"Go." Qiao Wanjun placed one hand on her waist, gripping the sword hilt.

The Divine Weapon had entered its upgrade mode, and naturally, she had to focus her attention and couldn't accompany Lu Ran to meet Sword One.

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

"Go." Qiao Wanjun's voice was slightly colder, commanding, "Don't keep the Lord waiting."

Lu Ran: "..."

Alright then~

He brushed past his mother and headed into the tunnel.

In this foggy darkness where one couldn't see their hand in front of their face, others could see nothing, but Lu Ran could see everything clearly.

Upon exiting the tunnel, it was a stone chamber, neither large nor small.

The stone chamber was secluded, as if all the chaos and disturbances were isolated outside, even time seemed frozen here.

Lu Ran knew it was his illusion, but he couldn't help it; the woman standing inside was too quiet, too cold.

That slender figure was tall and upright, in a snow-white long dress without any patterns or decorations, its long skirt hem drifting like frost mist on the ground, unstained by a single speck of dust.

The extreme cold aura made Lu Ran feel like he was looking at a meticulously carved ice sculpture.

It was a kind of beauty that dared not breed any profane thoughts.

Her pitch-black long hair cascaded down her back, also across her neck, further accentuating her cold white translucent skin, creating a stark contrast with the surrounding rough stone walls.

She stood there quietly, with eyes lowered, seeming like a cold lake, tranquil and undisturbed.

Just as Lu Ran felt, extremely cold, extremely still.

Suddenly, she slightly raised her eyelids, and despite lacking the ability to see through the fog, she accurately located the newcomer.

Even intertwining gaze with Lu Ran.

"Lu Ran, son of Qiao Wanjun, greets Lord Sword One."

Lu Ran clasped his hands together and, unusually, kneeled, performing a grand gesture: "Thank you, Lord, for rescuing my mother's life and protecting me and my sister."

Once the words fell, the stone chamber returned to stillness.

Sword One stood silently, as if quietly sensing something amidst the pervasive fog, her voice gently emerged:

"Much more respectful than last time."

"Last time?" Lu Ran lifted his gaze towards the snow-white-dressed woman.

During those years in Beijing, his mother often took him and Little Yuanxi to Jiantianque City for pilgrimage and worship.

But in terms of a truly meaningful last time, it should be that year in high school at the God Worship Platform?

Undeniably, Lu Ran was there for the Jade Talisman Sect.

However, pressured by the Yan Paperman, any divine descent would have made him follow.

"You do not believe in gods," Sword One said lightly.

Lu Ran hesitated for a long time, in the end saying nothing.

The Immortal Sheep had also mentioned similar words: "When have you ever believed in gods?"

However, the Sheep General didn't care whether Lu Ran revered the gods and clearly expressed:

"You believe in vengeance, believe in cause and effect, that's enough."

Now it seems, Lu Ran's disbelief and irreverence objectively exists.

No matter how he argues, even if he sincerely believes he has faith in the divine, in his subconscious, in the deepest part of his heart, he's not a devout believer.

Why is it this way?

A youth trained from childhood, continuously indoctrinated by family, school, and society with the ideology of venerating gods, can only become increasingly devout, with ingrained thoughts, why would anything go awry?

Is it because... that thunderstorm night?

"Ha." Lu Ran lowered his head, chuckling softly.

Seems like it is.

No matter how much he salvages, even if he could revive his deceased father, it seems it's irreparable.

Now it appears that his father's death had nothing to do with his bravado saying "grown up, no longer afraid of thunder."

Lu Xing definitely was going to die.

That was a means for the God Demons to coerce Qiao Wanjun into submission.

Yet even knowing everything, why can't he still let go?

Hmm... if you can't walk away, then you can't.

Why force it?

The youth trapped in that thunderstorm night can always reside in his heart, reminding him of the path before.

The stone chamber exudes strands of coldness, awakening the contemplative young man.

Lu Ran said deeply, "If Lord Sword One could lend me a hand, unite the God Demon Camp, and join forces to resist the foreign invasion, I would surely respond sincerely.

All beings would also be grateful, sung for ages."

"How did you seize the Blood Skull?"

"Domain of Silence," Lu Ran truthfully replied, "I altered the rules of that world, prohibiting Blood Skull from casting spells."

Sword One lowered her eyes, as if her gaze could truly penetrate the dense fog to see the youth there: "That blade is in Lady Nu Ying's hands."

Lu Ran nodded and said: "I first challenged Lady Nu Ying, after sparring with her, I fortunately received Lady Nu Ying's recognition and she broke the Chi Ji blade and gifted the domain to me."

Sword One was silent for a long time before softly speaking: "Since her birth, only one kind of existence has gained her recognition."

"Who?"

"Faceless Jade Venerable."

Lu Ran: "..."

It's often said those who know you best might be your enemies.

Now it seems, those who recognize you the most might also be your enemies.

Their positions simply differ, unable to drink and rejoice together.

But it doesn't interfere with mutual respect on certain levels?

"You're indeed very similar to the Jade Venerable." Sword One's cold words were clear to the ear, "Rising from the dust, aspiring to shake the heavens."

Lu Ran frowned slightly: "Did the Faceless Jade Venerable once have a lowly status like us humans?"

Sword One did not respond.

The stone chamber fell into another prolonged silence.

Perhaps a quarter of an hour, perhaps half an hour.

The descending fog dragon roll gradually dissipated, transforming the Cloud Sea Dust Clearing Sword into a fourth-tier divine weapon.

"Lord Jian Yi," came another cold voice from the tunnel entrance.

Qiao Wanjun picked up the longsword, standing respectfully at the stone chamber entrance.

In the darkness, Jian Yi glanced at the woman, then followed the faint blood-red glow to look at the young man: "What outcome do you seek with all this?"

Lu Ran staggered to his feet, looking directly into Jian Yi's pitch-black eyes, and said in a deep voice:

"Cloud Sea Dust clear, eternal peace."

Jian Yi did not reply, only raising his hand to the side.

Qiao Wanjun understood and stepped forward to offer respectful greetings, presenting the Cloud Sea Dust Clearing Sword with both hands.

Jian Yi did not take the sword; instead, her cold jade fingers brushed over the blade, sensing the divine weapon's gentle hum beneath her touch.

"With Lord Jian Yi's assistance, the Ran Sect could swiftly quell the wars of the Three Realms, unite the God Demon Camp, and collectively repel foreign enemies, sparing the human world much suffering,"

Lu Ran spoke in a grave tone and continued: "Lord Jian Yi's contribution would be immeasurable, her name etched in history, revered and praised by the human clan for generations."

Jian Yi remained expressionless, her long fingers resting on the cold blade, eyes lowered.

Revered for generations.

Indeed, what the gods, since descending to the world, most desire from the human clan.

It's no wonder the young man from the human clan would say such things.

But, it's hard to convince a god who has become utterly weary with such words.

The endless cycle of unchanging power shifts, unchanging struggles for interest.

Regardless of time and place, it's always the same noise.

Even the humble creatures starting from the smallest, striving defiantly to shake the heavens, seem the same.

Another cycle.

"My lord..." Qiao Wanjun softly spoke, trying to say something for the youth.

Jian Yi's slender jade finger pressed gently down on the sword's surface.

Qiao Wanjun quickly supported the sword with both hands and shut her mouth.

However, this act prompted Jian Yi to speak: "After Cloud Sea Dust Cleared, you will gradually become gods and demons."

"No, we won't!" Lu Ran replied firmly, "I and my subordinates are different from the gods and demons!"

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

"Twenty..." Lu Ran hesitated, his voice lowering slightly, "In a month, I will be twenty-three."

"Twenty-three." Jian Yi suddenly laughed.

Since Lu Ran entered the stone chamber, this icy woman smiled for the first time.

Who knows when she last laughed?

A faint voice echoed in the dark stone chamber: "What about 230,000 years from now, will you and your like-minded comrades still be the same as today?"

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

The God spoke again: "What about 2,300,000,000 years later?"

After a long silence, Lu Ran said: "Millions of years... I am too insignificant to see that far.

Gods and demons have descended for over forty years, perhaps in your eyes, it's just a breath, but for our human clan..."

Lu Ran's eyes filled with determination, spoke resolutely: "Since I have come into this world, I must fight for the present moment."

Jian Yi had already returned to her expressionless demeanor, indifferent to the resolute words of the young man from the human clan.

No approval, nor disappointment.

Perhaps, as she thought, it's just another cycle.

Jian Yi slowly withdrew her hand from the sword, and Qiao Wanjun immediately felt relieved.

"Phew~"

The shadow replacing the soul of the god, suddenly emerged from Jian Yi's body, merged with the mountain, returning to the original divine sculpture.

Jian Yi's physical form stood silently, gradually dissipating into mist.

"Mother." Lu Ran quickly approached, helping Qiao Wanjun up.

Qiao Wanjun slightly raised her hand, stopping Lu Ran from speaking further, she slightly raised her head, as if listening to something.

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

Lu Ran asked uncertainly: "Providing information? Did she... did she choose to ally with us?"

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

What eternal reverence, what ideal beliefs, the other was not moved at all.

"Hmm, she wants peace and quiet." Qiao Wanjun slightly nodded.

Lu Ran tightened his lips, sighing deeply in his heart.

Desirelessness is most unyielding, the most difficult to handle.

Fortunately, Lord Jian Yi still had a desire, but her only wish turned out to be for peace and quiet...

Qiao Wanjun continued: "Lord Jian Yi mentioned, the forces of the Jade-faced Snake approached her a few days ago, asking her to destroy Yan Paper God Mountain."

Lu Ran's heart sank!

"Lord Jian Yi did not pay attention," Qiao Wanjun analyzed carefully, "Since the gods and demons know Yan Paper God Mountain belongs to you, they should also know the ownership of Nu Ying God Mountain and Blood Dust Divine Mountain.

The gods and demons have figured out the situation but have not made a move, likely because they were refused by Lord Jian Yi."

Lu Ran nodded silently.

The Ran Sect's achievements were glorious, first slaying the Martial Monk, then the Blood Skull.

Especially the latter's death completely changed the game, putting the gods and demons into a state of extreme caution and sobriety.

The gods and demons continued consolidating their formation, not daring to make any reckless moves in recent days.

"The gods and demons should not sit and wait for death." Qiao Wanjun frowned slightly, "Blood Skull's defeat has been six or seven days, but the gods and demons have not moved..."

Lu Ran had a thought: "Besides Lord Jian Yi, are there any hidden gods or demons? Those that could replace Jian Yi?"

Qiao Wanjun pondered, "Within Da Xia, there shouldn't be."

"Foreign gods and demons?" Lu Ran's heart leapt to his throat.

The Immortal Sheep had said that there are five Heavenly Realm battlefields like Da Xia in the world!

Could it be that Martial Artists, Jade-faced Snake, and their ilk are contacting first-class gods and demons outside Da Xia?

...

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