Summit of the Old Gods

"I'm begging you, don't fall apart!"

Lu Ran called out from the bottom of his heart, "Dame~"

"Don't talk," Jiang Ruyi said, both embarrassed and annoyed, as she glared at Lu Ran.

Although she stuttered a bit, she finally managed to come back online.

Lu Ran breathed a sigh of relief and pushed the beauty towards the torch-lit path, "Let's head back first."

Just then, their two teammates also arrived to back them up.

"What happened to you two?"

"Are you guys alright?" Wu Deng looked at the Jiang-Lu duo with concern.

"We need to regroup or adjust our tactics," Lu Ran began.

"Does Divine Technique have a big impact on the squad leader?" Deng Yutang carefully examined Jiang Ruyi and speculated.

"Yeah," Lu Ran replied helplessly, "Just now, your squad leader Jiang almost ate me..."

"Don't say it!" Jiang Ruyi stomped her foot, both embarrassed and annoyed again.

"Eh?" Wu Shanshan's eyes widened, having never seen the usually calm and collected beauty Jiang Ruyi show such a side.

It was quite amusing~

"Should we two pair up?" Deng Yutang volunteered eagerly, "You shout yours, and I'll add fighting spirit to myself."

Lu Ran spoke faintly, "You really want to kill me."

Deng Yutang: "..."

Fighting spirit could dilute the effects of the genuine Divine Technique·Voice of Compassion, making everyone eager to fight without pitying the opponent.

The problem was, the Divine Technique Lu Ran needed to use was Sound of Despair.

This Divine Technique could already awaken the beastly desires within people's hearts, and if fighting spirit was added...

Deng Yutang might just pick up the slaughter knife and become a demon on the spot!

"You are all Mist Realm·First Rank, and your mental resistance is still quite low," Lu Ran considered and then said, "It's best if I roam outside alone."

Lu Ran was clear about his role in the team; he was naturally the flexible jungler position.

"Is that really okay?" Wu Shanshan said in a low voice.

"We won't split into groups, just fight normally," Jiang Ruyi steadied herself with a hand to her forehead, her emotions finally stabilizing.

She lifted her head, eyes looking at Lu Ran, "When we fight the Evil Dogs, you seize the opportunity to circle behind them, cast spells quietly, okay?"

The flickering torchlight cast her pretty features in alternating light and shadow.

Her brows were lightly furrowed with a sense of weariness, carrying a shattered feeling after being tormented mentally.

Ruyi, the beauty, was nearly broken,

And Lu Ran was completely numb!

He felt like a total playboy...

Who could withstand this!

"Sure!" Lu Ran nodded decisively.

"Then let's go."

"Let's go! Let's go!"

For the sake of ranking and rewards, the four-person team didn't delay any longer and quickly set off on their journey.

Combat experience, naturally, was something they had to fight to accumulate bit by bit!

In the continuous battles, Jiang Ruyi gradually adjusted to the swiftness of the Evil Dog Clan. Her fingertips sparked with electricity, and her Electric Shackles Talisman became increasingly accurate.

As soon as an Evil Dog was hit, it would be immobilized on the spot, ready to be slaughtered.

Squad leader Wu kept up without showing any weakness, her arrows shooting in rapid succession, becoming ever more skilled.

Deng Yutang was as brave as ever, especially with Lu Ran's support, which gave him even more confidence.

And Lu Ran...

Was simply inhumane!

Yes, he was a sheep.

A plump little sheep that often lured Evil Dogs to hunt.

What was heartbreaking was that as the lamb cried out all along the way, it was the dogs that ended up dead.

This tactic,

This tactic was known as the Beauty Sheep Strategy.

Ancient seductresses beguiled emperors; today, a fragrant little plump sheep brought misfortune to the poor dogs.

After three hours, Lu Ran could no longer speak human language, opening his mouth only to "baa," seeing everyone as dogs.

The squad operated effectively, with the four members playing to their strengths and experiencing significant growth.

Only two things became stumbling blocks on their dog-slaying path: one was physical strength, and the other was Divine Power.

"Flap, flap, flap~"

Black crows descended from the sky and transformed into human figures.

The four-person squad stopped in their tracks, turning to look behind them.

"Time's up," Dou Zhiqiang announced.

"So soon?" Deng Yutang took off his sweat-soaked red headband and shook his head from side to side.

Compared to the reluctant Deng Yutang, Lu Ran felt a huge sense of relief and immediately sat down on the ground.

Turning to look at him, Jiang Ruyi's face showed slight concern, "Are you okay?"

Throughout the journey, Lu Ran was the engine of their tactics, the jungler moving around and luring enemies. He was without a doubt the most exhausted and weary among them.

Lu Ran waved off, too tired to talk.

Truth be told, he could no longer distinguish whether he was tired or frail...

Even with abundant Divine Power in the Demon Cave, Lu Ran couldn't recover.

Sound of Despair may well be a Basic Divine Technique, but Lu Ran was also a rookie, with both a low reserve of Divine Power and a slow absorption rate.

And as they ventured deeper, encountering Evil Dogs more frequently, Lu Ran's Divine Power was always on the verge of depletion.

Just absorbing a little bit meant having to use it up immediately, this "Energy Depletion" feeling was torturous for Lu Ran!

This was also why Lu Ran's steps became more and more unsteady.

Yet for the sake of ranking, he couldn't bring himself to absorb a Demon Crystal.

Ah...

Isn't everyone a slave to points?

If only he had a Divine Power Pearl.

Never before had Lu Ran longed so much for such an endurance-enhancing treasure.

"Team 98, follow me back to the city, immediately!" The Iron-faced Instructor was indeed unforgiving, not even willing to give them time to rest and turned to leave.

"Lu Ran?" Jiang Ruyi stepped forward, reaching out a helping hand.

Watching the instructor's retreating figure, Lu Ran had no choice but to extend his hand, grasping the girl's palm.

Soft and delicate.

Well... just as soft as his legs were at the moment.

The way back to the city was rather calm, as they had fought their way through it.

There were some scattered Evil Dogs, but these were dealt with by Dou Zhiqiang, sparing the students from having to lift a finger.

After walking for a long, long time, they finally returned to Evil Dog Village.

Looking at the majestic Stone City illuminated by torches, Lu Ran had no mood for imagining any epic background music.

At that moment, he looked with discomfort at the hundred-meter-tall stone pillars.

Only then did he realize that to truly leave the Demon Cave, they still had to climb more than thirty stories of spiral stairs!

"Brother Lu, hang in there," Deng Yutang offered his shoulder to Lu Ran, his voice still firm and strong.

Lu Ran felt ashamed; as a Mist Realm·Second Rank Believer, he was even less able to cope than the Mist Realm·First Rank Believers.

This was surely the price of overexerting himself with spellcasting and overtaxing his body.

At 2:47 p.m., they finally emerged from the Demon Cave and returned to the barracks.

The sky was still overcast, with a light rain drizzling down.

The bedraggled four-person group walked out from beneath the huge structure below the Divine·Witch Crow, bathed in the pouring rain, reflecting on many things.

Jiang and Wu were disheveled and looked a sorry sight.

Top laner Deng Yutang and jungler Lu Ran had turned into two "blood-soaked" figures.

Due to the squad's unique tactics, it was Lu Deng who killed the most dogs up close, and blood from their bodies washed down with the rain.

Seeing the squad emerge, a bus parked not far away began to rock violently.

The classmates waiting inside the bus made a ruckus and crowded to the bus windows to watch.

"They're out, someone's come out!"

"See, I guessed right, didn't I? I said it was Wu Shanshan and Jiang Ruyi's team!"

"How far did they go? They're only just returning now? It's almost three o'clock!"

Qian Hao's chubby face turned red as he shivered and looked out the window as if trying hard to endure something,

"I finally got out! I'm dying to pee..."

He was Lu Ran's classmate. On the day of Worshiping God, Qian Hao also offered strategies from below the stage to encourage Lu Ran to burn more paper figures.

As for why Qian Hao was so desperate...

It's because beneath the feet of Witch Crow was a military stronghold!

No one was allowed to enter or exit freely, so the students naturally had to move as a group.

With 40 seats filled on a bus, 9 had already departed before Lu Ran's team emerged.

Only this last bus was still waiting, with 4 seats empty, for the last team to return.

More importantly, the last batch of students to emerge was all locked in the bus, unable to move with the doors sealed shut.

One could imagine how stifled these 36 students felt.

"I want to see how many dogs they've actually killed!"

"Look at the amount of blood on their uniforms, it needs to be censored on TV; they've probably gotten a lot."

"Did they really walk for three whole hours without stopping?"

Qian Hao's face was downcast as he squeezed his legs together and muttered quietly, "I need to pee..."

Smack!

A hand rested on Qian Hao's shoulder.

His face turned even redder, and he shivered, squeezing his legs tighter.

He turned his head ready to curse, but when he saw who it was, Qian Hao wisely swallowed his words.

The top student of the year, Ma Tianchuan!

The young man was tall and slim, wearing rimless glasses, looking scholarly.

He stood in the aisle, leaning on Qian Hao's shoulder, peering out the window.

He happened to see Wu Shanshan take out a handful of Demon Crystals from her pocket and place them on the table under the sheltered area.

The soldier in charge immediately began to count them, and the students inside the bus started to whine:

"Shoot, I thought there would be more, such a letdown!"

"That few? Only seven or eight Demon Crystals?"

"It shouldn't be... Ah ha! Squad leader Jiang has some in her pocket too!"

Under the watchful eyes of the students in the bus, Jiang Ruyi also took out nearly ten Demon Crystals and placed them on the table.

"Added up, that should be around 20, right? Not a bad score."

"Hmph, my Ma brought back 31 Demon Crystals."

"This is just two girls, don't expect too much from them, they dared to act on their first demon hunt... Wow!"

A gasp rang out through the bus.

The blood-soaked Deng Yutang also took out a handful of Demon Crystals from his pocket and dumped them on the table.

"Uh." Qian Hao could only feel the hand on his shoulder suddenly tighten.

Ma Tianchuan's expression darkened. For the first time in two years, he felt his first-place position at risk.

And the next scene made Ma Tianchuan's eyes widen in disbelief!

Because the last Immortal Sheep Believer also pulled out a handful of Demon Crystals from his pocket and threw them on the table!

The stone in Ma Tianchuan's heart completely fell to the ground.

No chance at all.

What close contest?

It was clearly a distant lead by the other side!

"Is this for real?" After a brief silence in the bus, it completely erupted again.

"How could there still be more Demon Crystals?"

"Rightly the second and third students of the year, these chicks went crazy killing!"

"Don't say not to expect too much from girls, I tell you, women's hearts are the cruelest!"

"Too many Demon Crystals, did this team cheat?"

Indeed, how could it be possible?

Ma Tianchuan was just as incredulous.

With only 3 hours for the task, he and his three teammates obtained 31 Demon Crystals, averaging less than 6 minutes to kill an Evil Dog!

For rookie beginners, this efficiency was already extremely terrifying.

Yet Jiang and Wu's team could pull out 40 Demon Crystals?

Was this team really that strong?

Indeed, Wu Shanshan was a Second-class God·Ash's follower, and Jiang Ruyi was a Third-class God·Jade Talisman Believer.

Deng Yutang, as a fifth-class God·Red Scarf Believer, was also a good hand and wouldn't drag them down.

But that Lu Ran...

As an Immortal Sheep Believer, how could he not be a drag?

Ma Tianchuan frowned deeply, having heard of Lu Ran's glorious record of defeating a Third-class God·Prisoner Demon Believer into retreat.

Could it be that this lamb kid was really special and not like other Immortal Sheep Believers?

The bloodstains on Lu Ran's body seemed to suggest just that.

"Ma... Ma bro! Ma bro?"

"What's wrong?" Ma Tianchuan was still pressing on Qian Hao's shoulder, peering out the window without looking down.

Qian Hao was on the verge of tears, burying his face in the back of the seat in front, "Stop squeezing, if you squeeze any more... I'm going to pee myself!"

Ma Tianchuan: ???