Summit of the Old Gods

"The Forbidden... Forbidden City..." He Qifeng kept muttering.

Lu Ran felt a heaviness in his heart.

Indeed, the Forbidden City!

After the Tufeng Master destroyed Wuji Peak, he did not remain in place nor ascend on the spot, instead, he went directly south.

Thirty kilometers south of Wuji Peak lies the Forbidden City!

The issue is, the Forbidden City is full of Weak God Disciples, such insignificant ants, how could they attract the interest of a Heavenly Realm Power?

Lu Ran absolutely does not believe that Tufeng Master has deviated.

On the contrary, the opponent is quite clear-headed, the target seems very specific...

So, killing is not the objective, but destroying that highly symbolic Forbidden City is the focus?

Is this right?

The atmosphere of the Wuji Peak Sect was personally adjusted by Tufeng Master;

That Forbidden City was also built under the support and protection of Tufeng Master!

How could a clear-headed person, a dignified superior, possibly deny his career, thoughts, and life's ideals for no reason?

Frankly speaking, one doesn't even need to be a superior.

Just an ordinary adult, asking them to deny their own thoughts, to overthrow their deeply rooted ideas, is even harder than killing them.

And for Tufeng Master, he even has to personally destroy everything from his past!

Could this be right?

Thoughts spun quickly in Lu Ran's mind, two words emerged—Deity!

There must be some deity at play here!

Lu Ran immediately associated it with a piece of news he heard upon returning to Da Xia last time: the second edition of "Heavenly Pride" was halted.

It's highly likely halted by All Gods!

The insignificant and humble Human Clan wants to resist, they scattered sparks, falling into this Holy Spirit Mountain.

Small sparks like Lu Ran and He Qifeng, intending to spread, are they going to be directly snuffed out...

Lu Ran seemed to understand.

The Tufeng Master should have been ordered by a deity to destroy Wuji Peak and the Forbidden City.

And even specifically to kill He Qifeng!

In Holy Spirit Mountain, there is no way for deities and believers to communicate, the only possible variable is Tufeng Master advancing to the Heavenly Realm!

So, was the deity communicating with Tufeng Master during his special process of "ascending to heaven"?

Or did the deity unilaterally read Tufeng Master's experiences in the mountain?

No matter which, it served as a reminder to Lu Ran.

In sects like Pear Garden Sect and Jingxian Island, all those Sea Realm Hall Masters who surrendered must be drawn under his banner.

Just like the Liuyun Hall Master of Pear Garden Sect·Wei Yun!

This person is at the Sea Realm Peak.

Once Wei Yun is fortunate enough to ascend to the Heavenly Realm, it would undoubtedly be the start of a nightmare!

"Wind Emperor!" A stern female voice suddenly came, awakening Lu Ran from his deep thoughts.

He looked up to see He Qifeng holding the Divine Weapon - Nine Ring Golden Zen Staff, just flying up, was blocked by Yan Shuangzi.

"Move aside!" He Qifeng spoke bluntly, casually waving the Zen Staff, intending to continue flying forward.

"Ding!"

Two second-rank Divine Weapons collided heavily, producing a piercing sound.

"Calm down, Qifeng!" Lu Ran flashed to He Qifeng's side, grabbing her wrist firmly.

"Release... you release!" He Qifeng was anxious, struggling her hand fiercely, but Lu Ran's palm was like an iron hoop, holding her firmly.

The Great Martial Monk at Sea Realm Third Rank, couldn't even move!

"Calm down! Can you catch up?" Lu Ran shouted in a deep voice.

He Qifeng's fierce struggling suddenly stopped.

The Tufeng Master possesses the Magic Artifact - Three Thousand Ripples Shoes, with one step crossing a thousand meters, how could she possibly catch up?

Wait!

Lu Ran!

He can Instant Teleport, even better, he can transfer.

He Qifeng suddenly looked up at Lu Ran, hurriedly said: "Lu... Lu Ran, the Forbidden City! Our Forbidden City!"

In Lu Ran's eyes, He Qifeng had always been a wise and brave person, with the demeanor of a great leader.

Yet at this moment, she was anxious and flustered, having lost her composure.

Without a doubt, the Forbidden City is her "priceless treasure."

It is her career, carrying her dreams and ambition, something she swore to protect at all costs.

"Lu Ran, Lu Ran!" He Qifeng clutched Lu Ran's shoulders, her eyes full of plea, "Let's go quickly, there are our people in the city!"

Yan Shuangzi immediately responded: "Master, Tufeng Master's power is terrifying, absolutely beyond our match!"

"Shut up!" He Qifeng glared at Yan Shuangzi, gripping Lu Ran's shoulders tightly, "Let's go quickly, Elder Lu is in your gourd, right?

Let's go to the Forbidden City, and transfer Tufeng Master away!"

Yan Shuangzi's face turned serious: "This trip is too perilous! What Master needs is stable growth, to uproot the Gods and Demons in the future, not to take risks now and die halfway."

With a crisp "clang", the Emperor's Sword abruptly unsheathed.

He Qifeng grabbed the golden hilt and slashed horizontally towards Yan Shuangzi: "I told you to shut up!"

Yan Shuangzi's figure flashed, reappearing three meters away.

Their stances differed, naturally, their decisions varied as well.

Yan Shuangzi didn't care about the Forbidden City or the lives of the people in it.

She only cared about Lu Ran.

"Pa!" Lu Ran's other hand grasped He Qifeng's other wrist.

He Qifeng stopped struggling, just looked up at Lu Ran, eyes filled with plea, trembling voice: "We are Da Xia's genius, Lu Ran! I beg you, there are our kin..."

"Hm." Lu Ran nodded.

Yan Shuangzi's expression changed!

Lu Ran released He Qifeng, casting a spell with one hand, summoning the Ancient Bronze Mirror: "Wind Emperor, Evil Shadow Guardian, listen to my command."

A sense of foreboding arose in Yan Shuangzi's heart.

Lu Ran summoned the Landing Mirror, word by word: "You two stay here, don't act rashly."

He Qifeng's eyes widened slightly.

Yan Shuangzi's face turned extremely unsightly: "Mas..."

"That's an order." Lu Ran interrupted directly, his form becoming formless, stepping into the Landing Mirror, and entered the Forbidden City.

Many reasons supported his action.

For instance, the reputation as Da Xia's genius.

On a deeper level, due to his restless heart.

Though rationality told Lu Ran not to go, though the Heavenly Realm·Great Martial Monk flying across the sky had genuinely intimidated him.

```

But after this Great Martial Monk flew past...

The Master of Gods and Demons and the Master of Ran Sect... felt their hearts restless and eager.

"Buzz!!"

The Tang Blade hanging at his waist suddenly vibrated.

Lu Ran's face froze for a moment; he reached into his chest and grasped the humming Cloud Sea Blade.

Cloud Sea Dust Clearing?

Such a strong reaction.

Lu Ran suddenly realized that what he was about to do perfectly matched the name of "Cloud Sea Dust Clearing" given to this blade.

Tu Feng Master may not be Divine, but he certainly envelops the realm of Cloud Sea.

And it's a realm of considerable level!

The past Village Chief of Tiantu Mountain, Wolf Flower, Wolf Bone, Hidden Wolf Village Chief, Thunder Mountain, Jingxian Island, Pear Garden Sect Master, all these "Cloud Sea" count as experience.

It was to pave the foundation for the emergence of the Divine Weapon.

Today's Heavenly Realm · Wuji Peak Master, can he be considered the moment when the Artifact Spirit converges and forms?

"Sorry, I might disappoint you." Lu Ran said softly, his two fingers sliding across the cold blade.

He did not think he could defeat Heavenly Realm Power.

Moreover, the opponent is a First-class Divine Monk disciple.

Well... regardless, the blade's strong reaction can only be seen as a pleasant surprise.

The third reason that drove Lu Ran to this place, a particularly important reason, was a person.

He Qifeng!

Why would such a wise and brave person undergo a "drastic change in character" and completely lose composure?

Maybe even He Qifeng himself hasn't realized that the root cause is that Dao Heart!

The Forbidden City,

Bears her Dao Heart!

Lu Ran knew clearly that it was by relying on that city that He Qifeng ascended to the Sea Realm, and thus solidified his march forward, step by step reaching the heavens.

Once that city is destroyed, would their Wind Emperor...

Fall with it?

Most likely.

What about myself?

Lu Ran silently questioned himself, watching those panicked people in the grand city below.

Although Wuji Peak is thirty kilometers away from the Forbidden City, the commotion there was too massive! Mighty mountains collapsed, endless Golden Dragons soared to the sky, charging into the clouds...

The citizens of the Forbidden City, of course, perceived such a calamity.

Would my Dao Heart be affected?

Lu Ran hid his presence, standing silently in the high skies.

The scrambling crowd below, like ants, insignificant lives that shouldn't be heeded.

Yet Lu Ran's eyesight was excellent! He could see every trembling figure, hear every terrified cry.

"Whoosh..."

Lu Ran took a deep breath, lifting his gaze, looking towards the north.

A golden figure was rapidly approaching!

If only Tu Feng Master didn't have this Magic Artifact · Golden Shoes, Lu Ran could have organized people to evacuate. But supported by the artifact, Tu Feng Master leaped a thousand meters.

Shrinking Land into Inches, arriving in an instant.

[Blazing Phoenix, notify Elder Lu, be ready to activate Other Shore Flower anytime!] Lu Ran, somewhat disappointed, conveyed his thoughts.

At the last moment, he still fantasized that Tu Feng Master's target wasn't the Forbidden City.

Reality proved: all supposed fantasies should be abandoned, constantly prepared for battle should be the only main theme.

Heavenly Realm Great Martial Monk has arrived!

Headed for the Forbidden City!

"Tu... Tu Feng Master?"

"Tu Feng Master!!"

"Cong... Congratulations to Tu Feng Master for leaving seclusion, ascending... to Heavenly Realm..." several voices echoed from various parts of the city.

Some used loud shouts to mask their inner fears, while others, their voices trembled uncontrollably.

The disciples of Wuji Peak · Big Wind Hall, naturally recognized their Peak Master; they tried calling him, seemingly attempting to wake him.

Or perhaps attempting to summon a sliver of Tu Feng Master's compassion.

Everyone was well aware that the catastrophic scenes on Wuji Peak could only have come from Tu Feng Master's hands.

Unfortunately, these cries did not awaken Tu Feng Master.

He looked expressionlessly, gazing down upon the city below.

An overwhelming pressure, like waves, surged downward, smashing the trembling beings below.

Lu Ran observed that the sorrow in Tu Feng Master's eyes had already faded.

What remained was only indifference.

Slowly, Tu Feng Master lifted a hand, summoning a golden giant palm from the skies.

After this palm strikes.

Everything will vanish into smoke and clouds.

"Tu Feng Master!"

"No, Tu Feng Master, it's us! We are Big Wind Hall... Tu Feng Master!!"

Just as the crowd's terrified cries echoed, and despair arose in hearts, a serpent-like hiss exploded in the sky:

"Hiss!!"

Tu Feng Master remained unperturbed.

Compared to the beings within the city, Tu Feng Master had already sensed a flutter of Divine Power before the illusory python appeared, the golden shoes underfoot spreading a circle of golden ripples.

As he turned and flew back, he brushed past the terrifying illusory python.

Tu Feng Master still looked expressionless, yet imposing without anger, eyes locked onto the constantly assembling, roaring enormous python's location.

Oddly, that place was empty!

The illusory White-Scaled Python seemed to charge out from another realm.

Suddenly, Tu Feng Master spoke, unconcerned whether the opponent was an Evil Demon Disciple, why they were hidden, or even the identity of the intruder.

His voice was deep, uttering just four words:

"You want to stop me."

From the empty sky, came a young man's voice, equally deep, equally commanding:

"Hmm, I want to try."

...

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