Summit of the Old Gods

Ah~ So comfortable~

Lu Ran enjoyed it for a while before realizing there was no sound from the other side for quite some time.

He felt a bit anxious and timidly inquired, "Lord Immortal Sheep?"

[Heh.] The response was a cold laugh.

"Uh." Lu Ran instinctively shrank his neck.

The cold laughter of the Sheep General is still as terrifying as ever...

Lu Ran opened his Pupil of the Dead World, watching the Blood Disaster Dog's lingering soul flickering in the night sky.

After the Soul Binding, Lu Ran instantly teleported back to his home, standing respectfully in front of the small shrine, with his hands folded: "Lord Immortal Sheep, long time no see!"

[You're only at the Initial Stage of the Sea Realm, how did you come back?] A deep voice echoed in his mind.

Only Sea Realm?

Lu Ran pouted.

The Sea Realm Second Rank is already quite formidable, okay? In the Human World, I can walk sideways!

[Hmm?] A slightly raised nasal sound, carrying a questioning tone.

The familiar sense of pressure is back!

Tsk tsk~

No matter if it's a river or sea, in front of Lord Immortal Sheep, it really makes no difference from a small fry?

Lu Ran sighed inwardly and said, "Disciple has taken on a subordinate, he is a Heavenly Realm Dust Shadow Believer.

I... I kind of missed you, so I had my subordinate send me back."

[Hehe.] The Immortal Sheep suddenly laughed.

Not sure if it was out of speechlessness or out of being amused.

Lu Ran immediately added, "It's true, disciple really missed Lord Immortal Sheep!"

Immortal Sheep: "..."

This time, Lu Ran also stayed silent, standing stubbornly in front of the shrine.

A long while later, the god transmitted the message again: [Hmph, you sure know how to take shortcuts.]

Lu Ran felt like rolling his eyes.

This person, how unyielding... uh, this sheep simply won't budge!

Hmm, tomorrow I'll go eat lamb skewers.

Sprinkle some salt, the sizzling oily kind.

[Is your heart's desire for the Divine Ruins amusing to you?] The transmitted voice descended again, carrying a hint of amusement.

Lu Ran fell silent.

Amusing?

It's practically a kind of purgatory!

Not to mention those lowly Weak God disciples struggling to survive, even when Lu Ran first entered the mountain, he was tricked again and again.

[Have you seen the true nature of this world?]

"I've realized some things." Lu Ran finally spoke, turning his gaze to the window, "People think they're resisting the invasion of Evil Demons, but in reality, Gods and Demons are all in cahoots.

After the Evil Demons wreak havoc, people will be even more devoted to the All Gods, offering worship day and night.

The Human Clan is just livestock reared by the joint effort of Gods and Demons."

"Roar!!"

Roaring sounds came from afar, another Evil Demon had appeared in the neighborhood.

Lu Ran instead withdrew his gaze, not paying attention to the outside window.

[You have grown a lot.] Rarely, Lord Immortal Sheep gave a positive evaluation.

Lu Ran smiled, but his smile was somewhat bitter.

He didn't realize that a fiercely burning Black Fire Sheep Head had already appeared in the God Demon Sculpture Garden.

Lord Immortal Sheep's positive evaluation earlier was not about Lu Ran's understanding, but about this Sculpture Garden.

[Your sculptures have been nurtured well, killed a lot of people?]

Lu Ran pursed his lips, after a while, he finally said softly, "All those killed were villains."

The Lord God let out a snort of laughter, indifferent to whether they were good or bad people: [Your growth rate at Holy Spirit Mountain is faster, if you wish to achieve something soon, you shouldn't be attached to the Human World.]

Lu Ran: "..."

Too strict, aren't you?

Do you know what the disciple went through at Holy Spirit Mountain!

I struggled painstakingly, barely making it back from that sea of blood and mountain of corpses...

Before he could say a few words, I'm being urged to leave?

[What, dissatisfied?]

"I wouldn't dare, wouldn't dare." Lu Ran quickly shook his head, his thoughts racing, "Disciple... Disciple has many confusions, urgently needing to seek guidance from Lord Immortal Sheep, which is why I came back."

[Not because you miss home, your family?]

Lu Ran's face was slightly embarrassed: "That is part of the reason... but the disciple indeed has serious matters."

[Speak.] A solitary word, sounding cold and indifferent.

Truly cold and heartless!

Fine, the day after tomorrow I'll eat lamb skewers too.

Lu Ran mumbled inwardly, picking up the Fiery Phoenix Patterned Gourd, probing to the side.

"Hoo~" Shadows appeared one by one.

Even though the protectors and Shadow Guards all had wonderful figures, Lu Ran's room was too small, making it inevitably seem a bit crowded.

The few didn't mind these things, they quickly surveyed the surroundings, the modern furnishings and decor leaving everyone somewhat in a daze.

The Human World!

It truly is the Human World...

Shadow One and Shadow Two suppressed their inner excitement, looking outside the window, witnessing the dim streetlights in the pouring night rain of the neighborhood.

"Lord Immortal Sheep." Jiang Ruyi spoke softly, kneeling properly in front of the shrine.

Lady Ran was like this, and the others also knelt to pay their respects.

The lofty god naturally could not manifest.

The Human Clan's respectful kneeling was met with only a solemn silence.

Only after Lu Ran spoke, did the others rise and leave, carefully closing the room door.

Lu Ran still stood with hands folded in front of the shrine: "Lord Immortal Sheep, disciple has created a force within Holy Spirit Mountain..."

Lu Ran briefly explained the situation of the Ran Sect.

And pointed out that he had already had some people sign the Inheritance Contract with the Pseudo-God Stone Sculpture, transforming into inheritors.

Lu Ran said a lot, and the Immortal Sheep just blandly replied one sentence:

[The road is one you walk yourself.]

Regarding the Ran Sect established by Lu Ran, including the many Jianghai Great Powers recruited by the Ran Sect, Lord Immortal Sheep seemed not to care much.

Ever since their meeting, the only positive evaluation the domineering Sheep General gave to Lu Ran was after witnessing the thriving stone sculptures in the God Demon Sculpture Garden.

"I walked this path myself," Lu Ran nodded heavily.

Since signing the contract on the God Worship Platform, Lord Immortal Sheep had only given Lu Ran a couple of suggestions in the early stages of his growth.

For example, activating the Evil Sculpture·Evil Dog.

It was precisely this evil sculpture that greatly increased Lu Ran's chances of survival.

In the days that followed, Lord Immortal Sheep always instilled a concept in Lu Ran:

Your path, you walk it yourself!

"The people chosen by the disciple have all been assessed and deemed trustworthy. They are loyal to the Ran Sect; we have common goals."

After a pause, Lu Ran continued, "Currently, there's an issue. Some disciples of mid to high rank Sea Realm, even those at the Sea Realm Peak, if they forcibly break the contract, will suffer severe backlash.

Disciple wishes to seek advice on how to break the contract without harm?"

Immortal Sheep snorted coldly: [Since you know you are the weak, do you still delude yourself into thinking you can fully retreat in front of the Divine with a lowly servant's status?]

Lu Ran pursed his lips.

Too long without communication, he almost forgot how cold the domineering sheep could be.

[Now, you know what to do.]

"Huh?" Lu Ran was a bit baffled.

Know... what?

After a long silence without a word from Lord Immortal Sheep, Lu Ran tentatively asked, "Would it trouble Lord Immortal Sheep to act, from a divine perspective, to sever the contract threads for the Ran Sect warriors?"

Though he said so, Lu Ran held a pessimistic attitude toward this method.

Senior Lu Yuan had already proven through actions that "sneakily returning to the human world" would bring about a devastating disaster!

Unless Lord Immortal Sheep has another divine ability, to hide these people from the eyes and ears of all gods?

[I take back what I said earlier.]

Lu Ran blinked: "What?"

[You have grown much.]

Lu Ran: "..."

All right all right, three meals!

Lamb skewers!

[After returning to Holy Spirit Mountain, think carefully about what I just said. Now, bring your people to Luoxian Mountain.] The transmission ended with an undeniable tone.

Lu Ran's heart tightened!

Lord Immortal Sheep... Is he sending me back?

[What, unwilling? Still want to see this Rain Alley City?]

Lu Ran immediately said, "This time, disciple's return to the human world indeed has other matters. Disciple plans to bring the partners left in the human world to Holy Spirit Mountain as well.

Rather than having the Divine throw them into the mountains, exposing corpses in the wilderness, I'd rather take them away myself!"

[Hmm.] Immortal Sheep responded faintly.

It seemed to somewhat approve of Lu Ran's clarity.

Lu Ran clasped his hands together and bowed, "I implore Lord Immortal Sheep to give disciple some time."

This time, the Divine did not respond further.

It seemed to have allowed it tacitly.

Lu Ran patiently waited for a moment, then said, "Actually, disciple's return this time has many questions, for instance, the Heavenly Realm..."

[That disciple of the Heavenly Realm·Dust Shadow did not inform you of the situation above the Cloud Sea.] It should have been a question, but Immortal Sheep's tone was rather certain.

It seemed that from the previous conversation, Divine·Immortal Sheep had already deduced Lu Ran's ignorance of the Heavenly Realm's situation?

"No," Lu Ran shook his head, "he was afraid of displeasing you, so he dared not inform me."

[If so, why do you still ask?]

Lu Ran: "..."

Immortal Sheep spoke sternly, rarely saying a long passage: [The path is walked by oneself! You need to personally ascend the Cloud Sea and explore the essence of this world.

With your own vision, recognize this world.

From your own perspective, contemplate how to interact with this world.

Rather than listening to outsiders tell you what is the cloud, and what is the sea.]

Lu Ran slightly parted his lips.

Lord Immortal Sheep is indeed domineering and indeed cold.

But rarely loses temper.

Including now, Lord Immortal Sheep should not be angry, but the particularly solemn words made Lu Ran secretly apprehensive.

So, has my understanding of the world always been somewhat biased?

This...?

[Go, do what you must do.] Immortal Sheep's tone eased a bit, with a faint hint of sarcasm, [Sea Realm Second Rank... huh.]

Lu Ran: "..."

In the pitch-black room, it fell into a long silence.

"Disciple... understands." After a long time, Lu Ran properly bowed and left.

When he walked out of the small house, he found several people were doing a major cleanup.

By the window light, Jiang Ruyi saw Lu Ran's grave face and also sensed his heavy heart.

Jiang Ruyi immediately approached, concerned, "Did Lord Immortal Sheep scold you?"

Lu Ran nodded, then shook his head.

It was more of a spur, an expectation perhaps.

Jiang Ruyi, naturally unaware of the conversation inside the room, just hadn't seen Lu Ran like this for a long time.

She extended her fair jade hand, gently holding Lu Ran's palm, silently comforting him.

Lu Ran sighed deeply, quickly composed himself, and started speaking about the main matter: "By the way, I asked just now how to break the contract without harm.

It seems like Lord Immortal Sheep gave me the answer, but I didn't understand it."

"What did Lord Immortal Sheep say?" Jiang Ruyi asked immediately.

"More or less, it means... the weak, lowly servants, cannot fully retreat in front of the Divine." Lu Ran frowned tightly, "But directly bringing people back and asking for Lord Immortal Sheep's help seems unfeasible."

Jiang Ruyi pondered, "Then let the servants not be lowly anymore."

"Hm?" Lu Ran's mind flashed with insight, "Let the Human Clan sign a contract with the Evil Sculptures in the Sculpture Garden, becoming an inheritor?"

In this way, wouldn't the identity of the Human Clan change?

[The young can be taught.]

The succinct four words made Lu Ran shiver.

He turned to look in the direction of the small house, nearly tearing up.

Oh, my domineering sheep, you finally praised me!

Goodness~

This scolding almost made me lose consciousness...

...