Summit of the Old Gods

At the break of dawn.

In the bedroom of Tianya Residence, a rustling sound could be heard.

Lu Ran stood in front of the wardrobe, clad in bamboo hat and bamboo clothes, transforming back into a mysterious hero of the rivers and lakes.

He donned the Blood Crystal Mask, covering the lower half of his face, making his entire presence even more enigmatic.

Lu Ran slowly turned his head, gazing toward the bed.

Jiang Ruyi lay on her side, deep in slumber, with a thin blanket draped at her waist, outlining a beautiful curve of her body and leaving him her silhouette.

The room was silent.

The Immortal jasmine tree exuded a faint jasmine fragrance, swirling through the skylight and lingering in the room, as if silently urging him to stay.

Lu Ran stared at his fiancée, lingering for a long time, before quietly turning away.

As his figure disappeared behind the screen, the seemingly sweetly sleeping girl on the bed quietly opened her eyes.

There was none of the initial grogginess from awakening, only the sorrow of parting in her gaze.

Slowly, Jiang Ruyi pulled the corner of the blanket over her head.

In the pitch-black blanket, one hand fell on the red bean bracelet on her wrist, her fingertips gently caressing the small red bean.

Now, she could break through at any time, entering the Sea Realm Peak.

But even if she advanced now, the breakthrough process would take 5 to 10 days.

Jiang Ruyi did not think there would be any problem with her Dao Heart, but even under the best circumstances, after entering the peak stage and seamlessly advancing to the Heavenly Realm, it would still take close to a month to break through.

So very long...

In the darkness, Jiang Ruyi slowly curled up her legs, her whole body curling into a ball.

In the hall, Lu Ran stood quietly with an Ancient Bronze Mirror in his hand.

"Shall we go?" Deng Yuxiang gently reminded him, as Lu Ran's movements had been frozen for several seconds.

She was also dressed in green bamboo clothes and a bamboo hat, her long black hair like a waterfall flowing down her back.

The smoky green yarn interwoven among it, like the flowing morning mist, dreamy and surreal.

"Hmm, let's go." The oval Ancient Bronze Mirror in Lu Ran's hand transformed into a Landing Mirror.

Deng Yuxiang immediately strode in with her long legs.

Lu Ran slightly turned his head, taking one last deep look in the direction of the bedroom under the brim of his hat before burying his head and walking into the mirror.

With just one step, he arrived at Mo Gu Peak.

"There shouldn't be anyone." Deng Yuxiang stood at the top of the peak, her gaze sweeping over a desolate scene.

She raised her eyes to the sky.

Not a cloud in the sky, as if there were no constraints.

But everyone in the mountains knew, an invisible cage always existed, blocking the lower realm people from escape.

"You'd better enter the gourd first, so we don't get separated." Lu Ran raised a hand, and the Blazing Phoenix Patterned Gourd at his waist immediately flew out and landed in his palm.

The executioners made it clear: upon ascending to the Heavenly Realm, living ones are not necessarily transported anywhere.

Only the Dead Souls left behind by the Human Clan and Evil Demons would be tightly held by contract threads, flying into the Heavenly Realm and reaching the appropriate Divine Mountain area.

"Call me out at the first moment." Deng Yuxiang reminded.

The little Blazing Phoenix immediately chanted a spell, sucking the Big Nightmare into the small gourd mouth.

Lu Ran carefully checked his equipment over again.

A Divine Power Bead Chain on his neck: 28 Sea Grade Divine Power Pearls the size of pigeon eggs; a small Divine Power Bead Strings at his right ankle: 8 River Grade Divine Power Pearls the size of quail eggs.

First Rank Silent Night Blade, Second Rank Dawn Blade, Third Rank Eight Desolates Annihilation Blade.

Cloud Sea Dust Clear Blade and Sword, respectively First Rank and Third Rank.

Additionally, there were two pieces combined into one as a Second-rank Magical Artifact·Ink Jade Tiger Talisman, and one Third-rank Magical Artifact·Blazing Phoenix Patterned Gourd.

This was all of Lu Ran's possessions.

Hmm... maybe not quite, he had fought in the Holy Spirit Mountain Realm and acquired many Divine Weapons and Magic Artifacts, most of which he distributed to his subordinates.

The Divine Weapons and Magic Artifacts of the Ran Sect's warriors naturally belonged to Lu Ran.

After all, even the people themselves belonged to Lu Ran.

"Heh..." Lu Ran let out a deep breath, taking another look at the world's end.

In the distant east, a red sun slowly rose, casting fierce morning rays.

Shining upon the vast, desolate Great Desert, fierce and magnificent.

Quite fitting for the scene.

"Whoosh~" Lu Ran gently floated upward, watching the mountain peak beneath his feet grow more distant.

Mo Gu Peak had long collapsed, yet it was still much taller than the average mountain, and Lu Ran had not ascended for long before sensing something amiss.

It was a very peculiar feeling.

As if some presence was inspecting his body, not a living being, neither benevolent nor malevolent.

More like... a rule?

Lu Ran raised his head to the azure sky, continuing to fly upward.

"Hmm." Suddenly he grunted, feeling a moment of suffocation in his previously normal breathing.

Horrifying energy vast as the sea seemed to drown him within.

"Hoo!!"

Lu Ran immediately accelerated, straining to sprint upward.

1 second, 2 seconds, 3 seconds...

Suddenly, Lu Ran felt a lightness in his body, and everything before his eyes completely changed.

He hastened to stop his ascent, suspending mid-air.

The sky had entirely darkened.

The Cloud Sea in the sky reappeared.

The exceedingly rich Divine Power environment clearly informing Lu Ran that he had arrived in another world!

"So this is the Heavenly Realm..."

Lu Ran murmured to himself, quickly surveying the scene, finding neither sign of the rising sun nor the desolate desert.

As he gazed around, mountains shrouded in mist, he felt a bit disoriented.

"This place seems like Hidden Thousand Mountains..."

Lu Ran landed on a mountain peak, looking at the sea of mist below, with one sharp peak after another emerging.

Boats sail across the misty sea, with sails competing against each other.

Is there a difference from the Qiānshān of the Seven Views of the Holy Spirit?

Yes!

Lu Ran lightly leaped down from the peak.

Strangely, he did not fall into the sea of mist.

When the mist submerged his waist, Lu Ran steadied his stance!

He half-knelt down, feeling a surge of energy in his eyes, then opened a pair of bird-like pupils.

Paper Kite Evil Technique·Simurgh's Eyes!

These eyes were far superior to Lu Ran's own; the sharp bird-like pupils were capable of seeing through the mist.

During the past few days of preparation, Lu Ran carefully chose among several bird stone sculptures.

Blazing Phoenix Divine Sculpture, Witch Crow Divine Sculpture...

In the end, he chose the Paper Kite Evil Sculpture because the reserve of dead souls was more abundant!

Previously, Lu Ran fought north and south in the Holy Spirit Mountain Realm, waging war for two months, and even rampaged in the Paper Kite Clan's base camp, Thousand Paper Abyss.

As expected, when he activated the Evil Sculpture·Paper Kite, the sculpture swiftly expanded its parameters until it reached the terrifying Heavenly Realm, then stabilized.

Lu Ran chose this elegant Evil Sculpture with a fragmented beauty precisely to clearly see his surroundings in the Heavenly Realm.

But a problem arose!

Lu Ran was able to see through the surrounding mist and saw the peaks submerged in the sea of mist from all directions.

Yet he couldn't see beneath his feet.

Below was not solid ground.

Lu Ran seemed to be standing on mist, or rather, on an invisible energy.

The ground below was a chaotic blur.

No light nor darkness, no solid form; in Lu Ran's eyes, it was all a haze.

He even had a creepy sensation!

Afraid that from the blurred depths below, some terrifying creature might suddenly spring forth...

[Little Lu Ran.] A familiar female voice echoed in his mind.

[Oh.] Lu Ran leaped back onto the peak behind him, holding the Blazing Phoenix Patterned Gourd, and summoned Deng Yuxiang out.

Deng Yuxiang stood firmly on the peak, quickly surveying the surroundings.

Instantly, her eyes showed a trace of bewilderment.

Even though the executioners of the Heavenly Realm had described the situation here, standing in the midst of it, she was still shaken to her core.

The sea of mist surging beneath.

The sea of clouds enveloping above.

Between the cloud sea and the mist sea, countless connected peaks stretched endlessly to the edge of sight.

Lu Ran and Deng Yuxiang were so insignificant, standing atop an unremarkable peak, once again confined within a realm of its own.

The two quietly observed, speechless for a long time.

This profound shock stemmed from the mysterious vast domain and the deep-seated feeling of insignificance and smallness within one's heart.

After a long while, Deng Yuxiang broke the silence: "Looks like we weren't transported directly near the Divine Mountain..."

Before she could finish, an earth-shattering sound suddenly erupted from above.

"Rumble!!"

"Hiss…" Lu Ran inhaled sharply, covering his ears.

Deng Yuxiang also showed a grimace, covering her ears; as Night Charm in the flesh, her hearing was on par with Lu Ran's.

Compared to the Mountain Realm, the sounds heard here were even more deafening, shaking Lu Ran's mind with pain.

Deng Yuxiang looked up in anger towards the sky.

Unfortunately, the thick cloud sea obscured everything.

The executioners had said that within the Divine Mountain region, believers could glimpse the Upper Realm by peering over the towering Mountain Stone Wall.

That's why Senior Bai Rao divided the beings' strength into the First Heaven, Second Heaven, and Third Heaven.

The specific criteria originated from the region.

Generally, only when your strength improved would you be summoned by the God to ascend to a higher sky.

"Whew~"

A luminescent white light emanated between Lu Ran's hands.

Like beautiful moonlight.

Ghost Moon Fox Evil Technique·Moonlight Fox!

This was a healing skill, both stealthy and handy.

A high-grade evil technique providing greater operability, Lu Ran didn't need to illuminate his entire body with moonlight, just his palms to emit the healing glow.

"Sis." Lu Ran approached Deng Yuxiang, extended his hand, and replaced her hands covering her ears with his own fingers passing through.

Deng Yuxiang did not reject Lu Ran's goodwill, silently feeling a life force flowing into her, healing everything, nurturing her soul.

The Heavenly Grade healing techniques are truly extraordinary!

So stealthy, yet with such terrifying healing effects.

If Lu Ran wished, he could even sweep across his body wounds unnoticed, healing them all instantly.

"Someone's here!" Deng Yuxiang suddenly turned her gaze, eyes passing beside Lu Ran's head, looking behind him.

"Hmm?" Lu Ran immediately glanced back, instantly focusing his gaze.

On a distant peak, a luminescent white figure appeared.

It... she resembled a jade sculpture.

That of sheepskin white jade.

The jade sculpture of considerable size, towering, with long luminescent white hair and jade-like robes, fluttered gently in the wind.

A blurry face turned slowly, as if searching for something.

In the dim world, she radiated a peculiar glow throughout.

Even somewhat... sacred?

It's truly hard to imagine that such an image and temperament from a jade sculpture is considered an external enemy...

....

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