Summit of the Old Gods

In a pitch-black room, there came the low voice of a young man: "Today, you will join my sect."

"Alright!" He Qifeng agreed without hesitation.

Lu Ran rose from the Taishi Chair and stepped toward He Qifeng: "Lift your head."

He Qifeng looked up, only to have a hand press down on his head.

Lu Ran continued: "Currently, my Martial Monk Stone Sculpture is advancing in rank. After signing the Inheritance Contract with you, your body will also tremble.

Don't feel embarrassed, this will help you fuse with the Stone Sculpture."

Feeling the warm hand on his forehead, He Qifeng softly replied, "Mm."

"Hoo!!"

Within Lu Ran, a colossal phantom spread out, looking down at the humble Human Clan beneath.

Half a minute later, He Qifeng shivered uncontrollably, muffling a groan, "Ugh."

"Pop~"

A black little Mo Li appeared out of thin air, and Lu Ran held its tail, bringing it to He Qifeng's forehead.

The Mo Li shattered, transforming into a dense life force, pouring into the girl's delicate body.

A few minutes later, He Qifeng tremulously said, "I... wasn't too badly hurt?"

In the darkness, Lu Ran's voice echoed: "I found a way to tear the contract without harm. Just now, when you coordinated to mobilize Divine Power and tear the contract, the Stone Sculpture was always protecting you."

He Qifeng looked up with some surprise.

Lu Ran tidied He Qifeng's disheveled short hair, his expression softened considerably: "Why didn't you ask beforehand? Prepared to drop in rank?"

He Qifeng silently lowered his head.

Lu Ran sighed in his heart, bending over to support her, guiding her toward the Taishi Chair: "The drunken master is at the peak of the Sea Realm; he should also join my sect.

If he advances to the Heavenly Realm, he may very well become the second Tufeng Master."

He Qifeng's expression was less than pleasant, suggesting, "Shall I call him over now?"

Lu Ran replied, "There is only one position for the Inheritor, and he cannot rend the contract without harm. The drunken master will suffer severe wounds."

Upon hearing this, He Qifeng pondered briefly and then said, "The drunken master has always indulged in pleasure daily, drinking and eating, making it almost impossible for him to ascend to the Heavenly Realm.

Now, with the recent destruction of Wuji Peak, and the anxiety in the Forbidden City, nearby forces may be ready to move, this is precisely when we need people.

Why not let me negotiate with the drunken master, having him maintain the current state, what do you think?"

Lu Ran was willing to trust He Qifeng's capabilities, and given that she cherished the Forbidden City far more than him, she would never be careless in such matters.

However, Lu Ran still did not want to leave a hidden danger, and he said solemnly, "You don't need to worry about manpower. I'll assign a couple of halls from the Pear Garden Sect to help defend the Forbidden City."

"Alright." Seeing that Lu Ran had made up his mind, He Qifeng said no more.

Lu Ran added, "Once you recover, speak with the drunken master, clarify the pros and cons, and have him join my sect and subsequently venerate you."

"Al... alright," He Qifeng's voice was much smaller, her body trembling slightly, indeed feeling a little embarrassed.

Even in the pitch-black room, He Qifeng knew she was just fooling herself, while Lu Ran could see everything clearly.

He Qifeng tightly clutched the armrest of the Taishi Chair, her toes gripping the ground, trying to maintain dignity.

Lu Ran noticed her embarrassment and sped up his speech slightly: "Moreover, once you recover, I'll hand over the Xuanhuang Stick and the Three Thousand Ripples Shoes to you."

"To me?" He Qifeng looked at the dark side.

"They are the Divine Weapon Artifacts of the Tufeng Master, and you are his most favored disciple, making it easier to gain their acknowledgment. Your task is to persuade with both reasoning and emotion, showcasing your proper demeanor to have them recognize you as their master."

"All... all of them to me?"

"Heh." Lu Ran chuckled, turning his head to the side, "Aren't you my Wind Emperor?"

He Qifeng slowly lowered her head, softly affirming, "Mm."

Everything that happened today left He Qifeng feeling as if she had fallen into a frozen abyss.

From beginning to end, the young man who has constantly shielded and stayed by her side has constantly warmed and reassured her heart.

Just like he has always done since their encounter.

Looking back on their time together, she seemed never to have won.

But Lu Ran...

Never let her lose anything either.

A bitter smile gradually appeared on He Qifeng's face.

"I'll coordinate personnel from the Pear Garden Sect, approximately two Sea Realm Hall Masters and sixty River Realm Disciples." Lu Ran reached forward, summoning the Ancient Bronze Mirror, "Have people receive them at the Martial Arts Arena, and I'll lead them directly there."

"Yes, Sect Leader." As He Qifeng spoke, Lu Ran had already stepped into the mirror.

He Qifeng supported herself on the table, staggering toward the door, opening it, and loudly calling out, "Hou Yun."

"City Lord." In the distant night, a woman quickly approached.

He Qifeng gave a few instructions before closing the door and returning to her seat.

In the empty surroundings, the Forbidden City Master finally shed all pretenses, curling her long legs and tucking herself into the Taishi Chair.

With her head buried, curled into a ball.

However, whatever she recalled caused the slightly embarrassed expression to vanish, her gaze turning ever more resolute.

Twenty minutes later, within the desolate Martial Arts Arena.

A Landing Mirror silently opened, with a team emerging from it, stepping onto the arena shrouded in a mist of water.

"Sect Leader." Hou Yun approached immediately.

Lu Ran regarded the eighteenth-ranked Heavenly Pride of Da Xia, nodding, "Heavenly Pride Hou, you're doing well."

Hou Yun responded with shame, "I'm undeserving of the Heavenly Pride name."

Yet, to this day, she remained at the River Realm Peak, falling further and further behind Lu Ran and He Qifeng.

Perhaps her understanding isn't deep enough; her Dao Heart wasn't able to support her further advancement.

Or is it due to limited talent?

This possibility is small, but not non-existent. Strictly speaking, reaching the River Realm Peak is already quite an achievement.

The standards of Lu Ran are simply too high.

"These two are the Hall Masters of Zhenyue Hall and Hundred Battles Hall from the Pear Garden Sect," Lu Ran indicated the two people behind him, introducing them, "Qin Zhen, Qin Zhan."

"Honored Heavenly Pride."

"Honored Heavenly Pride, well met." With a personal introduction from Lu Ran, although the Hall Masters possessed the status of the Sea Realm, they courteously greeted him.

Hou Yun promptly cupped his fists in return, greeting each of them.

"You can go with Honored Heavenly Pride, follow her arrangements... hmm?" Lu Ran suddenly looked towards the southern sky.

There, a brilliant star was falling.

The so-called "star" wasn't very large, with a diameter of only about half a meter, yet its blue light was exceptionally brilliant, illuminating the night as it fell.

Could this be... a Believer of the Star Official?

Divine·Star Official, ranked third.

The Star Official sect is a classic offensive sect, proficient in ice, fire, thunder, and earth techniques, somewhat similar to the Jade Talisman Sect.

The difference is, this sect places more emphasis on single-target attacks, with superior killing abilities compared to the Jade Talisman Sect!

The most famous of these is the Divine Technique·Tianshu Po Jun.

The brilliant star descending from the sky lands on the enemy and can merge into the enemy's Water Flow Armor and other defense techniques, with additional damage when detonation occurs!

"Specialized in a particular skill" describes it perfectly.

However, the disadvantages of the Star Official sect are quite obvious; all of this sect's Divine Techniques summon stars to fall from the sky.

Perhaps it is due to this flaw that the Divine·Star Official is only ranked third.

"Could be someone from the Star-picking Platform." Hou Yun's expression wasn't good, preparing for the worst.

"Star-picking Platform?" Lu Ran slightly raised his eyebrows.

Hou Yun nodded and said, "A month and a half ago, twenty-eight disciples of the Star Official came to the Forbidden City."

Lu Ran understood in his heart.

Since Tufeng Master changed the sect rules and reformed the atmosphere, several force organizations have settled near Wuji Peak.

Lu Ran was aware of these small forces, but this Star-picking Platform was truly a first-time hearing for him.

It turns out it's been happening for nearly two months now.

Hou Yun continued, "We accepted them, hoping to make the Forbidden City stronger, but this group doesn't follow the rules."

"Oh?"

"This group is used to acting high-handedly, with bad habits hard to change, oppressing the weak disciples in the city, later clashed with the city guards, after being punished with rods, they were driven out."

Hou Yun paused for a moment, then continued, "Later, they settled on a mountain to the west of Wuji Peak and named it Star-picking Platform.

Lu Ran inquired, "How many Sea Realm do they have?"

"Two Sea Realm, the Sect Leader of the Star-picking Platform is at the Sea Realm Peak, the Sect Leader's sister is of the Middle Sea Realm, and it was the sister of the Sect Leader we punished with rods, it got quite ugly."

Qin Zhan felt as if he was hearing a tall tale, couldn't help but grin and said, "Punished a Middle Sea Realm with rods?

And not just punished, but you also drove her out?

Are you kidding me?

Isn't this leaving a future trouble? What Sea Realm can endure such humiliation?

Hou Yun helplessly said, "Wuji Peak has sect rules, the Forbidden City also has city rules, this is our foundation for survival.

That woman's crime wasn't deserving of death, didn't harm anyone's life, just publicly humiliated someone in a teahouse..."

"I'll go take a look." Lu Ran casually remarked, disappearing without a trace.

He reached above the Forbidden City in stealth mode, where torches illuminated the area, coupled with the grand city walls exuding the charm of ancient cities.

Upon arrival, Lu Ran immediately heard an angry male voice: "I said, we are not accepting outsiders at the Forbidden City recently, you all should leave."

This voice is... Yin Tianlong?

Lu Ran shifted slightly, looking towards the city gate tower, indeed spotting a familiar figure.

So much time has passed, yet He Qifeng's right-hand man remains at the River Realm, growing more distant from the goddess of his heart, afraid in this life, he will struggle to fulfill his dreams.

Not to mention, Yin Tianlong is indeed blind, directing his attention to the Wind Emperor.

This career-driven big woman, is she one for talking love?

"Isn't your Forbidden City a charitable refuge accepting many refugees?" a charming female voice came, quite pleasant.

Lu Ran turned his gaze, seeing a shapely woman draped in stars.

She was beautiful, dressed in a blue long dress, with jet-black hair cascading over her shoulders, highly bewitching.

Two small gleaming stars circled around her in an "X" shape.

Making her blue long dress extraordinarily beautiful.

Also making her eyes appear as if they were stars.

Only, a faint smile lingered at the corners of her mouth, adding a hint of wantonness to this charming face.

As she surveyed the fully alert Forbidden City guard, her smile became even more enchanting: "Why won't you accept us? Doesn't this go against your rules?

Or has something happened at Wuji Peak... hmm?"

...

The third chapter is not finished; I'll wake up early tomorrow and continue writing.