Summit of the Old Gods

"I... I'll go get the little Blazing Phoenix, you first subdue those two fourth-tier magic artifacts?" Lu Ran spoke.

Jiang Ruyi silently looked at Lu Ran, a trace of disappointment flashing in her eyes.

Lu Ran was about to say something, but saw Jiang Ruyi return to her expressionless self, turn around, and respond lightly:

"Hmm."

Lu Ran pursed his lips, but in the end, his figure flashed and he found himself in the study of Tianya Residence, picking up the Fiery Phoenix Patterned Gourd on the table.

He felt a bit uneasy inside.

Some rungs of the ladder are really hard to climb.

Remembering her disappointed gaze and the face that turned cold once more... for a moment, Lu Ran wanted to become Jiang Ruyi's child.

Wouldn't that turn the chasm into a passageway?

Xun Luo's family was the best example, when Lu Ran first encountered the family of four, the Xun Luo couple were already in the Yangyang Sea.

Hmm... The Divine Seeking General is also in the Sea Realm now.

Their children aren't even believers, and faced no pressure from their parents, freely able to leap into their arms.

Mountain? What mountain?

Isn't this just flat ground!

In the system of gods and demons, familial bonds seem to be a more advanced thing than friendship or love.

"Uh." Lu Ran's expression turned a bit odd, shaking his head vigorously.

What am I thinking about all this nonsense...

Actually wanting to call my girlfriend 'mom'?

Lu Ran, oh Lu Ran... where's your face?!

Have I been fighting gods and demons so long that I've picked up their ugly traits too?

"Swish!"

Lu Ran steeled himself once more and activated cheat mode, instantly teleporting to the "mountain peak."

The woman in the phoenix robe at the edge of the cliff, her gaze icy, stared at the horizon where the sea meets the sky.

Suddenly, there was a faint fluctuation of divine power as a figure appeared behind her, close at hand.

"Sigh~"

The Fiery Phoenix Patterned Gourd immediately cast a spell.

Jiang Ruyi did not resist, allowing her body to gradually shrink. Before she was absorbed into the gourd's mouth, the humble creature dared to extend a finger and rub her head.

"Ha."

The fact was, people really do smile when speechless.

Damn guy!

Quite a few strange tricks.

"Haa..." Up at Heaven's Edge, Lu Ran let out a long breath.

The departure of the Evil God allowed him to breathe freely.

Lu Ran, holding the Fiery Phoenix Patterned Gourd, sat down on the edge of the cliff, his small legs dangling, swaying back and forth.

A few seconds later, he suddenly thought of something and patted the plump Treasure Gourd in his arms: "What do you think, if I consider your mom as an enemy, would I not be afraid?"

Little Blazing Phoenix: "..."

Yet Lu Ran secretly nodded, the more he thought about it, the more it made sense.

Fighting spirit, hatred, obsession, all would surely diminish greatly.

Just like a few days ago, when Lu Ran was up against the Ghost Talisman Doll, his mind was full of kill, kill, kill! Was there any fear at all?

"Buzz~"

The Fiery Phoenix Patterned Gourd trembled slightly, spewing out several figures.

Lu Ran's face showed surprise.

Only to see Yan Shuangzi come out first, followed by Jiang Ruyi, two huge stone talismans, and finally Huangfu Zhao.

"So fast?" Lu Ran looked up towards the sky.

"They had no choice." Jiang Ruyi said casually, subduing two powerful fourth-tier magic artifacts as if it were no big deal.

Returning to the real world, Jiang Ruyi began to reassess the two stone talismans.

From the perspective of gods and demons, the stone talismans were only palm-sized.

But for the human clan, the stone talismans were about 30 meters long and 20 meters wide.

Astoundingly large!

"They say the four white jade stones surrounding the Divine Jade Talisman are part of their set." Jiang Ruyi slightly frowned and spoke again.

"Part of a set?" Lu Ran thought quickly and asked, "Can they sense each other's existence?"

Jiang Ruyi was silent for a moment, then shook her head: "No."

"Oh." Upon hearing this, Lu Ran let out a big sigh of relief.

Jiang Ruyi, being sharp and intelligent, naturally realized what Lu Ran had connected it to—the Black Jade Tiger Talisman!

The two halves of the Tiger Talisman were independent yet complete together.

When separated, the two halves could contact each other.

But evidently, these stone talismans were not the same as the Tiger Talisman, which could be pieced together to form a complete tiger.

"No need to worry." Jiang Ruyi said softly, "Our action to slay the Ghost Talisman Doll was granted permission by Lord Immortal Sheep."

"Indeed." Lu Ran nodded in agreement.

If there had been any hidden danger, Lord Immortal Sheep would have mentioned it beforehand.

Lu Ran's heart was reassured, and he thought further, if these stone talismans were a set, then the four white jade stones surrounding the Divine Jade Talisman were magic artifacts too?

Are they all fourth-tier?

Wow~

Lu Ran grinned, as expected of the god's true form?

What a treasure trove indeed!

"Toiling and struggling to this point, and I only have a few third-tier Divine Weapons and Magic Artifacts?"

Jiang Ruyi gently caressed the Stone Talisman and continued, "According to their indication, if you can gather a full set of six Stone Talismans, they can exert a stronger effect."

Lu Ran's heart stirred: "Stronger? What exactly?"

Jiang Ruyi communicated with the Magic Artifacts for a moment, then softly said, "Stone Talismans can change their nature and share each other's functions.

From the perspective of these two Stone Talismans, if the other four Jade Tokens temporarily assume their form, the six Stone Talismans can form an Array.

All beings encircled within the array must reveal their true forms."

Lu Ran's breath slightly stopped!

This... this this?

From single-target casting to an area effect?

"Quiet." Jiang Ruyi suddenly spoke, her tone flat but full of authority, "He decides when we go, and we go. We listen to him in everything."

The two Stone Talismans dared not inquire further.

Among them, the Stone Talisman in contact with Jiang Ruyi's palm wobbled left and right, rubbing against the hand of the Evil God ingratiatingly.

The new master is also a God.

And from every angle, a being that overwhelms the Ghost Talisman Doll!

Her intelligence is extremely high, her aura majestic, and she even fully mastered the skills of both the Jade Talisman and Ghost Talisman sects.

She is an exceedingly rare, complete, and powerful new God!

The two Stone Talismans are still adapting, learning how to coexist with their powerful new master.

"Do they want to collect a full set?" Lu Ran speculated.

"Yes." Jiang Ruyi acknowledged, not considering that the Ran Sect's next target should be the Jade Talisman.

In comparison, the Evil God·Angry Sea Flame Flood Dragon, with its weak Spirit Defense, is easier to conquer, and slaying the Flame Flood Dragon would enhance the Ran Sect's overall power more significantly.

Lu Jiang were in thorough agreement, and after a brief exchange, Jiang Ruyi said, "I'll take them back first for some proper training."

"Alright." Lu Ran watched her fly off and then added, "By the way, what are these two Magic Artifacts called?"

"Just call them Ghost Talisman." Jiang Ruyi decided directly, without room for objection.

"Hoo!!"

Remnants of the Evil God extracted from the flesh, and the two Ghost Talismans also transformed into Pure Energy Bodies, merging into the remnant of Xian Mo and surging together into Lu Ran's eyes.

"Oh!" Lu Ran hurriedly took two steps forward, stepping into the air, reaching out to catch the falling shell from the sky.

Yan Shuangzi slightly curled her lips, almost imperceptibly.

It was just a beautiful doll, destined to dissipate soon, yet he was still flustered...

Lu Ran turned to Yan Shuangzi: "Thank you, you should return too."

Yan Shuangzi nodded gently, also leaving behind a beautiful doll in place, as the remnant carrying the Divine Weapon surged into Lu Ran's eyes.

"Puff~ Puff~"

Xian Mo and Evil Shadow's bodies fragmented one after another into wisps of mist, which were absorbed cleanly by Lu Ran.

Lu Ran looked at Huangfu Zhao again: "Mr. Huangfu, this time, by slaying the Ghost Talisman Doll, the Ran Sect gained a large amount of Holy Spirit Energy!

The Fake Gods could help the Divine Sculpture of Dong Ting, and it might ascend to the Heavenly Realm·Third Level."

Huangfu Zhao already understood what Lu Ran was about to say.

Lu Ran proposed, "Why not let Mr. Huangfu merge with the Divine Sculpture of Dong Ting? Later, you can stand in my Sculpture Garden for us to act together and communicate conveniently."

Huangfu Zhao bowed respectfully: "Thank you, Young Master!"

Up till today, the two had a rough understanding of why humanity in the Heavenly Realm·Third Level posed such a great threat to the God Demon.

Four words: Spiritual Intensity!

When this unique species, the Human Clan, climbed to the peak, its spiritual intensity could even counter the God Demon.

The so-called master-servant contract was not equal, and the God Demon should be able to manipulate the servant at will.

But in this world, there is an eternal truth: power is respect!

Like in human society, when your power is hard enough, contracts once solemnly signed could become nothing, with no binding effect on you.

Rules can only survive within a framework and are meant to restrain the weak beings.

The master-servant contract is the same!

When the spiritual intensity of the Human Clan exceeds the standard, a believer can even forcibly use the God Demon's skills!

Lu Ran is very certain of this, because he and Huangfu Zhao have already tested it.

Lu Ran strictly prohibited the Dong Ting Divine Sculpture within the garden from letting Huangfu Zhao use any skills, but Huangfu Zhao managed to use them anyway.

Completely ignoring the Dong Ting Divine Sculpture, he took whatever he wanted...

Even more terrifying, Huangfu Zhao could even reverse it, affecting the Stone Sculpture's casting through that master-servant contract!

When Lu Ran realized this point, he was utterly baffled.

He didn't understand why his mother was still alive.

Logically, given Qiao Wanjun's threat level, shouldn't Sword One have killed her at the first opportunity?

Yet, the ones wanting Qiao Wanjun dead were other God Demons.

Sword One, on the contrary, shielded Qiao Wanjun, imprisoning her in Beijing...

Lu Ran only just realized, when he expressed extreme hatred towards the God Demon in his heartfelt talks with his mother, why she defended Sword One.

What kind of relationship existed between the human and the God, Lu Ran didn't know.

But on the Ran Sect's side, Huangfu Zhao has already severed ties with Divine·Dong Ting, joining Lu Ran's side, and signed an Inheritance Contract with the Dong Ting Stone Sculpture in the garden.

If Lu Ran didn't forcibly intervene, the Dong Ting Stone Sculpture would naturally serve Huangfu Zhao, willing to give everything for the Inheritor.

So Huangfu Zhao had no reason to maintain his human identity.

"Let's go, Mr. Huangfu, we'll head to Mo Gu Peak." Lu Ran summoned an Ancient Bronze Mirror, sending the Fiery Phoenix Patterned Gourd to the side, "Let's find Little Yuanxi, who is about to hit a cultivation bottleneck, and needs your help."

"Hoo~"

The Fiery Phoenix Patterned Gourd wobbled left and right, then flew away.

The Ancient Bronze Mirror transformed into a Landing Mirror, and Lu Ran stepped into it, walking to the end of the Holy Spirit Mountain.

...