Chapter 1000: The Qualification to Become a God!

In the darkness, Jiang Ruyi sat quietly beside Lu Ran.

Though she could see nothing, she felt a terrifying aura surging toward them.

Jiang Ruyi could picture He Qifeng’s noble, imposing figure, his golden long robe billowing in the wind.

Someone like He Qifeng should be the hardest for Lu Ran to subdue.

She was a figure like an empress.

She possessed immense power and methods, wielded formidable influence and leadership presence, and harbored ambitions beyond ordinary reach!

Such a sovereign was destined to make others bow and submit.

“The Second Prodigy of Great Xia?” He Qifeng walked to the table and casually placed the Son of Heaven Sword upon it.

“What?” Lu Ran was confused.

He Qifeng swept back the hem of her robe and sat directly opposite Lu Ran, legs spread wide.

“If you’re not within the realm of ordinary people, then I, He Qifeng, should be the First Prodigy of Great Xia!”

Lu Ran: “.”

Hearing this, Jiang Ruyi couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

This statement was not wrong!

Though He Qifeng was no ordinary person—she was the only female disciple of the Wu Seng sect since the descent of gods and demons—

she was still within the bounds of what people could accept.

But Lu Ran’s extraordinariness, if traced to its root, was something no one could accept.

Not even the human race.

Even the gods and demons could not accept, let alone tolerate, Lu Ran’s existence.

“Ding~ Ding~”

He Qifeng placed one hand on the expensive Son of Heaven Sword, her fingertips lightly tapping the golden blade, and spoke calmly:

“Lu Ran, tell me about it.”

“The Evil Dog Technique has indeed helped me a great deal,” Lu Ran admitted openly, “but you can’t remove my name! Billions are watching the Prodigy List—I dare not use any other technique.

This ranking was earned blade by blade!

You once told me you studied my battle recordings repeatedly—did you ever see me use another technique?”

He Qifeng let out a cold snort. “I actually thought you had extraordinary talent and unusually sharp perception!”

Lu Ran shrugged. “I’m just a Xiang Xianyang believer, with only Evil Awareness and Evil Sensitivity—nothing else.

Your Wu Seng sect’s divine techniques are insane!

I’m a lowly Xiang Xianyang believer—can’t you let me have Evil Awareness and Evil Sensitivity? Are you really this stingy?”

“Who’s stingy?” He Qifeng frowned.

“Alright,” Lu Ran put on a magnanimous air. “I’ll stay the First Prodigy of Great Xia—just raise you a bit higher, no longer the Second Prodigy.

You’re 1.5!”

He Qifeng: ???

Lu Ran chuckled. “How about it? The Great Xia 1.5 Prodigy?”

He Qifeng gritted her teeth.

Fortunately, the night was dark and the mist too thick for her to see his infuriating grin.

Burn Dog!!

It was truly infuriating!

“Calm your aura—you’re scaring me,” came Lu Ran’s infuriating voice from the darkness.

That “I’m weak, so I’m right” tone was shameless.

Only Lu Ran could get away with this.

If anyone else from the Jiang Realm dared this, a Hai Jing city lord would have thoroughly taught the little Jiang Realm brat how to speak to his superior.

He Qifeng closed her eyes and exhaled slowly.

The atmosphere in the room eased slightly.

After a moment, she spoke: “Evil Dog Clan’s Evil Shadow Flash, Lie Tian Sect’s Shattered Sky Dome, Evil Spear Emperor Clan’s Evil Cloud Entanglement—

and the Jade-Faced Snake Clan’s Immortal Heaven Serpent.”

As she mentioned the Jade-Faced Snake Clan, her tone grew heavier.

After all, that clan was the Wu Seng sect’s mortal enemy.

She paused, then asked: “Why do you possess techniques from every sect and clan?”

Lu Ran replied directly: “Because I can steal the power of gods and demons and use it for myself.”

He Qifeng immediately narrowed her eyes.

Though she had anticipated this possibility and considered many theories, hearing Lu Ran say it aloud still sent shockwaves through her.

The room fell into silence.

A pin could be heard dropping.

Lu Ran leaned slightly sideways, resting his temple against Jiang Ruyi’s shoulder, closing his eyes to rest.

Jiang Ruyi’s slender frame trembled slightly.

She felt a touch of annoyance—He Qifeng was only one table away.

But she knew Lu Ran was utterly exhausted and truly needed rest.

So she let him have his way.

Lu Ran savored it, imagining the faint fragrance of jasmine, giving He Qifeng ample time to process everything.

“So… the Holy Spirit Qi you cannot cultivate, you can?” After a long silence, He Qifeng asked softly.

“Yes, to some extent.”

“Who gave you this ability?”

“Xiang Xianyang.”

“Xiang Xianyang?” He Qifeng frowned tightly.

The Xiang Xianyang—the ninth-ranked, lowest in the Great Xia divine hierarchy?

The deity seen by all as the weakest, most timid and cowardly?

Xiang Xianyang—

Could actually grant a disciple the ability to steal the power of gods and demons?

How could that be possible?

Absurd beyond belief!

If Xiang Xianyang were truly this powerful, how could he have sunk to such a state? Even lowly humans privately looked down on the Xiang Xianyang sect.

Yet Lu Ran’s ability stood before her—there was no denying it.

“Ding~ Ding~”

Lost in thought, He Qifeng’s fingers tapped unconsciously against the golden blade.

Lu Ran, eyes closed, allowed a faint smile to cross his face.

So comfortable~

Wu Seng sister, let me open a new world for you!

He Qifeng suddenly asked: “Deng Yu is a Xiang Xianyang disciple and can use Night Phantom Blade—so she stole the power of the demon Night Phantom?”

“How do you know it’s Night Phantom Blade and not Flying Wind Command?” Lu Ran asked curiously.

Externally, the wind blades looked identical.

“She didn’t fly through the air—she ran,” He Qifeng analyzed. “So it’s not Bei Feng Sect’s Clear Wind Dance—it’s Night Phantom Clan’s Night Dance Enthralls the City.”

“No wonder you’re the Great Xia 1.5 Prodigy—your foundational knowledge is solid!” Lu Ran exclaimed in admiration.

“Stop talking nonsense!” He Qifeng was furious, nearly slamming the table.

Who said she was 1.5?

I’m number one, period!

“Qifeng.”

“Speak.”

“You need a humble attitude,” Lu Ran said softly, sounding pitiful. “You scared me again.”

He Qifeng: ???

When you killed Lu Xiao, you nearly stepped on his face!

He was the master of Jingting Mountain, the peak of the Hai Jing realm!

I’m just a beginner in the Hai Jing realm—how could I scare you?

He Qifeng was genuinely furious.

As a city lord, she considered herself composed—but before Lu Ran,

she truly wanted to flip the table, stride forward, and kick his ass twice!

“Please,” He Qifeng gripped the Son of Heaven Sword tightly, leaning forward with overwhelming pressure, staring into the pitch-black darkness. “Teach me.”

Lu Ran: “.”

Damn~

Are you really this angry?

He is indeed fiercely competitive; better to avoid prodding her wounds in the future.

Lu Ran replied, “Deng Yu does not have the ability to steal divine or demonic power.”

“Oh?”

“Qi Feng, you misunderstand—it’s not that Xianyang worshippers can steal divine or demonic power.”

Lu Ran paused, then spoke slowly, word by word: “It is I, Lu Ran, who can steal divine and demonic power!”

As his words fell, the entire world was muted again.

He Qi Feng remained silent for a long, long time, his voice trembling slightly:

“So… you’re the only one?”

“Only one.”

He Qi Feng asked again: “Then what of Deng Yu’s Night Phantom Heresy?”

From the darkness came Lu Ran’s low voice: “I granted it to her.”

He Qi Feng’s breath hitched!

Lu Ran can steal divine and demonic power—and then bestow corresponding divine and heretical arts upon humanity?

This… how is this different from the gods?

So, the young man sitting across from him is a god?

No!

Not just “one” god.

He should be called the Gods themselves?

The room sank back into silence, the atmosphere far heavier than before.

Lu Ran gently nuzzled Jiang Ruyi’s shoulder, seeking a more comfortable position.

Honestly, his girlfriend’s shoulder wasn’t an ideal pillow.

Human shoulders have little flesh to begin with, and Jiang Ruyi was slender—hard to rest on.

Should he switch to a knee pillow?

Better act than just think!

But just as Lu Ran began to slide down, Jiang the Immortal seized him with one hand.

Her voice was soft, calm: “Talk properly with Qi Feng.”

Lu Ran: “.”

Greed never brings good results.

Now he’d lost even the shoulder pillow.

Lu Ran, held upright, said: “Qi Feng, the gods have ruled humanity too long, oppressed our race too long.

I intend to slay the gods, destroy the demons, and purge the world of its evils.

What do you say? Join me?”

He Qi Feng bit his lower lip, his expression complex.

Lu Ran’s low voice, rising from utter darkness, was especially seductive.

He Qi Feng stared into the darkness ahead, then finally spoke: “You wish to overthrow tyranny—what of Lord Xianyang?

What does it want?

To become the sole god, worshipped by humanity for all generations?”

Lu Ran said gravely: “Qi Feng, you must understand—humanity’s fate cannot grow any worse.”

He Qi Feng fell silent.

Lu Ran continued: “The gods and demons conspired to ensure a tragedy occurs every month, and to ensure anyone who might disrupt the order is cast into Sacred Spirit Mountain.

The gods and demons want us to live forever in the world they’ve woven—generation after generation, oppressed, ruled.

With no hope of escape.”

He Qi Feng knew, without doubt, that Lu Ran spoke the truth.

Lu Ran leaned forward, his face serious: “No matter what Lord Xianyang desires, our race has nothing left to lose.

Stay the same, and humanity remains slaves forever.

Life, dignity, faith, soul—our children, our grandchildren…”

He Qi Feng’s face was grim.

Sacred Spirit Mountain teaches without discrimination.

It helps every person unwilling to pretend to sleep, clarifying their thoughts.

You will eventually realize: humanity’s entire existence, from birth to death, serves only the gods and demons—until every last drop is drained.

“Change, and we have even a sliver of chance, a thread of hope.” Lu Ran’s voice echoed in He Qi Feng’s ears.

He Qi Feng: “So you’re walking the path of god-slaying.”

Lu Ran smiled: “We’re walking the same path, aren’t we?”

He Qi Feng raised an eyebrow slightly.

Lu Ran mused: “The Forbidden City you founded defies the gods’ will—it alters the rules of Sacred Spirit Mountain.

You, too, are walking the path of toppling divine and demonic tyranny, aren’t you?

But you lack one thing.”

“What thing?”

“You’re strong. Perhaps one day you’ll rise above all humanity,” Lu Ran sighed. “But you’ll still be bound.”

He Qi Feng’s gaze flickered slightly.

Lu Ran confirmed: “You’re a Wu Seng worshipper—you signed a master-servant pact, always under divine surveillance.

When you grow strong enough, your Wu Seng master will never let you live!”

Before you can threaten the gods, you’ll be crushed.”

He Qi Feng: “Can you prevent this?”

Lu Ran shifted: “Why can Deng Yu wield the Night Phantom Heresy?”

He Qi Feng remained silent, waiting.

Lu Ran said slowly: “Because she believed in me.”

He Qi Feng’s fingers tightened, gripping the Son of Heaven Sword.

Indeed, Lu Ran thought exactly as he had.

He is a god!

Lu Ran added: “The pact I made with Deng Yu isn’t the master-servant contract you know.”

“Oh?”

“I crafted for Deng Yu a stone statue—a Night Phantom Heresy statue of my own making—and bound them tightly together, forcing them to merge.”

Hearing this, He Qi Feng’s eyes widened slightly.

Night Phantom Heresy statue?

Lu Ran stole the primordial power of gods and demons—and forged his own divine-demonic stone statue?

“Hmph.” Lu Ran smiled. “Do you think I only gave her the Night Phantom Heresy?

I gave her a path to godhood.

The right to replace the Heretic God—Night Phantom!”

Boom—

He Qi Feng’s mind reeled!

Requesting monthly votes!

(End of Chapter)