[{"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-977":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},2363105,4618,"Chapter 977: The Meat and Wine True Person","at-the-summit-of-the-old-gods-chapter-977",977,"\u003Cp>Five days later, on a barren cliff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The members of Ran Gate stood in silent wait.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran and Jiang Ruyi stood side by side, gazing toward the northwest sky, where beneath churning clouds, two crows flew in from afar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Sacred Spirit Mountain realm had no birds or beasts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These two jet-black crows were clearly followers of the Seventh-Rank Divine—Wu Crow Sect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They’ve come,” Lu Ran said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In their line of sight, the two crows halted, circled briefly, then turned and flew back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They clearly dared not approach the Ran Gate group.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They’re moving fast,” Lu Ran sighed again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over the past five days, Lu Ran had used the Dark Art—Mirror Flower, Moon Reflection with extremely low frequency; overall, Ran Gate had covered less than half the journey.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the Great Wind Hall, guided by Silent Night Blade, had raced southeast without pause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, Lu Ran understood why He Qifeng and others were moving so swiftly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the dense forests far away, two more crows took flight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On their tiny claws, they clutched supple branches, the other ends of which were gripped by disciples of Biwu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two Biwu disciples were carried aloft by the crows, while simultaneously releasing more supple branches to bind and carry several teammates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmm. Bird lovers strongly condemn this!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two tiny crows carrying two strings of people? One of those strings included a fatty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A fatty?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran couldn’t help blinking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cultivators’ physiques could be robust, lean, or gaunt, at worst, well-proportioned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could there be a fatty?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, Jiang Jing  people survived by absorbing divine power; there was little to eat inside the Sacred Spirit Mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This…?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran was stunned: “How did this flesh grow?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ruyi was also surprised, staring at the fat monk in a large yellow robe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man was over fifty, bald-headed, and had a sizable belly!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had gentle features and a perpetually smiling expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran nearly thought he had met Maitreya Buddha.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under such an aura, the divine power beads around his neck looked like Buddhist prayer beads.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Caw~ caw~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crows cawed, circling the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though small in size, these were genuine Jiang Jing  greats; they carried strings of people, flying swiftly and steadily, closing in on the cliff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh?” He Qifeng murmured in confusion, gazing at the Ran Gate group on the cliff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next moment, she gripped Silent Night Blade and severed the branch binding her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silent Night Blade shot forward, dragging He Qifeng with it in a swift thrust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As He Qifeng landed steadily, she released her grip; Silent Night Blade reversed, its hilt thrust toward Lu Ran.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Snap!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran seized the hilt, feeling an unusual emotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the feeling of a weary bird returning to the forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peaceful. Warm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silent Night favored stillness, always silent and reserved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, it merely revealed a trace of emotion—not truly transmitting thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve worked hard,” Lu Ran murmured apologetically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As his fingers brushed the blade’s surface, deep purple patterns emerged one after another on the jet-black Silent Night Blade, chasing his fingertips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mysterious. Beautiful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While Lu Ran here apologized to Silent Night Blade, He Qifeng before him stared in astonishment at Jiang Ruyi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lady Luo Xian?” He Qifeng grew even more surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Partly awed by the former girl’s transformation, partly incredulous that in this cold, cruel Sacred Spirit Mountain realm…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could lovers truly be together day and night?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He Tianjiao, long admired,” Jiang Ruyi smiled and bowed slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Congratulations! Congratulations!” He Qifeng exclaimed twice, smiling, “Where did you meet?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran held Silent Night Blade in one hand and draped the other around his fiancée’s shoulder, grinning:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Didn’t you ask me earlier what was in the northwest?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hah!” He Qifeng burst out laughing, “Truly heaven’s mercy… oh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unintentionally, He Qifeng spotted another person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Due to terrain elevation, He Qifeng slightly bent her knees and tilted her head to see the face beneath the person’s hat brim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ha! Isn’t this Feng’er?” He Qifeng was delighted again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Fengchen had long heard of He Qifeng’s exploits in the mountain realm, rising to prominence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had also been bluntly informed by Lu Ran that He Chengzhu was now a vast ocean!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that they met, Lu Ran had not lied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though He Qifeng was warm and friendly, that terrifying pressure crushed Xue Fengchen’s heart with quiet dread.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He Tianjiao,” Xue Fengchen bowed with clasped fists, deeply ashamed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Qifeng raised an eyebrow: “Our Western Desert Feng’er has joined Ran Gate?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Fengchen nodded firmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Qifeng stood beside Lu Ran, her beautiful eyes fixed on Xue Fengchen, whispering:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn it, you got there first!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh, whoever grabs it first owns it,” Lu Ran chuckled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Fengchen: “…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Lu Ran’s boastful words, He Qifeng huffed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her gaze swept over Deng Yu and Gao Yun, observing them closely, then sighed: “Your journey to the northwest has yielded great gains!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did you recruit another Hai Jing  great?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“She was Jiang Jing  when I recruited her,” Lu Ran shrugged. “I just chatted with her, and she ascended to Hai Jing .\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Couldn’t stop her!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, I have no idea how it happened~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Qifeng: ???\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You bastard!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Are you pretending again?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hah!” Gao Yunyan couldn’t help laughing, her voice carrying the boldness unique to the Western Desert.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran’s words held not a single falsehood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Yunyan knew well: without meeting Lu Ran and following the right leader, her spiritual realm would never have soared so dramatically!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There would have been no ascension to Hai Jing .\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In youth, everyone was arrogant, convinced of their own greatness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But look at Tianhuang Mountain!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among its masses of believers, how many weren’t elite second-rank divine disciples?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At forty or fifty, how many Western Desert believers still remained stuck at Jiang Jing  Stage Five?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph.” He Qifeng resented Lu Ran’s boasting yet admired him more deeply—fiercely conflicted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Awkward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you huffing for?” Lu Ran huffed back. “Don’t I remember someone who ascended to Hai Jing  after chatting with me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Qifeng fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She pressed her lips tightly, no longer huffing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Qifeng’s ascension to Hai Jing  was, of course, her own doing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But undeniably, it was while demonstrating herself to Lu Ran that her Dao heart reached a brilliance sufficient to shatter her cultivation bottleneck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright, alright,” Lu Ran, seeing He Qifeng about to burst, quickly changed the subject. “Who are these elders?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, Great Wind Hall sent fourteen people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Four were Wu Crow followers, still circling overhead, on guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, several Wu Crow disciples had been well-trained by He Qifeng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of the remaining ten, Lu Ran recognized most.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elders Gu and Jin, the grandly named Yin Tianlong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Biwu disciples Zhu Huai and Zhu Hua, and the Top Eighteen Talent List member—Hou Yun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other three, Lu Ran didn’t recognize—but all three were Hai Jing .\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging by their aura, these three are likely high-level Sea Realm cultivators, perhaps even at the peak!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Including He Qi, the Great Wind Hall has sent four Sea Realm experts this time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran didn’t know how many Sea Realm cultivators Wu Jifeng had in total; if we assume twenty,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>then Wu Jifeng sending one-fifth of its Sea Realm experts is acceptable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh.” He Qi let out a deep breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The frustrated Mayor He struggled to calm his emotions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Wu Seng girl’s dictionary, there was only victory—never defeat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But since meeting Lu Ran, a new page had been added to her dictionary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Qi Feng?” Lu Ran called out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm.” He Qi glared at the annoying Jiang Realm lackey, suppressing the urge to slap him flat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She turned to introduce Lu Ran:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These two elders both bear the surname Zhang—you may address them as Elder Zhang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is the True Man of Wine and Meat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ehh…” Lu Ran was baffled, staring at the smiling “fat monk.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What kind of title is this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Lu Ran’s stunned expression, He Qi felt a bit pleased and nudged him with her elbow: “Say hello!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah! Ah!” Lu Ran immediately greeted them both.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good, good, good! Young friend, welcome!” The True Man of Wine and Meat chuckled, his large, plump hand raised before his chest. “Hearing a hundred tales is not as good as seeing once!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re even more heroic and majestic than the rumors say!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran had been stunned moments ago; now, his cheeks were slightly flushed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This… you fat monk, you’re already buttering me up the moment we meet?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hehe~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You really know how to read people!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?” He Qi looked at Lu Ran as if she’d discovered a new continent. “So the Lord of Lu Sect can blush too?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran scratched his head. “Let’s go. Time waits for no one—let’s talk as we walk.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young Master Lu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh? Wine and Meat… Master?” Lu Ran hesitated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The True Man of Wine and Meat asked: “I’ve heard the Thousand Boats Alliance has Smoke Rain Tea and Fruit Cake?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, yes!” Lu Ran nodded immediately. “But the taste isn’t great—Master, don’t expect too much.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Earlier, when Lu Ran invited He Qi, he had indeed mentioned he was attending a banquet, drinking tea, and eating cake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good, good, good!” The True Man of Wine and Meat’s plump face beamed with delight as he nodded eagerly. “Let’s go quickly—let’s set off at once!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran: “...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In all his life, he had never met a follower quite like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is this really a Wu Seng disciple known for reputation and brute force?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This fat monk is so strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran glanced questioningly at He Qi. The Wu Seng girl had a smile on her face again, feigning confusion: “What’s wrong?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nothing.” Lu Ran grinned and changed the subject. “Four Sea Realm Wu Seng—now the Thousand Boats Alliance is saved.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who knows? We might even storm the dragon’s den and directly attack Jingting Mountain!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Divine Wu Seng, as a first-class deity, grants disciples the ability to master Sea Realm techniques.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Sea Realm Wu Seng follower, when punching the ground, can summon countless golden dragons surging from beneath the earth!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like a dense, spouting fountain!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The destructive power is beyond measure!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With such techniques, even if Jingting Mountain’s disciples aren’t crushed by the dragons, won’t they be blasted skyward?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then what’s left to say?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ran and the others—just attack and finish it!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No!” He Qi refused outright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?” Lu Ran was confused, turning to the Wu Seng girl—only to see her face stern and serious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1744,"2026-06-21T06:13:01.220Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","7b9c9b1f96ae7916903c3859a5eebb5559a724c97703c3c849832a9c496b39cc","at-the-summit-of-the-old-gods-chapter-978","at-the-summit-of-the-old-gods-chapter-976",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fat-the-summit-of-the-old-gods-cover.jpg"]