[{"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-967":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},2363095,4618,"Chapter 967: Thousand Boats in Mist and Rain","at-the-summit-of-the-old-gods-chapter-967",967,"\u003Cp>“You’re also from Yuxiang No. 1 High School?” Lu Ran asked, puzzled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had he run into a fellow townsman?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I and Young Master Lu are alumni from the same university,” Island Master He smiled and explained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran grinned: “Who are you trying to fool? I never went to college. Oh, right—I am a college student.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mid-sentence, Lu Ran suddenly remembered: he was the national college entrance exam top scorer, with unmatched prestige, who later “married down” to Wu Lie River University.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Eight Directions Annihilation Blade was obtained from Wu Lie River University.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stunned silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran scratched his head, inadvertently revealing the demeanor of a typical 19-year-old.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, this wasn’t really Lu Ran’s fault.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had indeed been admitted to Wu Lie River University, but never attended a single class—let alone felt any sense of belonging.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the college entrance exam until today, Lu Ran had only stepped onto the university campus once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He got into a fight, then took himself a vacation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hehe~” Island Master He watched the slightly awkward Lu Ran with amusement; this “innocent college student” look was unexpectedly endearing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least it was more reassuring than his usual solemn expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Island Master He looked at the junior students with a warm smile: “Last semester, I personally witnessed Young Master Lu’s rage over a woman.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran: “.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ruyi also recalled the memory, but felt little embarrassment—only a gentle smile: “What’s your senior’s surname?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No need for formalities—I’m He, He Yingcai,” Island Master He clasped her hands together and bowed slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Yingcai was undoubtedly a Sea Realm powerhouse!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet before Lu Ran and Jiang Ruyi, she was humble and courteous, leaving an excellent impression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ruyi also clasped her hands: “Senior He, so young and already at the Sea Realm—truly admirable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Yingcai smiled modestly and shook her head lightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the Thousand Boats Archipelago, He Yingcai had every reason to be lofty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But before Lu Ran and Jiang Ruyi?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Yingcai’s prized talents meant nothing at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran asked: “So, is this lake district the headquarters of the Bihe Sect?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Yingcai turned slightly, gazing across the islands: “Not just my Bihe Sect—there’s also the Tianluan Sect, the Chēnghuā Sect, and the Jianlian Sect.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh?” Lu Ran was genuinely surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Second-Rank Deity: Tianluan!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Third-Rank Deity: Bihe!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Third-Rank Deity: Chēnghuā!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fourth-Rank Deity: Jianlian!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With so many deity sects clustered together, wouldn’t they just fight each other to the death?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Tianluan Sect is a support sect, excelling in defense, control, and healing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Chēnghuā Sect and Bihe Sect are similar—both balanced in offense and defense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such believers are extremely rare in the small town of Yuxiang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During Lu Ran’s tenure guarding Yuxiang Town, he had only encountered one Chēnghuā believer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That night, the fifteenth of the month, coincided with an invasion by the Evil Spear Emperor clan—so he remembered vividly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He recalled seizing the beautiful oiled-paper umbrella from a Chēnghuā disciple and using it as a tiny boat gliding across the rainy night sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leveraged its power, assassinated a monarch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the Fourth-Rank Deity Jianlian Sect, Lu Ran knew it well—his teammate Tian Tian was a Jianlian believer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who would’ve thought these four sects had gathered together?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmm… now that he thought about it, it made sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This lake was vast as an ocean, dotted with countless islands—no single sect could reasonably monopolize territory alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This lake is called Yanyu Lake,” He Yingcai explained. “The islands scattered across it are known as the Thousand Boats Archipelago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over a decade ago, under Tianluan Sect’s initiative, the four sects jointly established the Thousand Boats Alliance here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Yingcai paused, then continued: “For years, the Bihe Sect has held the northern region, occupying seven islands, collectively called Bihe Seven Islands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, I am the master of one of those islands.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No way~” Lu Ran couldn’t help exclaiming, “Just your Bihe Sect alone—do you have six other Sea Realm island masters like you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Yingcai smiled and nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether or not Lu Ran had been tainted by Shengling Mountain, showing off his strength early would spare him many troubles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She truly didn’t want to clash blades with Lu Ran.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran asked: “What about the other three sects? Do they each control seven islands, with seven or more Sea Realm masters?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Yingcai spoke freely: “The Chēnghuā Sect guards the southwest seven islands, the Jianlian Sect guards the southeast seven islands, and the Tianluan Sect holds the center, controlling the three central islands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All island masters are Sea Realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the four sects are united, the Thousand Boats Alliance has endured here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Three sevens are twenty-one, plus three is twenty-four,” Lu Ran muttered, stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Thousand Boats Archipelago had at least twenty-four Sea Realm powerhouses!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Note: at least!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Consider that elite sects like Xi Huang or Bei Feng had only about twenty Sea Realm masters in their main bases.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet the Thousand Boats Alliance…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The four sects uniting was indeed wise—together, they formed a top-tier faction with sufficient strength to dominate the Immortal Realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they fought separately, all four would sink to mid-tier organizations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ruyi sighed: “To unite four sects into one front—the Thousand Boats Alliance’s leader must be extraordinary.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Yingcai nodded in agreement: “The alliance leader, Yun Qianzhou, is a disciple of the Tianluan Sect—you know, Tianluan disciples are mostly compassionate healers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lord Yun possesses extraordinary cultivation, immense benevolence, and immense prestige within the alliance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ruyi nodded inwardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only the Tianluan Sect could possibly unite the Bihe, Chēnghuā, and Jianlian sects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran felt a flood of emotion: “Senior He, with such a towering tree to lean on, you can rest easy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But He Yingcai shook her head with a wry smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?” Lu Ran, noticing her reaction, asked curiously, “Is the Thousand Boats Alliance not very united?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Yingcai: “The alliance remains stable—besides, we have enemies circling us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?” Lu Ran was even more surprised. “A behemoth like the Thousand Boats Alliance—someone dares to provoke it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Yingcai sighed softly: “Not long ago, those people from Jingting Mountain came here to borrow troops.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She sneered: “They called it ‘borrowing,’ but if we truly lent them our members, they’d never return—forever enslaved.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Jingting Mountain.” Lu Ran frowned, recalling the two Dongting disciple bodyguards he’d eliminated during the raid on Tian Tu Mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“From the name alone, you can deduce it’s the base of the Dongting Sect.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Thousand Boats Alliance has twenty to thirty Sea Realm masters—how can they bully you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Yingcai whispered: “Jingting Mountain’s strength is not to be underestimated. I became an island master precisely because my predecessor died in the last battle.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran: ??\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Sea Realm powerhouse died in battle?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet Tianluan Sect—the top-tier healers—were right there?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Yingcai nodded lightly: “Jingting Mountain is tyrannical, and the Dongting divine arts are exceptionally aggressive—very hard to counter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran recalled the Dongting Sect’s divine arts list and had to admit: those “lightning men” were terrifyingly strong!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their disciples weren’t just fast and devastating in output—they also had defense and control!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Enough about that,” He Yingcai turned to Lu Ran, her face softening again. “When did you enter the mountains? You seem to be doing well?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she spoke, He Yingcai’s gaze swept over several figures in straw capes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the sect master and island master began speaking, the members of Ran Gate had been on guard, offering only their backs or profiles to He Yingcai.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Yu, Yu Changsheng, Gao Yunyan\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The aura radiating from these three figures was unmistakably that of Sea Realm powerhouses!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Lu Ran and Jiang Ruyi were clearly River Realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Within the Shengling Mountain realm, it was pure survival of the fittest—strength ruled absolutely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran commanding multiple Sea Realm masters to follow him loyally as subordinates was truly astonishing to He Yingcai.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran smiled and gestured to them: “I entered the mountains in late January and founded a small organization called Ran Gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These are my kindred spirits.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Lu Ran introduced them, Yu Changsheng turned his head, smiling and nodding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Yingcai stared at the man for a moment, her gaze lingering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This man was excessively handsome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, as a Sea Realm powerhouse, He Yingcai had her own dignity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She merely gazed at Yu Changsheng a few seconds longer, then turned to examine the others—then suddenly laughed: “There’s another one hidden here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What are you hiding?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, the prodigies!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Fengchen turned slightly, holding his Great Mountain Splitting Axe, and bowed to the Lord of Haijing Island.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Yingcai exclaimed, “Lu Ran, you truly have remarkable ability—in just half a year, you’ve built such a team.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Surely what I see today is only the tip of the iceberg of your Ruan Sect’s strength?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not at all, not at all,” Lu Ran chuckled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On Yunhai Cliff, two more Haijing cultivators still lie discarded—both of mid-to-high rank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Yingcai hesitated a moment, then asked, “Lu Ran, what brings your team here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran: “You’ve misunderstood. I didn’t come here on purpose—I just happened to wander here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Yingcai tilted her head slightly: ?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wander?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wandered here?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Let’s speak Chinese!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Phew~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran nodded in confirmation: “I originally planned to travel south, stroll around, explore the map of Shengling Mountain, and broaden my horizons.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Yingcai stared at Lu Ran in stunned silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had this not come from Lu Ran’s mouth, she would have ordered the lowly Jiangjing thug before her to kneel and rephrase his words properly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You don’t believe me?” Lu Ran smiled and pointed to Yu Changsheng. “Master Fish, I pulled out from a highland lake in the snowy forests north of Shengling Mountain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Changsheng: ??\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran pointed to two tall, imposing disciples from the Western Wastes: “Generals Feng and Yan, I found them in the western desert, among Ten Thousand Swords Mountain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He then pointed to Deng Yu: “Nightmare Guardian.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Yu turned her head slightly, her gaze flicking toward Lu Ran, one eyebrow lifting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran paused, then said: “Uh… this one came with me straight from the factory.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Yu: “.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ruyi couldn’t help but smile, watching Lu Ran’s smug expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Showing off again?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was like this in high school—never lost his old habits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Yingcai was utterly bewildered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most people in Shengling Mountain barely cling to life; if they find a powerful patron, they’d gladly spend the rest of their days there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they can’t find any organization, they must flee day and night, constantly on the run.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Lu Ran…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is just… wandering?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First the snowy north, then the western desert, and now he’s heading south?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Are we even in the same Shengling Mountain?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Yingcai stared blankly at Lu Ran, unable to speak for a long while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran added: “This time, the Ruan Sect’s southern journey isn’t just about mapping—it’s also to find like-minded companions.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meeting you, He Xuejie, is truly a pleasant surprise.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But you’re the lord of an entire island—hardly likely to take interest in my little mountain temple, huh~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran was genuinely tempted by this Haijing island lord.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, it was only temptation—he’d still thoroughly evaluate her if she showed interest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, He Yingcai held a high position and was backed by the Thousand Boats Alliance; why would she easily abandon all she had?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Yingcai steadied her composure and smiled faintly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She gazed lightly at Lu Ran, her eyes shimmering slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The words,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>couldn’t be said so absolutely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1916,"2026-06-21T06:13:01.220Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","e729d201643f88dc6023549dd56309f9db2c3979b797800ca3bf9fd798fda012","at-the-summit-of-the-old-gods-chapter-968","at-the-summit-of-the-old-gods-chapter-966",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fat-the-summit-of-the-old-gods-cover.jpg"]