Summit of the Old Gods

A sliver of hope that had risen in Lu Ran's heart was once again shattered.

Qianhua Ridge, desolate and uninhabited.

The cluster of dilapidated wooden huts and the dark tunnels of the cave together formed a relic, indicating that the Human Clan once gathered here.

Now, everything remained unchanged but there were no people, only little spirits haunting the place.

There wasn't even anyone to send a message to, where to search for the traces of Dust Shadow disciple, Qin Yanzhi?

After a round of searching, Lu Ran gradually became despondent. Although he gathered a vast number of Ghost Talisman Doll dead souls, the hope in his heart faltered once again, and the clues broke off...

Holy Spirit Mountain, vast and boundless.

To find one person, it was as hard as reaching the heavens!

Thinking of this, Lu Ran rode his horse in the sky, involuntarily lowering his head, searching for that immortal silhouette.

Under the continuous drizzle, Qianhua Ridge was a riot of color, dreamlike and illusory.

A woman in a white dress stood amongst the flowers, flower petals fluttering in the wind, the sea of flowers rising and falling, sometimes submerging her waist, sometimes brushing past her calves.

She reached down with her slender jade hand, lightly twirling a small pale yellow flower between her fingers.

Graceful, tranquil.

Even the majestic black horse following her seemed to be infected by the atmosphere, extinguishing its fiery spirit, fearing to burn the flowers and ruin the beauty.

"To encounter her at Ten Thousand Blade Mountain, I suppose it's a blessing from the heavens..."

Lu Ran silently gazed at the immortal silhouette, his heart filled with relief.

After entering the mountains for a year, he had traveled far and wide, inquiring about Cheng Xin and Qin Yanzhi, and what he received was disappointment time and again.

And he was unaware of Jiang Ruyi's existence, never actively seeking her, yet she appeared right before him in reality.

[What's wrong?] A cold, clear voice imprinted in his mind.

Perhaps Lu Ran's gaze was too focused, alerting Fairy Jiang.

She turned and looked upward, gazing at the young man in the emperor robe high above.

[Nothing.] Lu Ran smiled, [Just feeling fortunate.]

Smart as she was, with a little thought, she understood Lu Ran's mood.

After all, Lu Ran had come in search of the young man named "Qin Yanzhi."

Jiang Ruyi gazed at him from afar: [Even if you didn't go to Ten Thousand Blade Mountain, I would have found you.]

[Oh?] Lu Ran raised an eyebrow slightly.

The cold fairy amidst the flowers rarely showed a playful smile on her face.

She slightly tilted her head: [I will follow the guidance of Lord Immortal Sheep to the place with a sea, to the Cloud Sea Cliff where you are.]

Only after truly understanding Holy Spirit Mountain did Jiang Ruyi realize how precise the information Lord Immortal Sheep provided was!

No one dared to build a base near the sea within Holy Spirit Mountain.

No one!

She would lead her people out of Ten Thousand Blade Mountain, would find the sea.

The journey across the continent would surely be filled with hardships, and her Luoxian Pavilion would recruit many, would sacrifice many, perhaps eventually leaving her alone.

Jiang Ruyi firmly believed, she would definitely see that sea, find the only existing Cloud Sea Cliff along the long coastline.

[Hmm.] Lu Ran smiled, nodding lightly.

Jiang Ruyi lowered her head, playing with the flowers beside her: [So you don't need to worry.]

So truly, the one who should feel fortunate is me.

Once again, Jiang Ruyi recalled the moment they reunited.

She remembered the silhouette that suddenly appeared before her in the rain curtain of the Great Desert.

She hadn't yet left Ten Thousand Blade Mountain.

On that dangerous path, she had just taken a step or two.

That sea,

had already surged forth.

Come to greet her.

In her thoughts, Jiang Ruyi's gaze softened: [Don't be disappointed, if you can't find him, then wait for him to come.]

[Wait for him to come?]

Jiang Ruyi gently picked a small yellow flower, lifting it to her nose and smelling it softly: [Perhaps, he will come looking for you.]

Who are the people of Dust Shadow Sect?

Observers standing outside the mundane world.

Chroniclers of the rise and fall of dynasties and major or minor events.

"Buzz~" The Eight Desolate Blade at the waist gently trembled.

Lu Ran reached into his robe, grasping the hilt.

The Sword Spirit of Eight Desolate Blade: [Master, the other party moved again, coming in our direction.]

"Hmm." Lu Ran gazed into the distance, looking through the layers of rain curtains towards the gloomy sky in the south.

...

Three days later.

In the woods south of Qianhua Ridge, a sturdy horse was walking slowly.

The horse was entirely blood red, with a golden headpiece on its head, draped with a red and white half-covered saddle, embedded with cloud-shaped copper pieces, exquisite and magnificent.

Such an outfit made the already tall and robust horse appear extraordinarily majestic!

On the back of the horse lay a young man in sturdy attire.

His silver-white clothing was neat and brisk, with a sword shining at his waist, and a heavy black iron spear lying across the horse's back.

Such a gallant and heroic attire, yet paired with a lazy master.

At this moment, the young man's limbs hung down on both sides of the horse's belly, his face resting on the horse's back, the wind occasionally lifting his disheveled long hair, revealing a face in deep slumber.

Asleep?

Yes, he was sleeping soundly, trusting the horse to roam freely.

"Brother Xiao." The blood-red majestic horse suddenly spoke.

Clearly a valiant warhorse, yet the tone was gentle.

After a while without a response from the young man, the blood-red horse called again: "Brother Xiao?"

"Hmm..." The silver-clad youth finally opened his eyes, half-open, his gaze unfocused.

"We... we've arrived." The blood-red horse's tone was full of concern, "I see him."

"Oh." The silver-clad youth responded indifferently, placing one hand on the horse's back, slowly sitting up.

The unfocused gaze finally gained some clarity.

Looking into the distance, the rolling hills, and beyond that, an endless sea of flowers.

The silver-clad youth's eyes grew increasingly mesmerized, gradually lost in thought.

"Brother Xiao, that person looks really formidable, and there are so many of them..." The Blood-red horse spoke again, and worry was not difficult to discern in its voice.

The silver-clad youth regained his senses, gazing towards the emperor-robe youth amidst the mountain flowers.

The other was bowing his head, holding a Heavenly Star Saber, fingers constantly brushing its slender blade.

At this moment, the silver-clad youth's eyes saw no one else.

Even though the Ran Sect members were remarkably elegant, in front of the emperor-robe youth, it seemed they all lost their charm.

The silver-clad youth once gazed upon beautiful scenery in a trance.

He felt it was a good place to rest eternally.

Now, he gazed at the emperor-robe youth once again, scrutinizing and admiring him.

Was the fantasy that rose in his heart time and again finally about to come true?

"Heh." The silver-clad youth showed a satisfied smile.

Perhaps... it really could happen.

To cultivate such a powerful Divine Weapon and vie for the "Annihilation Domain"—such a person couldn't be ordinary.

"Brother Xiao, maybe... we should just leave?"

The Blood-red horse paused again, gazing towards the figure atop the mountain, eyes full of worry.

The silver-clad youth did not speak; he simply patted the horse's back lightly.

The Blood-red horse, however, lowered its head, struggling inwardly, unwilling to take another step forward.

"Huo, listen." The silver-clad youth spoke softly.

The Blood-red horse beneath him restlessly tapped its hooves, and after a few seconds, it reluctantly moved forward.

Meanwhile, atop the mountain.

Lu Ran's movements paused, a slight sense of surprise in his heart: "One person?"

To be precise, it was two people.

For the steed beneath the other was not a horse, but a living person.

In the mountain forest behind, the secretive Shadow Guard Team's expressions turned grim.

The Zhong Family sisters were once level-eight gods, Blazing Blood Believers, enduring humiliation while being ridden atop at Holy Spirit Mountain.

It was also because the Blazing Blood disciples were relatively weak, so for Lu Ran...

The other was coming alone with single-minded bravery!

Enslaving human clan kin was one thing.

But such courage and audacity were another.

"He really is confident." Lu Ran murmured to himself, "Perhaps he's a disciple of Qiang Xiu."

The black long spear laid across the horse's back was quite conspicuous.

The sword at the other's waist was also eye-catching, but the Eight Desolate Blade clearly indicated that the true opponent was that iron spear!

In the God Demon world, Divine Weapons often vie for domain territory, mostly with similar types of weapons.

Lu Ran naturally assumed the other's Divine Weapon would be a saber.

Unexpectedly,

the true opponent was indeed a seemingly incredibly heavy long spear?

"Possible." Yu Changsheng lightly shook a paper fan, "Because of the Instant Teleportation Technique, that's why he's so fearless."

Lu Ran watched the horse ascend the hillside step by step and instructed the surroundings: "All of you, step back."

Eager to obey, the crowd retreated.

Only Jiang Ruyi stepped forward, coming to Lu Ran's side.

She typically disliked expressing intimacy in front of others, but at this moment, she leaned forward, her gentle lips lightly imprinting on the side of Lu Ran's face.

Lu Ran turned to look.

He only saw Jiang Ruyi's face with a faint smile, slowly backing away: "Be careful."

"Yes." Lu Ran smiled and nodded.

Until the other ascended the hillside, standing in the flower cluster dozens of meters away, a silence enveloped between heaven and earth.

Both sides scrutinized each other, and Lu Ran furrowed his brow.

The other appeared to be about twenty-eight or nine, with a neat and spirited silver-white outfit, yet unable to hide a sense of desolation.

Clearly still quite handsome, and in the prime of youthful vigor.

Yet the impression he gave was one of a dreary tone.

Especially those eyes, if they had more spirit, the person's aura and authority would surely elevate by several grades.

But now...

Suddenly Lu Ran felt a familiar sensation.

Long ago, by the cold mountain lake, when Lu Ran first met Yu Changsheng.

He also saw such an expression in Yu Changsheng's eyes.

A dim, numb gaze.

A beautiful shell wrapped around a walking corpse, unable to conceal Yu Changsheng's rotten heart.

"Friend, from where?" A distant voice asked.

Lu Ran was stunned.

Since entering the mountains, no one had ever asked such a question.

Lu Ran paused for a moment and replied, "Wu Lie River."

"Good." The silver-clad youth picked up a silver cord, gathering his disheveled long hair, mumbling, "Since ancient times, Yan and Zhao have produced many illustrious heroes."

This time,

Maybe it would truly work.

"And you? What's your name?" Lu Ran asked.

"Guangyue." The silver-clad youth tied up his tall ponytail and introduced himself, "Wu Xiao."

Guangyue Province, the sphere of influence of the deity Martial Artist's true self.

Lu Ran scrutinized the other, suddenly speaking: "You aren't a disciple of Qiang Xiu."

Wu Xiao laughed freely, not bothering to conceal, "Martial Artist Believer."

Lu Ran nodded silently.

No Instant Teleportation Technique.

So, this single-minded confrontation wasn't because of fearlessness.

Lu Ran gazed into the other's eyes, slowly speaking: "You're seeking death."

Wu Xiao's hands, tied in his ponytail, paused slightly.

...

At the beginning of the month, pleading for some monthly votes.