Summit of the Old Gods

Lu Ran's words were spoken with resounding authority.

Qin Yanzhi forcibly suppressed the tremor in his heart and said, "In that case, Sect Leader, do you wish to return home?"

This question made Lu Ran smile.

Do I want to go home?

In the Mountain Realm, among all beings, who wouldn't want to?

Lu Ran also had people he missed.

Mother, Little Yuanxi... including Lord Immortal Sheep.

Lu Ran was eager to have a good conversation with Lord Immortal Sheep and seek his advice.

There was another urgent matter: many soldiers of the Ran Sect were desperately in need to nullify the contract without harm!

"Sect Leader?"

"I do!"

Qin Yanzhi felt a relief in his heart, "If Master Lu knew that the Sect Leader could roam freely in the human world, he would be very happy."

Lu Ran speculated, "Does your master have an unfinished wish in the human world?"

Qin Yanzhi replied, "Master Lu has someone he cares about in the human world. If the Sect Leader could help to check in on them and take care of them a bit, and relay the news back, my master would be endlessly grateful!"

"Who?"

"Before Master Lu was sent to the Holy Spirit Mountain, his wife just gave birth to a daughter..." Qin Yanzhi explained in detail.

Listening to it, Lu Jiang couldn't help but sigh.

You cannot view the first-generation disciples with today's perspective.

For example, within the Immortal Sheep Sect, the elders bearing the Cheng surname.

They do not have issues with weakness or cowardice.

On the contrary, the Cheng Family's Five Tigers were courageous, elite soldiers fighting against the invasion of Evil Demons on the battlefield's front line!

Old man Lu Yuan was also the same.

It's a pity that after his blood and sweat, bringing relative peace to the human world, he was heartlessly thrown into the Holy Spirit Mountain by the Divine.

Leaving behind only a lone daughter and her widowed mother in the world.

"Dust Shadow, truly worthless..." Lu Ran murmured.

Jiang Ruyi couldn't help but feel some emotions, but more than that, she believed such an elder should stand by Lu Ran's side.

They were all from the Human Clan, with common enemies.

Divine Dust Shadow had broken Lu Yuan's heart!

It's hard to imagine how devastated Lu Yuan must have felt upon returning to the human world after a lifetime of hardships, eager to reunite with his wife and daughter, only to be blocked by the Divine, forced back into the Holy Spirit Mountain...

On that day, just how shattered was Lu Yuan?

How deep was his hatred for the Divine?

Lu Ran's appearance might become Lu Yuan's lifeline.

Provided that everything Qin Yanzhi said was true.

Since their connection, Jiang Ruyi had been closely observing Qin Yanzhi, having greatly revised her opinion of this young man, and was willing to trust his sincerity.

Placing a hand on Lu Ran's leg, she sent a message telepathically.

The two exchanged a silent conversation for a moment, then Lu Ran nodded lightly, looking at Qin Yanzhi and said, word by word:

"Brother Qin, do you plan to become a God?"

"Ah?" Qin Yanzhi was stunned by the question.

The abrupt topic shift left him a bit confused.

What shocked Qin Yanzhi more was Lu Ran's words, pure heresy!

Also, sheer fantasy!

But Qin Yanzhi quickly realized who he was speaking to.

This was someone capable of stealing the power of gods and demons!

Qin Yanzhi was moved!

He had had enough of this prison named "Holy Spirit Mountain."

Compared to others, Qin Yanzhi knew more information and had already seen through everything.

In this life, he saw his end before him.

The current Master Lu, would be his future self.

Destitute for the rest of his life.

Dying old in the mountains.

"Sect... Sect Leader can also help others steal the power of gods and demons?" Qin Yanzhi's voice carried a trace of trembling.

Lu Ran smiled again.

He tilted his head slightly, indicating towards the cool and glamorous immortal beside him: "Do you think she is a Jade Talisman Believer?"

The word "Believer" was emphasized by Lu Ran.

"Gulp." Qin Yanzhi's Adam's apple moved.

He had a vague understanding of Lu Ran's abilities, knowing only that Lu Ran could steal the power of gods and demons.

But Lu Ran's words now couldn't be clearer!

Lu Ran pushed the tea cup aside slightly.

A Xuan Shuang Guard immediately stepped forward with a pot.

Lu Ran pointed to the stunning woman silently pouring tea: "Pseudo Evil God, Ice Plum Demon Queen."

Ice Plum Demon Queen?

Qin Yanzhi struggled to remain calm, although this was merely Lu Ran's assertion, Lu Ran's authority was overwhelming.

Every word, every phrase radiated undeniable authority.

Lu Ran then looked towards the woman in red clothes boiling tea outside the window: "Pseudo Evil God, Black Fire Colt."

Qin Yanzhi: "..."

What virtue or capability do I possess?

To have two pseudo Evil Gods boiling tea and pouring tea for me?

Rouyin, this friend you entrusted to care for...

Lu Ran picked up the tea cup, staring into Qin Yanzhi's eyes: "So, Brother Qin, do you intend to become a God?"

Qin Yanzhi remained silent for a long while, then asked, "What is the price?"

"The price..." Lu Ran took a sip of the bitter tea, his smile turning somewhat bitter, "The price is, we may die on the path of resistance.

The Evil God I speak of needs a 'Pseudo' prefix before it.

We might die on the path of challenging the Divine and capturing a Divine Position."

Qin Yanzhi sat silently for a long time, suddenly speaking: "This doesn't sound like a cost, but a qualification.

A qualification anyone would go mad for."

Jiang Ruyi revealed a faint smile.

Li Rouyin's childhood friend was indeed quite a character.

"Heh." Lu Ran nodded with a smile, "If Brother Qin thinks that way, then there is no price."

Qin Yanzhi gazed at Lu Ran with a serious expression: "Is there truly no cost?"

Could such a thing like a pie falling from the sky be possible?

Lu Ran had a peculiar expression.

He pondered for quite a while, then tentatively suggested, "How about, you make tea for me in the future?"

Qin Yan: "..."

No cost, just looking for trouble, huh?

"Forget it then." Lu Ran curled his lips and said, "If Li, the private chef, finds out, and doesn't give me food, I'll be at a big loss."

At this moment, Qin Yan probably figured out what Lu Ran meant by "feast" earlier.

Master Lu... should be the type that devours dead souls like Rouyin!

Only this way, could the two have intersected and formed a deep friendship.

"So?" Lu Ran raised an eyebrow.

"I do!"

"Hmm." Lu Ran awkwardly took a sip of tea.

A fair and handsome young man saying such things to me, always feels a bit strange?

Oh well, never mind.

Love to hear it~

The uniqueness of the Dust Shadow Sect made Lu Ran inevitably wary.

A very real problem: once Qin Yan casts the Divine Technique·Other Shore Flower, all words between the two of them can reset to zero.

There's no guarantee whether Qin Yan will teleport away alone when the flower contracts, or take Lu Ran with him.

You cannot control a Dust Shadow Believer.

And having Qin Yan break the contract and switch to another sect is not wise either.

Ran Sect does not lack River Realm Peak!

What Lu Ran lacks is Sea Realm power, Heavenly Realm power!

Qin Yan even has an intimate Heavenly Realm·master, which is Qin Yan's backing and the person Lu Ran is eager to win over in the future.

So...

Clear things up now, offer benefits to him, and lower the risks, further and further!

"I intend to make you a Pseudo Evil God·Evil Mirror Demon." Lu Ran put down the teacup.

"Evil Mirror Demon..." Qin Yan pondered secretly.

He seemed to understand. The Ice Plum Demon Queen serving by the side might have once been a Cold Plum Disciple.

And the Evil God·Black Fire Colt outside brewing tea, is likely a Blazing Blood Believer!

"Here's the problem, to become a Fake God, you first have to break your contract with Divine Dust Shadow, and that action will cost you dearly..."

Lu Ran made the pros and cons clear, then stated the real purpose: "If I return to the Human World, I can seek guidance from my own Divine.

Find a way to dissolve the contract without harm."

Qin Yan immediately expressed: "I will exhaust every effort to find Master Lu!"

"Exhaust every effort?" Lu Ran was taken aback.

Don't you and your master have any means of communication?

Hmm... it seems that Qin Yan indeed doesn't have any Divine Weapon or Magic Artifact on him.

Qin Yan explained: "Master Lu, like me, has always been traveling around."

Lu Ran's heart sank.

The Holy Spirit Mountain is vast, where to find him?

Seeing Lu Ran's expression, Qin Yan quickly said: "Master needn't worry! Every three to five months, Master Lu returns to the residence, staying for a few days.

It's been over a month since we last met.

Even if I can't find Master Lu, I can wait for him."

Lu Ran felt a bit relieved, and asked: "Where do you live?"

"Not far from here, located within the territory of the Bamboo Wood Demon Clan. Master Lu has named that place Cloud Bamboo Stream."

Poor Bamboo Wood Demon Clan~

They really have no face!

Others have built their home inside their very base...

Qin Yan suggested: "Master, why don't we go take a look now?"

"Sure." Lu Ran nodded immediately.

Qin Yan opened his palm, a pitch-black mysterious Other Shore Flower quietly bloomed: "Should this Ice Plum... lady join us?"

"I'll go with Lu Ran." Jiang Ruyi stood up, observing the Other Shore Flower enveloping their side.

The Divine Technique·Other Shore Flower can envelop many people.

But the target of the teleportation is controlled by the caster.

"Swish~"

The Other Shore Flower contracted rapidly.

Lu and Jiang only saw a blur before their eyes, and the scenery around them changed.

Looking around, it was a lush bamboo forest shrouded in a faint mist.

Behind Lu Ran stood a bamboo and wood house, with a babbling stream running through the nearby bamboo forest.

The scent of flowers at the nose was replaced by an invigorating aroma of bamboo and wood.

"Cloud Bamboo Stream."

Lu Ran murmured, feeling the name was quite fitting.

There was mist, there was bamboo.

And there was also a stream in the forest.

"Master Lu?" Qin Yan pushed open the bamboo and wood-made fence gate, striding inside.

Lu and Jiang followed, examining the rather exquisite bamboo house.

A stone table stood on the left side of the courtyard, with a chessboard carved on it, and two sets of chess pieces arranged within.

Lu Ran had no understanding of the game of Go and could not comprehend the board's strategy.

"Rustle~"

A breeze blew through, bringing the pleasant sound of bamboo leaves rubbing against one another, attracting Lu Ran over.

Looking far into the distance, the bamboo forest at the field's end was veiled in light white mist.

Shadowy and beautiful, like the Immortal Realm.

Not something the Holy Spirit Mountain should possess.

"My humble abode."

Beside him, Jiang Ruyi's gentle voice came.

"Hmm?" Lu Ran turned to look.

Jiang Ruyi was standing at the bamboo house's entrance, looking up at the lintel.

There were three big characters there.

"What does it mean?" Lu Ran walked over.

"Literally, it means 'my dwelling is small'." Jiang Ruyi admired the engraved writing.

The pen was firm, vigorous and powerful.

"Oh." Lu Ran scratched his head, "I thought it was some profound house name."

Jiang Ruyi nodded gently: "My humble abode, there's another line."

"What?"

"Dragon and snake beyond the shadow, in the sounds of wind and rain."

...