Summit of the Old Gods

Sword Ridge Peak's Peak Master advancing in rank?

Going mad?

Constantly killing?

A sentence from Wu Huan left everyone in the hall dumbfounded.

Regarding who annihilated Sword Ridge Peak, the Ran Sect had all kinds of speculations, but no one expected that the North Wind Sect was massacred by their own people!

"This?" Lu Ran was a bit dumbfounded, turning to look at Yu Changsheng.

Yu Changsheng's expression was grave, the sudden piece of information indeed caught them off guard.

Holy Spirit Mountain has its own set of operating rules.

One iron rule among them is that disciples of the same sect can support each other.

Sect members all work for the same divine entity, forming a community of shared interests, with the premise of mutual help.

But with the Peak Master of Sword Ridge Peak acting like this...

Wouldn't it mean that all sects and factions in Holy Spirit Mountain would be on edge?

"Is there still a risk of madness upon ascending to the Heavenly Realm?" Jiang Ruyi frowned slightly.

There was a fact acknowledged by everyone: the Peak Master who ascended would undoubtedly be a Great Power of the Heavenly Realm!

The battle achievements speak for themselves!

Only a Heavenly Realm's Great Power could annihilate the entire North Wind Sect!

"Has Alliance Leader Yun been in seclusion all this time because of this?" Yu Changsheng suddenly asked.

"Is that so?" Lu Ran pondered silently.

He had once come into close contact with Yun Qianzhou, and indeed, a Great Power of the Heavenly Realm is sacred and inviolable.

But to say that the other party was confused or harbored murderous intent...

Lu Ran didn't detect any of that at all!

Furthermore, Jiang Ruyi, He Qifeng, and others were also present, along with several Sea Realm Island Masters accompanying them.

They must not have detected anything abnormal either; otherwise, after so much conversation, everyone couldn't possibly remain so composed.

So... was Yun Qianzhou hiding it well?

Or was it the natural temperament of the Sky Phoenix believers, and Yun Qianzhou being inherently gentle and kind, thus refraining from a massacre?

As he contemplated this, Lu Ran turned to look at He Yingcai.

"Sect Leader?" He Yingcai stood up properly.

"Sit." Lu Ran sighed helplessly, "How can I let you go back to Mist Rain Lake with ease?"

He Yingcai immediately realized Lu Ran's concern for her.

She thought for a moment, analyzed, and said, "There's no need for the Sect Leader to worry too much. We don't know what state of mind the Peak Master of Sword Ridge Peak was in.

He might have been influenced by a deity to cleanse the Human Clan in exchange for something for himself.

Regardless of what it was, Alliance Leader Yun hadn't chosen that path. He has been in the Heavenly Realm for so long that if he intended to slaughter the Thousand Boat Alliance members, he would have done so already."

"That's true."

"Hmm." Everyone nodded subtly while watching the calm and analytical Ran Divine General.

He Yingcai continued to reassure Lu Ran, "I will take root in Mist Rain Lake for the Sect Leader without any issues.

Take a step back; even if Alliance Leader Yun were tainted by the deity and lost his sanity, he would have informed the alliance members long before losing control."

It was apparent that He Yingcai had decided the mastermind was the deity.

No matter if the genuine culprit was a deity, given the myriad sins of the All Gods, any enormous crime could justifiably be pinned on them.

Lu Ran admired her a lot, looking at the subtly dressed woman in a green dress.

He read four words from her demeanor - the presence of a Great General!

Indeed... upon thinking about it.

A woman who could captivate Yu Changsheng certainly couldn't be ordinary.

"What happened after Wang Hanchuan went mad?" Deng Yuxiang looked at Wu Huan and asked coldly.

Wang Hanchuan, the name of the Peak Master of Sword Ridge Peak.

A name that sounded imposing yet bone-chilling.

"The, the Peak Master killed anyone he saw, leaving no survivors. Even the elders couldn't stop, stop it..." Wu Huan stammered, trembling.

To this day, he still recalled that bloody and brutal night vividly.

Thanks to being a Witch Crow Believer, Wu Huan possessed night vision.

Because of this, he witnessed scenes akin to Purgatory.

Collapsed mountains, crumbled houses.

Scattered remains strewn on the ground, mixed with flesh in the cold wind.

Heads falling alone in the snow, unable to die with their eyes closed...

Back in the human world, Wu Huan had participated in many Fifteenth Night defense missions and was a battle-hardened person, familiar with the harshness of warfare.

Yet the Human World's Fifteenth Night was less than a ten-thousandth of that night's Sword Ridge Peak.

Those scenes still lingered in his mind, and the shrill cries and wails of people remained in his ears, becoming an ever-present nightmare for Wu Huan day and night.

Wang Hanchuan... was an Evil Demon!

An Evil Demon wearing human skin!

"I turned into a crow and hid, I, I was blown away by the wind, not daring to flap my wings, afraid of being heard..." Wu Huan recounted, struggling to suppress his inner terror.

If he could, he would never want to recall that night again.

But he had no choice; Wu Huan had to recall it carefully.

His life was in the hands of this group of people, and although he had only been on the mountain for three or four months, Wu Huan knew the face of Holy Spirit Mountain well.

Only Lu Ran's existence allowed Wu Huan to feel a slight sense of reassurance.

Whether it was Da Xia's genius Xue Fengchen or Fallen Immortal Lady Jiang Ruyi, none of them displayed any gentleness from beginning to end.

It seemed they had already been assimilated by this mountain.

"I... I just hid in the soil, creeping forward bit by bit, burrowing into the ground..." Wu Huan hung his head, speaking quietly.

The story wasn't long,

but it was enough to be thrilling.

A humble being survived with a constant fear, largely due to luck.

After all, Wu Huan was only at First Rank in the River Realm.

The techniques of the North Wind Sect covered a broad area and were very lethal.

Actually, according to Wu Huan's account, he has died twice.

Once, he was pierced by a Wind Blade through the tail of the crow, and once his wings were grazed by the edge of a storm.

The powerful Witch Crow Divine Skill·Witch Shadow Substitute saved him both times.

If Wu Huan had been struck by the Wind Blade at a vital point, or if the storm shifted slightly, encompassing the little crow, even the substitute technique would not have saved him.

He would surely have been killed instantly!

"And then, you've been staying in the ground." Deng Yuxiang frowned deeply.

She wanted more intelligence, but this person couldn't provide it.

"Yes, yes." Wu Huan hurriedly replied, "I maintained the crow form, stayed hidden, and kept hiding without daring to move..."

It's really hard to imagine what kind of psychological shadow that night of extermination at Sword Ridge Peak left on Wu Huan.

The battle had long ended, yet Wu Huan remained in the ground.

Day and night alternated.

But he dared not move an inch.

Until today, he was finally found by a disciple of Shanwei from the Ran Sect.

In other words, Wu Huan hid mid-battle and knew nothing of the aftermath.

The Council Hall fell into silence.

Wu Huan trembled more intensely.

He could sense that this group of people was not satisfied with his response.

"Wu Huan." Lu Ran called softly.

"Ah, Ran Shen!"

"Don't be nervous." Lu Ran tried to speak as gently as possible, "Follow me in the future, no one will bully you."

Upon hearing this, Wu Huan's nose tingled, and he nodded repeatedly, "Um, um!"

The survival habits from Sword Ridge Peak prompted him to reflexively offer a grand salute, but Xue Fengchen stood behind the chair, firmly pressing Wu Huan's thin shoulders, preventing him from moving.

Lu Ran walked deeper into the hall, circled around the writing desk, and plopped down on the throne, lost in thought.

Yan Shuangzi had just identified the corpses and saw 8 Sea Realm Great Powers.

According to intelligence, there were at least 17 Sea Realm Great Powers within Sword Ridge Peak!

This means at least half of the powerful ones escaped.

Dozens of North Wind disciples from the River Realm also managed to flee, along with several dozen servants from various sects.

Of course, the number of escapees is calculated based on the number of bodies on Sword Ridge Peak.

If anyone was pulverized on the spot or died on the escape route outside Sword Ridge Peak, that's not something Lu Ran can consider right now.

At this point, to avenge Yan Shuangzi, Lu Ran should start a search centered on Sword Ridge Peak.

But the problem is...

No one knows where Wang Hanchuan is!

If the opponent had a killing spree and ascended to the Heavenly Realm, that would be easy to say.

But what if Wang Hanchuan is meditating somewhere or wandering in the Snow Forest, and is accidentally found by Ran Sect soldiers...

The crowd might indeed die on the spot!

"Sigh..." Lu Ran knocked on his forehead.

Jiang Ruyi walked to the writing desk and softly said, "This matter needs careful planning, let the soldiers go back and rest first."

"Hm." Lu Ran responded.

Jiang Ruyi signaled for everyone to disperse, and added a reminder, "Nightmare, you take Wu Huan, and Cong Long stays a while."

"Yes." Deng Yuxiang also wanted to ask more questions and gave Wu Huan a look.

Wu Huan's heart tensed at once!

Among all Ran Sect soldiers, the person he least wanted to face was Deng Yuxiang!

This stern woman, with sharp eyes, really seemed like a North Wind believer...

Wu Huan rose shakily, lamenting endlessly in his heart, and kept looking back with every step.

Yet he saw Lu Ran rubbing his temples in frustration, not noticing over here.

"Let's go, he said, no one will bully you." Deng Yuxiang said coldly.

"Y-yes." Wu Huan lowered his head and hurriedly caught up.

Only three people remained in the Council Hall, and Yu Changsheng timely spoke, "Is the Sect Leader worried that the blood-crazed Peak Master of Sword Ridge Peak is still lingering in that area?"

Lu Ran nodded lightly.

"Indeed, it's possible." Yu Changsheng pondered, "In that case, a wise man does not stand under a dangerous wall..."

The hidden Evil Shadow shuddered lightly in his heart!

"No."

But in the next moment, Yan Shuangzi heard Lu Ran's voice of denial.

She clenched her fist and heard Lu Ran say again, "The remnants of Sword Ridge Peak must be eradicated, especially Elder Xing!

If this grudge is not avenged, then I shouldn't be the Master of the Ran Sect!"

Jiang Ruyi's hand fell gently, soothing Lu Ran's back.

It was rare to see Lu Ran this agitated.

After all, she came later and had only heard Yan Shuangzi's story but hadn't witnessed what state Yan Shuangzi was in when Lu Ran brought her out of Sword Ridge Peak.

Yu Changsheng pondered, "Since the Sect Leader harbors such deep hatred, if this matter is unresolved, it may leave a knot in your heart as well.

Then let's search!"

"How should we search?" Lu Ran looked at the strategist.

Yu Changsheng contemplated for a moment, suggesting, "One team should take Elder Bai and question them daily; if anything seems amiss, contact the Sect Leader immediately and return to Cloud Sea Cliff.

The other team, led by the Sect Leader and the Evil Shadow Guardian, will search together.

You have strong perception and Instant Teleportation Techniques; as long as you stay vigilant, there won't be any issues."

"Hm." Lu Ran felt this was sound advice.

For Lu Ran and Yan Shuangzi, these two Evil Dogs, indeed others were burdens.

Yu Changsheng comforted, "The Sect Leader need not worry, plenty escaped from Sword Ridge Peak, surely leaving traces.

If we search patiently for a few days, we'll definitely find something."

Lu Ran's face was somber:

"Thank you for your good words, sir!"

...