Summit of the Old Gods

"Huh?" Qiao Yuansi was rummaging through her room when she suddenly noticed a faint mist rising inside.

What is this?

Qiao Yuansi felt a surge of joy and quickly ran out the door.

"Jingle~ Jingle~"

A delicate Heavenly Sound Bell was tied to the girl's ankle, ringing crisply with her joyful steps.

She leapt into the air, rushing to the edge of the sea cliff just before the mist completely enveloped Cloud Sea Cliff, where she saw a young man standing with his back to the west, holding a sword with his eyes closed.

Sure enough, the Dawn Blade is upgrading!

Qiao Yuansi's face lit up with delight.

Lu Ran has four Divine Weapons, which means Xiao Yuansi has four "Blade Spirit Brothers" in total.

Among them, her favorite is the Dawn Blade Spirit.

Describing a young man's smile as "bright" seems inappropriate, but that's exactly how Qiao Yuansi feels.

The Cloud Sea Blade Spirit ranks second; that brother exudes an easygoing aura, ethereal like an immortal.

Xiao Yuansi is very fond of that type.

The Silent Night Blade Spirit ranks third. Although Qiao Yuansi has never seen this blade spirit, she is sure she likes the Eight Desolate Blade Spirit the least.

Aggressive!

The Eight Desolate Blade Spirit is filled with a desire for destruction, with fierce and aggressive eyes, so much so that Qiao Yuansi doesn't even dare to look him in the eyes.

Hmm... therefore, the Silent Night Blade Spirit automatically ranks second.

"If it upgrades again, it will be a Third Rank Divine Weapon." Qiao Yuansi descended gently, keeping a distant watch over Lu Ran.

[Fourth Rank.]

"What?" Qiao Yuansi placed a hand on her neck, gently grasping the Magic Artifact—Tear Star Pendant.

[The blade in Brother's hand is already Third Rank and is advancing to Fourth Rank now,] said the Tear Star Pendant's Artifact Spirit softly.

"Huh?" Qiao Yuansi was bewildered.

When did the Dawn Blade become Third Rank?

With a tinge of doubt, Qiao Yuansi watched silently. Less than twenty minutes later, the thick mist permeating the world began to dissipate.

At that time, Qiao Yuansi had just dispatched a reckless group of the Ink Carp Clan and safely returned to the sea cliff.

"Jingle~ Jingle~"

The girl was carrying a marvelous Fire Cage, eagerly jogging over, her sweet voice accompanied by the crisp ringing of bells from afar: "Brother!"

Lu Ran suddenly smiled, "Clothes make the man, and a saddle makes the horse. What's the next line?"

Qiao Yuansi blurted out, "A dog wears a bell and runs happily... huh?"

Lu Ran smiled softly.

Unfortunately, his expression was masked by the Blood Crystal Mask.

"You!" Qiao Yuansi ran up to Lu Ran, held up the lantern, and tiptoed, annoyed, staring directly into Lu Ran's eyes.

A moment later, Qiao Yuansi asked in confusion, "Why aren't you afraid of me anymore?"

Lu Ran shrugged, "I just upgraded the Dawn Blade, still bearing some Divinity, so I can hold on for a while."

Qiao Yuansi nodded, half-understanding, muttering suddenly:

"Child, this power is not yours."

Lu Ran: "..."

Qiao Yuansi huffed, turning to look at the sword in his hand, "Has the Dawn Blade reached Fourth Rank? What is the Divine Weapon Domain?"

"This domain is quite something." Lu Ran sighed softly, running two fingers along the blade.

As his fingertips glided over it, a splendid color quietly emerged on the cool, translucent Black Ice Blade.

"Show me quickly!" Qiao Yuansi's eyes were filled with anticipation as she hurried aside.

Lu Ran indeed wanted to give it a try. He slowly closed his eyes and said softly, "Tonight, the evening glow has not arrived."

Qiao Yuansi was puzzled, "So?"

Lu Ran suddenly vanished without a trace.

Qiao Yuansi looked around and soon spotted a brilliant light in the high night sky.

Lu Ran's posture was unusual; his legs were bent, his upper body slightly inclined forward, and he held the sword in one hand at his waist.

It resembled the initial stance of an imminent charge, about to draw the sword?

Only, the Dawn Blade wasn't in its sheath, hmm... this could be improved.

"Wow!" Qiao Yuansi's small mouth opened in awe.

Only feeling the brilliant radiance at Lu Ran's waist growing ever more dazzling and glaring.

The sky indeed darkened, but the night sky was filled with twinkling stars.

Yet, as the man and his sword gathered strength, it seemed that all the light between heaven and earth was being swallowed by that small Black Ice Blade.

"Sss—"

Mist sprayed from beneath Lu Ran's feet as he suddenly traversed the space.

Qiao Yuansi's eyes focused.

She saw a line.

A very fine, very fast, extremely bright line!

It arced from Lu Ran's waist, slashing through the night sky as he moved at incredible speed.

The entire dark sky was sliced in two.

"Tut tut~" Qiao Yuansi sighed softly.

The brilliance of the Dawn Blade's line must be incredibly devastating, right?

Yet, Brother didn't need to run to the sky to cast magic, it's just a thin line... huh?

"Wow!!" Qiao Yuansi's small mouth formed an 'o' shape.

The line of light seemed to be the ultimate condensed form of countless rays, now unleashed, bursts of radiant flame erupting around it.

The night sky, once split by a thin line,

now resembled a vast river of twilight glow flowing across the firmament.

The sky brightened!

"Brother?" Qiao Yuansi's heart skipped a beat.

The sky ablaze with radiance like daylight, she saw a figure falling from the night sky.

Qiao Yuansi placed a hand on her neck, and the Tear Star Pendant instantly summoned a tear-shaped Teleportation Gate.

In the vast night sky, the nearly exhausted Lu Ran was being supported by the Smoke and Mist Silk and Xiao Yuansi, who quickly came to his aid.

"Are you okay?" Qiao Yuansi hurriedly offered him Black Fire.

"Ugh." Lu Ran grimaced, the emptiness within his body made him unbearably uncomfortable.

Truly worthy of a Fourth Rank Divine Weapon!

The Eight Desolate Blade is also a Fourth Rank Divine Weapon, but whether it's the Eight Directions Annihilation or One Blade Opens Heaven, Lu Ran can handle them better.

Only the second domain, Three Calamities Annihilation, requires the help of the Fiery Phoenix Patterned Gourd to fully diffuse the three halos.

As for the Dawn Blade, he can withstand both Thousands of Auspicious Colors and Heavenly Clouds.

Yet this third Divine Weapon Domain...

It directly drained the Divine Power from Lu Ran's body!

If not for the continuous supply of Divine Power from the Little Blazing Phoenix, he would likely have fainted on the spot.

"Phew~"

Qiao Yuansi helped Lu Ran to the ground, a mix of concern and amusement: "Why so stubborn? If the sunset doesn't come, it doesn't come, is it really necessary to make the sky bright again?"

Lu Ran replied weakly, "It's coming soon."

"Oh?" Qiao Yuansi raised his eyes to look.

He saw the radiant stream of the sunset spanning the night sky, still dazzling and piercing, yet as time passed, it gradually dimmed.

The ultimate bright white slowly faded to gold-red, then orange-red, light red... until dark red.

The night sky remained ablaze with the light of the sunset.

The dark red flames spread and churned, refusing to dissipate, like burning clouds slowly filling the sky.

"Brother." As she continued watching, Qiao Yuansi suddenly spoke.

"Hmm?"

"If you wield the Dawn Blade and swipe across the God Demon, can you possibly slice them in two?"

"I would like that." Lu Ran gazed up at the splendid sunset sprawled across the sky.

Qiao Yuansi's eyes lit up, and she turned to Lu Ran: "Next time, I'll back you up; let's give it a try?"

"Uh." Lu Ran suddenly shivered.

Qiao Yuansi processed the reaction, then manifested a mischievous look of glee: "Oh? Are you scared now? Weren't you just showing off earlier?"

Lu Ran: "..."

Qiao Yuansi mimicked a scholar, pouty with a playful shake of her head: "I just advanced the Dawn Blade, the Divinity hasn't dissipated yet~"

Lu Ran turned his head to look elsewhere, his tone faint: "Don't you want to go home?"

"I want to go back, definitely!" She quickly clutched Lu Ran's arm, shifting the subject seamlessly, "What's the name of this Divine Weapon Domain?"

"Let's call it 'Radiant Sunset'."

"Couldn't it be named more dominantly?"

"Hmm?" Lu Ran's expression became peculiar; he's aware of how much Qiao Yuansi enjoys fantasy novels, devouring them voraciously.

Qiao Yuansi, indeed bursting with vocabulary: "Slice of Sky Light! One Thousand Sunsets Merge! Heaven's Sunset Verdict... One Sunset Opens Heaven's Gate!"

Lu Ran's head expanded with overwhelming ideas, hastily replied: "Let me compose myself, we'll return to the Human World shortly."

Qiao Yuansi fell silent, supported Lu Ran to sit down, and casually took the Dawn Blade.

She stepped aside, admiring one of the finest Divine Weapons, murmuring softly: "Sunset, Sunset, my brother's bad at naming; which name do you like?"

The energy from the Sword Spirit flowed into the hilt, soaking into the palm of her hand: "Which do you like?"

"You're allowing me to choose?"

"Yes, tell me; I'll negotiate with the master."

"Hmm... You're so good to me."

"Because I am him."

...

In the late night hours, within the Human World's Da Xia - Luoxian Mountain, a landing mirror forcefully tore through space-time, appearing in the courtyard of Luoxian Residence.

A youth in feathered attire and a girl in a black dress emerged one after another.

Lu Ran drew the Cloud Sea Dust Clearing Sword from his waist and handed it to Qiao Yuansi: "Go inside, let the Sword Spirit contact mom."

"Alright~" Qiao Yuansi cradled the long sword as she scampered indoors.

Lu Ran then gazed upward at the Divine Sculpture, hands clasped: "Master Immortal Sheep, the disciple is back."

[Since you're back, take a good look at what the God Demons have done.]

An ominous feeling surged within Lu Ran, immediately concealing his presence, instantaneously teleporting himself high into the skies.

The next moment, his expression changed!

A ruined cityscape, collapsed houses, fractured bridges, streets and alleys no longer illuminated.

"This..." Lu Ran's brows furrowed tightly, closely inspecting Yeyu City, never before seeing such devastation inflicted on the city in all these years.

[The God Demons are aware that it's your Human Clan secretly hunting them.]

"How did they find out?"

[Does it matter?] Immortal Sheep's voice sounded indifferently, [It was expected, you've already hidden long enough.]

Lu Ran's complexion grew increasingly grim.

[The Martial Monks informed all God Demons, rigorously investigating disciples; and isolated God Demons are checking God Demons.]

"Martial Monks?"

This time, Master Immortal Sheep did not respond.

"Martial Monks, Martial Monks..." Lu Ran repeatedly chanted the name of the deity, surveying the ravaged scene of the city.

Today marks the lunar seventeenth.

Yet even among the ruins, he still found discarded remnants not yet collected.

On asphalt-paved roads, he discovered traces of blood not completely cleansed.

[The God Demons assume that the Human Clan emotionally clings to their homes, feels bound to their race.] Immortal Sheep's tone was calm, [(Thus, on last month's fifteen, chaos befell the Human World.

Night of Ghosts, Demon Lord descended...]

[The God Demons wish to compel your reveal in such a manner.]

Lu Ran tightly clenched his fists; everything he sees feels like a knife sinking deep into his heart.

Immortal Sheep's tone gradually turned icy: [If you don't obediently surface, next month's fifteen will be even disastrous for the Human World.]

[So, what do you think? Will you obediently surrender, abandon the only chance for your clan, and continue under the reign of the God Demons awaiting a futile miracle?]

[Will you kneel before the God Demons, confess your wrongdoing, attempting to appease their wrath?]

Lu Ran finally spoke: "Master Immortal Sheep, I am not a naïve child.

Kneeling before the God Demons won't quell their fury; I know what I must do."

[Oh?] Immortal Sheep was intrigued.

Lu Ran's eyes remained icy, his voice deep: "Slay until the God Demons fear, slay until they yield and submit.

Slay them into extinction!

The God Demons will have no more fury left!"

...