Summit of the Old Gods

Wu Xiao froze in place.

After a while, his hands moved, sweeping over his long ponytail: "What do you mean by that?"

Lu Ran still gazed into his eyes: "I have seen someone like you before."

"Like me?"

"Someone whose heart is dead."

"Heh." Wu Xiao chuckled softly, letting one hand fall to gently stroke the mane of his horse, "Did he succeed?"

The horse gently stepped, growing increasingly uneasy at heart.

It had been three years.

Her gentleness, her pleas, her fervent and passionate love, had never managed to awaken his dead heart.

For three years, she wandered with him through the Mountain Realm.

Passing by those full of wariness, or desperately seeking protection.

Avoiding those with dubious intentions and smiling faces, remaining distant and cold.

They had even tread over the carcasses of wolves and tigers.

But this time, in the brilliantly blossoming Qianhua Ridge, her heart was filled with anxiety.

She had been to all kinds of places and seen all sorts of people.

But she had never seen anyone like the youth in the Emperor Robe.

The youth in the Emperor Robe's strength resided in his words and actions, and in those serene eyes of his.

His gentle voice seemed to contain the Heavenly Dao Laws.

Each word, each sentence, indisputable and irresistible.

She was truly afraid.

Before she could salvage Wu Xiao...

Wu Xiao found his way back first.

"Succeeded?" Lu Ran asked back.

"Did that person achieve what he wanted?" Wu Xiao's large hand patted the noble horse beneath him.

"In a certain sense."

"What do you mean?"

"He did not die," Lu Ran said softly, "But was reborn."

Under a tree in the distance, Yu Changsheng listened to Lu Ran's words and couldn't help but lower his head and smile.

Wu Xiao remained noncommittal, continuing to softly stroke the horse: "Why say these things? I am your opponent; meeting a Master of Divine Weapon like me, shouldn't you be happy?

Why complicate things?"

Lu Ran slightly raised his head, gesturing at the blood-red warhorse: "Because it cares about you, is worried for you.

A servant who has suffered great humiliation shouldn't have such sorrowful eyes."

"Clop, clop."

The hoof tapped lightly, the blood-red horse spoke: "Master..."

"Hush." Wu Xiao patted the horse's back, and it immediately fell silent.

He turned to look at the majestic and energetic members of Ran Sect in the distance.

With the youth in the Emperor Robe's unique focus, Wu Xiao found himself perceiving more of these people.

After observing for a moment, he looked at Lu Ran: "Friend, your full name?"

"Lu Ran, the Ran of burning."

Wu Xiao nodded lightly, stroking the fiery red mane of the horse: "She's called Liu Huo."

Lu Ran slightly raised an eyebrow.

Wu Xiao spoke softly: "A woman like pomegranate flowers; red and flaming."

The blood-red horse lowered her head silently.

Wu Xiao picked up the heavy iron spear lying on the horse's back, looked at Lu Ran: "She's very smart, very obedient, doesn't make noise or cause trouble.

Brother Lu, don't ask her real name."

Lu Ran understood; the other party was entrusting him.

In this world, the powerless have no freedom, only to be controlled.

As a Blazing Blood Believer, what Liu Huo experienced must have been more humiliating.

Not asking her real name,

was the last shred of dignity Liu Huo could maintain as a human.

The horse's head lowered, eyes full of sorrow.

This war horse's body was summoned and worn by the Blazing Blood Believer on their own body.

The horse was tightly linked to the Blazing Blood Believer.

Thus the feelings shown by the horse came from the human believer within.

"If Brother Xiao loses, I'll go with you." Liu Huo's voice was so soft, it was heart-wrenching.

Wu Xiao didn't say yes or no.

Death, to both of them, might be a form of liberation.

He dismounted, casually waving the heavy iron spear.

Liu Huo indeed behaved gently and obediently, silently walking to the side.

Lu Ran spoke: "Must it end in death?"

This fight, its outcome seemed set.

In the Human World, believers would contest the Divine Weapon Domain and sign life and death agreements to ensure a degree of fairness.

But on Holy Spirit Mountain?

Where is the law here?

On the way here, Lu Ran dispatched Shadow Three back to the Cloud Sea Cliff as liaison, having already concluded that the other party would bring a powerful force.

Yet... Wu Xiao faced them alone.

And on Lu Ran's side, there were many River Realm partners with special skills.

Not to mention Jiang Ruyi, Yu Changsheng, Deng Yuxiang, and Shangguan Hongfu, these Sea Realm Great Powers!

Stepping back, disregarding Lu Ran's own exceptional power, even in the critical moment, would the members of Ran Sect really stand idly by?

"Brother Lu is very confident." Wu Xiao laughed freely, "Who wins and loses is yet to be decided."

But Lu Ran maintained a serious expression, repeating:

"Why must it end in death?"

The smile on Wu Xiao's face gradually faded, his entire aura releasing:

"Why do you live?"

Lu Ran felt the overwhelming pressure, lightly nodding: "It seems you are High Rank Sea Realm, or Sea Realm Peak.

Since you have a chance to ascend to the Heavenly Realm and see a broader world, why hold such a mindset?

Is it because... you have recognized the essence of the world, completely disappointed with the Gods?"

"Lu Ran." Wu Xiao suddenly spoke.

"What?"

"You are no savior." Wu Xiao slightly raised his head, tumultuous energy surging from his body, "You can't save me.

You can't even save yourself!"

As they spoke, six blue and white command flags suddenly floated out from behind him!

One of the flags flew high, with electricity coiling around it.

"Break!" Wu Xiao shouted fiercely.

"Crack!" The floating command flag in the air struck down a bolt of lightning fiercely.

Martial Arts Divine Technique·Thunder Breaking Array Command!

Lu Ran suddenly tilted his body, letting the thick lightning strike the ground.

"Crack!"

"Crack..." The command flags unleashed evil power, continuously releasing lightning, becoming more and more dense.

Wu Xiao weighed the heavy iron spear in his hand, looking at the light and nimble figure dodging in the dense thunder strikes.

The more he looked, the brighter Wu Xiao's eyes became.

He can.

The young man in the Emperor Robe seems... really capable.

Wu Xiao's focus was indeed somewhat unique.

Up to this moment, he hadn't even thought about which god Lu Ran might be a believer of.

"Good!" Wu Xiao launched forward fiercely.

Strictly speaking, Wu Xiao didn't need to dodge the thunder strikes.

Because among the five remaining command flags behind him, there was also a flag representing the "Thunder Breaking Array Command."

The divine technique output from the same sect, when falling on Wu Xiao, would be absorbed by the flags of the same attribute.

This was quite similar to the Jade Talisman Sect's Divine Technique·Jade Talisman Formation.

However, Wu Xiao continued to weave and dodge within the Thunder Fall Array, directly approaching Lu Ran.

"Off!" Wu Xiao thrust his spear forward, coordinating with a lightning strike, to pincer the young man in the Emperor Robe.

"Ding!!"

The sound of weapons clashing was sharp and piercing.

Wu Xiao's expression changed, only feeling a numbing sensation in his hands!

He thought the opponent would dodge, but unexpectedly, Lu Ran did not retreat but advanced and even lifted the heavy iron spear with a blade.

Though both at the Great Realm, the Sea Realm Peak and the Initial Stage of the Sea Realm had differences in physical attributes.

Moreover, the higher the Great Realm, the more obvious the differences in the minor ranks!

Not to mention, the weapon Wu Xiao held was a Second-rank Divine Weapon·Mystic Iron Spear!

Wu Xiao really didn't expect this young man in the Emperor Robe, renowned for his agility, to possess such terrifying strength.

"Crack!!"

Lightning struck behind Lu Ran.

Flower petals fluttered and scattered around.

In the beautiful background, the young man in the Emperor Robe advanced, stabbing a blade straight at Wu Xiao's chest.

Wu Xiao's figure flickered, sidestepping quietly.

"Sizzle!"

The sharp Eight Desolate Blade passed across Wu Xiao's chest with a swift sound.

Wu Xiao was about to swing his spear down, only to see Lu Ran suddenly release the blade handle and change his grip.

The grip changed to a reverse grip, and the Eight Desolate Blade swept out in a half-moon, slashing horizontally towards Wu Xiao.

"Whoosh~"

Wu Xiao, light as a swallow, floated backward again.

The tip of the Eight Desolate Blade almost brushed past the opponent's chest!

The shimmering half-moon ultimately didn't touch Wu Xiao.

Martial Arts Divine Technique·Swallow Feather Turn!

Once this skill is activated, a Martial Artist disciple can float as if blown by the wind.

Here, the "wind" doesn't refer to the ordinary wind, but the fluctuations of divine power.

This skill is quite overpowered!

In battles between believers or against an Evil Demon, whether it's a normal attack or a powerful skill confrontation, divine power fluctuations are inevitable.

And when the divine power surges and strikes, the Martial Artist disciple can let the divine power fluctuations push them away, cleverly borrowing strength to dodge.

Light as a swallow feather, swaying with the wind!

To say it extremely:

Once a Martial Artist believer activates this skill, they can even "afk" (away from keyboard).

Because before most skills hit a Martial Artist believer, the waves of divine power fluctuations would first push them away...

It seems that spiritual output is the best choice in this case.

Yet, the Martial Arts Sect has the Divine Technique·Pear Garden Mind.

Just like the Evil Demon·Yin Flower Dan clan, the Martial Arts Sect doesn't get affected by spiritual output!

What's the value of being a first-class god disciple?

"Off!" The light-swifting Wu Xiao swung his spear down.

Lu Ran also sidestepped, as light as a feather.

He reached to the side with his left hand, and the moment he clenched his fist, the Silent Night Blade was already unsheathed, the handle automatically fitting into his palm.

"Ding!"

Wu Xiao's waist Divine Sword faced the enemy on its own, suddenly flying up to Wu Xiao's side, firmly blocking this horizontal slash.

Under Lu Ran's terrifying force, the Divine Sword pushed against Wu Xiao's shoulder, retreating to the side together.

Lu Ran squinted his eyes and also flew backward!

Wu Xiao could have easily swirled away with the wind, but he showed not the slightest inclination to move, clearly standing intentionally.

This means...

"Whoosh!"

As expected!

Wu Xiao reciprocated, slicing a pitch-black half-moon with the Mystic Iron Spear.

And the Mystic Iron Spear, being two and a half meters long, had a much wider range than the half-moon swept by Lu Ran.

Grass scraps flew wildly, flower petals danced in the air.

"Hahaha!" Wu Xiao stood firmly, laughing loudly, his eyes ever more fervent, "Brother Lu, good martial arts!"

It was as if Lu Ran had eyes on the back of his head; his sliding retreat abruptly stopped.

Two meters behind him, a thick current struck down.

At the same time, Wu Xiao's figure flickered artfully, drifting a meter to the side.

A thick current struck down, failing to harm him in the slightest.

"Brother Lu, which god are you a believer of?" Only now did Wu Xiao finally ask as they fought.

"Is it important to you?" Lu Ran said, watching the dancing petals, following their unpredictable path.

All of a sudden, he raised his knife.

The cool, slender blade tip gently caught a petal drifting on the wind.

...

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