The Old Gods

Chapter 899 Burning

The once spirited Phoenix Robe gradually drooped.

It stopped moving completely.

The Phoenix Soul Imprint failed!
Si Xianxian looked unwell, unsure of how to defend against the attack on her soul.

But as an evil goddess with a divine position, she managed to ward off the evil spirits.

"How did you manage to resist?" Jiang Ruyi frowned slightly.

"I, Ruyi, didn't do anything!" Si Xianxian misunderstood, thinking she had upset Jiang Ruyi, and hurriedly explained.

Jiang Ruyi nodded thoughtfully.

It seems that there are indeed differences in the strength of souls. Si Xianxian's soul is no ordinary thing, but a real divine soul!

In terms of grade, the Phoenix Robe is a third-tier magic weapon, comparable to the Heavenly Realm.

Perhaps, once it advances to the fourth tier, the Phoenix Soul Imprint will be effective against gods and demons?
"Ruyi," Si Xianxian whispered, reaching out her hand and pitifully taking Jiang Ruyi's hand.

Jiang Ruyi came to her senses and looked at the other person's guilty expression, and couldn't help but smile: "It's good that you were able to test the limits. You've been a great help."

Si Xianxian breathed a sigh of relief and nodded repeatedly: "Then what you promised me..."

Jiang Ruyi gave the other person a light glare: "After you kill Qian Siying."

"I'll remember that~" Si Xianxian said, quickly sending a telepathic message, [Young Master, Young Master, when are we going to kill Qian Siying?]

[We'll have to wait at least a couple of days until the Celestial Phoenix statue stops trembling.]

Lu Ran responded helplessly via telepathy, then confirmed the details with Jiang Ruyi before activating the Evil Sculpture Soul-Hooking Horse.

Then, he became mentally disabled.

At the same time, in Chang'an City, Shaanxi Province.

A woman, whose form was concealed, held a short knife and stood high in the sky with the aid of a divine weapon.

Beneath her feet lay the ancient city of Xiu Gu, a divine city within the city of Chang'an.

Rust is the rust that is formed when something rusts.

"Lonely" might mean arrogant or aloof.

In the Great Xia Dynasty, Rusty Lonely City was a very famous place, on par with Sword Heaven Palace in the capital, Pear Garden in Guangzhou and Foshan, and Vajra Ancient Temple in Songshan.

Both are ancient cities where first-class gods reside!
"Dingling bell~"

A gust of wind blew by, and Yan Shuangzi heard the sound of metal clashing.

She looked in that direction and saw that at the bustling city gate, countless rusted spearheads hung on the city wall.

Densely packed, they hummed in the wind.

Yan Shuangzi looked into the interior of the ancient city and saw a towering, earth-shaking divine statue in the distance.

The statue is blurry, but one can barely make out the image of an old man.

He was hunched over, his clothes were slightly bulky and tattered, giving him a disheveled appearance, and he was holding a long spear in his hand.

Despite being a massive stone sculpture, it appears small to the eye.

Hmm. It's probably because of my body proportions.

First-class Divine Spear Decay!

In the past, when Yan Shuangzi met the gods, she would have been filled with awe and worshipped them with utmost sincerity.

Now she stands suspended in mid-air, coldly watching the rotten statue.

The respect and awe she felt had long been reserved for a young man.

All that remained for the gods and demons was a murderous intent.

"Whoosh~" In the gentle breeze, Yan Shuangzi, holding her divine weapon, slowly flew into the city.

Rusty Lonely City covers a considerable area, with thriving incense offerings and a constant stream of tourists. Trying to find someone here is somewhat like searching for a needle in a haystack.

Yan Shuangzi, however, did not think so.

She ignored the bustling outer city and headed straight for the inner city.

A wall separates them, yet they are worlds apart!

The bustling outer city contrasted sharply with the tranquility of the inner city.

Yan Shuangzi searched the inner city and mostly encountered disciples from the River Realm, as well as some people from the River Realm.

In the mortal realm, Jiang Jing would be worthy of being called a great power.

Enough to protect a region and be revered by all.

But to Yan Shuangzi, people in rivers and lakes are no different from ants, and even the vast ocean is just a slightly larger ant.

However, the low level of the human disciples saved Yan Shuangzi a lot of trouble.

As a prodigy of the Great Xia Dynasty, Wang Ling would not remain confined to the River Realm or the Jiang Realm. Even in the ancient city beneath the feet of a god, people from the Sea Realm are quite rare.

Yan Shuangzi's search speed was incredibly fast. Once she sensed the existence of the Vast Sea, she confirmed it further.

Unfortunately, all she saw were middle-aged and elderly believers. Yan Shuangzi stopped in front of a secluded courtyard.

Behind the door, there were fluctuations of divine power from the people of the Sea Realm.

Compared to energy fluctuations, intangible aura and pressure are more direct.

Yan Shuangzi did not rush to teleport in. Instead, she slowly flew up, holding the Xiaoling Blade, and flew over the high wall. She saw two people playing chess under the tree in the courtyard.

A middle-aged man with disheveled hair, and a thin young man.

Yan Shuangzi's eyes flickered slightly.

Wang Ling!

He looked much thinner than he appeared in the photos.

It's unknown what he went through in the years after "Tianjiao" was suspended.

Sniff~
Yan Shuangzi slowly flew down into the courtyard, sniffed, and smelled a trace of alcohol, which should be coming from the middle-aged man.

This disheveled fellow had a weathered air about him and looked somewhat颓废 (颓废 is a difficult word to translate directly, but it conveys a sense of listlessness, decadence, and apathy).

The garden was completely silent, save for the occasional sound of the two players placing their pieces.

Yan Shuangzi remained quietly and silently, a practice she was an expert among experts in.

After all, the person she protected day and night was named Lu Ran.

How keen are the senses of a burning dog?
When she was on guard in secret, even the slightest sound she made could disturb him.

The game of chess went on until dusk, when the outcome was finally decided.

Before the outcome was decided, the young man finally spoke: "Uncle, I lost."

"If you lose, you have to buy alcohol," the middle-aged man said hoarsely.

Wang Ling said helplessly, "Uncle Quan, it's almost the fifteenth. Let's drink after we finish defending the city."

Wang Quan smirked, looking nonchalant: "Whether we can stay in the city until the fifteenth is still uncertain."

"No!" Wang Ling was startled and quickly stopped her uncle from talking nonsense.

There have indeed been fewer people in the inner city over the past month.

Missing?

Yes, but the uncle and nephew knew where their predecessors had disappeared.

Great Hall of Reverence!

Once you enter the palace gate, there is no way out.

What did Lord Qiangxiu do to his followers? Where did those Jianghai disciples go?

No one knows.

"Go, buy some wine." Wang Quan waved his hand casually.

Wang Ling had no choice but to stand up and walk towards the door.

Yan Shuangzi gleaned some clues from their conversation.

These are two powerful figures from the Sea Realm. Where else could they go if not to stay in the city?

Deep within the Demon's Lair?

Or perhaps they will be assigned to other urban areas to guard a region?
No matter where you go, you will have to go through the chaos of the Fifteenth Rebellion; Wang Ling's excuse for urging others to drink is universal.

Therefore, digging deeper, the man's implication was that he was unsure whether the uncle and nephew would still be alive before the fifteenth day of the lunar month.

Yan Shuangzi frowned slightly as she calmly analyzed the situation.

The Vast Sea is an unchallenged force in the mortal realm, and the Gun-Rotten Sect even possesses the ability to teleport. So what kind of being could make someone from the Vast Sea feel lost about their fate tomorrow?
There is an answer, and it's the only one: the gun is rotten!
Yan Shuangzi knew that the gods never treated people as human beings, but she also knew that the gods would not crush the believers of the Sea Realm for no reason.

As she thought about it, she suddenly understood!
Perhaps the matter doesn't need to escalate to the level of life and death; the man was simply feeling lost about his future and where he was.

That is
Yan Shuangzi meticulously analyzed and considered the possibility that the two of them would be thrown into Holy Spirit Mountain.

On the battlefield in the heavens, the gods and demons suffered heavy losses. The gods should indeed have reacted quickly and thrown their disciples into the breeding ground for poisonous insects.

We must expedite the development of powerful beings at the Heavenly Realm level and get them to join the Heavenly Battlefield as soon as possible.

Yan Shuangzi unconsciously fiddled with the Xiaoling Blade, and a plan gradually took shape.

Meeting in the mountains would be a good choice.
Day and night alternate.

Time flew by, and three days later it arrived.

At dawn, a voice transmission entered Yan Shuangzi's mind: [Sister, have you found them?]

【Found it.】 Yan Shuangzi stood on the roof of her secluded courtyard, surveying the desolate inner city.

[Oh?] Lu Ran immediately perked up.

Wang Ling lives with a middle-aged man whom she calls Uncle Quan. I found his information online; his name is Wang Quan, and he is a relative of Wang Ling.

【Royal power?】Lu Ran was taken aback.

Memories from many years ago resurfaced in my mind.

Does the owner recognize him?

"Is that so?" Lu Ran smiled and shook his head. "Back then, I guarded Rain Alley City with this person. That night, the Evil Spear Emperor attacked."

Moreover, it was a nighttime procession of ghosts, plus the descent of a demon lord!
Wow, do you know how I got through that night?

Listening to the young man's rambling, Yan Shuangzi couldn't help but smile slightly, as if she could picture his pouting face.

[Sister? Are you listening?]

[Hmm, I investigated Rusty Lonely City for several days and discovered that many powerful figures have disappeared without a trace in the past month. It seems they were thrown into Holy Spirit Mountain by Gun-Rot.]

【oh? 】

Yes, this has only happened in the last month.

Lu Ran's heart stirred slightly as he pondered, "We started our god-slaying spree on the fifteenth of last month."

Yan Shuangzi analyzed: "[Qiang Xiu probably wants human combat power. The remaining Sea Realm believers in the city are all quite old, so there's probably not much potential left to tap into, making it difficult for them to ascend to the Heavenly Realm.]"

She paused, then continued, "The Wang family uncle and nephew are young and strong; they could be thrown into the mountains at any time. Why don't we..."

Listening to the woman's detailed analysis, Lu Ran was filled with admiration and nodded repeatedly.

He truly deserves to be called the leading figure of the younger generation in the North Wind faction!

No wonder he's my family's biggest villain!

Logically, Qiang Xiu should have kept Wang Ling pinned down in the mortal realm, but the situation has changed. The gods and demons have suffered heavy losses, and the situation is not optimistic.

Wang Tianjiao, whose talent is explosive, was thrown into the mountains to accelerate his growth, which may actually help him ascend to the celestial realm faster.

Become an important fighting force on the battlefield!

Okay, then you can go back to hiding.

【Shh!】 Before Lu Ran could finish speaking, Yan Shuangzi’s command to shush came through his mind.

Lu Ran: "."

In a daze, he thought it was Deng Yuxiang giving the order.

That's why I say you two are best friends.

Lu Ran secretly grumbled to himself, but dared not utter another word, for fear of disturbing the other party.

Far away in the Rusty Lonely City, Yan Shuangzi, standing on the rooftop, watched as the uncle and nephew, dressed neatly and carrying long spears, walked out of the small courtyard.

Wang Ling was always impeccably clean, dressed smartly and dashingly in a black outfit.

The disheveled, weathered man, however, was surprisingly mindful of his appearance today, tying his long hair into a ponytail and donning a neat and stylish outfit.

More importantly, both of them were carrying weapons!
Yan Shuangzi realized something, grabbed her blade with one hand, and quietly followed.

With her other hand, she reached into her bosom and pulled out a small note that she had prepared beforehand.

Yan Shuangzi flew forward, following the uncle and nephew, and indeed arrived at the temple of worship. The small piece of paper in her hand was also gently crumpled into a ball between her fingers.

She secretly followed them into the temple and found that more than ten people were already kneeling in worship deep inside the hall.

After waiting for a while, a full twenty people were gathered before the heavy palace doors slowly closed.

The hall was deathly silent, and Yan Shuangzi was on edge.

Back then, she shattered the Divine Ruins and stormed into the Holy Spirit Mountain with great fanfare.

However, 99% of the people in the mountains were thrown in directly by the gods they worshipped.

Yan Shuangzi had never experienced this scene, but she had heard about it, and now she was about to witness it with her own eyes.

Wang Ling knelt on the prayer mat, head bowed, listening to the teachings of the deity.

Holy Spirit Mountain?
The breath of the Holy Spirit?

Practice diligently and do not slack off.
The aloof and arrogant Lord Gun-Rot is unusually talkative today.

Wang Ling dared not show anything, and secretly glanced at his uncle kneeling beside him.

He noticed that Wang Quan was expressionless and his eyes were lowered.

He was only in his forties, but his eyes looked cloudy, like those of an old man nearing the end of his life.

Ugh.
Uncle Quan was right after all.

Sure enough, before the fifteenth day was up, the two were summoned to the Temple of Worship by the deity.

What exactly is Mount Holy Spirit?
Cultivate with all your might
Is the cultivation environment there better? Is the energy even denser than in the ancient city beneath the feet of the gods?
"call!!"

Wang Ling suddenly looked up and saw that a thick fog was being released from the several-meter-high stone sculpture of a spear inside the hall, surging towards the people inside.

The terrifying energy fluctuations left everyone speechless.

It was at this moment that Wang Ling suddenly noticed something unusual in his palm.

A mysterious, invisible being, with its fingertip touching a ball of paper the size of a marble, touched Wang Ling's palm.

Wang Ling reacted incredibly quickly, instinctively clenching his fist and grasping the small piece of paper, but he failed to grasp the mysterious man's fingers.

"Whoo~"

The mysterious figure vanished within the thick fog.

Amidst the terrifying fluctuations of divine power, the group of Gun Xiu disciples then departed.

Wang Ling felt a blur before his eyes, and a gentle breeze brushed his face.

Looking around, there is a lush and green forest, and looking up, there are fluffy white clouds floating in the azure sky.

Is this Mount Holy Spirit?

It looks wonderful.

"Senior brother? Where are you going?" a voice called out.

A slightly older disciple of the Spear Clan glanced coldly at the crowd and then rode away on a cloud.

"Senior brother, Lord Gunxiu has instructed us to gather the Holy Spirit Qi and diligently cultivate. Should we...?" As the young man spoke, several more Gunxiu disciples departed.

The disciples of this sect are eccentric and powerful, so it's quite unusual for them to venture into Holy Spirit Mountain in groups.

"Let's go, Xiaoling."

"Yes." Wang Ling immediately agreed and left with Wang Quan.

A team of twenty people disbanded just like that.

Hmm. That's pretty bad.

If it weren't for their blood relation, Wang Quan probably wouldn't bother with Wang Ling.
The uncle and nephew rode on white clouds, exploring the unknown world.

After a moment, Wang Quan frowned slightly.

This world seems full of life, but it is strange in every way. There are not a single bird or beast, not even an insect.

Wang Quan turned to look at his nephew, about to say something, when he saw Wang Ling staring wide-eyed at his palm.

"What?" Wang Quan arrived instantly and looked at Wang Ling's hand.

It was a crumpled little note with neat handwriting, seemingly written by a woman:
Southeast of the mainland, the Thousand Flower Mountains.

— Ignite.

(End of this chapter)