Summit of the Old Gods

In a simple ground-floor apartment in the Rain Alley Home District, a landing mirror abruptly appeared and then vanished without a trace.

Lu Ran looked at the dust-covered small bedroom, but had no time for sentimentality.

He turned to look out the window and saw nothing but darkness.

Why are the street lights in the neighborhood not on?

Lu Ran flickered into the night sky, and when he looked down at the small town, he was utterly stunned.

Pitch black!

The street lights that dotted the streets and alleys were completely dark, and there was no light from any homes.

After observing for a moment, Lu Ran immediately realized that Rain Alley City hadn't just lost power; there was no sign of any human activity whatsoever.

The already dilapidated town was even more ruined now, with ruins everywhere.

The streets were deserted.

No Human Clan, no Evil Demons.

Only the dense, ever-present clouds in the sky and the persistent drizzle remained unchanged.

Lu Ran dispelled the Water Flow Armor, letting the familiar hometown rain fall on him.

On the seventeenth of the winter month, the north had already entered winter.

The cold winter rain stung as it trickled over Lu Ran's face.

Rain Alley City... Has the entire city been relocated?

Back when Lu Ran was in high school, the city's population had been dwindling, and a saying circulated in the city: Escape from Rain Alley.

Escape from this cursed city!

So, the day has finally come.

Lu Ran felt deeply conflicted inside, grateful that the people had left. No matter where they went, spending the fifteenth night in any other city was certainly safer than staying in Rain Alley City.

After the relief came bitterness, a deep sorrow.

Home,

had inevitably turned into a ghost town.

Maybe it's for the best...

People no longer had to live in constant fear here.

Fortunately, the Ran Sect had prepared in advance; the families of Jiang Ruyi, Chang Ying, and Tian Tian had long been taken to Luoxian Mountain, living in Luoxian Village.

This included Deng Yuxiang's parents, who had moved away from Rain Alley City long ago. When Lu Ran sent Yutang and Manni's daughter back to the Human World, it was the Deng elders who went to Luoxian Mountain to fetch their granddaughter.

Once there, one couldn't leave easily.

Deng Yuxiang was resolute in having her parents stay in the village to raise Deng Lingyi.

"Heh..." Lu Ran sighed deeply and wiped his wet face.

He turned to gaze eastward.

The Wu Lie Building, a distant beacon in the city center, had also lost its former brilliance.

The spotlights on the building's top floor would no longer pierce the layers of rain and mist, shining into Lu Ran's eyes and bringing hope to the city's residents.

Everything had changed, everything...

Lu Ran's slowly rotating figure suddenly stopped.

The Wu Lie River continued to flow, unwavering, in the drizzling night rain.

[Brother! Brother?]

[Hmm.] Lu Ran responded softly.

[Where did you go? The Cloud Sea Sword Spirit can't reach mom.] Qiao Yuansi's voice was urgent.

[Can't reach her?] Already heavy-hearted, Lu Ran's expression grew even more serious. He casually summoned the Ancient Bronze Mirror and returned to the Luoxian Residence.

"Brother." Seeing the young man emerge from the courtyard mirror, Qiao Yuansi hurried forward, "The Cloud Sea Sword Spirit says that Mom is in the Human World, but she's not responding."

Lu Ran opened his mouth but didn't know what to say for a moment.

Lord Immortal Sheep rarely initiated communication: [The God Demon is inspecting all believers, and your mother is naturally a key subject for scrutiny.]

"Stay calm, stay calm," Lu Ran formed a technique with his hands, appearing not very adept at it.

A fantastic character, "清" (Cleansing), spread from within him, enveloping the nearby Yuansi.

Cleansing Heart Technique!

Lu Ran quickly steadied himself and calmly considered that the Cloud Sea Sword Spirit had clearly indicated that his mother was alive and still in the Human World.

Putting aside the nature of his mother's relationship with Sword One, her character alone should mean nothing could be discovered in any investigation...

Going to find her now could only increase the risk of exposure.

Instead, during the period when his mother is under rigorous scrutiny, they might be able to enter the Demon Cave to slay the God Demon, possibly clearing her of suspicion?

Yes, that seemed right.

"Enter the garden, hold a meeting." Lu Ran said abruptly and incomprehensibly, closing his eyes.

Qiao Yuansi reacted for a moment and then shifted his focus to the Sculpture Garden.

Very soon, on the Divine Camp side, the Ran Sect's warriors gathered in full force.

Lu Ran recounted the situation in the Human World, and upon hearing of the God Demon's actions, the air in the garden turned stiflingly oppressive.

Lu Ran directly stated, "I am considering asserting our stance by going directly to slay the Martial Monk! What do you all think?"

"Sect Leader, absolutely not!"

Unexpectedly, Yu Changsheng was the first to lead the opposition.

"Hmm?" Lu Ran stood on Jiang Ruyi's fingertip, frowning as he looked to the right front.

Yu Changsheng stepped out of line, uncharacteristically kneeling on one knee, saying gravely, "The Martial Monk's identity is sensitive, and his power is supreme! Not to mention if we can win, or what cost it would entail...

Even if we do win, once the Martial Monk falls, the response from the God Demon camp would be unpredictable."

Lu Ran's frown deepened.

Yu Changsheng continued, "I know the Sect Leader wants to take a stance, to force the God Demon to stop, or even to proactively seek peace, but you haven't provided a channel for dialogue with the God Demon.

To this day, the Ran Sect still operates from the shadows.

The death of the Martial Monk is different from all the previous targets slain by the Ran Sect; this is a clear signal to the God Demons that the Ran Sect has the power to kill any one of them!"

Up to now, the Ran Sect has only slain Third-class gods and below.

While there are individuals like Ghostly Eyes Ghost and Angry Sea Flame Flood Dragon who excel in certain areas, their weaknesses are also very apparent.

First-class gods are completely different!

Once the Martial Monk dies, then figures like North Wind Blade, East Thunder Spear, West Desolate Axe, and South Sea Bow will all explode in reaction.

Including Martial Artist, Qiang Xiu, Yin Flower Dan, Evil Spear Emperor, and other gods...

The most crucial is Blood Skull!

It's Sword One!

To the Human Clan, gods are supreme, but within the God Demon ranks, the disparities in power are quite evident.

The true rulers are but a few.

Exaggeratedly speaking, in front of strong Second-class gods, weak gods and the Human Clan are almost indistinguishable from ants.

The reality is also laid here: Heavenly Pearl-Soul Pearl, Color Jade-Soul Jade, War Horn-Netherworld Horn, they simply cannot control their own fate.

A strong god only needs to utter a word, and they have to comply.

"The God Demons will fall into a dead-end situation, with no way to survive!" Yu Changsheng raised his massive stone face, looking up at Lu Ran, "They might go completely insane, their actions becoming uncontrollable."

Huangfu Zhao stepped forward and sincerely said, "Young Master! I agree with Mr. Cong Long, as Lord Immortal Sheep informed you, the God Demons originally fled from the depths of the far universe to Earth.

If they could escape once, they could escape a second time.

Once the God Demons are driven into a corner and abandon the Human World, in the Da Xia battlefield, the Ran Sect will inevitably have to rise to the occasion, or else the Faceless Jade Venerable will invade the Human World."

Yu Changsheng continued, "The God Demons don't need to give up the hard-found resources of the Human Clan, they just need to flee the battlefield of Da Xia and can settle in another country.

With our current strength, once we appear publicly, we have to resist the Faceless Jade Venerable while also facing a siege by the God Demons..."

"Young Master, think thrice!"

"Young Master, think thrice!" one by one the Cloud Sea's old generals stepped forward, echoing Huangfu Zhao and Yu Changsheng.

To this day, everyone knows what kind of person the Master of Ran Sect is, indeed gentle in temperament, but extremely stubborn in some respects.

Once he makes up his mind, it's almost impossible to change it.

Not to mention, given the extent of the God Demons' treachery towards the Human World.

"Hmm." Lu Ran looked troubled, "Think of a way, we can't just let the God Demons continue like this!"

Seeing Lu Ran willing to listen to advice, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Only to hear Lu Ran say again, "Today is already the seventeenth day of the lunar calendar, and there are still Evil Demons invading the cities! We have to do something, otherwise, on the fifteenth of next month, the Human World..."

As he spoke, Lu Ran found himself struggling to continue.

The garden was silent.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to strength.

The Ran Sect's current strength is insufficient to challenge the God Demon camp.

Lu Ran suddenly said, "Since we can't express our stance in quality, how about we do it in quantity?"

Yu Changsheng immediately said, "I think it's feasible! The Ran Sect should increase its strength as much as possible in the shortest time.

Xuan Shuang Guard, Wuya Heavenly General, Elder Lu, Divine General Qin, Heavenly General Hua, all these warriors and the gods they inherited from, can be our next targets for slaying."

Mentioning Wuya, Lu Ran immediately recalled the recently slain Sea Realm Demon, Play-faced.

It indeed needed to be killed!

Jiang Ruyi suddenly opened her mouth, "From this angle, Purple Thunder Demon Peng and Barbaric Female Fiend could also be our targets."

Both are Second-class Evil Gods, powerful but with obvious weaknesses.

These two Evil Gods are also strongly linked to Huangfu Zhao and Feng Yan's two generals, once they die, several warriors can immediately obtain a Divine Position and rise to become Evil Gods.

Yu Changsheng spoke, "Sect Leader, Lady! I think we still need to open a window for the gods.

Even if they are unwilling to give up everything they have, with the opportunity to divide large numbers of unclaimed god believers, if we continue this killing spree, it can't help but push the God Demons into desperation!"

"A window..."

Yu Changsheng earnestly advised, "I know the Sect Leader despises the God Demons, but given the current situation, we should cooperate with some of them, at least stabilize them first.

We shouldn't underestimate ourselves; the Ran Sect can definitely grow into a significant presence, but Sect Leader, we need time!"

"With whom?" Lu Ran asked directly.

Yu Changsheng hesitated for a moment, then spoke a name: "Nu Ying."

Third-class God, Nu Ying, is a complete god without any Evil Demon aspect, having never participated in the Night of the Fifteenth invasions due to her lack of an Evil Demon side.

Moreover, Nu Ying's character is quite unique.

Her followers are all steadfast and brave, which reflects the character of the god herself to some extent.

Nu Ying's disciples have almost all contributed to the country, and they have always guarded the depths of the Demon Cave.

The god Nu Ying herself is also a great general of the frontier, guarding a Divine Mountain alone in the Third Heaven, fighting fiercely on the frontline.

Establishing contact with Nu Ying seems quite reasonable.

Lu Ran was about to say something when he heard Yu Changsheng mention another name: "Rou Paperman."

"Huh??"

Lu Ran looked surprised, almost thinking he had misheard.

Rou Paperman?

...