Summit of the Old Gods

March 3rd, the rain continued on and off.

This was the 11th day of Yu Changsheng's advancement, and Mist Rain Lake was still shrouded in thick fog, appearing peaceful.

Lu Ran was not at peace.

In the Council Hall on the Central Island, Lu Ran sat on the throne. He should have been cultivating diligently, but he was mechanically polishing the Cloud Sea Dust Clear Blade.

In the dense fog, he kept his eyes open, his pupils forming beautiful crescent moons of glowing white.

Whenever he used the Ghost Moon Fox Evil Technique·Bright Moon Fox Heart, Lu Ran's eyes would appear this way, and his exquisite fox heart made him feel increasingly restless.

"Lu Lang, feeling weary?" A woman's voice came from near his feet.

It's hard to imagine, but there was a woman lying by Lu Ran's feet.

Even harder to imagine, she was a powerful being at the Heavenly Realm level.

Bai Rao lay lazily on her side, leaning against Lu Ran's calf, lacking any of the majesty or dignity that should accompany a being of the Majestic Heaven Realm.

Lu Ran only felt a headache coming on.

Since the three of them had entered Mist Rain Lake, he brought the two seniors to the Council Hall.

Yu Changsheng and the Evil Shadow Guardian were advancing in two seclusion rooms deep beneath the hall.

In the Mist Rain Lake area, not only were there the three crows, Wu Huan, Da Hei, and Si Hei, patrolling, but also ten Huang Que disciples from the Sky Sparrow Pavilion taking turns on guard.

If they discovered any intel, they would immediately enter the hall and report.

From the beginning, Lu Ran sat on the Alliance Hierarch's throne, while the two seniors sat below, on the left and right, everything was normal.

But as time passed, a beautiful snake slowly crawled to Lu Ran's feet.

What happened to restraint?

"Hmm?" A nasal sound rose from his feet again.

"In my heart… it's restless." Lu Ran's face didn't look good, "I always feel like something is going to happen."

Bai Rao climbed up, "With me here, Master Lu, rest assured."

Lu Ran suddenly looked up, staring straight ahead.

"Flap flap flap~"

The sound of crows flapping their wings came from far to near, as Wu Huan just flew into the hall and shouted, "Sect, Sect Leader! Something's up!"

"Don't panic, speak slowly." Lu Ran's face was serious, as he placed a hand to the side on Bai Rao's head.

Lu Ran certainly couldn't control her, but Bai Rao gave the Sect Master face and didn't climb further.

However, she went around the back of the Alliance Hierarch's throne and popped her head out from the other side.

"To the north! Wang... Wang Hanchuan! Wang Hanchuan is here!" Wu Huan stuttered, terrified.

"Wang Hanchuan?" Lu Ran's heart skipped a beat.

The Peak Master of Sword Ridge Peak?

The deranged Heavenly Realm power?

"Yes! It's him! I'd recognize him even if he turned to ash, it's him!" Wu Huan spoke quickly; back on Sword Ridge Peak, he had personally witnessed Wang Hanchuan massacre the entire Sword Ridge Peak.

Wu Huan survived purely by luck.

He never thought that in his lifetime, he would see the deranged peak master of Sword Ridge Peak again.

"Bang." Lu Ran slammed a hand on the desk, suddenly standing up.

A soft, boneless hand pressed down on his shoulder, pushing him back into his seat.

A woman's voice came to his ear, "Do you have a grudge?"

Lu Ran opened his mouth but didn't speak immediately.

Do they?

They should.

Back then, Yan Shuangzi suffered extreme torture at Sword Ridge Peak.

It wasn't personally done by the Peak Master, but the whole atmosphere of Sword Ridge Peak was influenced by Wang Hanchuan!

Bai Rao slightly raised her lips, "Need me to take care of him for you?"

A low voice from the hall below said, "Little Lu, think about the bigger picture."

The executioners of the Lower World Mountain Realm are all major targets of interest for the God Demons!

Not enduring minor grievances would spoil the grand strategy.

Lu Ran gritted his teeth and said deeply, "Now's not the time."

"Alright." Bai Rao answered softly, feeling satisfied with Lu Ran's decision.

She finally shed her "snake" form, reverting to a solemn divine statue, as she spoke lightly, following the direction of the report:

"Heavenly Realm?"

Wu Huan shuddered, speaking in a trembling voice, "Yes... it's Heavenly Realm, he's the Peak Master of Sword Ridge Peak, vicious and ruthless! He's a North Wind disciple!"

"Alright." Bai Rao patted Lu Ran's shoulder, "If you go, you'd be falling right into the executioner's trap.

I'll drive him away, just sit tight, don't move."

Not only had she changed in appearance, but even her simple words were imbued with mighty heavenly power.

Lu Ran couldn't help but tremble slightly.

The woman at his side elegantly floated away.

"Sect Leader!"

"Master Lu, someone is coming..."

Just as streams of golden light came rushing in, several Huang Que disciples came to report the situation, only to be taken out by Bai Rao.

The hall returned to silence.

Lu Ran pursed his lips.

Handling the issue this way... could it work?

Speaking of which, Bai Rao's identity really was heaven-equipped...

Tufeng remained seated below, advising, "Little Lu, cultivate."

After a few days, Tufeng's way of addressing Lu Ran had changed, and he seemed more like a caring elder now.

"Alright."

Meanwhile, outside the hall in the thick fog.

Guided by scouts, Bai Rao flew north, and only at the lakefront did she leave the dense white fog behind.

In the high sky ahead, a figure is rushing at high speed.

He is dressed in crisp white attire, his figure is rather thin, and his face is sharp as if chiseled, with very messy short hair.

Most striking are his eyes—no wonder he is a North Wind Disciple—his gaze is as sharp as a knife!

"Whoa!!"

Wang Hanchuan's figure suddenly halted.

Drawn by the Fog Dragon Roll, he unexpectedly encountered a fellow cultivator.

Bai Rao slowly ascended, standing higher than Wang Hanchuan, looking down at the man: "My celestial servant is advancing, Daoist, leave."

Wang Hanchuan silently observed the woman, feeling her terrifying aura, his ears subtly moved as he clearly heard the sound of birds flapping their wings.

"I've already eaten everything edible in Mist Rain Lake." Bai Rao waved casually, a jade ruyi appeared in her hand.

Wang Hanchuan's eyes tightened!

A disciple of the First-class Evil Demon·Jade-faced Snake?

No wonder she used the word "eat."

"The remaining ones are my scouts left to gather intelligence." Bai Rao looked down at the man, her meaning clear.

Don't touch my servants!

Wang Hanchuan pondered for a moment, slowly spoke: "Such a spectacle, it seems your servant, Daoist, is ascending to the Heavenly Realm."

Bai Rao did not respond further, only looked at him expressionlessly.

Seeing this, Wang Hanchuan gently nodded: "Congratulations, Daoist."

With that said, he turned and flew westward.

Bai Rao stood in the air, watching the North Wind Disciple fly far, until his figure became a small dot and vanished in the misty rain.

She lingered for a long time before flying back into the fog, returning to the grand hall.

In the grand hall, Lu Ran needed no notice from anyone; his exquisite fox heart had already informed him of the outcome.

Sure enough, the majestic Heavenly Realm flew back safely.

Yet it crawled at the steps below the throne, returned to Lu Ran's feet: "The executioner has left~"

The tone of the divine statue reverted to its usual seductive manner; she lazily nestled against Lu Ran's calf, closing her eyes comfortably.

Lu Ran: "..."

Such a resolution was indeed simple and efficient.

The existence of Bai Rao and Tu Feng provided Lu Ran with an alliance as a sanctuary!

The God Demons special dispatched executioners into the mountains, specialized in slaughtering Heavenly Pride, yet who could have imagined Lu Ran directly turned two major executioners?

One is a disciple under the First-class Divine, the other is a disciple under the First-class Evil God!

"Thank you, Senior Bai." Lu Ran sincerely expressed gratitude.

"Hmph, just remember the good of this lady~" Bai Rao suddenly raised her head, softly said, "Don't keep calling me senior, it's too distant."

"Then... Aunt Bai?"

Bai Rao: ???

She nearly laughed in anger.

A woman in her thirties, indeed in her prime, as a Heavenly Realm great power, this age is frighteningly young.

Yet the problem is, Lu Ran is only twenty-one this year.

Calling her aunt is indeed not wrong...

Just very irritating!

Bai Rao's mood fluctuated, and Lu Ran almost blew his top.

"Bai Rao." Tu Feng was quite dissatisfied, "If you want to bind with the stone sculpture early, don't hinder his cultivation!"

"Hmph." Bai Rao snorted coldly.

Lu Ran remained silent, secretly thinking that maybe a sequence could be established in the Ran Sect for Tu Feng and Bai Rao, to be referred by position in the future?

As he thought, Lu Ran's thoughts drifted afar.

Since Mist Rain Lake is relatively peaceful, could he bring the Ran Sect warriors for shared cultivation benefits?

So many days passed, and the various islands of the Ran Sect in the Far Sea had also settled.

The night of returning to Mist Rain Lake, Lu Ran took time for a visit to the sea islands, called out the Ink Carp Squad and Sea Shark Team around the island to control the surrounding waters...

The more he thought, the more active Lu Ran's mind became. He immediately transmitted a voice in his mind: [Ruyi.]

[What's up?]Jiang Ruyi hurriedly asked.

[Don't worry, I'm fine.]Lu Ran quickly responded, and inquired, [How are the disciples arranged? Are the areas around the island relatively peaceful?]

[Yes, in the initial days, there were some evil demons around the sea, but they have been cleared now.]

Jiang Ruyi paused, then continued:[We excavated caverns inside the island, disciples from major sects are now living underground to avoid attracting the Angry Sea Flame Flood Dragon.]

[Good, good.]Lu Ran nodded repeatedly, lightly sighed, [It's been hard on them.]

[They stayed in the mountains, always at risk of being crushed to death by a step, Tiangang City is the best example.]Jiang Ruyi comforted, [You've tried your best, don't blame yourself.]

Although this matter began because of you, the guilty party is not you, but the God Demon.]

[Hmm.]

[Are you... okay these days?]Jiang Ruyi inquired with concern.

[I'm fine, Mist Rain Lake has two Heavenly Realm seniors guarding, it's very safe, just now I even...]

Lu Ran briefly described, then suggested:[I remember, you're about to advance to Sea Realm·Fourth Rank soon, right? Do you want to come over for cultivation together?]

[Sure, I'll arrange it and let you know when I come... by the way, what's your plan with Elder Lu?]

Lu Ran's face turned gloomy:[Divine Dust Shadow still doesn't permit him to cast spells?]

[Nope.]Two brief words, cold and harsh.

Lu Ran pondered for a moment, replied: [Comfort Elder Lu, after Cong Long advances, I'll directly go to the Northwest, borrow heads from Tianhuang Mountain people for use!

Use the souls of West Desolation villains to activate the Dust Shadow Stone Sculpture, push it directly to Heavenly Realm!]

Divine Master doesn't allow Lu Yuan to cast spells?

No problem!

Ran Shen allows it.

...