Summit of the Old Gods

End of the twelfth lunar month, Nine Heavens Cliff.

The starry sky at the end of the year is always extraordinarily beautiful.

In the night, amidst the undulating mountains, there lies a magnificent waterfall, resembling a galaxy falling between the mountains in the night sky.

"Rumble..."

The torrent pours down relentlessly, sweeping across the slanted mountain.

Amidst the rocks, a young man with a bare torso sits quietly, enduring the waterfall's enormous force, letting the water wash over his body.

From a distance, two women in straw raincoats stand by a cliff's edge, gazing at the waterfall beneath the starry sky.

"He's still not moving?" Deng Yuxiang sits at the edge of the cliff, imitating someone with her legs dangling outside the cliff.

Standing silently a little behind her, Yan Shuangzi watches.

Her gaze pierces through the night, resting lightly on the shadow flickering in the waterfall, she responds with a soft "mm."

"Sigh..." Deng Yuxiang sighs quietly.

The path heading westward is not an easy one.

The road is stained with blood and bones.

In just over twenty days, one mountain village after another has fallen, burned thoroughly.

Nuoshua, Qian Gu, Jade Talisman, Prisoner Demon... various Strong God believers take their turn and fall by the Cloud Sea Blade.

They also become the sustenance for a few Divine Sculptures in the God Demon Sculpture Garden.

Upon reflection, Bee Elephant Valley is one of the few remaining and intact organizations.

Bee Elephant Valley survived because of its virtuous atmosphere, with disciples united and protecting their sacred land.

"It would be nice if the Lady was here." Yan Shuangzi says softly.

Deng Yuxiang remains silent, just watching the Galaxy Waterfall.

For the Nightmare and Evil Shadow pair, this journey of killing has not felt significant, for their hearts are inherently cold.

Moreover, they have not killed the innocent wantonly.

Deng Yuxiang, though, does not see herself as any kind of righteous judge, but the slaves rescued are tangibly real, at least karma has done its part.

However, for Lu Ran, this westward journey is filled with too much ugliness, too much sorrow.

Hence the piles of bones, rivers of blood.

A tremendous burden of murder.

"How about you persuade him?" Yan Shuangzi suggests softly, "It's almost New Year's Eve, we should head back."

Deng Yuxiang shakes her head, "He's still thinking about the Blood Pool, how could I persuade him?"

"He listens to you when you speak."

"Ha." Deng Yuxiang snorts, "You little girl, stop trying to flatter me."

She turns her head, gazing further west.

Another hundred kilometers forward is the forbidden zone Lu Yuan mentioned.

For people from the River Realm, everywhere in the Holy Spirit Mountain is a forbidden zone.

But when a great power from the Heavenly Realm says a place is forbidden, never doubt the extent of its danger!

Further west, lies the most terrifying region in the world—the Blood Pool.

The creatures birthed within are the notorious Blood Skull Clan.

Evil Demon Leader!

The weight these four words carry is undeniable.

The Blood Skull Clan's Demon Cave in the Human World Da Xia is also called the Blood Pool, a rare demon cave without stationed Human Clan soldiers.

Solely suppressed by Divine·Sword One!

Any Human Clan believer, no matter your sect, enters at their own peril—it's certain death!

And the Blood Pool in the Holy Spirit Mountain...

"He's moved." Yan Shuangzi suddenly says.

In the waterfall, Lu Ran indeed slightly raises his head: [Yuanxi?]

[It's me, it's me!] A girl's voice echoes in his mind, [Am I disturbing you?]

[What's the matter?]

The slightly cold tone makes Qiao Yuansi pout, she directly asks: [Are you on the battlefield? Is it critical?]

[No, exactly wha...] Lu Ran's transmission halts, sensing a terrifying energy fluctuation by his side.

A tear-shaped energy form suddenly appears, radiating splendid starlight.

Within, emerges an elegant girl in a black dress.

"Ah!" Qiao Yuansi exclaims, falling downwards as the waterfall crashes onto her.

Lu Ran quickly grabs her arm, while a surge of energy whirls up, the Black Gold Emperor Robe swiftly materializes, its tail covering the heads of the siblings.

"Pfft... cough cough..." Qiao Yuansi covers her mouth and nose, coughing non-stop.

The Water Flow Armor protected her well, but her nose, mouth, and long hair weren't spared.

The elegant black swan turned into a drenched chicken.

Lu Ran feels both tender and amused, "Comfortable now?"

"You! Cough cough..." Qiao Yuansi wipes her cheek, annoyed, "What are you doing under the waterfall?"

"Washing off the scent of blood." Lu Ran pulls her to sit beside him, helping her tidy her dripping long hair.

Qiao Yuansi pouts, after calming down, she really leans forward, sniffing Lu Ran's shoulder, "I don't smell any blood!"

Lu Ran: "..."

Perhaps it's just in my heart.

"Where is this?" Qiao Yuansi cautiously curls her legs, the surrounding waterfall blocking her view, seeing nothing.

"Nine Heavens Cliff, Star River Waterfall."

"The name sounds nice." Qiao Yuansi murmurs softly.

"It's quite well-known here, the scenery is beautiful."

After all, this is a treasure spot carefully chosen by Lu Yuan and his disciples.

In Qin Yanzhi's words, the Star River Waterfall at Nine Heavens Cliff is as renowned as the sea of flowers at sunrise in Qianhua Ridge, and the misty drizzle in Mist Rain Lake.

"Oh?" Qiao Yuansi's interest is piqued, "Come on, come on, take me out to see."

"Why did you come here?" Lu Ran directly asks.

"I... I..." Qiao Yuansi shifted her buttocks, snuggling closely beside Lu Ran, "It's really hard to break through the Sea Realm, I meditate day and night, but I just can't advance."

Lu Ran was silent.

Qiao Yuansi clutched his arm tightly, a small hand tugging at the sleeve of the Black Gold Emperor Robe, muttering, "Also, I kind of miss you a bit."

Lu Ran felt helpless but finally responded, "Just a bit?"

"Mm, just a little bit!" Hearing her brother speak, Qiao Yuansi immediately raised her little face, smiling broadly at Lu Ran.

Lu Ran: "To gain insight, you need a firm belief and enough desire."

Qiao Yuansi tilted her head, resting it on Lu Ran's shoulder, "Mm."

The Magic Artifact·Tear Star Pendant she wore on her neck, originally depleted of energy, was now glimmering faintly.

Lu Ran said, "Do you remember your insights when you ascended to the River Realm?"

Qiao Yuansi's eyelids drooped, "I wanted mom, you, and me to be together forever."

Lu Ran opened his mouth but couldn't say anything for a while.

He certainly knew what his sister's Dao Heart was, but hearing it again, especially here on Holy Spirit Mountain, carried quite a powerful impact.

The siblings were silent for a long time, with only the roar of the waterfall echoing around them.

"By the way, aren't I amazing?" Qiao Yuansi broke the silence, reverting to her usual self, "I teleported to you just like that!"

"Mm, amazing." Lu Ran wasn't just humoring her.

Over ten days ago, when Lu Ran wiped out a gang created by Nuoshua and disciples of Bi He, he was shocked to find that he couldn't return directly to Cloud Sea Cliff using the Transmission Mirror.

The transmission distance of Sea Grade·Mirror Flower Moon is as far as three thousand kilometers!

This illustrates how vast Holy Spirit Mountain is.

Here at Nine Heavens Cliff, Lu Ran needed to open the Transmission Mirror twice, choosing the Forbidden City, Tiangang City, and other places as waypoints to get home.

In this regard, his sister's Magic Artifact·Tear Star Pendant is indeed very powerful!

"Brother praised you~" Qiao Yuansi placed her hand on her neck, her two fingers pinching the diamond pendant.

"Buzz~" The Tear Star Pendant gently vibrated.

Qiao Yuansi was content, holding tight to Lu Ran's arm, then suddenly slid a hand into the Emperor Robe sleeve, landing on his wrist, "How long have you been sitting here?"

"Not long, just sat down." Lu Ran lied without a pause.

Qiao Yuansi: "Then why do you feel like a corpse, so cold?"

Lu Ran: ?

Qiao Yuansi immediately said, "Let's go, brother, back to Cloud Sea Cliff!"

Go back?

Lu Ran instinctively looked westward, but the waterfall blocked his view.

"Didn't you promise Sister Ruyi to go back on New Year's Eve? Today is already the 28th!" Qiao Yuansi said.

"I'll go back the day after tomorrow, tomorrow I still have to meet with the Blood... Evil Demon, kill some Evil Demons." Lu Ran almost slipped, then added, "Once I tour the Evil Demon lair, I'll go back for the New Year."

Qiao Yuansi looked serious: "Brother, you know I like reading novels."

Lu Ran looked puzzled: "So?"

"Whenever someone says they'll do one last job then retire, or kill the enemy and go home, they always have trouble!"

Lu Ran: ???

"Brother~ it's already the 28th of the last month, let's just go back!" Qiao Yuansi shook Lu Ran's arm, "Let's have a good New Year together!"

"Mm..." Lu Ran pondered for a moment.

It must be acknowledged that the Blood Skull Clan is indeed powerful.

Lu Ran has already been to the Glazed Realm, seen the First-class Evil Demon·Jade-faced Snake Clan, and dares not boast about being unscathed in the Blood Pool.

To challenge the Blood Pool, the mind must not be distracted, it must be focused entirely.

Qiao Yuansi added, "And if you count the days, aren't you approaching a cultivation bottleneck?"

Lu Ran sensed for a moment, shaking his head, "It will still take some time."

"Ah~ whatever!" Qiao Yuansi simply acted spoiled, "If you don't come back with me, I'll cry?"

"If you'd said that earlier, it would've been settled." Lu Ran had already made up his mind, casually saying, while summoning the Ancient Bronze Mirror in his hand.

"Eh? Crying works?" Qiao Yuansi blinked.

How come she remembers that ever since she was little, crying was the least effective, and she would even be punished to kneel...

At the edge of the cliff in the distance, a Landing Mirror suddenly activated.

Yan Shuangzi looked at the siblings walking out, and said softly, "Master, the clothes are hanging on the tree over there, already dry."

"Thanks." Lu Ran, draped in the Black Gold Emperor Robe, walked briskly towards them.

Qiao Yuansi, on the other hand, raised her head with great effort, using the twinkling starlight to watch the Galaxy Waterfall descending from the sky, her mouth slightly agape.

Isn't this... a bit too dreamy?

Could this Galaxy Waterfall be flowing down from the Heavenly Realm?

"Did the lady send you?"

"Huh?" Qiao Yuansi turned to look, "Sister Yuxiang is amazing, how did you know?"

Deng Yuxiang smiled and shook her head.

If it weren't for Lady Ran's permission, how dare this little one cross thousands of kilometers to come here?

Qiao Yuansi abandoned the beautiful scene, nestled next to Deng Yuxiang, whispering, "I think something's off with my brother, he says he's washing off the smell of blood, what's wrong with him?"

Little Yuanxi is indeed charmingly adorable, mainly because she's concerned about Lu Ran.

Deng Yuxiang, rarely with a gentle gaze, stretched out two slender fingers to gently pinch the little sister's cheek:

"With you around, he'll be alright after this New Year."

Qiao Yuansi did not know the specifics but understood the meaning, immediately laughed, "Okay, then I'll bug him every day."

"Hehe~" Deng Yuxiang chuckled softly, turning to look at the forest, watching the youth in the straw raincoat emerge.

He hadn't done much.

Just within the Sculpture Garden, the Jade Talisman Divine Sculpture in the Lower Heaven Realm, the Divine Sculpture of Nu Ying at the Sea Realm Peak, the Divine Sculpture of Lie Tian at the Sea Realm Fourth Rank...

They are all piles of bones along the road to the west.

It's good to wash with this Galaxy Waterfall.

Their blood is too filthy.

...