Summit of the Old Gods

Three days later, amidst a rich mountain forest.

A light rain had been falling continuously.

A group of gallant black steeds raced through the forest, leaving behind beautiful flame flowers wherever their hooves landed.

Previously, at Cloud Sea Cliff, Lu Ran had at least witnessed the sunset.

Since returning to Langhua Village and leading his team southward, the sky had been shrouded in dark clouds with intermittent drizzle over the past few days.

Oppression was palpable.

"Neigh~"

Up ahead, a woman in a straw raincoat rushed forward, gently stroking the mane of the fine steed.

The Black Fire Colt was incredibly spirited; its hooves pounded the ground as its front legs rose high, neighing with pride.

A bunch of flame flowers ultimately bloomed at the cliff's edge.

Deng Yuxiang rode her horse, blade in hand, and looked southward, her eyebrows raised.

The distant mountainscape had changed.

No longer monotonous lush forests, now there were sparse trees, but the true protagonist was the flowers.

A vast ocean of flowers stretched endlessly!

Amidst the gentle rain, vibrant flowers swayed elegantly, and occasionally wind and rain made the flower sea undulate like waves.

A mesmerizing sight to behold.

"Huh?" Lu Ran rode ahead, gazing at the rare spectacle.

The southern sights are indeed more beautiful!

To the north of Holy Spirit Mountain lay an endless expanse of mountains where a high mountain and cool lake occasionally emerged to create a special scene.

But look to the south!

Mist Rain Lake ahead, Qianhua Ridge behind.

Each one more beautiful than the last.

"Is this Qianhua Ridge?" Deng Yuxiang shouted.

At the back of the group, Shangguan Hongfu immediately responded, "Yes, Nightmare Guardian."

The team had added one more member for this southern expedition.

Besides the four Great Protectors and the Shadow Guard Team, Shangguan Hongfu also joined the team, along with Yu Changsheng for rear guard.

Leng Xushuang was left behind at Cloud Sea Cliff, waiting for Lu Ran to complete the task on this side and then to open and bind the Evil Sculpture for her.

"Tsk tsk~"

Lu Ran couldn't help but sigh, "Ruyi, if you were to dance with a sword in this sea of flowers, it would certainly be stunning."

Jiang Ruyi said indifferently: "You have beautiful thoughts."

Lu Ran pursed his lips: "If you won't dance, I'll bring Sister Leng Xushuang here to dance for me."

Jiang Ruyi: ?

A true fool!

Feeling the gaze of Jiang the Immortal, Lu Ran's scalp tingled, and he immediately said, "I was just joking~"

"Hmph." Jiang Ruyi pouted and then asked, "Have they arrived?"

Obviously, she was more concerned about the mission.

Lu Ran conversed briefly with the Eight Desolate Blade and shook his head, "Our horses are too fast, they're still about three or four hundred kilometers away from us."

Deng Yuxiang asked, "Should we go to them or wait here?"

"Wait here!" Saying this, Lu Ran squeezed the horse's flanks with his legs, "The battleground will be here!"

How romantic!

"Tap, tap, tap..."

The Black Fire Steeds gradually walked out onto the cliff, stepping suspended flowers of flame.

"Let's go!" Lu Ran tapped the horse's flanks again, and the steed suddenly picked up speed, "Let's search first and see if there are any forces lurking."

Everyone immediately followed, rushing into a splendid sea of flowers.

Guided by Shangguan Hongfu, they arrived at a lush wooded river valley within Qianhua Ridge and saw a group of dilapidated buildings.

It seemed that a few years ago, during the calamity, the Qianhua Gang was not fortunate enough to escape.

"Sect Leader, there's a large cave system underground, we can search it." Shangguan Hongfu spoke.

"Hm." Lu Ran looked down at the clear creek surrounded by thick woods and beautiful flower seas that swallowed the buildings.

The broken wooden houses blended perfectly with the flower clusters and tree vines.

Providing Lu Ran with a truly wonderful visual experience.

"Hehehe~" Just as Lu Ran marveled, he faintly heard a child's laughter.

"Hmm?" Lu Ran almost thought it was auditory hallucination.

He showed a look of inquiry, turning to watch Big Nightmare.

He saw Deng Yuxiang slightly raising her head, seeming to hear something too.

Lu Ran immediately transmitted to Evil Shadow Guardian and the two Shadow Guards: "Be careful, this place is haunted!"

"Master, just in front of you at the house, I smell ghost energy." A Shadow Guard appeared next to the wooden house directly ahead of Lu Ran, sniffing intently.

"Hehehe~" Again, a child's crisp laughter broke the silence, making the atmosphere eerie.

"There's more than one source of ghost energy! Master, many houses have it." Lu Ran listened to the message, narrowed his eyes suddenly.

Through the half-opened wooden house door, he saw a small figure float by.

"Whoosh~"

Suddenly, a black talisman flew out from the window of the old wooden house!

This is... a Ghost Talisman Doll?

Judging by the drifting sand from the black talisman, it should be an Earth Sinking Talisman.

"Fly!" Lu Ran commanded.

Everyone mounted their horses and ascended into the air.

With a crisp "snap," the black talisman paper landed!

In an instant, the ground transformed into a slowly spinning whirlpool of quicksand, from which tendrils of sand whipped out, attempting to tangle the horse hooves.

"Woosh!"

Deng Yuxiang's hand thrust down; gale-force winds swept through!

The tendrils of sand halted, and scattered, blown apart completely.

At the same time, the wooden house cluster below swayed, fragments flying, collapsing some houses entirely.

Shangguan Hongfu immediately said, "Sect Leader, the base of the Ghost Talisman Clan is over two hundred kilometers from here, this group seems to have stumbled here unwittingly..."

"Woooo~~~"

From inside a wooden house, a chilling cry interrupted Shangguan Hongfu.

Even scarier, the cry set off a chain reaction as similar cries emerged from the ruined buildings one after another.

Sending chills down one's spine!

"An old acquaintance." Lu Ran murmured.

Through a collapsed roof, Lu Ran saw a little boy standing inside.

The boy had a deathly pale face, looking about four or five years old, and was "gazing" up at everyone.

His eye sockets were pitch-black, devoid of eyeballs.

Evil Demon·Ghost Talisman Doll!

It was indeed the arch-enemy of the Jade Talisman Sect.

The opponent had just used Evil Technique·Earth Sinking Talisman, which was directly counteracting the Jade Talisman Divine Method·Quicksand Talisman.

Compared to the surging Flowing Sand River, the Earth Sinking Talisman's movement was relatively smaller, but when it devoured someone, it was relentless!

"Thinking back to when you were a Moon Gazer?" Deng Yuxiang spoke with a hint of a smile.

The first time Lu Ran saw a Ghost Talisman Doll up close was in her team.

Captain Sun Zhengfang, brothers Wei Long and Wei Hu.

The abandoned residential building, the eerie staircase.

The perpetually void Ghost Talisman Doll, irritated enough to dismantle the building's Big Nightmare...

Images appeared in his mind, making Lu Ran smile.

He still remembered, in the pitch-black hallway, he found the yellow talisman paper and then activated Divine Technique·Immortal Hoof.

Went straight up and slapped it!

He successfully stuck the talisman paper on the Ghost Talisman Doll's forehead, finally making it manifest physically.

"Sigh..." Lu Ran sighed inwardly.

How youthful I was then~

Now when fighting Ghost Talisman Dolls, he no longer needed to search for yellow paper everywhere.

"Scatter, leave the nightmare behind." Lu Ran commanded.

"Whoosh~"

"Whoosh!" Sheets of black talisman paper flew up into the sky.

Deng Yuxiang stretched out a hand, Night Wind Assault unfolded again.

The black talisman paper was immediately hindered, flying around chaotically.

"Puff~"

Some black talisman paper exploded, releasing thick blood mist.

Evil Technique·Blood Explosion Talisman!

"Crack!!"

Some black talisman paper emitted electric currents, but the range was limited, not part of the Thunder Domain.

Evil Technique·Dark Thunder Talisman!

At the River Grade, this technique could only output single target, shocking enemies.

Upon reaching River Grade, it underwent a transformation; if the talisman was attached to a target, it could summon thunder strikes, chasing after the target!

The output was quite considerable!

But the problem is...

Deng Yuxiang stood with her blade, strong winds howling.

No black talisman paper could get close!

"Are you ready?" Lu Ran spoke, "I'm going to call out!"

"So that's what you're thinking." Deng Yuxiang's expression was a bit odd, "You really think I'm a Night Charm, forgetting I'm also an Immortal Sheep Believer?"

"Uh." Lu Ran paused.

That's right!

Even the Big Nightmare can bleat...

"Call then." Deng Yuxiang laughed as she continued fighting, "I haven't heard your unique voice in a long time."

Lu Ran adjusted for a moment, setting Divine Technique·Desolate Sound to River Grade.

This grade should be enough to deal with the naturally brutal evil demon.

"Maa~~~"

The sound of sheep bleating echoed through the River Valley.

As Lu Ran bleated, his face was filled with enjoyment.

Ah,

Comfortable~

For a moment, more black talisman paper flew up from below!

And the Ghost Talisman Dolls no longer hid, flying into the sky!

The children were already evil demons, intellectually low, and upon hearing the sheep bleat, their deathly pale little faces filled with killing intent, determined to torture the little lamb on the spot.

"Whoosh~ Whoosh~" Deng Yuxiang consecutively released 32 Night Charm Blades, piercing the Ghost Talisman Doll masses.

Some Ghost Talisman Dolls were bewildered, and before they realized it, they were pierced thoroughly by the Night Charm Blades!

Some Ghost Talisman Dolls, relying on their racial traits, immediately voidified their bodies.

The Night Charm Blades pierced through the Ghost Talisman Dolls without causing any harm.

Physical damage immunity!

Immunity?

"Hoo!!" At that moment, Deng Yuxiang used Evil Technique·Night Wind Assault again!

The voidified bodies, ravaged by the divine power-laden wind waves, were completely blown away!

The airborne blood mist, lightning, ice, and other elements, along with their owners, vanished without a trace.

"Maa~~~"

To be honest, someone was quite shameless.

Clearly a presence in the Yangyang Sea, yet pretending to be a weak little lamb!

That pitifully weak sound, triggered the deepest hunting and violent urges within every creature.

Lu Ran felt good, muttering to himself, self-brainwashing.

Trample me! Ravage me! Devastate me!

Kill me...

Minutes later, the River Valley returned to tranquility.

The low-intelligence Ghost Talisman Dolls, like a suicide squad, shattered under the Great Power's Wind Blade, disappearing in the gale.

Lu Ran opened his Pupil of the Dead World, harvesting souls on a large scale.

He naturally sensed many gazes upon him, some particularly intense.

"Everyone calm down!" Lu Ran shouted, "I'm using River Grade Divine Method!

Don't make excuses for yourselves!"

Si Xianxian pouted sadly, repeatedly stroking the hammer handle.

The Shadow Guard Team had already flickered away in haste, afraid of committing any blasphemous acts.

Only Yan Shuangzi stared at Lu Ran, lips tightly pursed, taking a long time to reluctantly look away...

...