[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-at-the-summit-of-the-old-gods":3,"chapter-at-the-summit-of-the-old-gods-at-the-summit-of-the-old-gods-chapter-15":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","At the Summit of the Old Gods",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2362143,4618,"Chapter 15: The Voice of Compassion?","at-the-summit-of-the-old-gods-chapter-15",15,"\u003Cp>“Flap, flap, flap~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A jet-black raven descended from the sky and landed on Lu Ran’s shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It spoke in human voice, asking: “What happened?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every detail of what had just transpired had been witnessed by Dou Zhiqiang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Lu Ran remained silent, offering no reply to the instructor’s question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For he was listening to the divine whisper of the Immortal Sheep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, several teammates gathered nearby, all puzzled, wondering why the battlefield had suddenly changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They sensed something odd—this bizarre scene was tied to Lu Ran.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Cadet?” The black raven spoke again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At last, Lu Ran spoke slowly: “Immortal Sheep Divine Art—Voice of Compassion.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dou Zhiqiang thought Lu Ran was talking nonsense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could the Voice of Compassion have this effect?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What nonsense!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black raven fluttered backward, transforming into human form: “The Evil Dog clan is inherently cruel—they would never feel the slightest pity for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if, hypothetically, the Evil Dogs truly fell under your spell, their reaction couldn’t possibly be this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is that compassion?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were completely mind-controlled!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The battle had just reached its fever pitch, blades drawn and blood spilled—how could two Evil Dogs simultaneously turn to look at you in such a moment?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran said: “The cries of the weak can summon the protection of kin—or lure the gaze of hunters.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh?” Dou Zhiqiang was surprised; he never expected Lu Ran to say something like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran looked at the iron-faced instructor: “If you cannot awaken the goodness in living beings, then exploit the evil within them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dou Zhiqiang’s expression turned solemn, his ears leaning in to listen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s not even evil,” Lu Ran paused, then continued, “After all, only human society speaks of respecting the old and caring for the young.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In nature, the strong prey on the old, weak, sick, and disabled.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dou Zhiqiang nodded thoughtfully, his tone rare with a hint of approval: “Understandable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran looked at the instructor: “The Immortal Sheep gave me some insight—but I cannot say more.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dou Zhiqiang fell silent for a moment, then nodded again: “I understand. Carry on.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cadets cannot speak in depth—it concerns the Immortal Sheep sect’s secret techniques.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, Lu Ran had already said enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Flap, flap, flap~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dou Zhiqiang transformed back into a raven and flew into the night sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the instructor gone, the teammates turned to Lu Ran.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lu Brother, that was insane!” Deng Yu stepped forward and slapped Lu Ran’s shoulder hard, face beaming with astonishment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Originally, Deng Yu had joined this team precisely because he was drawn to Lu Ran’s aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the class conflict, the puny lamb had grabbed a wooden chair and charged straight at the powerful Prisoner Demon devotees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deeply influenced by “The Sword of Valor,” Deng Yu adored that “when two enemies meet, the braver one wins” spirit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, Lu Ran’s performance thrilled Deng Yu even more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You tell me,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What the hell! Called it “astonishment”?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran isn’t just some lamb with fighting spirit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’s a whole leg of lamb!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sizzling, juicy, mouthwatering!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lucky, lucky,” Lu Ran waved his hands, though his mind was racing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder my bossy lamb lord,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This special use of the Voice of Compassion is truly domineering!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Voice of Compassion can be used like this?” Wu Shanshan muttered under her breath, “I’ve never seen anything like it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now I finally understand why the Crimson Paper people were so desperate to snatch you up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran claimed he received guidance from the Immortal Sheep—this was no lie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But why had no other Immortal Sheep devotees ever used this technique?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why was there not a single mention of it online or in any books?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Wu Shanshan’s mind, this could only be the result of Lu Ran’s extraordinary talent and unparalleled insight!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Immortal Sheep created the Divine Art—and the devotee Lu Ran\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Actually modified and refined the god’s own technique?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ugh, headache.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Shanshan’s thoughts were a mess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After this exam, should she leave the team and start fresh?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ruyi frowned: “If you can apply the Divine Art this well, why didn’t you tell us sooner?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uh.” Lu Ran froze, unsure how to explain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Change tactics,” Jiang Meiren let him off the hook—gentle as she was, she didn’t want to embarrass him—“Split into two teams.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Shanshan immediately caught on: “Yes! One team lures the Evil Dogs, while Ran Bao stays back, drawing their attention away.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran shook the blood from his blade and stepped toward the dead Evil Dogs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmph,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Women!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just now you told me not to interfere, now you’re calling me Ran Bao?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder you rank top three in the year—you’re a purebred division slave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll lure the Evil Dogs,” Deng Yu declared without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine.” Lu Ran sliced open the Evil Dog’s skull, forcing down his revulsion as he reached inside to search for the demonic core.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone has a first time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once Lu Ran killed enough demons, he’d likely stop feeling sick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, Lu Ran pulled a bloodstained diamond-shaped shard from the Evil Dog’s skull.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Evil Dog demonic core!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was dark gray, semi-translucent, no larger than a fingernail, with faint streams of energy swirling within.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though an evil demon, the Evil Dog clan’s energy was identical to that cultivated by humans and gods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, absorbing demonic cores could replenish a human devotee’s divine power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Lu Ran wouldn’t absorb it directly—demonic cores had to be turned in for the mission, and within the demon lair, divine power was abundant enough for him to replenish on his own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What a waste of this corpse,” Lu Ran stared at the decapitated Evil Dog.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he had a divine power bead, he could fully drain the demon’s body, extracting every ounce of energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The divine power drawn from the corpse would roughly equal that contained in the demonic core.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the school’s ranking rewards were divine power beads of varying quality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Won’t be wasted,” Jiang Ruyi whispered. “The school only lets us carry weapons, not divine power beads—so they intend for the corpses to be collected by the military.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Shanshan urged: “Let’s find the other Evil Dog’s core, then keep moving?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The school had given them only three hours—teams aiming for ranking points had to race every second.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After securing the two Evil Dog demonic cores, the four-member team pressed forward quickly—and soon encountered another Evil Dog.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More accurately, an Evil Dog had found them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This skinny dog was cunning!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Already black, it hid in the dark wilderness, silent as shadow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only when the group noticed it did they realize—it had been trailing them, ready to strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll handle it!” Deng Yu charged to the rear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stick to the plan,” Wu Shanshan drew her bow, eager, excited for the team’s new tactic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go,” Jiang Ruyi pulled Lu Ran away from the torch path, moving swiftly sideways.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Due to the rules, they couldn’t venture deep into the wilderness—only within the lit zone—so they didn’t go far.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, the military had deliberately withheld lighting equipment to prevent students from straying off the torch path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Any sign?” Jiang Ruyi faced the torch path, her back pressed against Lu Ran’s, scanning the surroundings warily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Quiet,” Lu Ran faced the pitch-black wasteland, feeling only a chilling dread.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ha!” Deng Yu bellowed from afar, drawing the Evil Dog’s attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Evil Dog’s heading for Deng Yu,” Jiang Ruyi reported, “Get ready.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm.” Lu Ran focused, quietly channeling divine power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The special version of the Voice of Compassion required higher cultivation—it involved psychological state.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You can’t just pretend to be pitiful—you must truly feel weak, helpless, truly terrified and wailing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran thought “Voice of Despair” suited it better.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the way, other believers can only learn one Divine Art at Stage 1 or Stage 3 within each major realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Lu Ran seems to have learned an extra Divine Art?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, the Sound of Compassion and the Sound of Dread are entirely different in effect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ran Bao?” came Wu Shanshan’s voice from afar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t rush,” Jiang Ruyi whispered, as calm as ever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ran Bao?” Wu Shanshan nocked an arrow, bow drawn and ready; as the vicious dog drew closer, she called out again, “Say something, for heaven’s sake!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ruyi watched silently as the dog sprinted toward them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Closer, even closer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Woof!” The dog roared and leapt forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now,” Jiang Ruyi finally spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran’s emotions surged, and he let out a sheep’s cry: “Baa~~~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The faint bleat sounded like a baby’s cry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wilderness was already eerie; the sound made it even more chilling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?” The dog, jaws wide open, suddenly turned its head toward the wilderness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Success came from instinct—failure came from instinct too!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Deng!” The bowstring trembled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Shanshan released her fingers; the mist arrow shot straight into the dog’s head, piercing it clean through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Yu followed closely, driving his Tianchen Red Plume Spear into the charging dog, impaling it to the ground!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just minutes ago, the squad had been thrown into chaos, barely surviving the dog’s assault.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, everything had become so simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All of it was because of Lu Ran—because of his unique Divine Art: the Sound of Dread!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The tactic succeeded!\" Deng Yu tang shouted excitedly, turning to look at Lu Jiang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran did not respond—he sensed something was wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Meiren was breathing heavily, her chest rising and falling, her grip on the longsword tightening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Team leader?” Lu Ran vaguely realized something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Yu and Wu Shanshan were too far away to hear the wail, so they were unaffected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Jiang Ruyi was different!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had been standing back-to-back with Lu Ran, hearing every clear note of the Sound of Dread.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm,” Jiang Ruyi murmured, turning her gaze to Lu Ran.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the first time, the girl who usually blushed at Lu Ran now had tears in her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ruyi never considered herself someone who bullied the weak—but Lu Ran’s cry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It stirred the evil fire within her!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was weak. He was helpless. He had no resistance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Trampling Lu Ran. Shredding Lu Ran. Devouring Lu Ran.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These acts required no cost—they were the optimal path to survival.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ruyi did not act, because she was not a vicious dog, but a human with self-control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if Lu Ran kept crying, all bets were off!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Baa~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ruyi was still struggling to quell the evil fire when another sheep’s cry reached her ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The authentic Divine Art: the Sound of Compassion!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ruyi’s expression went blank; her emotions shifted again and again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The prey in her eyes slowly transformed into a frail, helpless creature in need of help and care.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh,” Jiang Ruyi exhaled deeply, slowly lowering her head and covering her eyes with one hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guilt, shame, and a storm of other emotions surged within her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn it,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You’re going to drive me insane.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you feeling better?” Lu Ran asked the silent, bowed girl cautiously, “Should I bleat a couple more times?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Meiren…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did you just break?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We can’t afford to pay for that!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1837,"2026-06-21T06:12:58.056Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","f1e8066824ef34d90751dd2ca954e4aefc1eb5c612364ad2764cf40cbaa1bbc3","at-the-summit-of-the-old-gods-chapter-16","at-the-summit-of-the-old-gods-chapter-14",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fat-the-summit-of-the-old-gods-cover.jpg"]