Summit of the Old Gods

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On June 14th of the Lunar Calendar, the whole school was on holiday.

More accurately, the entire nation was on holiday.

From the 14th to the 18th of each lunar month, the days surrounding the 15th, society hit the pause button, except for specific departments that continued to work.

A full five-day holiday was both an official regulation and a social custom.

"Woo~~~"

"Boom rumble!"

The early morning alarm, accompanied by rolling thunder, woke Lu Ran from his deep sleep in bed.

"Hmm." Lu Ran rubbed his eyes groggily and picked up the mobile phone beside him to check the time.

Seven o'clock on the dot.

Although the Evil Demon Clan would appear on the night of the Lunar fifteenth, the official warning alarms were already being sounded today, alerting the citizens.

"Lord Immortal Goat, good morning." Lu Ran got out of bed and habitually went to the Divine Shrine to pay his respects.

Ever since the assessment in Evil Dog Village, Lord Immortal Goat had not manifested himself for quite some time.

Actually, this was how deities should behave: high and lofty, not someone whom mere believers could expect to see on a whim.

"Disciple feels like he's about to advance to Mist Realm·Third Rank."

Lu Ran muttered to himself, hoping the deities could hear.

Since advancing on the fifth day of the lunar month up to today's the 14th, Lu Ran had been training diligently, even in the Martial Arts Arena surrounded by wisps of mist.

Now, the mist inside him had been compressed to a certain degree.

His body, nourished by Divine Power, had grown strong and robust, and he was ready to advance to Mist Realm·Third Rank!

Lu Ran was full of anticipation: "When that time comes, I'll be able to practice Divine Technique·Immortal Hoof."

However, the Immortal Sheep Jade Carving within the shrine remained silent.

Lu Ran waited for a long while, but after confirming that Lord Immortal Goat had no instructions for him, he respectfully bowed his head.

Then, he moved a step sideways, coming to the windowsill.

The deep and long alert sound continued, reverberating throughout the city, making this already gloomy rainy day even more oppressive.

"It's raining again."

Lu Ran looked out at the rainy scene within the complex, watching the swaying branches in the slanting rain.

The weather forecast said it would be cloudy tomorrow, but who knew if the full moon would be visible?

Lu Ran let out a deep sigh and turned to go to the bathroom to wash up.

Afterward, he grabbed his umbrella and wooden sword and walked out the front door.

In the curtain of rain, Rain Alley City seemed forlorn and desolate.

Compared to the previous days, there were noticeably fewer people on the streets, and the shops on the street corners were all closed up.

It took Lu Ran a long time to find an open convenience store, where he bought a box of milk and a can of fish.

His destination remained the same, the riverside of the Wu Lie River, near the abandoned residential district.

As for why Lu Ran wanted to come here...

On one hand, it was to pay respects to his late father, and on the other hand, he was thinking about that little calico cat.

Since parting last time, Lu Ran made a special trip to this place every day on his way to school.

On the sixth day, Lu Ran got so distracted by Wu Shanshan leaving the team that he accidentally let the calico cat escape.

When he got home, the thought of that little calico cat made him extremely worried.

Stray cats and dogs truly have a hard time surviving the night of the Lunar fifteenth.

Unless some kind person takes them in, or the little calico could sneak into a citizen's home and hide beside the Divine Shrine Divine Sculpture, otherwise...

"Baa~~~"

In the patter of light rain, Lu Ran walked through the overgrown Wild Grass riverside with his umbrella.

He kept bleating along the way, from outside the building to inside, and then up to the run-down seventh-floor rooftop.

Sadly, the calico cat was still nowhere to be found.

"Dad, that calico cat isn't here again." Lu Ran came to a corner of the rooftop and placed the milk and tin can on the railing, "You eat it."

Putting away his umbrella, Lu Ran's figure was once again exposed to the rain:

"Eat quickly, you eat and then I'll eat."

Gripping his wooden Tang sword, Lu Ran visualized an imaginary enemy and began to practice.

Thanks to the cat, for many days now, father and son's breakfast was fish from a can.

Lu Ran was getting a little sick of it.

As for his dad... Well, never mind.

Whether he likes it or not, it's not as if he can talk~

"Little Lu Ran?"

Suddenly, a voice came from the doorway to the rooftop.

"Huh?" Lu Ran turned to look and saw a tall figure in a yellow raincoat.

Lu Ran jumped in surprise!

Is this...uh, a little Nightmare?

The little one actually grew so tall, and what a figure...

Lu Ran wiped the rain from his eyes to make sure the figure was still there.

His heart was in his throat!

How could there be someone in such a desolate place?

And they knew his name!

Could it be some kind of Evil Demon pre-emptively coming into the world?

The woman reached out to pinch her hood and lifted it a bit to reveal an oriental face.

Suddenly, Lu Ran was even more startled!

The woman in front of him was beautiful and fresh, just like her yellow raincoat, she stood out dazzlingly in this gray world.

"Rain Alley Sister?" Lu Ran said incredulously, his face full of disbelief, "What a coincidence?"

"What coincidence?" Deng Yuxiang glanced at Lu Ran, "I came following the sound of the bleating."

Lu Ran: "..."

"You're quite bold." Deng Yuxiang stepped onto the rooftop, "Out here in this desolate area on the 14th of the lunar month?"

"This is my secret training location." Lu Ran pointed southward with his wooden sword, "Look over there."

"Hm?" Beneath the hood, the woman's deep black eyes pierced through the rain and looked to the south.

In the misty rain, the Wu Lie River flowed turbulently.

It was a spectacular sight to see.

"The view is indeed not bad." Deng Yuxiang gazed into the distance, then asked, "Tomorrow you're going to be participating in the defense of the city with Yutang, how prepared are you?"

"It's ok, I guess, I was thinking of practicing more today to stay sharp." Lu Ran asked curiously, "Why would Rain Alley Sister be here?"

Deng Yuxiang did not take the bait but instead shifted her gaze to the milk and canned food placed on the stone railing.

"Do you want some, sister?" Lu Ran played along, "It's yours."

Deng Yuxiang rolled her eyes with a laugh.

I climbed up a full 7 floors, just to fight you for a drink of milk or a can of fish?

Deng Yuxiang turned towards the stairs, a distant voice floating behind her, "Take your little snack and head home to practice, don't linger outside."

Little snack?

Lu Ran felt uncomfortable.

That was the calico cat's food, my dad's offering, my breakfast, alright!

What do you call eating the same fish three different ways?

"Nothing changes." Lu Ran muttered under his breath before resuming his sword practice by himself.

A few days ago, after dropping him off at home, she had floored the gas, and the coupe roared into the rain.

Now, she barely spoke and left, not even giving a chance for small talk. All business.

Lu Ran never expected that Deng Yuxiang would return to the rooftop after just 1 minute, "Do I really need to escort you back?"

"No, no need." Lu Ran shook his head repeatedly, "I'll go immediately, immediately."

Deng Yuxiang smiled, "I've figured it out, you're only obedient with words, right?"

Lu Ran helplessly said, "I'll stay just a little longer, just a little while."

What if the calico cat shows up?

Deng Yuxiang nodded slightly, "It seems that Yutang didn't talk to you much about me."

Lu Ran was confused, "Talk about what?"

Without warning, Deng Yuxiang gestured and quickly gathered a semi-transparent slender wind blade in her palm, "In front of me, Yutang doesn't dare to utter a word of 'no'."

Suddenly a chilling aura came at him, creating an atmosphere of awe and fear.

"North Wind!" Lu Ran's eyes narrowed, "Rain Alley Sister is a believer of North Wind Knife?"

Second-class God·North Wind!

The folk also called this deity "North Wind Knife," whose Divine Sculpture was depicted as a stern swordsman situated in the distant frontier of the North Country.

Together with South Ocean Bow, West Desolate Axe, and East Thunder Spear, they were known as the "Four Directions Martial Heroes."

Lu Ran's former teammate, Wu Shanshan, was one of the four heroes, a believer of South Ocean Bow.

"You don't have to struggle." Deng Yuxiang's lips curled into a barely there smile, "I'll break your legs and then personally take you home.

How about that, Little Lu Ran?"

This time, Lu Ran had no interest in admiring her bright lipstick.

"Misunderstanding! Sister, I'm going home now!" Lu Ran was shockingly cowed.

He hadn't expected such a beautiful and lively sister to be a Living Yama.

No wonder Deng Yutang didn't dare say "no."

This was no hesitation; she would strike out without a moment's notice!

"I said before I'd teach you a thing or two." Deng Yuxiang weighed the wind knife in her hand, "No time like the present, let's do it today."

Lu Ran's expression stiffened, feeling a terrifying pressure envelop his entire body.

"Please don't." Lu Ran backed away, "I still have to defend the city with Deng Yutang tomorrow, if I get hurt..."

"Shhh!" Deng Yuxiang motioned for silence.

She slowly closed her eyes, as if listening to something, "Do you hear it?"

The woman suddenly turned eccentric, leaving Lu Ran puzzled once more,

"Listen to what?"

Deng Yuxiang suddenly lunged in Lu Ran's direction, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly:

"The sound of the wind."

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