Summit of the Old Gods

Lu Ran suddenly stood up with a "plop" and turned to run out of the door.

However, the moment he grasped the doorknob, Lu Ran's body stiffened!

A jumble of thoughts flooded his mind, instantly causing his brain to overload and losing the ability to think and act.

It took several seconds before Lu Ran gradually came to his senses, feeling a chill down his spine!

Suddenly, a deep voice filled his mind, authoritative and commanding,

"If I were an Evil Demon, you wouldn't be able to regain consciousness."

"Huh?" Lu Ran's expression froze as a sliver of hope rose within him.

Although the words were simple and crude, they were also very effective.

Lu Ran had already entered into discipleship with the speaker, which could be interpreted as the forging of a contract.

Under this premise, the Evil Demon Clan could arbitrarily manipulate weak Humans, leading them to lose themselves and become eternal slaves.

Thinking this, Lu Ran turned to look at the shrine: "Are you Lord Immortal Goat?"

Black Sheep Head remained silent, offering no response.

Lu Ran steadied his emotions and looked at the dark sheep head in the shrine, "Sorry, Lord Immortal Goat, I thought you were a gentle and friendly deity.

The world is unaware that you also have such a terrifying... cough, terrifyingly powerful side."

The deep voice filled his mind again: "You desire to prove yourself, desire to reciprocate."

Lu Ran slowly nodded, "Yes."

Given the circumstances, he couldn't say no.

Moreover, Lu Ran truly wanted to reciprocate.

If the Immortal Sheep had not come to the God Worship Platform this time, Lu Ran's only outcome would have been rejection.

Countless examples lay before him: the success rate of worshiping God next year and in subsequent years was virtually zero.

This was similar to the principle of chasing a girl:

Regarding her lack of love for you...

You really don't need to confirm it over and over.

If rejected, Lu Ran would only be an ordinary, powerless person for the rest of his life, living in fear in this dangerous world.

To say that Immortal Sheep had given him a second chance was no exaggeration!

Black Sheep Head replied, "Good."

This was the third and last sentence Black Sheep Head said.

Lu Ran waited a long time but received no further guidance from the deity.

"Buzz...buzz..."

His cellphone suddenly vibrated in his pocket, awakening the contemplative Lu Ran.

He cautiously glanced at the shrine before hesitatingly pulling out his phone.

Seeing it was his mother calling, Lu Ran immediately answered, "Mom."

Lu Ran was raised in a single-parent family.

After his parents divorced, he lived with his father from the age of five while his mother left the city with his younger sister and returned to her family's home.

At the age of 13, his father, Lu Xing, died in the line of duty, and he was then taken in by his mother.

By the age of 16, feeling capable of taking care of himself, Lu Ran returned to his hometown alone, moving back into his father's old house.

"How have you been recently?" his mother's gentle voice soothed Lu Ran's mind.

"Pretty good," Lu Ran replied unnaturally, looking towards the shrine.

"Have you been training diligently?" his mother, Qiao Wanjun, continued.

Lu Ran instinctively turned his head to look at a wooden sword leaning against the corner.

The blade was straight and slender, clearly fashioned in the style of a Tang Dynasty saber.

From a young age, under his father Lu Xing's tutelage, Lu Ran practiced swordsmanship and showed great talent.

At that time, young Lu Ran even fantasized about one day earning the recognition of Divine·Jade Talisman and fighting alongside his father.

But now,

All has changed, nothing remained.

"I have."

"Hmm," Qiao Wanjun's voice was soft and brief before she got to the point, "I heard about what happened at school.

Ranran, you need to maintain the right attitude, having the care of a deity is our greatest honor."

His mother made no mention of the Evil Demon, only speaking of Divine·Immortal Goat.

Lu Ran again looked towards the shrine, his mind stirring.

His mother was extraordinarily skilled and well-informed; perhaps she knew something about the Black Sheep Head?

Even if she did not, she could at least offer some advice.

However, just as Lu Ran was about to ask, his thoughts suddenly overwhelmed him, leaving his brain blank in an instant and unable to speak.

Five seconds later, Lu Ran gradually regained his senses, looking fearfully towards the shrine.

No wonder the world is unaware of such a side to Divine·Immortal Goat!

Does it not allow its believers to reveal its existence?

In a daze, Lu Ran heard the last few words of his mother: "...The Divine Technique of the Immortal Goat Sect is very special, quite effective if used properly."

Misunderstanding Lu Ran's silence, Qiao Wanjun thought her son was feeling down.

After all, Lu Ran had high aspirations and had been diligently preparing for so many years, only to end up being the last choice of the ninth row by the Immortal Goat.

Such a blow was not small.

Moreover, before the arrival of the Immortal Goat, his son had even summoned an Evil God!

This could show, indirectly, that Lu Ran's talents were outstanding, worthy of being fought over by the deities in the front rows.

As to what exactly went wrong, Qiao Wanjun was also unclear.

Qiao Wanjun softly said, "When you asked for the Divine Sculpture to be brought home, the school also gave you a booklet."

"Yes, that's right," Lu Ran stammered in response.

On the computer desk lay a copy of the Immortal Sheep Rules, containing nothing more than some admonitory phrases.

It prescribed that believers pray devoutly every day, be kind and united with others in their everyday interactions.

The booklet also recorded a unique Divine Technique of the Immortal Goat Sect—the Voice of Compassion.

Such a name was quite imposing!

Actually... it was just begging for mercy.

Immortal Sheep Believers could use their voices to evoke compassion in others.

Once the opponent felt sympathy for you, pitied you, they might avoid conflict or let you off the hook.

As for the actual effectiveness in combat...

This was just the most basic Divine Technique of the Immortal Goat Sect, and frankly, it wasn't very impressive.

Not to mention facing the brutal Evil Demon Clan, even against resolute and determined individuals, no matter how much you cried and begged, they would not let you go.

Qiao Wanjun said, "Look at the basic Divine Technique, try to understand it."

Lu Ran replied, "Teacher Li escorted me home and tutored me, he explained it to me."

"I see," Qiao Wanjun gently nodded, "When you became a believer, Lord Immortal Goat granted you some Divine Power."

"Uh-huh," Lu Ran responded casually, recalling how the phantom of the Immortal Goat had given him a wisp of Immortal Fog on the God Worship Platform.

This Immortal Fog was so-called Divine Power, which also helped Lu Ran transform his physique, enabling him in the future to absorb and cultivate Divine Power.

Qiao Wanjun instructed, "Feel the Divine Power within you, mobilize this force, and wrap it around your vocal cords."

Hearing this, Lu Ran guessed what his mother was trying to do.

She probably wanted to divert his attention, using the method of performing a miraculous spell to improve Lu Ran's mood.

Lu Ran was also greatly moved!

It is known that each believer must go through a procedure to use Divine Technique—pray to their own deity.

Only with the deity's approval and assistance can believers perform their sect's unique skills.

That is to say, Lu Ran could try using the unique Divine Technique·Voice of Compassion as a way to confirm whether Black Sheep Head was truly Lord Immortal Goat!

"Okay," Lu Ran made a decisive decision, carefully completing the preparation under his mother's guidance.

Qiao Wanjun spoke softly, "Look towards Lord Immortal Goat and pray for its help."

Lu Ran looked at the shrine and softly uttered, "Hmm."

Qiao Wanjun: "Call."

Lu Ran: "..."

That's a weird thing to ask!

It sounds so embarrassing.

Qiao Wanjun patiently waited for a while but didn't hear her son perform the Divine Technique.

She reassured him, "It's okay, it's common to feel uncomfortable when first learning Divine Technique; we can practice more."

Lu Ran immediately explained, "Baa~ No, Mom!"

Qiao Wanjun: "..."

Lu Ran: "..."

Awkward!

Caught in an awkward moment, Lu Ran spun around on the spot, clutching his hair.

What the hell kind of Divine Technique is this!

Why did I bleat like a sheep?

So! Embarrassing! Ah!

"Hehe~" What made Lu Ran speechless was the light laughter coming from the other end of the phone.

Clearly, she had done it on purpose!

As a powerful believer, how could she not know about the embarrassing situations Immortal Sheep Believers might encounter when performing Divine Technique for the first time?

"I'll hang up now," Lu Ran said irritably.

"Ranran."

"Uh-huh?"

"Keep cultivating Divine Power, keep training," Qiao Wanjun gently advised.

"Got it." Lu Ran hung up the phone and slumped back in his chair, completely overwhelmed.

At 17, his self-esteem was at its peak.

Baaing in front of his mom made Lu Ran extremely ashamed.

Ahhh!

I want to bang my head against this...

Overwhelmed by his emotions, Lu Ran suddenly shivered.

He abruptly realized that another deity was watching him!

Lu Ran slowly turned his head to look at the shrine.

The jade-carved body was still radiant, only the sheep head was pitch black.

Now, Lu Ran had confirmed that the other party was indeed the Immortal Goat, but doubts surged in his mind.

After hesitating for a long time, Lu Ran softly said, "About your existence, why won't you allow me to consult others?

Do you have some unspeakable secret?"

Black Sheep Head remained silent but gradually faded, the sheep head returning to its bright white color.

"Hey? Don't go!" Lu Ran hurriedly spoke up, his mind still filled with too many questions.

Just at that moment, Lu Ran's mind blanked once more!

A swarm of thoughts assaulted him, not only silencing Lu Ran but also making him dizzy and collapsing on the floor, falling into a deep sleep.

It seemed the deity was annoyed and didn't want to be bombarded with questions anymore.

In the silent small room, the shrine emitted wisps of fog, surrounding the sleeping Lu Ran, nourishing his fragile Human body.

Lu Ran slept through to the late afternoon.

It wasn't until the street lamps of Rain Alley City lit up that Lu Ran, lying on the floor, groggily opened his eyes.

It took him a while to remember everything he had experienced!

"Do you have to be so domineering?" Lu Ran looked out at the night, his expression sorrowful.

You tell me to shut up, and I have to shut up; you tell me to sleep, and I have to sleep?

Am I some ideal type of girlfriend?

Such prime time for cultivation, all wasted... huh?

Lu Ran furrowed his brows, realizing something was amiss.

Why was his body filled with intense Divine Power?

Lu Ran had only become a believer that morning, and the Divine Power given by Lord Immortal Goat was sparse, thin as fog.

But now, that thin mist had become much denser!

He also felt full of energy, his body seemingly nourished and transformed by the Divine Power.

So...

Lu Ran raised his head, looking towards the wooden shrine.

After knocking me unconscious, did the deity bless me?

"Wow." Lu Ran clenched his fist, feeling the fullness of the Divine Power and surge of strength.

Don't mention how thrilled he was!

Lord Immortal Goat was faultless!

A deity being domineering, what's wrong with that?

I like it domineering!

Ah~

Refreshing!

...

Thank you, brothers, for your support; I'll open a single chapter for thanks later.

After so many years of writing, having such a group of supportive and steadfast readers, I am truly grateful and honored.

Today, an additional update to show my respect to all brothers!

Regarding the leader's reward and additional updates, after the story goes public, I will offer them one by one.

Anyway...

Three more updates today, 12.17.20.