[{"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-966":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},2363094,4618,"Chapter 966","at-the-summit-of-the-old-gods-chapter-966",966,"\u003Cp>The man immediately shook his head: “The opponent wore a conical hat and straw cloak, carried various weapons—I saw swords, daggers, great axes, and even someone with a fan, but no one with a halberd.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s certainly not those dogs from Jingting Mountain!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing this, the He clan island master’s expression softened slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it were those Dongting disciples, a fierce battle would be unavoidable, and heavy casualties would surely follow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man gritted his teeth, enduring the island master’s invisible pressure, and stammered: “This team has six members, though there’s a possibility others lurk unseen.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This small group must be formidable—they dared approach the lake’s edge and linger for long periods, as if planning to set foot on the island.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master, should we alert the nearby islands?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the He island master asked: “These six carry different weapons—do their styles and demeanors differ as well?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man nodded immediately: “Yes! Their styles are wildly different—they likely come from multiple sects.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The He island master nodded lightly, a shadow of concern returning to his brow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Within the Sacred Spirit Mountains, followers of all sects cluster together for mutual protection—even the Strong God disciples.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Any small group that is mixed and disparate usually falls into one of three categories.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Either they’re Weak God disciples clinging to life, searching desperately for their masters like tadpoles seeking their mother;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or they’re led by a powerful villain who roams collecting Sacred Spirit energy, with a few slaves serving specialized roles;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or—most terrifying of all—a top-tier elite squad: one supreme, many strong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such squads are the most dangerous to provoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These people owe no allegiance to their own sects; they wander alone through the perilous Sacred Spirit Mountains, killing, looting, and seizing Sacred Spirit energy daily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though all would gladly slay them, none dare approach them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, such a team dares roam the world precisely because they possess absolute, unrivaled power!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come, take me to see them,” the He island master murmured, sighing softly within.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hope it’s not the third kind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The straw-cloaked man led the way, sensing his master’s thoughts, and said: “Master He, this team is strange—their leader seems unusually young.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh?” The He island master was taken aback.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The straw-cloaked man hesitated, then voiced an implausible judgment: “Around twenty years old.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The He island master raised an eyebrow slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So young?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those sent into the Sacred Spirit Mountains by the gods are all exceptionally powerful—most are Great Rivers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This has made the human followers here generally older.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even someone like me, sent in at just twenty-four, is already rare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet his subordinate swore with certainty: a young man around twenty has appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And he’s the leader?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you certain?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I am certain!” the straw-cloaked man replied hastily. “Among the team, only two young people wear white robes and white dresses.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The others in straw cloaks clearly treat these two as their superiors!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young man is heroic and imposing; the girl resembles a celestial immortal—equal in grace to you, Master He.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The He island master remained silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If two Strong God disciples were enslaving their own kind, the team’s threat level would drop sharply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But how could two Strong God disciples be this young?... A Heavenly Prodigy of Great Xia?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The He island master’s heart stirred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These two young people are likely names on the Heavenly Prodigy List!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he pondered silently, the He island master quickened his pace, arriving swiftly at the island’s northern side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master He,” came hushed greetings from several men and women hidden within the dense shrubbery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The He island master glided forward with light, elegant steps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two subordinates parted the branches slightly, allowing the master to observe. One whispered: “They’re still there.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he finished speaking, all eyes turned to the He island master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They saw the usually composed He island master, her beautiful eyes half-lidded, her composure visibly shaken?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, when the He island master saw the white-robed young man, she was genuinely stirred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heavenly Prodigy?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Far more than that!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He is the foremost Heavenly Prodigy of Great Xia!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lu Xuedi,” the He island master murmured inwardly, her gaze shifting to the white-dressed woman beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Xuemei.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So it’s you two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hah.” The He island master let out a quiet, wry laugh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In all of Great Xia, it was nearly impossible to find another Heavenly Prodigy under twenty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had assumed her subordinate had misjudged—after all, even Great Xia’s Heavenly Prodigies were typically twenty-three or twenty-four.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now it seemed—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master He, do you know them?” a man asked eagerly, voice low.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These mysterious figures clearly weren’t to be trifled with!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Master He had prior ties with them from the mortal world, perhaps conflict could be avoided—and many lives saved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The He island master gazed at the white-robed young man, half-musing, half-answering:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who in the world doesn’t know you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?” Several men and women exchanged bewildered glances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was this praise excessive?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The He island master said coolly: “Anyone who entered the Sacred Spirit Mountains after 1919 knows him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone instantly understood!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Thousand Isles of Misty Rain Lake held countless followers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, some had entered the Sacred Spirit Mountains within the past one or two years, and rumors had spread.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most astonishing of these was Great Xia’s grand spectacle, offered to all humanity—the “Heavenly Prodigies”!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some said it was Great Xia creating gods, providing spiritual nourishment and ideological support.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But those within the Sacred Spirit Mountains considered it differently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They secretly hoped: was this Great Xia’s rebellion against the gods? A humble, oppressed human race daring to shatter the existing order?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, as time passed, these extraordinary individuals with terrifying potential would inevitably enter the Sacred Spirit Mountains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Would their arrival bring even a whisper of change to the rules of this realm?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master He, should we welcome the Heavenly Prodigies?” a woman asked softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a carefully worded question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On one hand, she sought confirmation: could Heavenly Prodigies, officially endorsed by Great Xia, truly be trusted? On the other, she wished to verify her own judgment of their identity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The He island master pondered, her fingers gently pressing her own pale fingertips behind her back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could Lu Ran be trusted?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had his heart been tainted by this filthy mountain?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Were those straw-cloaked men his teammates—or his slaves?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The He island master fell silent, recalling her first encounter with Lu Ran.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This junior’s methods were brutally cruel; his temperament, especially domineering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stood in stark contrast to the typical disciples of Immortal Sheep Sect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he bore the title of Heavenly Prodigy—the hero promoted by Great Xia! If he could lend even a little aid to Qianzhou Island against those devils from Jingting Mountain—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm?” The He island master’s eyes suddenly narrowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In her line of sight, the white-robed young man stood by the lake’s edge, gazing toward them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though they were hidden deep within the thick shrubbery, the He island master was certain: Lu Ran had already locked onto their position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well then—no need to deliberate further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go, notify the other six Bihe Isles: we have distinguished guests arriving.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.” Several departed swiftly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The He island master, unhurried and graceful, smoothed her long skirt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, on the northern shore of Misty Rain Lake,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ruyi approached Lu Ran and asked: “Over there, are there people?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran nodded: “Yes. Their eyes are beautiful.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ruyi: ??\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, no!” Lu Ran immediately corrected himself, hastening to add, “Not as beautiful as yours.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Demoness?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ruyi gave Lu Ran a light, reproachful glance, about to speak, when suddenly a woman in a green dress flew out from the island.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She stepped upon a lotus leaf, floating slowly toward them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her jet-black hair and simple, elegant gown drifted gently in the breeze, exuding a tranquil, refined aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Lu Ran had said, the woman indeed had beautiful eyes—clear as a spring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the woman drew nearer, Lu and Jiang both felt a faint pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had nothing to do with combat ability, nor was Lu Ran or Jiang Ruyi timid—it was simply the undeniable indicator of a higher cultivation realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The vast sea could overwhelm those of the River Realm with crushing pressure!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A follower of Bihe.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran’s gaze flickered over the emerald lotus leaves, dripping with dew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dewdrops clung to the woman’s slender, delicate feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beneath the setting sun’s glow, it was nearly impossible to tell whether the glistening dewdrops or the woman’s moist, fair skin—ahem—was more beautiful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran immediately averted his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bihe demoness!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Don’t you dare disrupt my Dao heart!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My Jiang Immortal is far more beautiful!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the way, the Third-Rank Deity Bihe is terrifyingly well-rounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Bihe Sect excels in defense and control, and also possesses a healing technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the River Realm, they’re purely support.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After reaching the River Realm? Well, they’re still mostly support.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because their River Realm ultimate ability is devastatingly overpowered and cannot be activated lightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>River Realm Divine Art: Ten Thousand Zhang of Pure Lotus—summons countless blooming lotuses that rapidly spread outward, releasing endless petals and leaves to slaughter all things!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It carries the intent to cleanse the entire universe!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just how terrifying is this sect?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You can verify it objectively: their sworn enemy is the Evil Demon Qiansi Ying!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the saying goes: Better to storm the Gates of Hell than to touch a Qiansi thread.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That saying is from a human perspective—but from the demon’s side, you mustn’t touch Bihe’s Divine Art: Lotus Thread Connection either!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Bihe Sect can control you to death!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The question arises: if they’re this powerful, why is Deity Bihe only a Third-Rank Deity?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Doesn’t the title “Sworn Enemy of Qiansi Ying” alone warrant her a seat in the second row?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’s ranked third largely due to her temperament.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her followers, like their deity, are refined and detached, disdaining competition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman stepped lightly onto the lake’s surface atop her lotus leaf, clasped her hands, and smiled gracefully:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young Master Lu, greetings.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh??”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This unusual address left Lu Ran utterly stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who are you, calling me “Young Master”?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Are you also from Yuxiang No. 1 High?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Brothers, my body hasn’t recovered yet; I’ll make up the missing chapters tomorrow. Please bear with me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1711,"2026-06-21T06:13:01.220Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","fe0ffbaa8cee63ba5c04ac254091420528c6fb3cb9d0a53b58119c1d4fbd25d5","at-the-summit-of-the-old-gods-chapter-967","at-the-summit-of-the-old-gods-chapter-965",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fat-the-summit-of-the-old-gods-cover.jpg"]