Summit of the Old Gods

North of Sword Ridge Peak, ice and snow fill the landscape.

The blazing sun in the sky is obscured by layers of cold mist, unable to bring much warmth to this realm.

A tall young man clad in a Black Gold Emperor Robe, surrounded by the sad beauty of drifting plum blossom petals, flies forward slowly.

Where he passes, a subtle fragrance lingers.

Leaving behind trails like fleeting shadows, dreamlike and illusory.

The strong Evil Technique of the Ice Plum Demon Queen, Proud Snow Ice Plum, makes Lu Ran unafraid of the cold, navigating it like a fish in water.

"Heh..."

Lu Ran expels wisps of mist from his mouth.

Looking into the distance, all is a vast whiteness.

This is the seventh day of Lu Ran's search; the further north he goes, the harsher the environment. By now, he can no longer see traces of trees.

[Master.] In his mind, a cold female voice resounds.

Lu Ran lifts his head, looking ahead, he sees a tall figure on the snow-covered mountain.

A green raincoat and bamboo hat, the blade reflecting a cold gleam.

The wind and snow provide the perfect backdrop, making her seem like a powerful and mysterious female swordman from a martial arts novel.

[What's the matter?] Lu Ran smiles.

He tries to maintain a gentle demeanor, not putting pressure on Yan Shuangzi. He can sense that each day they wander this vast realm, her emotions grow more complex.

Yan Shuangzi seeks revenge, that's certain.

But having Lu Ran waste time, wandering aimlessly like a headless fly, makes Yan Shuangzi feel deeply guilty.

Lu Ran could sit at the sea cliff, focusing on his cultivation;

Or continue south to carry out tasks, addressing the Wusheng Sect.

He might even go to the blossom-filled Qianhua Ridge, to relish in the intoxicating sword dance woven by his fiancée.

That's the life the Evil Shadow Guardian wishes to see his master lead.

Not accompanying her in the vast wind and snow, enduring the cold and wasting time.

[Evil Shadow?] Lu Ran slowly ascends, calling again.

Yan Shuangzi looks at the approaching young man in the emperor robe, also noticing his gentle eyes.

A faint bitterness rises in her heart, she turns to face further north, whispering: [There's a Black Lotus over there.]

Evil Demon·Black Lotus?

Lu Ran raises his eyebrow slightly, finally, a trace of this clan?

The Black Lotus Clan is a sworn enemy of the God·Sword Lotus, possessing considerable strength and posing a significant threat to the Human Clan.

Even in the Human World, the Black Lotus Clan is selective about locations, always blooming far to the north.

Rain Alley City, by the Wu Lie River, though a northern city of Da Xia, sees snow in winter, yet the environment seems inadequate to entice Black Lotus to bloom in the streets.

It's akin to the Angry Sea Flame Flood Dragon Clan.

The Wu Lie River water flows ceaselessly, broad and imposing, yet it can't allure the king of sea and sky.

"Let's go, let's take a look."

Lu Ran floats beside Yan Shuangzi, signaling for her to lead the way.

Yan Shuangzi catches the faint plum scent on him, slowly steps forward, leaving footprints in the pristine snow.

Soon, the two stand at the edge of a cliff.

"Tsk tsk~" Lu Ran looks down, observing the Black Lotus blooming below, unable to suppress a soft admiration.

This Black Lotus is especially large, surrounded by drifting black mist.

Moreover, thick liquid, like black ink, keeps dripping from the petals.

The Black Lotus does not remain obediently on the ground; cloaked in inky black water, the thick lotus stem breaks through the earth, supporting the large lotus, hovering mid-air.

From the drifting black mist to the dripping black ink...

The Evil Demon·Black Lotus blooms eerily, continuously tainting the pure icy realm.

"It's a pity this clan lacks wisdom," Lu Ran sighs.

Such demons, once in hunting mode, won't hesitate to devour anything, be it man or demon!

Otherwise, Lu Ran might conjure a few, placing them near the Cloud Sea Cliff, or situating them on Nine Star Island to protect the Evil Mirror Demons executing their tasks.

"Snap! Snap..."

Suddenly, small Black Lotuses bloom one by one, stems breaking through the icy surface, lifting the small Black Lotuses into the air.

Evil Technique·Black Lotus Sea!

Immediately, jets of black ink are fired from the Black Lotuses, aiming at the mountain top.

Evil Technique·Ink Corrosion!

This is a highly corrosive black liquid, capable of eroding armor and dissolving flesh.

The output from the Black Lotus is too concentrated; Lu Ran decides not to dodge.

His Black Gold Emperor Robe suddenly becomes overlaid with a Big Red Robe.

From a young emperor, he becomes a bride-to-be... uh.

A groom-to-be.

The next moment, beautiful sleeves embroidered with dragons and phoenixes unfurl, absorbing the splattering black ink into the sleeves.

Vermilion Paper Evil Technique·Yan Zhi Sleeve!

To this day, Lu Ran hasn't met Sister Yan Paper within the Holy Spirit Mountain.

He must find an opportunity to visit them, and banish the Evil Sculpture to the Sea Realm.

Yan Shuangzi stands behind Lu Ran, observing the rather spectacular scene.

The Yan Paper Sleeve is expansive and graceful, exerting a strong suction force!

The dense sprays of black ink, approaching the sleeves, all change direction like swallows returning to their nests.

Thus, Yan Shuangzi can confidently stand by Lu Ran's side.

No black ink will pass by Lu Ran.

The corrosive ink that actually lands on the mountain is at least twenty meters away from the pair.

Lu Ran, using his right hand to wield the Yan Zhi Sleeve, lets his left hand naturally hang, from which he summons a small paper doll.

For dealing with this kind of special evil demon, close combat is not wise.

Lu Ran does not wish for the Black Gold Emperor Robe to be corroded and damaged, as it was painstakingly made by little Ruyi.

"Huff!"

Yan Shuangzi reaches out with one hand, suddenly revealing two rows of jagged canine teeth at the thick lotus stem.

Lu Ran has never faced the Black Lotus Clan in battle, but Yan Shuangzi is experienced, after all, she once lived in Beifeng City, standing guard on the fifteenth night.

She knew very well what the weakness of the Black Lotus clan was.

Cutting off the stem of the lotus, though not enough to kill the Evil Demon directly, could turn the Black Lotus into a rootless duckweed, severely damaging its vitality.

The Black Lotus immediately sensed that its foundation was about to be destroyed!

"Hoo!!"

A tremendous energy surged from the gigantic flower.

A thick black mist formed into a vortex, like a black hole devouring everything, swirling rapidly at the heart of the lotus.

The flower stem swayed, and as the Black Lotus dodged, the terrifying suction force madly absorbed the energy from the two rows of canines.

As if it was going to absorb all the power of the Evil Technique·Evil Teeth directly!

At this moment, this eerily blooming Black Lotus and the Evil Technique·Yan Paper Sleeve performed by Lu Ran had the same wonder.

Evil Technique·Devouring Heaven Black Lotus!

"Crack!!"

The two rows of canines did indeed lose a lot of energy, but they were not to the point of shattering; after all, the canines bit down.

The thick lotus stem coated in black ink did not break directly.

A highly corrosive black liquid covered the Black Lotus, seemingly offering a good defensive effect as well?

And at that moment, the enormous lotus suddenly tightened.

It was like being gripped by an invisible giant hand, continuously being twisted.

Lu Ran's left hand, hidden in his sleeve, picked up a small paper figure and slowly clenched it.

The Black Lotus panicked!

It could absorb the physical output·canines but couldn't absorb the invisible "giant hand."

The Black Lotus realized it couldn't break free from this mysterious power at all; its delicate petals were continuously crumpled, and the lotus seed pod was being crushed.

The end is near!

"Hoo!!"

The Black Lotus struggled desperately, and a terrifying energy surged.

Lu Yan and the others only felt their vision go black!

All the light around them was completely swallowed up, as if the entire world had plunged into absolute darkness.

Lu Ran couldn't even see himself, let alone anyone beside him.

"Evil Technique·Ink-Dyed Heaven and Earth," Yan Shuangzi softly spoke, seemingly worried Lu Ran might not adapt, "It just takes away the vision within the domain range, causing panic to the target.

This type of domain technique has no actual output effect."

In the darkness, Lu Ran's light chuckle could be heard: "In your eyes, am I just a clueless little fledgling?"

Yan Shuangzi's lips curved slightly, her usually cold voice softening a bit:

"When defending the city in the human world, people used to panic and lose their heads after being engulfed by darkness, and I had to clean up the mess for them."

"That's others," Lu Ran continued to laugh, "We don't need eyes."

Yan Shuangzi slightly pursed her lips, nodding in agreement.

Suddenly, the darkness dissipated.

The two were still standing on the snow mountain, while the huge Black Lotus below had been crushed into a ball.

The flower stem was broken, the lotus seed pod squashed, and petals were in tatters.

Lu Ran turned to look at the woman.

And the moment the darkness dissipated, Yan Shuangzi's expression became stern, and she put away her smile.

"Sister Shuangzi."

At the specific term of address, Yan Shuangzi lowered her eyes.

"Place yourself right; your matters are my matters."

Yan Shuangzi remained silent.

"In a ghostly place like the Holy Spirit Mountain, finding someone who is loyal to each other is not easy, don't push them away." Lu Ran gently patted the brim of her bamboo hat.

From the day Lu Ran rescued her, he told her not to belittle herself.

But to this day, she seemed unable to move beyond this.

"Focus on executing the tasks, don't think about those messy thi..." Lu Ran's words were suddenly cut off.

Yan Shuangzi immediately looked at Lu Ran, then turned around to look where he was gazing.

In the far distance, on the peak of the mountain, a figure was crawling backward in the snow.

Or should it be described as "wriggling"?

Honestly, if that person hadn't moved and just stayed lying in the snow, Lu Ran might not have noticed!

Yan Shuangzi's eyes suddenly widened!

Evil Dog Evil Skill·Evil Recognition, allowed her extraordinary vision, seeing clearly the face covered in frost and snow.

"Whoosh~"

"Whoosh!" Lu Yan and the others disappeared one after another.

On the peak, the person slowly crawling backward in the snow, wearing a white outfit, had eyes full of horror!

He still did not dare to stand up, trying to crawl back slowly, but caught the faint scent of plum.

The man's face suddenly changed!

In the instant he turned his head, he only felt his head become heavy.

With a dull thud!

The man was stomped into the snow by an icy sole pressing hard against his cheek.

"Sp-spare me, sir..."

The man trembled as he spoke.

He could clearly feel the person who stepped on his head was brimming with murderous intent!

The person standing behind did not have such intense murderous intent but had the intimidation unique to the Yangyang Sea!

This sheer presence alone eliminated any possibility of resistance or escape on the man's part.

"Do you... still remember me?" A cold female voice, with a slight tremble, echoed in his ears.

In the man's ears, it seemed somewhat familiar?

The shoe on his face shifted slightly, and the man, pressing his cheek to the snow, glanced upward at an angle.

With just one look, the man's pupils contracted violently:

"Yan... Yan..."

...

Pleading for some monthly votes.