Summit of the Old Gods

Da Xia in the Human World, the land of Jianghuai.

Under the night sky, Luzhou City was peaceful and harmonious, with the Bi He Ancient City within it bustling with tourists and thriving incense offerings.

In a tranquil part of the Inner City, inside the Divine Worship Hall, an elder was kneeling on a prayer mat, praying devoutly.

The elder obviously was aged, yet full of vigor, with white hair and a youthful face.

It appeared, with the help of the Bi He Sect's Divine Technique: Green Dew Wash, his body was well nourished.

The elder suddenly shivered, cautiously raised his head, and looked towards the small stone sculpture deep in the hall: "Lord? You..."

The elder's words came to an abrupt halt, originally in a kneeling position, now sitting up straight with an increasingly respectful expression.

However, this honored astonishment did not last long.

It was as if he heard some astonishing news, his face turned horrified, looking in disbelief at the divine statue, unable to utter another word.

"City Lord Bi?"

"City Lord Bi, it's not good!"

From afar, at the entrance of the hall, came several panicked cries.

The elder with the surname Bi didn't even turn around and shouted sternly: "Silence! Kneel down!"

Several Bi He disciples reflexively knelt down, among them a disciple who rushed too hastily, even breaking the stone tiles underfoot, causing a series of cracking sounds.

"Ah!"

"Hiss..." The next moment, one by one the Bi He disciples inside the hall all twisted their expressions, mostly clutching their heads.

City Lord Bi was about to continue listening to the instructions of Lord Bi He, but it felt like a string in his brain snapped, causing him to hiss in pain.

Afterwards, the divine manifestation ceased.

"Buzz..."

The earth began to tremble, standing out especially in this once peaceful ancient divine city.

"Crack! Crack!"

Immediately following was the sound of stones falling off.

"City Lord! City Lord, I... my contract with Lord Bi He is broken!" a disciple screamed in terror.

"The disciple's contract is also broken!"

"No, no..."

A group of Bi He disciples hurried here in panic, originally to report yet another god falling in Da Xia.

Unexpectedly,

This time the bad news was upon them.

City Lord Bi's eyes were vacant, the rosy glow on his face was now ashen gray.

"It's not good, Lord Bi He she..."

"City Lord Bi! The divine stone sculpture is cracking, stones are falling!"

"City Lord Bi..."

The chaotic noise couldn't reach City Lord Bi's ears, he just knelt numbly on the prayer mat, staring at the small stone sculpture ahead.

Amidst heaven and earth, the sound of shattering continued incessantly.

The noise of stones falling on the ground was deafening.

There was no need to witness it personally, City Lord Bi knew what had happened. There had already been several precedents with divine sculptures shattering and gods falling.

And now, was it Lord Bi He's turn?

On the night of the eleventh of the winter month, in the year 2023, it was supposed to be an ordinary evening.

Yet the Human World was in turmoil.

One divine being after another fell, pushing people's already anxious hearts to the brink of terror!

Since the fifteenth of September, the Ghost Talisman Doll, Ghostly Eyes Ghost, Angry Sea Flame Flood Dragon were cut down in succession, filling the Human Clan with jubilation.

For over forty years, it seemed people finally saw the dawn.

But in the following days, the situation took a drastic turn!

Greedy Wolf, Moon Spirit, Star Official, Yema...

These divine sculptures standing at various places in the Human World shattered one by one, striking all sentient beings like a thunderbolt.

More despairingly, in the midnight of this winter month's eleventh, another group of gods fell.

Without any warning, and shattered one after another!

It was as if all gods had been ambushed by the Evil Demon, wiped out.

Flower Lantern, Bi He, Prisoner Demon, Skyspear, Cloud Mace...

Three were Third-class powerful gods!

One was a Fourth-class god, and one was a Fifth-class god.

The internet completely exploded, filled with messages of unknown authenticity, accompanied by videos and pictures of shattered divine sculptures being madly reposted, spreading across the world.

People's hearts bled.

Crying in sorrow, falling into madness in despair.

The peaceful night was gone for good, countless people were startled awake by phone calls in their slumber, and then knelt long by their small household shrines.

Crowds surged into the streets, shouting frantically, smashing indiscriminately, venting their anger.

Or perhaps, it was venting fear.

What was the use of causing chaos in the streets, what was the purpose?

It was hard to say clearly.

An extreme group, in extreme circumstances, will display any extreme behavior.

But regardless of how they vented, cried, or desperately pleaded, people could not summon back the guardian deities that protected the Human World for over forty years.

The fearful emotion spread from Da Xia to the entire world.

The chaos continued, until the sun rose, shining upon the earth, and Da Xia still couldn't fully calm down.

In the morning.

A convoy, after a night of driving, headed north all the way from Jianghuai land, entered the Central Plains, and arrived at the renowned Mount Song.

Da Xia had a total of four First-class Gods:

Sword One, Qiang Xiu, Martial Monk, Martial Artist.

The ancient city beneath the feet of four deities, also the most renowned within Da Xia:

Beijing Sword Heaven Palace, Chang'an Rust City, Mount Song Vajra Temple, Guangfu Pear Garden.

At this moment, in front of the gate of Vajra Temple, several gate guards dressed as martial monks looked solemn.

They immediately saw that there was a special entourage outside the city gate.

This group was equally dispirited, akin to the dejected ordinary populace, but the aura they exuded was quite extraordinary!

What was more striking was that outside the ancient city, which should have been crowded, the area where this group was felt like a vacuum, as others couldn't withstand their pressure and retreated of their own accord.

Of course, there were also fearless people, who took out their phones from a distance and secretly recorded this special scene.

In these turbulent times, the whole world was in chaos; who knew what such a scene signified?

"Ladies and gentlemen, halt your steps!" A tall martial monk guard blocked the entourage, "May I ask whom you honor, and why you've come to our Vajra Temple?"

An old man stepped forward, lowered his voice: "I am Bi Zhao, the Human World Sect Master of the Bi He Sect."

The martial monk guard suppressed his inner fear, bracing himself to face the imposing great power from the Sea Realm: "Ah, it's City Lord Bi, my apologies, my apologies!

City Lord Bi, please first follow me to rest inside the city, I will immediately send someone to report to our City Lord..."

"No need!" City Lord Bi, almost pulling the guard into the city, said, "I come bearing a decree from Lord Bi He to pay respects to the Martial Monk Lord, there is no time to lose!

Quickly take me to the Divine Worship Hall in the Inner City!"

The martial monk guard's heart grew heavier, all of Da Xia knew that last night was a night of tribulation for the entire human world.

Heaven lamented, earth mourned, the mountains and rivers wept together.

A total of five deities fell during this night.

Among them was Third-class God Bi He!

And now, the Human World Sect Master from the Bi He Sect visits...

"Young friend, pray to the deities now, inform the Martial Monk Lord, saying that Lord Bi He has important information to divulge! Bi He's disciples are in the city, requesting an audience," City Lord Bi said with utmost seriousness.

"Yes!" The martial monk guard nodded heavily.

Even the devotees of the noble First-class Gods find it hard to refuse the command of the mighty Yangyang Sea.

The martial monk guard immediately turned around, looking up at the towering and awe-inspiring Divine Sculpture of the Martial Monk, he worshipped devoutly.

The situation was indeed more severe than imagined.

The martial monk guard had never received a transmission from the Lord God in his lifetime, but this time, after his relentless pleas, he actually received permission!

The Bi He entourage remained in the Outer City, and Bi Zhao, following several martial monk believers, quickly headed towards the Inner City, entering the Divine Worship Hall alone.

"Crack!"

The heavy hall doors closed.

City Lord Bi quickly reached the depths of the hall, knelt on the prayer mat, bowed his head in respect: "Disciple of Bi He, Bi Zhao, greets the Martial Monk Lord."

The hall was solemn, a pin drop could be heard.

City Lord Bi hung his head low, a trace of sorrow in his eyes, speaking in a quivering voice: "Lord Bi He informed the disciple that her true murderer is the Human Clan!"

"Whoosh!!"

Heaven and earth changed color!

The entire Vajra Temple seemed to have the mute button pressed.

Whether inside or outside the city, all were uniformly raising their heads, witnessing a huge remnant shadow of the deity.

This was a male silhouette, standing like a green pine, robust, his body like cast in bronze and iron.

He donned a brownish-yellow martial monk robe, wielding a long staff, a bamboo hat atop his head.

Underneath the hat was a stiff, ancient face.

His expression was solemn, commanding respect without anger!

"Martial Monk Lord!"

"Martial, Martial Monk Lord!!"

"We beg you, save us, save this world..."

"Wuwuwu... Lord God, don't let the evil demons wreak havoc again, kill those demon spirits..."

Within and outside the Vajra Temple, one after another knelt down.

People cried, continually pleading.

And the suddenly appearing remnant shadow of the deity extended a phantom hand, sending a wisp of mist into the Divine Worship Hall.

On the prayer mat deep within the hall, City Lord Bi's eyes widened dramatically, transitioning from a member without a Divine Contract of the Sea Realm to a martial monk believer.

[Speak!] The voice full of authority, like a thunderclap, shook City Lord Bi's mind.

City Lord Bi trembled, through the Divine Contract, conveying the words more clearly from a perspective of worshipful prayer: "Last night, before Lord Bi He passed, she said many things that disciples did not understand.

She wanted the disciples to tell you that the true culprit is not the Faceless Jade Venerable, nor the beings of other battlefields, but the Human Clan.

They come from the human clan of Da Xia!

They originate from the followers of demons under the evil gods of Da Xia, from various schools and sects of the human clan!"

"Buzz!!"

The martial monk remnant shadow stood at the peak of Mount Song, every muscle tense, waves of terrifying momentum surged in all directions.

Under the brim of the bamboo hat, his eyes were filled with wrath.

Like a vajra's angry brows!

At the same time, in the Holy Spirit Mountain Realm.

Within the splendid Qianhua Ridge, a youth wearing a feathered gown and a blood crystal mask stood amidst a sea of flowers.

Dressed in vibrant purples and vivid reds, extravagant yet tasteful.

It was quite fitting for his ethereal immortal posture.

The young immortal consistently tilted his head upwards, gazing thoughtfully at the sky, observing a slowly rotating white cloud vortex.

And in his hand, a Black Ice Blade quivered gently.

The cold, translucent blade began to emit a splendid glow...

...