Summit of the Old Gods

The wind and sand swept by, revealing the desolation of Tianhuang Mountain.

At the foot of the mountain and at its waist, corpses were scattered haphazardly, crimson blood flowing constantly from fatal wounds, soaking the ground.

The setting sun further accentuated the melancholy.

In an underground tunnel near the mountaintop, a mysterious young man in a straw raincoat was holding a blade, pinning a Tianhuang Mountain guard to the stone wall.

The guard had already lost his breath, yet his eyes remained wide open, filled with terror.

As if he had seen something horrifying before his death.

With a "thud,"

the young man in the straw raincoat stepped back and withdrew his knife, causing the corpse pinned to the wall to collapse to the ground, joining another guard in becoming a dead soul.

Lu Ran adjusted the blood crystal mask with one hand and turned to look at the living quarters behind him, where more than ten people were trembling with fear.

"Come." Lu Ran picked up the Fiery Phoenix Patterned Gourd and aimed it at the dozen or so slaves.

Yangyang Sea, a raging aura.

The people were filled with despair, but they dared not disobey, only moving forward shakily.

Lu Ran frowned slightly, speaking softly: "Hurry up."

His condition was not very good, his brain constantly buzzing.

In the Sculpture Garden, the trembling West Desolate Stone Sculpture was one of the few River Realm sculptures Lu Ran possessed, only at the Fourth Rank River Realm.

After this trip to Tianhuang Mountain, the Blazing Phoenix General could finally upgrade its equipment to match its realm with appropriate Divine Techniques.

"Hmm?" Lu Ran suddenly turned his head.

The Evil Shadow Guardian quietly appeared, reaching out an arm: "Master, the dead souls."

Yan Shuangzi summoned Rebirth Money, and three dead souls emerged. She continued, "In a mountain residence, I found four more servants."

Lu Ran picked up the Treasure Gourd and handed it over casually: "Collect them all, continue."

The River Grade Third Rank Evil Dog effortlessly carried out investigations and assassinations.

Lu Yan and the others were wreaking havoc within the mountain, searching and slaughtering along the way, leaving no target unscathed.

The scenes at Tianhuang Mountain matched perfectly with this twilight moment.

The sun was setting.

"Who goes there?"

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!!"

As time slowly passed, Tianhuang Mountain finally descended into chaos. The Ran Sect squad was eventually exposed, as the scattered corpses inevitably drew attention.

It was of little consequence.

The West Desolation Sect was not known for speed; none of them could escape.

Lu Ran's figure became invisible as he emerged from the underground cave, ascending to the mountaintop.

He discovered that the recently chaotic Tianhuang Mountain had suddenly quieted down somewhat.

Following the gazes of the people, Lu Ran looked up at the western sky.

The setting sun was like blood.

Amidst the blood-red silhouette stood a tall figure.

The woman's face was legendary and stunning, though indistinct against the backdrop of the sunset.

The large phoenix robe draping her body was also deep red like blood, adorned with beautiful phoenix patterns emitting a faint golden glow.

The expressions of those present varied; some were astonished, others terrified.

More than a few were too intimidated to fight, despite being in their own stronghold and facing the invaders, kneeling and bowing shakily.

As if worshiping a deity.

The Phoenix Garment of Nine Heavens did its name justice, indeed majestic and commanding, intimidating all living beings and decimating the souls of all things.

"This...this..."

In front of a stone building, a middle-aged man widened his eyes.

The horror in his heart actually overshadowed the damage caused by the Phoenix Garment of Nine Heavens.

The man stared dumbfounded at the woman in the phoenix robe, his mind full of the period a year and a half ago when she first entered the mountain.

Junior sister?

The fiancée of Da Xia's foremost genius, a Jade Talisman disciple with an inherent halo.

"Surrender." The woman in the phoenix robe looked down upon all beings, her cold voice echoing across the sky, full of authority.

Just as Jiang Ruyi intended to say more, her eyes suddenly focused.

She too saw the middle-aged man.

Wasn't he the Jade Talisman disciple who entered the mountain with her?

What was his name again?

Mon...Mon...

Jiang Ruyi had already forgotten his name, remembering only that she used to call him Senior Brother Meng.

She recalled how he assumed leadership due to his seniority, attempting to morally coerce and manipulate her, and undermine her contributions to the team, suppressing her emergence.

Back then, Jiang Ruyi hadn't yet shifted her mindset, with no intention of assuming any leadership role.

She just wanted to find Lu Ran.

But her very existence was a threat; her great strength and immense influence aroused fear in those with ulterior motives, blocking someone's path.

Jiang Ruyi either had to submit and work for them or leave in disgrace.

The Jade Talisman team could not accommodate her.

Suppressing her anger all the way, Jiang Ruyi eventually confronted him.

She was indeed expected to do things befitting the fiancée of Da Xia's foremost genius.

But that didn't mean she was weak and easily bullied.

Times had changed, and the two met again...

Back then, the squad leader Song Yu whom Senior Brother Meng desperately sought to recruit had now become the Hall Master of Ran Sect's Feixian Hall.

The once deeply intimidating junior sister had also found her place, becoming the Lady of Ran Sect.

Transforming into the Yangyang Sea.

At this moment, she stood in the air, hovering above Tianhuang Mountain, overlooking the entire Sect.

Jiang Ruyi quietly watched Senior Brother Meng, the look of reminiscence in her eyes gradually fading, leaving only cold indifference.

It seems Senior Brother Meng was doing quite well.

Despite being a disciple of another sect, he had firmly established himself at Tianhuang Mountain.

Senior Brother Meng was still wearing his exquisite white robe, exuding an aura of immortality, and should not have been classified as a servant.

[Do you know that person?] Jiang Ruyi's mind was suddenly imprinted with the voice of a young man.

[Kind of.]

"Who are you, daring to invade my Tianhuang Mountain?!" A voice exploded at the mountain's peak, interrupting the conversation between Lu Jiang.

Beneath the phoenix robe, all beings were supposed to lower their eyes.

But there were always those with strong power, unwilling to bow their heads in submission.

A burly man hefted the long-handled battle axe in his hand. It was evident that his palm trembled slightly, clearly being scorched by the phoenix robe's soul-burning aura.

Yet his eyes remained fervent, greedily eyeing the magnificent phoenix robe.

"Hoo~"

A gust of wind and sand blew by.

The wide phoenix robe swayed gently, appearing even more regal, continuously suppressing all beings in this realm.

The burly man's eyes were full of covetousness as he clenched his battle axe: "You picked the wrong place to act presumptuously..."

Before he finished speaking, his expression changed dramatically!

"Crack!!"

The sound of the Water Flow Armor shattering was extremely piercing.

The burly man froze on the spot, his throat brutally torn open, torrents of blood gushing out.

"Desolate Mountain!"

"Desolate Mountain Hall Master?!" Shouts of astonishment echoed, as everyone's faces turned to horror, feeling a spine-chilling fear.

A Hall Master in the Sea Realm, Fourth Rank, was actually killed with his throat cut so easily?

In a place unseen by others, more precisely, right behind the Desolate Mountain Hall Master, stood a young man in rain gear.

He quietly descended behind the Desolate Mountain Hall Master, while his left hand pressed on the opponent's back, five thin silk threads extended from his fingertips.

Tethering Silk controls the body.

Tangled Silk confuses the mind.

At the same time, the young man in rain gear infused his right hand with Fierce Heavenly Power, holding the Third Rank Divine Weapon · Eight Desolate Blade, pressed against the opponent's throat, slashing fiercely!

The sharp blade tore through the Desolate Mountain Hall Master's Water Flow Armor, directly slicing through his throat.

"Puff!"

Great jets of blood gushed out, yet the Desolate Mountain Hall Master remained motionless.

He was not even allowed to raise his hand to cover the wound.

"Who's there?"

"Damn, who?" Amidst the growing chaos, a thick sandstorm rose over Tianhuang Mountain.

West Desolate Divine Skill · Floating Sand!

This skill, at River Grade and below, could only kick up yellow sand in front, obscuring the enemy's vision.

Beyond River Grade, West Desolation disciples could raise terrifying sandstorms, covering the sky and perceiving everything within.

Truthfully, if a sandstorm had been constantly raging on the mountain, Lu Ran and the others wouldn't have been discovered so late.

"Ah!"

"No... ugh."

"Ahhhh!" As the sky-covering sandstorm surged forth, blood-curdling screams echoed from all directions on the mountain.

The sound of Water Flow Armor breaking, and the explosion of sand bodies, continued endlessly.

"Fellow Daoist, please halt!" The Tianhuang Sect Master shouted angrily, both shocked and furious.

Within the sky-covering sandstorm, he realized that two figures were flashing around, taking lives.

Moreover, arcs of blade swept everywhere, shattering everything in their path...

The Tianhuang Sect Master didn't know what had happened to the world.

Everything seemed to have changed.

Just one or two months ago, the previous Sect Master, who had already ascended to the Heavenly Realm, unexpectedly returned to the Mountain Realm.

Jiao Lie Mountain descended on Tianhuang Mountain without any warning, saying he was looking for Da Xia's genius.

How could people in the Sea Realm be a match for a great power in the Heavenly Realm?

The Tianhuang Sect Master didn't dare to offer any resistance, could only watch helplessly as Jiao Lie Mountain chopped up everyone's Divine Weapon and took away a large number of disciples and scouts.

And now, a mysterious woman arrived.

Was this excessively young woman the so-called genius of Da Xia?

Were those two even more mysterious teleporters the ones Jiao Lie Mountain was looking for?!

The Tianhuang Sect Master sadly realized that he couldn't resist Jiao Lie Mountain, the great power of the Heavenly Realm, and similarly couldn't resist the invasion of these mysterious people.

They had even cut the throat of a Sea Realm Hall Master right under his nose!

And that was a Hall Master of the Sea Realm, Fourth Rank...

What had happened to the world?

"Rumble!"

The ground shook, and endless yellow sand surged beneath the feet of the West Desolation disciples, spreading in all directions, trying to save themselves and bury the enemies shuttling about.

Unfortunately, against the Instant Teleportation Technique, the surging sand had very little effect.

"Whoosh~ whoosh~"

The woman in the phoenix robe, standing in the sky, threw down pieces of White Jade Stone.

In an instant, flames erupted throughout the battlefield, ferocious fires spread widely, explosions ceaselessly echoing.

"Gods above! May the gods bless us..."

Jade Talisman disciple · Meng Zhixuan was filled with terror, the Jade Talisman Formation swirling around him, taking off early to hastily escape the area.

Yet, just as he flew out of the sandstorm's range, he caught sight of beautiful figures.

With the scattering plum blossoms, those fleeting shadows seemed dreamlike.

Could this be...

The Evil Technique of the Ice Plum Demon Queen's clan?

Meng Zhixuan suddenly turned his gaze, just in time to see a woman in a white dress turning her head to look at him.

Seeing her raise her long sword, Meng Zhixuan hurriedly shouted loudly:

"I have a history with Sister Jiang! I know Jiang Ruyi! I....."

...