Summit of the Old Gods

"Oh?" Lu Ran blinked his eyes.

He had just finished communicating with the Immortal Sheep, and within a few dozen seconds, he noticed that the Fog Dragon Roll connecting to the "Typhoon Eye" was dissipating rapidly.

Did the Night-slaying Great Saber succeed in advancing to the Fourth Rank?

That's so fast!

Fairy Jiang takes two to three minutes to imprint the Phoenix Soul Mark on Wang Hanchuan, but this Big Nightmare... could it be as quick as five minutes in total?

The time required for a Divine Weapon upgrade ranges from a few minutes to half an hour.

Lu Ran had reason to believe that Deng Yuxiang and the Night-slaying Great Saber had a clear goal, and knew precisely what insights their side was gaining, hence the swiftness.

After all, the first two Divine Weapon Domains of the Night-cutting Blade were nearly identical, both completing the broken blade.

Moreover, the blade's body, pieced together from energy, had strong armor-piercing effects.

The only difference was the size specification.

Following this trend, the third Divine Weapon Domain should also deeply focus on "completing the blade body."

To put it simply, with the efficacy of the first domain, the blade body could extend to 28 meters; under the second domain, the blade body reached 280 meters.

Then the third Divine Weapon Domain...

Two thousand eight hundred meters?

"Good heavens~" Lu Ran chuckled.

He was previously pondering how ancient fierce beasts could obscure the sky and reach tens of thousands of meters, making it burdensome for the Ran Sect to fight.

The only option was to strike first and silence them.

Any mistake would mean relying on Bai Rao... hmm, now also add Yin Yan, letting both expend enormous energy to combat the enemy's fierce beasts with the presence of ancient beasts.

Now it's all good!

The Big Nightmare can directly wield the blade~

Eh, something seems off.

Lu Ran suddenly realized that his estimation of the blade specifications was based on the Night-cutting Blade's original form.

When it follows its master, transforming into a giant stone blade and then activates the Divine Weapon Domain, the blade isn't as long as imagined.

In the recent battle, Lu Ran had witnessed this with his own eyes.

Hmm... once the Big Nightmare reaches Becoming a God, he should directly ask her.

While thinking, Lu Ran began gathering the Ran Sect soldiers into the Sculpture Garden, with Evil Shadow Guardian and Huangfu Tianjiang following the plan, using Magic Artifacts to reclaim the Stone Sculptures.

Before the mist completely faded, both divine beings had already converged.

"Evil Shadow, go into the gourd and see Lord Wangfeng; once he submits, he becomes Shadow Five." Lu Ran held the Treasure Gourd in one hand to retrieve Yan Shuangzi and in the other held a delicate money pouch, collecting Huangfu Zhao inside.

[Master, isn't it inappropriate to have Wang Hanchuan worship me?] Yan Shuangzi expressed a hint of concern.

The Divine and Evil Techniques she possessed were too formidable.

Giving them to four loyal Shadow Guards was comforting, but to someone like Wang Hanchuan?

Lu Ran transmitted his voice: [The first four Shadow Guards are all natives of the River Realm, able to flawlessly complete tasks within the Holy Spirit Mountain, but in the Heavenly Realm, it's not the same.

Under your command, there must always be someone useful.]

Yan Shuangzi slightly frowned, and as she entered the gourd, she immediately heard wailing.

In sight, Wang Hanchuan was suspended mid-air, trembling violently in pain, his facial expression already distorted, enduring some unspecified torment.

She recalled Lu Ran's words: [Don't worry, Ruyi has already imprinted a Phoenix Soul Mark deep in Wang Hanchuan's soul, ensuring no possibility of betrayal in his future.

You can become the god he worships and discipline him from another angle; it's all good.]

[Alright, sure.] Yan Shuangzi looked at Lord Wangfeng, who was suffering.

Their encounters were rare; after joining Sword Ridge Peak, Wang Hanchuan soon went into seclusion, and she quickly was imprisoned.

Before facing punishment, she even contemplated finding the Peak Master to seek justice.

Thinking back now, she realized how naive she was back then.

The culture is always top-down! If she had indeed met Lord Wangfeng and conveyed her judgments on Divine Demons or the disrespectful words toward Lord Beifeng...

Her fate would have been far more tragic.

Yan Shuangzi sighed lightly.

Once wielding power over life and death as the Peak Master, now falls into her hands.

Well, then.

Since you loved worshiping the gods, blindfolded and deafened, executing Beifeng's will.

From now on, execute my will.

On this side, Yan Shuangzi silently planned Wang Hanchuan's future, while outside, Lu Ran stared at the Hundred Treasures Bag in his hand.

The Human Clan within the Hundred Treasures Bag appeared smaller than ants.

Last time, when He Qifeng was caught inside, Lu Ran experienced a fleeting illusion, thinking he could crush the Wind Emperor with a single finger.

Now, the massive Stone Sculptures entered the small money pouch, becoming toy soldier-sized.

"Yo?" Lu Ran's playful side emerged.

He reached two fingers into the money pouch, grabbing a Divine Sculpture, gently pinching its head.

Huangfu Zhao: "..."

Huangfu Tianjiang had lived half his life and never imagined he'd be treated as a toy figurine one day.

His Young Master was excellent in every way, just a bit childlike at heart.

Inside the pouch were several former Cloud Sea colleagues, who retreated upon witnessing the scene, evidently fearing to be pinched by the mischievous child.

Yet Master Lu's fingers continued reaching over, poking one Stone Sculpture's head after another.

Ran Sect's Heavenly Generals: "..."

"Each has its unique charm." Lu Ran muttered inwardly, tightening the bag's opening as his figure vanished.

The Ran Sect soldiers, situated within the Sculpture Garden, must transform into Pure Energy Bodies, emanate from Lu Ran's Pupil of the Dead World, and upon descending, go through a process of assembling a Stone Sculpture body.

While the Stone Body assembly for the Ran Sect's Gods was brief and nearly negligible, the process objectively exists.

When soldiers emerged from the Fiery Phoenix Patterned Gourd, they lacked the Stone Body assembly process.

However, Lu Ran had to communicate in advance with Little Blazing Phoenix whenever he intended to use someone.

Of course, this can't be considered a flaw. It is precisely because of the existence of the little Blazing Phoenix that the Ran Sect can perform some maneuvers in commanding armies.

And the soldiers inside the Hundred Treasures Bag are like stone figurines to be used as needed.

Their faces clearly visible!

Lu Ran held the small purse in his hand, intending to use someone by simply picking them up and tossing them out?

However, he had to pay attention to the technique.

Once the toy soldiers leave the mouth of the purse, they will transform into normal size. In other words, Lu Ran's hand needs to perform the action of "grabbing the toy and popping it out of the purse" inside the purse.

Lu Ran continued his journey south, ignoring the distance; in terms of location, the North Wind Divine Mountain is near Sword One Divine Mountain.

On this journey to the Southwest Front's Blood Dust Divine Mountain, he planned to stop by along the way.

"Did you tell her about the situation here?" Lu Ran reached into his waist again, holding the Cloud Sea Dust Clear Sword.

"I already did, but the master did not pay attention to me." The energy of the Sword Spirit soaked into Lu Ran's palm.

Lu Ran's heart sank as he urged the little Blazing Phoenix to provide more Divine Power to continue his way south.

When he saw the mist-covered Sword One Divine Mountain, he couldn't help but be a bit stunned.

Here, too, there were mist dragon rolls descending from the sky, connecting with the Divine Mountain. The majestic Sword One Divine Mountain stood proudly, letting the mist dragon rolls infuse its stone body and indulging in the rich nourishment of energy.

Lu Ran circled slowly in flight, soon seeing a familiar figure.

Was that... Chen Jingjing?

Lu Ran blinked, knowing full well this woman was his mother's maid, though he wasn't sure of her exact strength.

Coming to the Heavenly Realm Battlefield, could it be somewhat dangerous?

Suddenly, Lu Ran's figure halted.

He finally saw that unique someone he would occasionally think of.

In the grand backdrop of a world ruled by gods and demons, in this cruel and chaotic era, familial bond is truly a luxury.

Lu Ran gazed through the pair of Simurgh's Eyes, looking through the pervasive frost mist at the long-dressed woman meditating quietly beneath the Sword One Divine Sculpture.

Unfortunately, her face was veiled, prohibiting others from witnessing her true appearance.

Lu Ran could only see her closed eyes, with cold indifference between her brows, her hands resting on her knees with a Heavenly Steel Sword lying flat on them.

"Mother," Lu Ran murmured in his heart.

He immediately thought of Little Yuanxi; however, his sister had no invisibility ability, nor could she see through the frosty mist.

Hmm... let's forget about it.

Lu Ran watched silently from afar, observing the small but unignorable human woman beneath the Divine Sculpture.

These descending mist dragon rolls should have been summoned by her.

He wondered which Divine Sword rested on her knees and at what rank it was advancing.

"Ranran."

"Hmm?"

"After all these years, this is the closest I've been to her," murmured the Cloud Sea Sword Spirit.

Upon hearing this, an impulse arose in Lu Ran's heart.

He wanted to hand the Cloud Sea Dust Clear Sword to his mother.

He wanted to place the small purse hanging at his waist into her hands, opening the mouth to show her the many stone figurines inside.

They are all her disciples.

Those who once followed her to conquer territories, later persecuted by gods and demons, scattered across the Heavenly Realm.

Though few, Lu Ran had painstakingly searched for them, offering each found member of the Cloud Sea forces to the Divine Altar one by one.

Only Yan Chou hasn't obtained a Divine Position yet.

After all, his prestige is too high and challenging, inheriting the dual stone sculpture of First-class God Demon Qiang Xiu—the Evil Spear Emperor.

As for Huangfu Zhao, Wuya, Leng Tianxing, and Leng Tianyue, not only have they become gods, but they also possess complete divinity with Double Divine Positions!

Wait, one more member of the Cloud Sea might have survived.

Spiritual Image Disciple, Xiang Wang!

Thinking of this, Lu Ran pressed his lips together.

He naturally hoped that by the time he truly met his mother, he could hand over all the surviving Cloud Sea forces to her.

Time does not permit any delay, after taking down Blood Dust Divine Mountain, he would visit Fengxiang God Mountain.

Previously, Lu Ran was like a rat in the sewer, not daring to see the light of day, and had no ability to demand people from gods and demons.

Now that the Ran Sect has revealed itself, Lu Ran can naturally engage in talks with Lord Spiritual Image on this level.

To visit,

and directly ask for the person!

Spiritual Image, one of the only four gods and demons in the Da Xia divine demon system capable of transforming into an ancient fierce beast.

Lord Spiritual Image... you had better not have executed Xiang Wang!

Otherwise, death will not be your most painful experience.

Lu Ran took a deep look at the meditating woman beneath Sword One, turned, and teleported away.

"Since you're here, why not speak?" the Cloud Sea Sword Spirit suddenly said.

Lu Ran paused high in the air, holding the Cloud Sea Dust Clear Sword, "Mother, I have a task to complete. While you are advancing with the Divine Weapon, I did not wish to disturb you."

"The Heavenly Blade has advanced to the Third Rank."

"Oh? Congratulations," Lu Ran said, turning around in the sky several kilometers south of the Divine Mountain, gazing towards Sword One Divine Mountain.

Qiao Wanjun seemed to understand her son's abilities and wasn't concerned about being in the vast frost mist.

She stood up, her ancient-styled platinum gown gracefully dancing in the wind, her long hair fluttering like a waterfall, creating a beautiful melody.

Lu Ran's eyes widened slightly.

He saw the human woman standing at the peak of the Divine Mountain lift her hand and gently remove the veil covering her true visage.

She faced south, her face adorned with a gentle smile.

This vast world of frost and snow, under her gentle gaze, seemed no longer so cold.

...