Summit of the Old Gods

The sky gradually grew darker.

A landing mirror quietly appeared at Heaven's Edge.

The Lu siblings stepped out of the mirror one after the other, and Lu Ran halted his steps immediately.

At the edge of the cliff ahead, a tall silhouette stood silently. She wore a green raincoat and a bamboo hat, with the hem of her clothes gently fluttering in the sea breeze.

The woman's presence was overwhelming!

Even just looking at her back, Lu Ran could feel her sharpness.

Is this even a person?

No, this is a blade!

A supremely sharp Divine Weapon, a... Night-slaying Great Saber?

"Finally willing to come back?" Suddenly, the woman spoke.

Her voice, rich and magnetic as always, now carried much more authority, making Lu Ran's scalp tingle a bit.

"Um." Qiao Yuansi shrank her head, whispered, "I'm heading back first~"

"Jingle~Jingle~"

The delightful sound of a bell grew fainter as the girl dashed away like a wisp of smoke.

Lu Ran: "..."

I don't even know who was just making fun of Deng Shao.

Looks like you can slip away pretty quickly too!

At Heaven's Edge, Deng Yuxiang stood quietly, unmoving.

Lu Ran hesitated for a moment but finally stepped forward: "Yuxiang, congratulations on advancing to the Sea Realm Peak."

Deng Yuxiang snorted coldly, turning to look at the young man: "I..."

Her words stopped, and she silently watched Lu Ran.

Though the sky was dim, the deep fatigue between his brows was completely visible to her.

Deng Yuxiang reached out, took off his bamboo hat, and his messy long hair fell down, drifting sideways in the sea breeze.

In her impression, Lu Ran was always full of spirit, but now...

It was imaginable how he had spent the past two months.

Lu Ran was the first to break the silence, smiling: "Just need to sleep it off."

"Mm." Deng Yuxiang squatted down, pulling out an exquisite golden short blade from her boot sheath, with seven beautiful gems of different colors embedded in the handle.

"Sis?" Lu Ran jumped in fright and instinctively took a step back.

"Come here." Deng Yuxiang waved the tip of the blade.

Lu Ran timidly said, "It's only been two months I didn't come back, you don't have to draw a blade on me!"

Deng Yuxiang smiled and glared at Lu Ran: "Your hair's too long and messy, let me tidy it up for you, you'll meet Ruyi soon."

"Oh." Lu Ran breathed a sigh of relief.

He stepped forward again and said, "You seem a bit different."

"How different." Deng Yuxiang pressed a hand on Lu Ran's shoulder, pushing him to sit at the edge of the cliff.

Lu Ran dangled his little legs outside, habitually swinging them: "Feels a bit sharper?"

Deng Yuxiang trimmed Lu Ran's hair, casually saying: "The Night-cutting Blade opened the Divine Weapon Domain."

"Oh?" Lu Ran's eyes lit up instantly.

He instinctively turned his head, only to be held back by the woman, facing the sea again.

Lu Ran: "..."

"After opening the Divine Weapon Domain, its blade can become whole."

Lu Ran's heart stirred, "The day of broken blade's reforging?"

Deng Yuxiang frowned slightly: "You really need rest, your brain's muddled."

"Huh?"

"I use a blade, not a sword." Deng Yuxiang lightly tapped Lu Ran's head with the blade.

Lu Ran pouted.

Alright~

Sister Yuxiang is not familiar with games, which is understandable, she's been dominating in real life.

Lu Ran raised his hand, grasping at the air.

The two had great rapport, Deng Yuxiang understood what he meant, then with a thought.

"Shing!" The Night-cutting Blade unsheathed from her waist, the handle falling into Lu Ran's hand.

Lu Ran examined it closely; the blade still appeared in a broken state, with a hilt over 20 centimeters long and a blade about 1.1 meters long.

"It can become whole? Then what?" Lu Ran asked curiously.

"Not the original 2.8 meters, but 28 meters."

Lu Ran: ?

His movements froze, looking at the broken blade in his hand: "Twenty...eight meters?"

"Mm, very sharp, a light cut can tear open a Sea Realm person's Water Flow Armor."

"Good lord~" Lu Ran grinned, "And the Heavenly Realm?"

"Not sure." Deng Yuxiang meticulously trimmed Lu Ran's hair, speaking casually, "The Dragon Guardian only has the realm, no Heavenly Grade Armor, Elder Lu stays at home all the time, I didn't disturb him."

"Mm..."

Deng Yuxiang shifted Lu Ran's hair: "Thousand Bone Body, open it."

Lu Ran immediately activated Divine Technique: "Opened, what are you gonna... uh."

"Crack!"

The sound of bones snapping was clear.

Deng Yuxiang pressed a hand on the top of his head, directly "twisting" Lu Ran's neck, forcibly turning his head 180 degrees to face backward.

Such a scene was indeed quite horrifying!

Lu Ran's body faced the eastern sea, while his face turned westward, letting Deng Yuxiang tidy up the hair on his forehead.

"Can't I just turn myself around?" Lu Ran muttered uncomfortably, looking up at the woman.

Deng Yuxiang's lips curved slightly: "Aren't you restless, like to swing your little legs?"

Lu Ran rolled his eyes.

However, the pair of small legs dangling outside the cliff indeed swayed back and forth.

Deng Yuxiang's swordsmanship was fierce, her movements swift and decisive. In just a few seconds, she brushed Lu Ran's hair: "Done."

"Thank you." Lu Ran tried to turn his head back, but the palm pressing on top of his head did not allow it.

"Little Lu Ran."

"Hmm?" Lu Ran lifted his gaze to look at the woman.

"I advanced to the Sea Realm Peak in early May, and it has been forty-four days since then."

"So?"

"I thought I had deep enough insights and a determined enough heart to quickly ascend to the Heavenly Realm, but there has been no movement at all."

"These things can't be rushed." Lu Ran immediately comforted her, "Look at the Martial Emperor and Luoshen, they advanced to the Sea Realm Peak early on, and now they are stuck too."

"I'm different from them." Deng Yuxiang lifted Lu Ran's chin and looked directly into his eyes.

Lu Ran felt a little dazed.

This action by the Big Nightmare was excessively aggressive.

"You... indeed bonded with the Evil Sculpture earlier than them." Lu Ran stammered.

Deng Yuxiang gently shook her head and spoke softly: "I'm more loyal to the Ran Sect than they are."

Lu Ran: "..."

He didn't deny Deng Yuxiang's attitude, but such things are hard to measure and compare, right?

Not to mention Luoshen, just talking about the Martial Emperor, he has devoted his entire body and soul to the Master of Ran Sect, how can you say he is inferior to anyone else?

"Tell me, what am I lacking?" Deng Yuxiang gazed intently at Lu Ran, enunciating each word.

Once, it was Lu Ran who led her into the River Realm.

Now, several years have passed, and she had even more confidence in Lu Ran.

Feeling her gaze, Lu Ran thought for a long time and tentatively said: "Could it be that you are placing too much importance on the Ran Sect?"

Deng Yuxiang raised an eyebrow slightly.

Lu Ran pondered, "Ultimately, our roots are in Rain Alley. It's that land of our hometown, that Wu Lie River, that helped you break through to the River Realm.

When breaking through to the Sea Realm, you and I expanded our narrow view of Rain Alley City to encompass the entire world."

Deng Yuxiang remained silent, waiting for him to continue.

Lu Ran continued, "Your ultimate goal is to overthrow the regime of the gods and demons, eradicate the world's calamities, and reshape the order of the world.

This concept indeed aligns with the goals of the Ran Sect, but with or without the Ran Sect, without me..."

Deng Yuxiang suddenly squinted her eyes.

Lu Ran couldn't help but shiver, helplessly saying: "Let me speak!"

Deng Yuxiang remained silent, her gaze gradually softening a bit.

"With or without me, your goal remains the same. In the broadest sense, it's for the world; at its core, it's for that homeland in your heart."

Lu Ran spoke earnestly, and suggested: "Polish your Dao Heart, clarify your path, and give it a try."

Deng Yuxiang neither agreed nor disagreed, just lowered her eyes to watch Lu Ran.

Lu Ran suddenly blurted out: "That's an order."

Deng Yuxiang: "..."

"Uh... can I turn my head back now?"

Deng Yuxiang did not withdraw her hand, but summoned the Magic Artifact·Rebirth Coin from her wrist, saying: "There are three Angry Sea Flame Flood Dragon dead souls here for you to absorb. In the ancient copper coins of the Evil Shadow Guardian and Shadow One, there are also dead souls."

"Alright, I'll go absorb them in a moment. By the way, I heard you prepared a surprise for me?"

"With Ruyi." Deng Yuxiang released the three dead souls and finally withdrew her hand.

"Crack~"

With the creak of bones, Lu Ran finally managed to turn his face back, quickly standing up: "Let's go, you enter seclusion, and I'll go see what surprise it is."

"In the past two months, there's been a lot of change on the island, and now you and Ruyi live independently outside." Deng Yuxiang placed the bamboo hat back on Lu Ran's head and turned towards the interior of the island.

Lu Ran immediately followed, somehow catching sight of a few Xian Mo flowers hidden amidst the lush forest.

Beside one flowering tree, there was an opening.

"Try your best, I'm waiting for your good news." Lu Ran waved to Deng Yuxiang and stepped into the tunnel.

"Who?"

Lu Ran had just entered the underground stone chamber when he was met with a cold voice that sent chills running down his spine.

"It's me." Lu Ran glanced around, but his view was obstructed by a beautiful screen, "There are several guards hidden outside, no one else can come in."

"You're back." Jiang Ruyi's voice softened, carrying a faint joy.

Soon, a figure stepped out from behind the screen, making his heart ensnared.

She was draped in a loose white robe that did not quite fit, seeming like his garment.

"Why did we move?" Lu Ran asked lightly, guiding her direction.

The cool fairy did not reply.

She stepped on the soft white fox carpet, one step after another, stepping into Lu Ran's heart:

"Why did you take so long?"

"I..."

Jiang Ruyi nuzzled into Lu Ran's neck, finally letting him off, and whispered: "Did you get what you wanted?"

"Yes." Lu Ran replied softly.

When you ascend to the Heavenly Realm, not only will you have the Jade Talisman Stone Sculpture as a stepping stone to godhood, but also a Heavenly Realm·Ghost Talisman Doll Stone Sculpture, offering all the Evil Techniques, all the Holy Spirit Energy.

"That's good." Jiang Ruyi said with a gentle smile, "By the way, want to hear some good news?"

"What?"

"Your Fiery Phoenix Patterned Gourd has advanced to three Magic Artifacts."

"Ah?!" Lu Ran was shocked!

If he remembered correctly, wasn't the Fiery Phoenix Patterned Gourd his artifact?

Such an advancement has been kept bottled up for so long without saying a word?

Jiang Ruyi said with a radiant smile: "Sea Realm Great Powers are sucked inside and cannot move, they can only obediently be refined by the little Blazing Phoenix."

Lu Ran: !!!

...