Summit of the Old Gods

The misty rain over Mist Rain Lake persisted intermittently until mid-April.

On the fifteenth, Lu Ran finally received a message from Dragon Guardian.

[Sect Leader.]

[Mr. Cong Long?] Lu Ran was first taken aback, then, with a delighted expression, he straightened up from the slumped position on the throne.

[I have roughly understood my own situation.] Yu Changsheng slowly spoke, [Where is the Sect Leader currently? Is there anyone else around?]

[Can't Mr. Cong Long see for himself, unable to perceive the surrounding situation?]

[It's so dark inside the Sculpture Garden...] Yu Changsheng's tone carried a hint of grievance.

"Haha~" Lu Ran couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Have I really put my Dragon Guardian in a small dark room?

"Why so happy, little Lu?" A woman's lazy voice came from the side, teasing Lu Ran's heartstrings.

"There's news from Dragon Guardian. Aunt Bai, please wait here. I'll be right back." Lu Ran's figure vanished in a flash.

On the throne, only a silhouette of a blood mist remained.

What an annoying little rascal...

Bai Rao thought with a slight annoyance, but there was nothing she could do, so she had to adapt.

Lu Ran appeared in a house deep within the forest on Green Lotus Island, far away from the Central Island. Inside the hall, there was only a light mist swirling around, with a slightly visible view.

[Alright, Mr. Cong Long! Come out!] Lu Ran plopped himself onto the Taishi Chair.

[Please allow me to come out, Sect Leader.]

[Ah, I allow it.] Lu Ran's expression was puzzled.

[The Sect Leader is the owner of the God Demon Sculpture Garden. Everything within, the Divine Sculptures and Evil Sculptures, is privately owned by you. If Sect Leader doesn't... Well, you could treat me like the previous Mo Li Evil Sculpture.]

Lu Ran frowned slightly: [Do I need to let your main body out?]

There's a fee for that!

[It's not necessary to make such a fuss.] Yu Changsheng quickly said, [Each time the Sect Leader signs a contract with the believers, you summon a God Demon phantom.]

[Oh.] Lu Ran nodded, closely linking with the Evil Sculpture·Cong Long inside the garden.

In a matter of seconds, a surge of energy erupted.

"Whoo!!"

A massive phantom spread from within Lu Ran.

"Heh..." A light sigh carried the hint of relief.

Lu Ran looked upward but could not fully see Yu Changsheng's form, as the house was only three to four meters high.

Soon, he saw the Cong Long phantom gradually descend and finally reveal its true appearance.

"Wow~" Lu Ran slightly opened his mouth, still gazing at Yu Changsheng, "Mr. Cong Long is so large!"

Yu Changsheng: "..."

In the past, when Lu Ran summoned the God Demon phantom and signed contracts with disciples, he didn't feel anything unusual.

God Demon!

The larger the shadow, the more justified it seemed.

Now, Yu Changsheng, appearing in the form of a "God Demon shadow", truly gave Lu Ran a substantial visual impact.

"By the way!" Lu Ran suddenly remembered something and hurriedly asked, "Can you transform into a physical body?"

Yu Changsheng remained silent for a moment, then slowly shook his head: "I'm afraid not."

"Ah?" Lu Ran thought to himself, this isn't good.

What should be done now?

From now on, will Dragon Guardian only manifest in the form of a shadow or as the stone sculpture's body?

"I can create a flesh body and merge into it." Yu Changsheng pondered.

"Oh?" Lu Ran's eyes lit up, "Just like creating minions of Evil Demon?"

Yu Changsheng lightly nodded: "After replacing Mo Li Evil Sculpture and standing in the position of Fake God, I have gained much understanding."

"Please tell me, sir!" Lu Ran showed a sincere demeanor, eager to learn.

As the master of the Sculpture Garden, Lu Ran has always been able to communicate with the stone sculptures, but the effect was not ideal, and the communication was very basic.

For example, Lu Ran could connect mentally with the stone sculptures, practicing the various skills they possessed; he could command the stone sculptures to activate or disable certain techniques.

That shouldn't be called "communication" but rather Lu Ran understanding and utilizing everything on his own, simply issuing orders, guiding the stone sculptures, and so on.

Now things are different.

Mr. Cong Long has replaced the Evil Sculpture, inheriting everything!

Lu Ran and Yu Changsheng talked to each other smoothly.

"I have become a stone sculpture, existing in your God Demon Sculpture Garden, Sect Leader," Yu Changsheng began to speak.

Lu Ran immediately nodded.

Yu Changsheng raised his phantom hand and looked at it: "This shadow originates from my main body stone sculpture and functions like a 'proxy'.

The shadow can do some things instead of the main body stone sculpture.

It can sign and tear contracts with believers, and also possesses some combat abilities, but it is far inferior to the main body stone sculpture."

"Pop~" A peculiar sound of fish blowing bubbles suddenly broke the silence.

A small, pitch-black Mo Li emerged from Cong Long's phantom hand.

Yu Changsheng noticed briefly and shook his head in resignation: "My strength level is at the First Level of Heavenly Realm, but the Evil Technique released by the shadow is only of Sea Grade at best."

"I see..." Lu Ran couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

"The shadow is quite fragile, easily destroyed by energy bodies or dispersed by strong winds."

Lu Ran nodded silently, deeply acknowledging this.

The might of the God Demon is overwhelming!

Even though Cong Long's shadow is not the main stone sculpture, its aura is nonetheless immense, leaving all as to kneel in sincere reverence.

It's somewhat of a bluff.

Causing people to overlook the shadow's fatal weakness!

However, even if people are aware of the shortcomings of the divine shadow, they wouldn't dare act recklessly.

After all, you have to consider the master of the dog before you beat it!

"Mr. Cong Long need not worry." Lu Ran recalled the divine shadow of Divine·Beifeng once seen in Beifeng City.

Its momentum was truly magnificent and towering!

Currently, the Cong Long shadow is relatively fragile, perhaps not only due to the lack of strength level but also possibly due to the location?

Lu Ran believed this to be the case because the shadows of Lord Beifeng and Immortal Sheep were too formidable!

Back then in Beifeng City, the energy fluctuations caused by the gestures of two divine shadows are still vivid in Lu Ran's memory.

Lu Ran recounted to Yu Changsheng, adding, "When we seize the divine position of Evil God Mo Li, the situation with the shadows will surely improve!"

"A divine position...?"

"Exactly! Lord Immortal Sheep once told me that many methods can only be possessed when you stand in that position."

Lu Ran nodded firmly, continuing, "For example, divine blessing and the creation of Divine Ruins, these are rules bestowed upon the gods."

"Hmm." Yu Changsheng seemed to be pondering.

Although he is the inheritor, such information cannot be given to Yu Changsheng through the Pseudo God Stone.

Lu Ran further inquired, "The master just said, can you craft a blood flesh body and fuse into it?"

In that case, the fatal flaw of the shadow would naturally cease to exist.

Yu Changsheng regained his senses, "Master, please guide me to create an Evil Demon minion first."

"Ah?" Lu Ran was taken aback.

What did he just... call me?

Yu Changsheng reflected for a moment before realizing the issue, corrected, "Sect Leader, let's first create a minion."

It seems, after Yu Changsheng entered the God Demon Sculpture Garden and replaced the Evil Sculpture Mo Li, his own positioning had somewhat shifted.

Lu Ran pondered secretly but did not tease, continuing with business:

"Can't Mr. Cong Long make it himself?"

"Sure, but Sect Leader has rich experience, and your subordinate wants to learn from you first."

"Alright!" Lu Ran naturally nodded in agreement, then said, "We need to change the place, the Sea Realm Mo Li minion is as large as eight hundred meters!"

"Sect Leader." Yu Changsheng reminded, "The Evil Sculpture Mo Li is ancient history, nowadays, your sculpture garden has only Evil Sculpture Cong Long!"

"Oh?" Lu Ran slightly raised his eyebrow, "The master is quite aggressive, huh?"

I like it~

Yu Changsheng helplessly smiled, "Sect Leader can confidently create the Evil Demon minion; your subordinate can ensure the minions beneath will resemble my former appearance."

"Good!" Lu Ran no longer hesitated, immediately teamed up with the newly-promoted Pseudo Evil God Cong Long to create the Evil Demon minion.

"Divine Power molds the body, Origin Energy forms the soul..."

Lu Ran chanted the incantation, a figure gradually took shape in his palm.

This figure was dressed in a white long robe and had a slender physique.

He had long flowing black hair and a strikingly handsome face that appeared almost demonic!

It was the image of Yu Changsheng himself!

More accurately, it was the image of the Evil Sculpture Cong Long in the sculpture garden, and even the minion held a folding fan in its hand.

Lu Ran made a strange expression, grabbing the fan off-handedly.

The Evil Demon minion in front of the God Demon lord knelt on the ground, showing respect.

Pfft~ The folding fan in Lu Ran's hand transformed into mist fragments and scattered away.

Lu Ran looked up at Yu Changsheng's shadow, "The master's divine weapon: A River of Mist Rain Fan..."

"When the attributes merged with the Stone Sculpture, the divine weapon also transformed into a pure energy body and followed your subordinate into the garden."

"Oh." Lu Ran responded. This situation wasn't uncommon.

Taking the disciple Huang Que, Golden Sparrow as an example, whenever she transforms into a small Huang Que, the magic artifact Heavenly Sound Bell worn on her ankle also transforms along with her.

Lu Ran lowered his head, observing the minion kneeling in front of him, after a moment of scrutiny, he marveled, "Well, now I can create many, many masters!"

Yu Changsheng: "..."

Am I being counted in terms of "pieces"?

"Did the master learn it? Can you create one yourself?"

"Yes!" Yu Changsheng answered deeply, another blood flesh body gradually took shape under the illusory large hand.

Divine Power molds the body.

Okay.

Origin Energy forms the soul?

No soul formation!

"Hmm?" Lu Ran looked surprised, watching the enormous shadow merge into the freshly crafted blood flesh body.

The essence of the God Demon shadow is also Origin Energy.

Just as Lu Ran marveled, the Evil Demon minion opened its eyes.

Unlike the minion kneeling on the ground beside, this one's eyes were lively, and there was even a hint of a smile on its face.

"Mr. Cong Long?" Lu Ran probed.

"Sect Leader." Yu Changsheng nodded lightly.

Lu Ran was overjoyed, stepping forward, he held his shoulders, scrutinizing closely, "Good, very good!"

Seeing Lu Ran's delighted appearance, Yu Changsheng felt a touch of emotion.

Yet unexpectedly, Lu Ran muttered, "This now provides an account to Sister He!"

Yu Changsheng: "..."

"Eh?" Lu Ran suddenly frowned, "Mr. Cong Long exudes remarkable presence, but you... your flesh body is only at the Sea Realm Peak?"

"Uh..."

"The skill used is also Sea Grade." Lu Ran looked regretfully, "The master's clearly ascended to the First Level of Heaven Realm yet has to remain a person of Sea Realm."

Yu Changsheng said, "After all, given your subordinate's current rank, only a Sea Realm minion can be created."

Lu Ran muttered, "What kind of becoming a god is this! Even with Evil Sculpture fusion, it turns out to be inferior compared to Tu Feng and Bai Rao..."

Yu Changsheng immediately said, "Sect Leader, it's not a comparison like that, this isn't my true realm and strength.

My entity is in your sculpture garden."

Seeing Lu Ran still immersed in a certain emotion, Yu Changsheng prescribed a strong remedy!

He rarely boasted but was utterly confident, "Sect Leader, if I venture out with the form of a Stone Sculpture, even if Tu Feng and Bai Rao join forces, they can't do much to me."

"Oh?" Lu Ran looked astonished.

Yu Changsheng mimicked Lu Ran's speaking style, coolly saying, "What are they in Heaven Realm?

What am I in Heaven Realm?"

Lu Ran: ???

Trying to put on airs...?

...