Summit of the Old Gods

The thin mist flows gently, and the peaks appear and disappear.

The sharp peaks piercing through the mist resemble little boats drifting in the misty sea.

No wonder it is one of the Seven Views of the Holy Spirit!

Such a scene of a thousand sails vying, a hundred boats racing, stirred Lu Ran's heart.

It also eased a bit of his awkwardness.

Just a moment ago, when the Cloud Sea Sword Spirit rubbed his head, Lu Ran couldn't hold back, and his nose felt a bit sour.

Her movements, her gaze... they really resemble her too much.

Aside from the illusionary figure, is there any difference from his mother?

The dirty sewer rat secretly basked in a ray of sunshine, and he quickly turned around to look at the mysterious scenery of Yin Qianshan.

Lu Ran did not want to appear overly emotional.

The Cloud Sea Sword Spirit also sensed something, withdrew her hand, and stood side by side with Lu Ran at the edge of the cliff, with arms folded behind her back.

Yan Chou did not wish to interrupt the warm moment between mother and son, but his curiosity was overwhelming, and he couldn't help but call out: "Young Master."

"Hmm."

"Your many Evil Techniques..."

"I can steal the power of Gods and Demons."

"What?" Yan Chou looked at the young man draped in a fox fur cloak.

The faint mist swirled, adding an air of mystery to his slender figure.

"Ranran, explain more clearly." The ethereal Qiao Wanjun spoke softly, her tone unmistakably instructive.

Lu Ran: "..."

He hadn't heard that nickname in a long time.

He smiled slightly and said, "I can steal the power of Gods and Demons to cultivate Stone Sculptures."

"Stone Sculptures?"

"Yes, Divine Sculptures, Evil Sculptures... my personal Divine Demon Sculptures."

The Cloud Sea Sword Spirit gazed at Lu Ran. From the moment he unleashed many Evil Techniques, she had already realized the child's uniqueness.

But she never expected Lu Ran to be this extraordinary!

Cultivating his own Divine and Evil Sculptures?

Then the next step...

The sword spirit's beautiful eyes brightened, as if she had connected the dots.

Yan Chou wasn't foolish either, his heart pounded vigorously!

In his mind, Qiao Wanjun was like a deity, one of the few at the pinnacle of the Human Clan.

Yan Chou was prepared to do everything to cultivate the Young Master, chasing after Sect Master Qiao's footsteps.

Yet, unexpectedly, Sect Master Qiao's son is even more terrifying!

Qiao Wanjun is a god of the Human Clan.

Her son... the god of all gods?

"Hoo~"

Lu Ran flipped his palm, and a delicate Fiery Phoenix Patterned Gourd flew out from inside his cloak and landed in his hand.

Soon, a woman in a straw raincoat flew out from the mouth of the gourd, her figure gradually enlarging, a terrifying aura enveloping the mountain peaks.

Deng Yuxiang did not hide her aura, as she knew through the little Blazing Phoenix what was happening outside.

For Lu Ran's mother, Deng Yuxiang was filled with reverence.

Even far away in the Human Realm of Da Xia, Qiao Wanjun could shelter her children, arranging everything for Lu Ran with just a Divine Weapon and her name...

Deng Yuxiang knelt on one knee, solemnly saying, "Sect Leader."

"Mother has the Cloud Sea Sect, and I have my own Ran Sect." Lu Ran looked at Deng Yuxiang, who had accompanied him all along, speaking gently, "This is my Nightmare Guardian, also known as Fake God Night Charm."

"Fake God." The Cloud Sea Sword Spirit murmured.

"I've already gifted the Night Charm Evil Sculpture to her, and she can merge with the Stone Sculpture." Lu Ran helped the Lord Guardian up, "Once we overthrow the Evil God Night Charm and seize its Divine Position..."

Deng Yuxiang immediately restrained her aura, fearing that Lu Ran might appear weak in front of the Cloud Sea Sword Spirit and the old members of the Cloud Sea.

Lu Ran, on the other hand, looked at her expressionless yet stunning face and said gently:

"After that, she will be a True God."

Yan Chou's body trembled; Lu Ran's response undoubtedly confirmed his thoughts.

Finally!!

The long-held wish of Sect Master Qiao, her unfinished business, finally has the hope of being realized...

The emotions of the Great Power of the Heavenly Realm surged, filling the entire space.

Lu Ran turned his head to look, only to see that noble emperor with tears in his eyes.

It indeed lacked the demeanor of the Heavenly Realm.

Lu Ran silently turned his head away, no longer looking at him.

It was too overwhelming.

A group of like-minded individuals, led by Mother, struggled and fought in the dark days without sunlight.

Faced with sudden hope, it was indeed hard to hold back.

Just now, Lu Ran stole a ray of light from the Cloud Sea Sword Spirit.

Now Lu Ran became that ray of light, falling upon Yan Chou.

"Chou Nu."

"Present," Yan Chou immediately bowed his head.

"I have already cultivated the Evil Spear Emperor Stone Sculpture to the First Level of Heaven Realm." Lu Ran looked down at the boats drifting in the misty sea, imagining them as his subordinates.

One Divine Sculpture and Evil Sculpture after another.

Yan Chou suddenly lifted his head and looked at the young man's back.

Lu Ran softly said, "I haven't found the right person for a long time. In the future, you will be my Evil Spear Emperor."

"Yes!" Yan Chou responded loudly.

Deng Yuxiang watched this scene silently. The astonishing fortune left by Madam Qiao Wanjun for Lu Ran was evident.

This self-proclaimed Chou Nu, the Heaven Realm Evil Spear Emperor Believer, was certainly one of them.

"Ranran, where did you obtain such methods?"

"I'll explain later." Lu Ran looked at the mysterious scenery of Yin Qianshan and replied softly.

The Cloud Sea Sword Spirit pondered for a moment, not pressing further, thinking Lu Ran had some unspeakable reason.

She turned to ask, "Then what about the overall strength of your Ran Sect?"

"There are four... um, five in the Heavenly Realm." Lu Ran calculated, the Nightmare from Cong Long Elder, plus the Executioners Tu Feng and Bai Rao, making a total of five Great Powers at the Heavenly Realm in the Ran Sect.

"Five?" The ethereal Qiao Wanjun raised her eyebrows slightly.

Yan Chou was equally astonished!

Lu Ran, only at the Peak of the Sea Realm, with the Ran Sect based in the Holy Spirit Mountain Realm, having even one Great Power at the Heavenly Realm would be impressive.

Yet Lu Ran said the Ran Sect has five in the Heavenly Realm?

Five names?

Is this place the Mountain Realm or the Heavenly Realm?

Yan Chou was quite surprised, seeing a glimpse of the old master in Lu Ran!

Looking at the respectful attitude of the woman in the heavens' realm towards the young master, it's likely that the others are also a group of devoted followers!

Given time, the Ran Sect may well revive the glory of the Cloud Sea Sect from days of yore.

For now, however, the Ran Sect is far from being qualified.

At its peak, the Cloud Sea Sect was an enormous entity in the Heavenly Realm!

The Ran Sect can only be considered a giant in the Mountain Realm, in a different league from the Cloud Sea Sect that once battled gods and demons and foreign foes.

Even now, the Cloud Sea Sect is fragmented, with less than a tenth of its old warriors remaining, scattered across the Heavenly Realm, pressed into disarray by gods and demons...

The Ran Sect cannot be compared to that.

"Plus three at the Sea Realm Peak, and several at the Fourth Rank of the Sea Realm..." Lu Ran continued.

In the eyes of the Cloud Sea Sword Spirit, a faint trace of admiration appeared.

"Mom... uh." Lu Ran blurted out, then paused.

The ethereal Qiao Wanjun smiled gently: "Don't restrain yourself, I am her."

Lu Ran pressed his lips together, remaining silent.

"She would be proud of you." The Sword Spirit's voice was light but full of conviction.

Because at this moment, she felt the same way.

Different identities bring different perspectives.

The Cloud Sea Sword Spirit always believed that the master facilitated this reunion not to have Lu Ran gather the former forces of the Cloud Sea, nor to inherit the will of the Sect Master.

Not to give Lu Ran something to rely on, either.

The Cloud Sea Sword Spirit felt that the master wanted her son to come home.

Wanted Lu Ran to be safely escorted back to the Human World by the former forces of the Cloud Sea.

And the person to convey this decree...

The Cloud Sea Sword Spirit realized that the person must be herself!

Because she was Qiao Wanjun.

Divine Weapons accompany their master, their thoughts intrinsically linked.

But the unexpected happened!

Lu Ran was far more outstanding than they imagined.

He didn't need her protection, didn't need the path she paved.

He could already return to the Human World!

Unlike others, Lu Ran chose to be in the harsh realm of the Holy Spirit Mountain, not out of desperation.

He came willingly!

Lu Ran didn't need to ascend to the Heavenly Realm because it was the only way home.

It was a path he chose himself!

Oh, master...

The Cloud Sea Sword Spirit's mind grew more complicated.

Did you think he would be in dire straits, his fate tragic?

But like you, he has become a mighty presence in a realm, even outshining you.

Even the gods and demons underestimated him.

Can those executioners from the Heavenly Realm really do anything to him?

"Counting the Ugly Slave, my subordinates include six in the heavenly realm... hmm?" Lu Ran paused, lifting his head slightly.

He surveyed the Sculpture Garden, finally focusing on the Evil Sculpture, Sea Merfolk.

[Divine Seeking General?]

[Sect Leader! Sorry to interrupt you, my wife is breaking through a bottleneck and is about to ascend to the Heavenly Realm!] In his mind, Xun Yifei's words resounded.

Lu Ran was overjoyed: [Ha! Good!]

Xun Yifei, also with a hint of a smile, added: [We must thank the children for pestering her to tell stories.]

[Oh?] Lu Ran showed interest, [What stories did the Luoshen General tell?]

[Her childhood, her hometown in the Human World. The children kept asking, clamoring to go play...]

[Hmm.] Lu Ran's smile gradually faded.

"What's wrong?" Deng Yuxiang asked softly.

Lu Ran quickly composed himself and smiled again: "The Ran Sect is about to have its seventh member ascend to the Heavenly Realm."

"Martial Emperor?" Deng Yuxiang guessed immediately.

Lu Ran shook his head: "Luoshen General."

Come to think of it, what happened with the Martial Emperor? He has long been at the Sea Realm Peak, yet Luo Ying outpaced him.

Not acceptable,

I need to go back and give him a bit of a nudge!

Though Lu Ran was also striving for a breakthrough with no success yet, it didn't prevent him from teasing others.

"Let's go, come back with me." Lu Ran clasped the floating Cloud Sea Dust Clear sword, gesturing to Yan Chou.

The Sword Spirit had no objections, curious to see the sect power that Lu Ran had established.

"By the way, little Yuanxi is with me too." Lu Ran said suddenly, as he accepted the sword sheath handed by Yan Chou.

Just as the Sword Spirit was about to merge with the sword, she froze.

The daughter who only existed in the memory scenes was also at the Holy Spirit Mountain?

"Seeing you will make her very happy." Lu Ran said softly, "She is still young, and since leaving the Human World, she has missed her mother dearly."

Lu Ran looked at the ethereal Qiao Wanjun, making a request: "Be gentle with her, will you?"

The Cloud Sea Sword Spirit nodded lightly: "Yes, I promise you."

Lu Ran slowly sheathed the sword.

This journey had yielded great rewards.

He initially thought of destroying the Sword Mountain faction to free his spirit for a breakthrough to the Heavenly Realm.

Unexpectedly, it led to discovering a secret thread laid out by Mother.

All this was supposed to be found after Lu Ran's ascension to the Heavenly Realm, yet, by coincidence, he received this gift in the Mountain Realm.

Lu Ran slightly lifted his cloak, sheathing the Cloud Sea Dust Clear sword at his waist.

I will cherish everything you have given me.

Your divine weapon, your old warriors...

Not only will I cherish them.

One day,

I will bring them, back to your side.

...