The Old Gods

Chapter 986 The Sword One's Promise
"Go." Qiao Wanjun placed one hand on her waist and gripped the hilt of her sword.

With the divine weapon now in upgrade mode, she naturally needed to concentrate and couldn't accompany Lu Ran to meet Jian Yi.

"I'll go with you," Lu Ran said directly.

"Go," Qiao Wanjun commanded, her voice turning slightly colder. "Don't keep the master waiting."

Lu Ran: "."

Okay~
He brushed past his mother and walked into the tunnel.

While others could see nothing in the pitch-black fog, Lu Ran could see everything clearly.

Emerging from the tunnel, one finds a stone chamber of moderate size.

The stone chamber was quiet and secluded, as if all the hustle and bustle had been shut out, and even time itself had frozen here.

Lu Ran knew it was his imagination, but there was nothing he could do; the woman standing in the stone chamber was just too quiet and too cold.

Her slender figure was tall and graceful, wearing a snow-white dress without any embellishment. The long skirt flowed like frost and mist onto the ground, untouched by any dust.

Against his extremely cold demeanor, Lu Ran looked as if he were looking at an exquisitely sculpted ice sculpture.

It was a kind of beauty that made one afraid to even entertain any blasphemous thoughts.

Her long, jet-black hair cascaded down her back and swept across her neck, making her skin appear even whiter and more translucent, creating a striking contrast with the rough stone walls around her.

She stood there quietly, her eyes lowered, like a still, calm lake.

Just as Lu Ran sensed, it was extremely cold and quiet.

Suddenly, she slightly raised her eyelids. Although she clearly lacked the ability to see through the fog, she accurately found the person who had come.

Their eyes even met.

"Lu Ran, son of Qiao Wanjun, greets Lord Jian Yi."

Lu Ran clasped his hands together and actually knelt down on both knees, performing a rare and grand salute: "Thank you, sir, for saving my mother's life and protecting my sister and me."

After the words were spoken, silence returned to the stone chamber.

Jian Yi stood quietly, as if silently sensing something. From within the pervasive mist, her soft voice drifted out:

"Much more respectful than last time."

"Last time?" Lu Ran looked up at the woman in the snow-white dress.

During those years in the capital, my mother often took me and Xiao Yuanxi to Jiantianque City for pilgrimage and worship.

But the last time in a real sense was probably at the sacrificial altar in my second year of high school.
Undeniably, Lu Ran was aiming for the Jade Talisman faction.

But if he is pushed to the brink by the paper-paper man, he will go with any god who descends.

“You don’t believe in God,” Jian Yi said calmly.

Lu Ran hesitated for a long time, but ultimately said nothing.

Lord Immortal Sheep also said something similar: "Have you ever believed in God?"

However, Yang Zong didn't care whether Lu Ran was a devout follower of the gods, and clearly stated:
"If you believe in gratitude and retribution, and in cause and effect, that is enough."

In retrospect, Lu Ran's disbelief and disrespect were objectively true.

No matter how much he tries to justify himself, or even if he genuinely believes he has faith in God, deep down, he is not a devout believer.

Why is this so?
A teenager who has been disciplined since childhood and constantly instilled with the idea of ​​worshiping God by his family, school and society can only become more and more devout and have his beliefs deeply rooted. Why would such an accident happen?

Was it because of that stormy night?

"Heh." Lu Ran lowered his head and chuckled.

it seems to be like this.

No matter how hard I try to save him, even if I could bring my deceased father back to life, it seems like I can't make up for it.

In retrospect, his father's death had nothing to do with his boastful words like "I'm all grown up now and I'm no longer afraid of thunder."

Lu Xing is definitely going to die.

That was a method used by gods and demons to force Qiao Wanjun to submit.

Even knowing everything, why can't I let go of it?
Well, if you can't get out of it, then so be it.

Why force it?

The boy trapped in the stormy night can live on in one's heart forever, reminding one of the path one came from.

A slight chill permeated the quiet stone chamber, awakening the young man from his reverie.

Lu Ran said in a deep voice, "If you, Sword Master, can lend me a hand, unify the gods and demons, and join forces to fight against foreign invasion, I will definitely treat you with sincerity."

The masses will be eternally grateful to you and your name will be sung for generations to come.

"How did you take down Blood Skull?"

“The Silent Domain,” Lu Ran told the truth. “I changed the rules of that realm, prohibiting the use of blood-skull magic.”

Jian Yi lowered his eyes, his gaze seemingly able to pierce through the thick fog and see the young man there: "That knife is in Nüying's hands."

Lu Ran nodded and said, "I challenged Nüying first. After fighting her, I was fortunate enough to gain her approval. She broke her Crimson Blade and gave me her domain."

Jian Yi remained silent for a long time before speaking softly: "Since her birth, only one type of being has gained her approval."

"Who?"

"The Faceless Jade Venerable".

Lu Ran: "."

It's often said that the person who understands you best might be your enemy.

It now seems that those who most approve of you may also be your enemies.

The two sides simply have different positions and cannot enjoy drinks together.

But does it not interfere with respect for each other on certain levels?
“You are indeed very similar to the Jade Venerable.” Jian Yi’s cold words were clear and distinct. “Breaking through the dust, with an ambition that shakes the heavens.”

Lu Ran frowned slightly: "Was the Faceless Jade Venerable once of lowly status, just like us humans?"

Jianyi did not respond.

Inside the stone chamber, a long silence fell once again.

It might be a quarter of an hour, or it might be half an hour.

The mist tornado that had descended from the sky gradually dissipated, and the Cloud Sea Dust Clear Sword transformed into a fourth-tier divine weapon.

"Lord Jianyi." Another cold voice came from the tunnel entrance. Qiao Wanjun picked up the longsword, stood at the entrance of the stone chamber, and greeted him respectfully.

In the darkness, Jian Yi glanced indifferently at the woman, then followed the faint glow of blood to look at the young man: "What result do you want from all this?"

Lu Ran stood up unsteadily, looked directly into Jian Yi's dark eyes, and said in a deep voice:
"The sea of ​​clouds and dust have cleared, and peace will last for a thousand autumns."

Jian Yi didn't say anything more, but simply raised his hand to the side.

Qiao Wanjun understood immediately, stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and presented the Yunhai Chenqing Sword with both hands.

Jian Yi did not take the longsword; instead, her cold, jade-like hand fell, her fingertips tracing the blade, feeling the divine weapon humming gently beneath her fingers.

"With the help of Master Jianyi, the Burning Gate can quell the war in the Three Realms more quickly, unify the gods and demons, and jointly repel foreign enemies, so that all living beings in the human world can suffer less."

Lu Ran said in a deep voice, and continued, "Lord Jianyi has performed countless merits and will be remembered for eternity, enjoying the respect and praise of the human race for generations."

Sword remained expressionless, long fingers resting on the cold blade, eyes lowered.

They are revered for generations.

Indeed, this is what the gods have been trying to obtain from humanity since their descent into the world.

It's no wonder that the human youth would say such a thing.

However, it's difficult to persuade a completely weary god with these methods.

Throughout the long years, the power shifts and the struggles for interests have remained unchanged.

It's always the same noise, no matter when or where.

Even the humble creatures that begin from nothing, their path of unyielding struggle, and their attempts to shake the heavens and the earth, all seem to be the same.

Another cycle has begun.

"Sir," Qiao Wanjun said softly, trying to say something for the child.

The slender, jade-like fingers that had been resting on the sword pressed down gently.

Qiao Wanjun hurriedly lifted the longsword with both hands and shut her mouth.

However, this move prompted the silent sword to speak: "After the clouds and dust clear, you will gradually become gods and demons."

"No!" Lu Ran said with unwavering determination, "My soldiers and I are different from gods and demons!"

"How old are you?" Jian Yi suddenly asked.

"Twenty." Lu Ran paused, his voice slightly lower, "In one more month, I'll be twenty-three."

"Twenty-three years old." Jian Yi suddenly smiled.

For the first time since Lu Ran entered the stone chamber, this woman, who was as cold as ice, showed an expression on her face.

I don't know when she last smiled.

A soft voice echoed in the dark stone chamber: "Two hundred and thirty thousand years from now, will you and those like-minded people still be the same as you are today?"

Lu Ran opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word.

The deity spoke again: "What about 230 million years from now?"

Lu Ran remained silent for a long time before finally saying, "I am too insignificant to have witnessed such a long period of time, even if it lasts for billions of years."

The gods and demons have been on earth for over forty years. Perhaps in your eyes, that's just a breath away, but for us humans…

Lu Ran's eyes were resolute as he said in a deep voice, "Since I have come into this world, I must seize every moment."

Jian Yi had already regained his expressionless demeanor, remaining unmoved by the human youth's resounding words.

There was neither praise nor disappointment.

Perhaps everything is as she thought, just another cycle.

As Jian Yi slowly withdrew his fingers from the sword, Qiao Wanjun immediately felt a relief from the pressure.

"Whoo~"

The divine afterimage that replaced the soul abruptly detached from Jian Yi's body, merged into the mountain, and returned to its original divine form.

Jian Yi's physical body stood silently, gradually disintegrating into mist.

"Mom." Lu Ran quickly stepped forward and helped Qiao Wanjun up.

Qiao Wanjun slightly raised her hand to stop Lu Ran from speaking. She raised her head slightly, as if listening to something.

After a moment, Qiao Wanjun lowered her voice and said, "Lord Jianyi told me some information."

Lu Ran asked hesitantly, "Provide information? She...she chose to join forces with us?"

Looking back on the entire exchange, Lu Ran sadly realized that he seemed to have nothing that could move Jian Yi.

No matter how many generations of reverence or what ideals and beliefs one holds, the other party remains unmoved.

"Yes, she wants some peace and quiet." Qiao Wanjun nodded gently.

Lu Ran pursed his lips tightly, sighing repeatedly in his heart.

Those who are without desires are invincible, which is the most difficult situation to resolve.

Fortunately, Master Jian still had desires, but what she wanted most was peace and quiet.
Qiao Wanjun continued, "Master Jianyi said that the Jade-Faced Serpent's faction contacted her a few days ago, asking her to destroy the Rouge Paper Divine Mountain."

Lu Ran's heart sank!
“Lord Jianyi ignored it.” Qiao Wanjun analyzed carefully, “Since the gods and demons know that Yanzhi Divine Mountain belongs to you, they should also know the ownership of Nuying Divine Mountain and Xuechen Divine Mountain.”

The gods and demons have already ascertained the situation, yet they haven't made a move, probably because they were rebuffed by Lord Jian.

Lu Ran nodded secretly.

The Burning Gate has a glorious record, first slaying the monk and then the Blood Skull.

The latter's death, in particular, completely changed the rules of the game, causing the gods and demons to enter a state of extreme clarity and caution.

The gods and demons kept shrinking their formation, and for several days they dared not make the slightest move.

“The gods and demons shouldn’t just sit idly by and wait to be killed.” Qiao Wanjun frowned slightly. “Blood Head has been dead for six or seven days, yet the gods and demons have remained inactive.”

Lu Ran's heart stirred: "Besides Sword Master, are there any other reclusive gods or demons? Those who could replace Sword Master?"

Qiao Wanjun pondered for a moment and said, "There shouldn't be any within the Great Xia territory."

"Foreign gods and demons?" Lu Ran's heart jumped into his throat.

The Immortal Sheep once said that there are five celestial battlefields like the Great Xia in the world!

Are martial arts practitioners, Jade-Faced Snakes, and their ilk in contact with first-class gods and demons outside the Great Xia?
(End of this chapter)