that. What's the point? Aren't you all grown up, making yourselves tools, beasts of burden in such a guild, isn't it exhausting?"

Having said that, he shook his head helplessly, leading Qin Wuyao and the others away.

Behind them.

The reserve members and those surviving low-level Liuyun Guild members from earlier battles.

Looked at each other in confusion.

"It's… it's true!"

"Whether or not it is doesn't matter, Xie Liuyun is dead."

"Yeah, the guild leader is dead, why stay?"

"I'd leave even if the leader weren't dead, this is such a trashy guild!"

"Lu Ran isn't wrong, welcomed when you join, killed if you leave, that's just shameless!"

"I really came to be a beast of burden, can't believe I believed Xie Liuyun before, damn it!"

"I'm leaving! I want out! Leaving now!"

"I'm quitting too, damn it, I'd never join such a guild again!"

...

All of a sudden, with the guild leader gone, a massive exodus began from the Liuyun Guild.

With the leader dead, no one managed this second-rate guild, making it not worth staying.

Those formal members who didn't participate in the earlier battle and survived also chose to leave.

Xie Liuyun was dead, and no one was managing this mess anymore.

In an instant, the second-rate Liuyun Guild fell apart!

Meanwhile, Lu Ran and the others had reached the Teleportation Array, collectively transporting to Celestial Domain!

It was also Lu Ran and their first time coming to Celestial Domain.

Exiting the Teleportation Array, they found themselves in a small main city.

"Celestial Domain itself isn't a main city but a region; there are several main cities concentrated along the coast here, forming the Celestial Domain, with Chaotic Domain lying beyond the sea," Nanami suddenly explained.

Usually, Liu Xinxin provided the information first.

But with Liu Xinxin absent, Nanami unexpectedly took up the task.

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