The Old Gods

Chapter 1022 Heavenly Palace Twilight (Part 2)

Black clouds invaded all directions, engulfing everything and bringing extreme darkness.

The dense fog continuously seeped into Lu Ran's water armor and tried to penetrate his body, disrupting the divine power within him.

"Whoosh~" Lu Ran urged the purification technique with all his might, and the radiant blade in his hand became even more dazzling.

The sound of robes fluttering came from afar.

Suddenly, a dark shadow appeared, skillfully blending into the dark clouds at an astonishing speed!

"呲-"

Thick immortal mist suddenly erupted from beneath Lu Ran's feet, and his figure darted forward.

Immortal Hoof, open!

The techniques are integrated into one, with a blend of evil consciousness and wolfish feeling, unleashing full power!

Evil, Agility, and Wolf Agility—all maxed out!
Lu Ran was dodging the enemy's attacks while also unleashing his divine weapon domain. Wherever he passed, the Radiant Blade left an extremely thin and bright trail of light in mid-air.

"Whoosh!" Another dark figure attacked, accompanied by the sound of a spear piercing through the air.

It was terrifying to hear!
Lu Ran reacted incredibly quickly. A wave of wind rose beneath his feet, and a burst of immortal mist shot out from beneath him, causing him to abruptly change direction and continue charging forward to the left.

However, after rushing forward less than twenty meters, Lu Ran felt a huge spear tip thrusting towards him at lightning speed from directly in front of him.

First out of the tiger's den, then into the wolf's lair!
With the blessing of the Divine Art: Immortal Hoof, how long would it take Lu Ran to rush forward 20 meters?
Lightning flash!

In such a short time, there were already spearheads thrusting at the front.

Inside the prison, the Evil Gun Emperor is everywhere!

Every wisp of black mist is the Evil Spear Emperor, yet none of them are.

As long as the dark clouds persist, the Gun Emperor will never perish.

Lu Ran was well aware of this.

He sparred with Yan Chou and trained in the gun prison for an unknown period of time, from the initial teleportation escape to the later frantic spellcasting, exhausting all his life's learning, and struggling through it all.

The word "crisis" is composed of two words.

Lu Ran knew that this Evil Cloud Gun Prison, which was ten kilometers in diameter, might be his burial place, but it could also be the final resting place of the Evil Gun Emperor!

"呲-"

Lu Ran stomped his left foot heavily, turning to the right front, and his immortal hooves suddenly accelerated.

Like shifting gears, it elevates the product from the highest grade to the highest grade.

But in the next moment, its speed suddenly dropped, plummeting from the highest level to the lowest level!

The two black mist spears that pierced from the upper diagonal were completely absorbed into the black clouds, and even Lu Ran could not see them.

After all, the spears were also made of black mist. Since Lu Ran could see through the mist, he could naturally see through the spears made of black clouds as well.

The only visible silhouette of the Evil Gun Emperor was the Evil Sculpture that appeared everywhere.

"Ding!"

"Clang!!" The two spears formed an "X" shape and passed in front of the human whose speed had suddenly decreased.

Lu Ran accelerated once again, speeding through the gap beneath the two giant gun barrels.

The First Form of the Burning Gate Saber Technique: Asking the Moon!
Don't blindly pursue speed.

There is no absolute speed in this world. There will always be mountains beyond mountains, especially when your enemy is incredibly powerful. Your ultimate limit may just be the lower limit of theirs.

There is no limit to speed, but there is a limit to rhythm!
"呲-"

Within the thick black fog, that extremely thin, dazzlingly bright beam of light suddenly accelerated.

"Oh?" A surprised voice came from within the Evil Cloud Gun Prison.

The Evil Gun Emperor was indeed somewhat surprised.

Within his domain, he possessed overwhelming speed, and due to the domain's characteristics, the Evil Spear Emperor was omnipresent, effectively achieving the effect of "teleportation."

But that human youth stubbornly forged ahead despite the heavy encirclement!
They lunged left and right, sometimes fast, sometimes slow.

It floats up and down, and flashes in place.

That extremely thin yet incredibly bright line contained terrifying energy, meandering and spreading, poised to unleash its power!
This was a scene that the Evil Gun Emperor had not anticipated.

He had already realized what the human youth was up to.

Logically speaking, Lu Ran should have teleported away; a mere ten-kilometer range could have been broken with a single teleport.

This renders the Evil Gun Emperor's ultimate move futile.

But Lu Ran didn't!

He carried the radiant sword and moved through the pitch-black gun prison.

Even though a mere touch from the tip of a spear would mean certain death, he still ran.

He says,

He has his own Wujiang River.

Logically speaking, once the Evil Spear Emperor realized what Lu Ran was about to do, he should have immediately stopped casting the spell, rendering everything Lu Ran did futile.

But the Evil Gun Emperor didn't stop!

Instead, it charged towards Lu Ran at lightning speed, summoning countless black mist spears, its attack becoming even more ferocious.

We must completely annihilate the human race before they break out of the territory.

This is a very interesting scene.

Two of the world's top warriors made irrational decisions, yet it seems to fit the underlying nature of a human and an evil god.

Why wouldn't Lu Ran teleport away to escape?

Why does the Evil Gun Emperor refuse to reclaim his domain?
Why did that king who committed suicide at Wujiang refuse to cross the river?
"Shhh!!"

In the pitch-black clouds, Lu Ran suddenly flashed in place.

In an instant, a massive black shadow wielding a spear pierced through the tiny human, demonstrating its incredible speed.

The moment Lu Ran appeared, the tip of the radiant blade touched the end of the extremely dazzling fine line, once again continuing the divine weapon domain.

"呲-"

People passed by, guns clashed.

Countless black mist spears attacked from all directions, their tips precisely touching each other, their shafts resembling upright and sturdy petals, forming a blooming flower.

The tiny human soared straight upwards, stomped hard in mid-air, and flew backwards.
"Human! Do you really think you can fight your way out?" A majestic voice suddenly rang out, and a huge figure merged into the black clouds, blocking the path of the tiny creature.

"Clang clang clang clang~"

"Dong dong dong dong." The response to the Evil Spear Emperor was the sudden sound of gongs and drums.

A human and an evil god appeared together on the stage of a martial arts drama.

Lu Ran showcased the results of his special training and also unleashed his trump card. He flew backward and looked at Xie Su, whose movement speed suddenly decreased in his field of vision.

His eyes were icy cold, his voice chilling, as he responded with the same words:
"You think you can stop me?"

Two voices came from the Gun Prison one after the other, silencing the Gun Saint Mountain and putting the Burning Gate camp in solemn silence.

It seems that the moment of truth is approaching for the two emperors shrouded in mist?
Jiang Ruyi pursed her lips tightly, looking at the lines of rosy light that even the black mist could not obscure.

That was the only light in the pitch-black realm.

She knew that was also Lu Ran's movement trajectory.

The crooked, thin lines of rosy light were shocking to her; it was hard for her to imagine how the young people in the region had survived such near-death experiences!
Each bend in the rays of the sunset represented a brush with death he had experienced.

Jiang Ruyi has stood by Lu Ran through thick and thin, and has rarely complained about him.

In just a few short years, the two experienced too many separations, and he went to the battlefield time and time again, causing her great worry.

Beneath that perpetually aloof face lies a heart tormented by constant trials.

As long as Lu Ran did not succeed, she would suffer torment and torture every day. Jiang Ruyi could never get used to it, but she had long since learned to silently endure and digest everything on her own.

But this time, Jiang Ruyi was genuinely resentful.

Those bright lines have truly been bent countless times.
In today's battle, Lu Ran teetered between life and death more times than he had in all his previous years of battles.

Jiang Ruyi's Dao heart was about to break. Lady Ranmen's emotions naturally affected the surrounding atmosphere, and the soldiers were extremely tense and silent.

Only a soft sigh came from Qiao Yuanxi's fingertips.

"Heh," Qiao Wanjun stood with her hands behind her back, gazing at the ten-thousand-meter area swallowed by the black clouds, watching the thin lines struggling within.

She could understand why such a scene would happen.

This was indeed a life-or-death struggle.

However, it is also extremely special because this battle is based on the dignity and honor of both sides.

The word "dignity" might not be quite accurate; it should be elevated to a higher level—pride.

In a daze, Qiao Wanjun seemed to see herself from back then.

In that dark world, a pitiful creature constantly struggling and stumbling around.

My son is much better than me.

He was almost at the edge of the territory, about to break out.
"Oh my! It's coming out!" came a cry of surprise.

"Great!" Si Xianxian was both surprised and delighted as she watched the bright line rush towards the edge of the domain, and it suddenly accelerated.

Inside the Evil Cloud Spear Prison, Lu Ran faced the spear thrusting towards him. He leaped onto the spear shaft and launched a diagonal thrust at the side of the Evil Spear Emperor.

The overwhelming black and gold imperial robes resembled a monstrous wave.

Amidst the drumming and gonging of the martial arts faction, the turbulent waves in Lu Ran's eyes rose and fell, yet they moved with a slow, deliberate cadence.

The tiny human race passed over the spearhead and shaft, and actually walked on the waves, clinging to the Evil Spear Emperor's imperial robe.

Three speed increases in a row!
Each time they were faster than the last, leaving the Evil Shade and Black Wave far behind.

"呲-"

Lu Ran spun forward, his radiant blade tracing a beautiful spiral pattern amidst the black mist.

Success is within reach!

Suddenly, his eyes narrowed.

As he spun and thrust, for a fleeting moment, he saw the enormous silhouette of the evil sculpture behind him.

The Evil Spear Emperor stood still, making no further moves.

He lowered his head slightly, looking at the dazzling lines that swept past his side. His stone hand slowly reached out, his palm cupping the line as if sensing the terrifying energy contained within.

Those closed eyes seemed to be carefully sensing everything inside the gun prison, "watching" the human youth leave.

For the Evil Spear Emperor, the outcome of the battle seems to have already been decided?
"呲-"

The next instant, the human youth soared diagonally into the sky, flying backwards out of the twenty-mile-long Evil Cloud Gun Prison, and stood tall in the high heavens.

Lu Ran remained silent, looking down.

The enormous, malevolent sculpture in the pitch-black gun prison appeared so calm, its outstretched hand extending a slender finger to gently brush away the bright, blinding light.

"puff!!"

That ray of light is the form of countless rays of light condensed to their ultimate form.

Now it bursts forth fiercely!
A vast torrent of rosy light suddenly burst forth, engulfing the thick black clouds, dispelling the extreme darkness, and completely illuminating the third heaven.

Every wisp of black mist within the Evil Cloud Gun Prison is not the Evil Gun Emperor.

As long as the dark clouds do not dissipate, the Gun Emperor will not be defeated.

And when the torrent of rosy light engulfed everything, every wisp of black mist...
They're all evil gun masters!
"Boom!"

Blazing flames splashed onto the evil sculpture, creating a deafening sound.

The Evil Spear Emperor was sent flying backward, his chest and abdomen shattered, and pebbles scattered all over the ground.

As the Evil Cloud Gun Prison was swallowed by the torrent of rosy light and the endless black clouds were completely burned to ashes, cracks began to crawl wildly out of the Evil Gun Emperor's stone body.

Densely packed, a shocking sight.

It even gives the impression that his entire stone sculpture body will shatter completely as he falls into the sea of ​​fog.

Lu Ran shielded his face with one hand to block the blinding light, but couldn't help squinting through his fingers as he watched the flying evil sculpture.

With a muffled thud, it was as if the dust had settled.

The evil sculpture crashed heavily into the sea of ​​mist, its right arm and right leg shattering with a deafening roar, sending countless fragments of rock flying everywhere.

The once noble emperor has now become such a miserable figure. Even his enemies would probably feel a pang of sorrow and sigh in sympathy upon seeing him.

The massive stone body slowly came to a stop sliding.

The world fell silent, as if a mute button had been pressed.

"Whoosh~~~"

Everything in the world seemed to be frozen in time, except for a huge robe that flew from afar, heading straight for its former owner.

The imperial robes are about to explode!
The battle had just begun when it was teleported away by a despicable human villain.

But by the time it desperately flew back, it was too late.

"Buzz!!" The imperial robe rapidly approached, but then immediately reacted, trying its best to slow down the energy fluctuations around it.

That nearly broken evil sculpture could no longer withstand any more wind or rain.

The imperial robe slowly drifted down, gently covering its master and concealing the emperor's broken body.

"It's alright." The Evil Spear Emperor replied casually, unaware of what the imperial robe and its master had said telepathically.

As soon as the Evil Spear Emperor opened his mouth, his lips cracked and pebbles fell in a flurry.

The imperial robe tightly wrapped around the entire stone sculpture, while the Evil Spear Emperor looked up at the sky and saw a tiny human.

"Help me up."

The Emperor's Robe only wanted its master to lie there and wait for Ghost Moon Fox to come and cast a spell to heal him, but it dared not disobey its master's orders, so it carefully wrapped the evil sculpture and flew away.

The Evil Spear Emperor slightly raised his chin, his shattered face still full of arrogance, looking down at the insignificant human youth.

Lu Ran remained silent for a long time before finally saying softly, "You should have taken back the Evil Cloud Gun Prison long ago, or stayed away from that ray of light."

"Heh." The Evil Spear Emperor chuckled freely, raising his eyes to gaze into the distance.

Lu Ran turned his head and looked over. Whether it was the gods and demons on the sacred mountain or the soldiers of the Ran Clan, they were all silently watching this side.

Each stone face was filled with expressions of sadness, solemnity, or complexity.

【Yan Chou.】

"Young Master?" Yan Choushi sculpted his way over and stood below Lu Ran, his face showing a questioning expression.

"Wine." Lu Ran raised his head slightly, gesturing towards the Evil Spear Emperor.

Yan Chou immediately obeyed the order, took out a black cloud-patterned gourd from his waist, and threw it over.

"Haha!" The Evil Spear Emperor suddenly burst into laughter, "You, you do understand my heart."

The hem of the emperor's robe swiftly wrapped around the treasure gourd and brought it to its master's mouth.

"Glug, glug"

The Evil Spear Emperor tilted his head back and drank heartily.

More and more cracks appeared on the stone surface, and the stone skin peeled off in pieces until...
"Crash!"

The emperor's robe was suddenly empty, and the enormous stone sculpture shattered with a crash.

Only a gourd with black cloud patterns remained suspended in the air, from which flowed clear, divine wine.

"Woo~~~"

From the distant summit of the sacred mountain, a mournful fox cry echoed.

Like crying and complaining.

It echoed in the dim world.

—Volume Five, The Heavenly Palace at Dusk, End of Volume

One update today, a new chapter tomorrow.

(End of this chapter)