If you don't give up, I'd like to be your adoptive father.

Chapter 1458 The End of the Crossing
The fifty-second collective time travel.

The war to destroy Qin was coming to an end.

Ying Bu and Liu Ji each led an army of 20,000 men, marching on the Baoxie Road.

"I'm probably not up to it anymore. Brother Liu, when do you plan to retire?" Ying Bu asked wearily.

"The opportunity to travel through time is rare, and I want to grit my teeth and persevere for a few more lifetimes." Liu Ji rode on his horse, basking in the warm autumn sun, silently playing "Old Man's Joy," looking relaxed and carefree.

Both were generals who commanded troops and set off at the same time, but Ying Bu's martial arts realm was higher than his.

Liu Ji hasn't even condensed the Human Immortal Core yet!
Previously, they lacked talent and diligence, failing to reach the level of immortals; now they look down on them.

But Liu Laosan's mental state was ten times better than Ying Bu's.

Ying Bu seemed like an old man who had lived for tens of thousands of years. Even though he looked strong and young, his soul was already rotten and decayed.

Liu Ji, on the other hand, was radiant, as if he had not been affected by the time travel.

"Judging from your appearance, you could easily last for dozens more lifetimes."

Ying Bu could also see that Liu Laosan was in exceptionally good condition. "Brother Liu is truly gifted!"

His tone was one of感慨 (gǎn kǎi, deep emotion), but his eyes held scrutiny and doubt. "Master Li said that being able to travel through time twenty times already makes one a remarkable person."

To be able to travel through time thirty times must mean one is destined by heaven.

Having traversed forty times without a scratch on his soul, he is truly gifted.

I persisted until I reached fifty, but I couldn't take it anymore.

Every time I traveled through time before, I only felt happy, doing whatever I wanted. Plus, I was destined for greatness, and everything went smoothly. I lived like the protagonist in a legendary novel.

Now that I've traveled through time, every day is torture, like someone who's been exhausted for a long time trying to stay awake.

Brother Liu, you must possess more than just extraordinary talent, right?

Liu Laosan said naturally, "You know that I was taught the 'Star God Treasure Book' by an immortal."

Through dozens of lifetimes of cultivation, he had already developed a 'Star God Primordial Spirit'.

If Tiankui Star already had a star lord, and I returned to the Pangu World to cultivate merit for a few years, I might have had the opportunity to be appointed as Tiankui Star Lord by the Jade Emperor!
Even in the small world, there is a celestial star in the sky.

He tempered his soul with starlight day and night, and his soul power increased several times over.

"With a strong soul and the protection of the Star God's power, the wear and tear on the mind from time travel wasn't so severe."

Ying Bu's face was full of envy. His lips moved a few times, wanting to ask about the contents of the "Star God's Manual," but then he thought of the matter of "revealing the Heavenly Dao." This matter was brought up by Liu Ji "unintentionally."

He gave up the idea of ​​obtaining the "Star God's Manual" and sighed, "Brother Liu is lucky. He can continue to travel through time and improve himself. I can't do that anymore."

When this life ends, I will retire and rest.

Liu Ji said regretfully, "We can only cultivate our souls; our internal strength doesn't improve at all. Moreover, the effects of cultivation through time become increasingly worse."

My personal potential hadn't reached its limit, but I'd touched the limit that the minor world could withstand, so I couldn't improve any further.

Ying Bu lightly gripped the horse's belly, almost touching Liu Ji's leg.

"Brother Liu, have you thought about the future? I mean, after we return to the Central Plains of the Pangu World," he whispered.

Liu Ji knew that many heroes across the land were secretly making connections, and the loose anti-Qin alliance was being compressed into several major factions.

This is exactly what the aspiring Ronaldo players hope to see.

He has already received invitations from several "top bigwigs".

Now that Ying Bu is also testing him, Liu Laosan can even guess who he represents.

"I want to form an alliance with Brother Peng Yue! We've been together for dozens of lifetimes, our bond is strong. I trust him, and he trusts me. As for the others..."

Liu Laosan hesitated for a moment before saying, "Jingju is a good person. I like him quite a bit, and he respects me very much."

Chen Sheng's magnanimity and skill were improving, especially his ability to manage his subordinates, which he had truly honed.

Returning to Pangu China, I'm afraid I could accomplish something great.

He even forgave me and hinted that he could help me take Pei County.

Tian Rong was also a hero, but unfortunately, the State of Qi was too far from Sishui County.

Sigh, let's just take it one step at a time.

In reality, one only has one life. Currently, several naval commanders from the Eastern Sea are stationed in Sishui County. I will continue to stay in Mangdang Mountain and wait for an opportunity.

"Why don't you mention Xiang Liang, brother? Don't you think highly of him?" Ying Bu asked, squinting.

Liu Ji sighed, "Now that we've traveled to the fifty-second timeline, Xiang Liang Gong has almost become the universally acknowledged 'bozhang' (a high-ranking official)."

Even the King of Chu and Tian Rong held him in high esteem. At every alliance meeting, Xiang Liang was seated in the main seat.

Many heroes of China say in private that Xiang Liang is the master of the aura of an emperor in the southeast!

How could I not admire such a great hero?
Having traversed fifty-two times, Peng Yue and I have already served under Xiang Liang twenty times.

However, Kuaiji Commandery is more than 20,000 li away from Pei County, with high mountains, long rivers, and a long journey.

"I'm afraid that if chaos breaks out in Sishui County, we won't even be able to wait for Lord Xiang Liang to arrive."

Unlike Liu Laosan, who quietly practiced his skills without being ostentatious or mediocre, the Xiang family uncle and nephew took the completely opposite path: they frantically pushed their potential and fully displayed their abilities and growth.

Among the more than seven hundred time travelers, Xiang Liang was as dazzling as the sun, making it impossible for anyone to look directly at him.

"What's 20,000 li? Xiang Liang hasn't attacked, let's just go and join him!" Ying Bu looked at Liu Laosan expectantly. "Brother Liu, why don't you call Brother Peng, and we'll go to Kuaiji together to join Xiang Liang?"

Liu Ji feigned surprise and doubt, "You've already built such a vast empire in Jiujiang, and you're just giving it up?"

Ying Bu said, "Let my father-in-law manage it. Besides, Jiujiang is only a few thousand miles away from Kuaiji County. Xiang Liang might be able to enter Sishui from Jiujiang."

Liu Ji remained silent for a long time before saying, "I am different from you, brother. You have soldiers, men, and territory. If you go to Xiang Liang's command, you will be immediately appointed as a general."

I'm going there empty-handed; I'm afraid it will take a long time.

"It would be better to establish a foothold in our hometown for a while, build up a team, and then consider other options."

In Xiaoyu's previous life, Xiang Liang allowed Liu Ji to lead an army on his own, mainly because Liu Ji was already "Duke of Pei" at that time.

Xiang Liang lent ten generals and five thousand elite soldiers to Liu Ji, not to put them under Liu Ji's command.

Liu Ji used this group of people to conquer Fengyi and reclaim the territory, and naturally he could immediately raise an army of tens of thousands of people.

In the previous dozens of lifetimes, Xiang Liang and other rebel kings all followed this rule: you can only lead an army if you gather your own troops; if you want to command my troops, you must become my subject and pledge your loyalty directly.

The two are very different.

The former is like the relationship between the Zhou emperor and the feudal lords. The feudal lords were the subjects of the Zhou emperor, but at the same time, they were also independent rulers.

The latter refers to the relationship between the Zhou emperor and the Zhou court officials, which lacked any independence.

If we consider Liu Bang himself, after the establishment of the Han Dynasty, Peng Yue, Ying Bu, and Han Xin could be enfeoffed as kings, while Zhang Liang, Xiao He, and Cao Can could only be "marquises of the Han Dynasty".

Clearly, Liu Ji, who practiced "Old Man's Joy," had no desire to become Xiang Liang's "Cao Can."

Ying Bu himself did not want to be Xiang Liang's "Cao Can".

Upon hearing this, he had no choice but to abandon his plan to persuade Liu Laosan to immediately join Xiang Liang.

“Brother Liu, you can make an alliance with Lord Xiang Liang, and it won’t be too late for you to join him after he enters Western Chu.”

Ying Bu did not completely give up on winning over Liu Ji for Xiang Liang, because this was a task given to him by Xiang Liang.

His Jiujiang was quite far from the heart of the Central Plains, but closer to Kuaiji. During his journey, he had the most contact with Xiang Liang and was already impressed by the martial prowess and demeanor of the Xiang family uncle and nephew.

Not only him, but Zou Yao, who had previously clashed with him, also secretly pledged allegiance to Xiang Liang Gong after his fifteenth time travel. "Let's wait until Xiang Liang Gong enters Western Chu before making any moves!"

Ying Bu had openly acted as an advocate for Xiang Liang, and Liu Laosan frankly stated, "If we make an alliance with Xiang Liang early on, and the news gets out and the King of Chu and Jing Ju find out, I won't be able to stay in Western Chu."

It wasn't just Xiang Liang who was forming cliques; several bigwigs were also frantically "nibbling away" at the heroes of China, turning them into their underlings.

Ying Bu frowned slightly, feeling somewhat dissatisfied.

At this moment, only the two of them were whispering to each other, and he even deliberately used his internal energy to transmit his voice, so who could know?
It was just a verbal statement, not a formal agreement.

Just then, Xiahou Ying shouted from the front, "Brother Ji, King Pei, we have spotted the main force of the Qin army! It is King Ying Tao of Guanzhong leading the troops to cover the rear!"

The "villains" in this world are also called "Qin," and their royal family is surnamed "Ying," which is very similar to the Central Plains in reality.

However, Ying Tao is a fictional character who did not exist in reality. He is essentially a combination of Ziying and Lieyang Wang, and he held a very high position in the Qin Dynasty court.

Upon hearing that Ying Tao was ahead, Liu Ji immediately shouted, "Kill Ying Tao, and the tyrannical Qin Dynasty will perish! Brothers, charge with me!"

"Brother Liu, don't be impulsive!" Ying Bu was shocked and hurriedly spurred his horse to chase after him. He used a secret technique to transmit his voice and shouted, "Old Monster Jin must be with Ying Tao. Are you going to go and die?"
Come back quickly, we're just seeing them off from Guanzhong.

Jin Yong is the "fake Grand Tutor Yu" in this life.

Having traveled through time to the fifty-second time, the heroes of China have also figured out the formula for ending the rule of the "tyrannical Qin": it is enough to force the "fake Grand Tutor Yu" to leave the Central Plains with the remaining members of the "tyrannical Qin" army. Do not pursue a desperate enemy, as doing so may lead to a collapse.

Therefore, the wars to destroy Qin often ended completely near Hanzhong.

Pushing the "fake Grand Tutor Yu" too far will come at a price they can't afford.

"I'm not afraid! I'll challenge Jin Yong!" Liu Ji shouted, then looked around and saw Lu Wan riding up behind him. He breathed a sigh of relief. "Lu Wan, you and Xiahou Ying will cover for me."

Lu Wan untied the "Lingbao Bow," waved it at Liu Ji, and laughed, "Brother Ji, don't worry, we're quite experienced."

Ying Bu exclaimed in surprise, "You took the initiative to challenge Old Monster Jin, and you're still confident enough to back him up? Are you out of your minds?"

Lu Wan said, "You'll find out soon enough."

After waiting for less than a quarter of an hour, Liu Ji, who shouted "Old Monster Jin, come out and fight me!" got his wish and fought a great battle with Grand Tutor Jin in front of the two armies.

A complete crushing defeat.

Even though Liu Laosan unleashed his Star Power, he was still being beaten by Jin Taishi, who was dressed as a thirty-year-old Taoist nun.

After just ten moves, Liu Laosan was already in grave danger.

Lu Wan immediately raised his bow and shouted, "Old Monster Jin, take this arrow!"

The power of the stars flowed into the arrow, "Whoosh!"

Swift as lightning, fast as a falling star, Liu Ji shouted and lunged towards the arrow.

"Boom!" His head was blown apart by the bullet.

Ying Bu was dumbfounded. "Lu Wan, are your eyes in your crotch? Old Monster Jin wasn't even in that direction. You... no, it's one thing if you shot in the wrong direction, but why did Brother Liu take the initiative to meet the arrow?"

"Prince Pei is dead! Old Monster Jin is fierce! Brothers, let's retreat!" Lu Wan howled and spurred his horse to gallop back.

Fearing that Jin Laoguai would pursue him, he didn't stop and rushed straight out of Baoxie Road, arriving in front of the main force of the Allied Army.

Only then, catching his breath, did he explain to the bewildered Ying Bu, "Brother Ji has cultivated for dozens of lifetimes and wants to test his martial arts skills, so he used the 'Fake Grand Tutor Yu' as a whetstone."

After all, when we return to the Central Plains, we will eventually face the real Grand Tutor Yu.

"Only by defeating the fake Grand Tutor Yu will you have the courage to face the real Grand Tutor Yu in the future."

Ying Bu paused, then said thoughtfully, "He was worried about being captured by the fake Grand Tutor Yu, so he had you cover him. You two seem to know each other well; have you challenged the fake Grand Tutor Yu multiple times before?"

"I will only attempt to challenge the fake Grand Tutor Yu before the time travel ends. Even if I can't defeat the fake Grand Tutor Yu, I can still hone my courage."

The effect is quite good. Before, Brother Ji didn't dare to face the gaze of the fake Grand Tutor Yu, but now he can withstand ten moves in a head-on confrontation.

That's a huge improvement!
However, the fake Grand Tutor Yu is hard to find. If he can't find her, Brother Ji will test his skills against the dead eunuch she trained.

Those eunuchs practiced the legendary "Lotus Sutra," and each of them resembled a ghost, with vicious moves, making them extremely difficult to deal with.

Unfortunately, you're bound to encounter them in real life, and not just one or two.

"Therefore, it is very necessary to use them as whetstones during the journey," Lu Wan said.

"I never expected Brother Liu to be so strict with himself." Ying Bu was deeply shocked and felt a long-lost sense of awe towards Liu Ji.

Well, the last time I felt such awe was dozens of lifetimes ago, when Liu Laosan used the Zhou Tian Star Array to deal with the "fake Grand Tutor Yu".

This time, the sense of awe was even stronger, because Liu Laosan would always find someone to risk their life for.

To die in this world is true death, and the feeling of dying is no different from that of actual death.

Unless they are being pursued by the "fake Grand Tutor Yu," no time traveler will intentionally seek death.

Liu Ji was the only one, and not just once; he died fifty-two times!

But that guy's soul hadn't worn away yet; he was still full of energy and wanted to continue his journey.

How can one not be in awe of someone who is both ruthless and strong?
Well, Qingbu is being a bit presumptuous.

Liu Laosan wasn't as powerful as he thought. He worried that after his soul left, his shadow would still be alive, but it would inherit his memories and reveal his secrets.

—Within the Three Realms, only I am capable of cultivating "Old Man's Joy".

Liu Ji didn't know if Fuqiu Gong, who controlled destiny, had discovered his secret. In any case, during his time travel, he always used the special spiritual power of "Old Man's Joy" to protect his mind.

Before the time travel ends, he will definitely try every means to kill "himself".

On the fifty-third time travel, Ying Bu indeed did not appear.

By the hundredth time travel, only eighty time travelers remained.

Some people have persevered to this day because of their talent, like Xiang Yu.

Many more practiced special secret techniques, like Liu Ji, or cheated with the help of Li Futu—using the Soul Nourishing Bottle to cleanse their souls and remove debuffs, like the powerful figures such as King Chen Sheng of Chu and Xiang Liang.

"Brother Ji, I can't go on, let's retreat!" Lu Wan's energy and spirit were no different from Ying Bu's before, as if she had been working for more than ten days without sleeping or resting.

"I feel that my 'Heavenly Star God' can last a little longer," Liu Ji thought for a moment and said, "at least a hundred more time travels."

The so-called "Celestial Star God" is a "Celestial Martial God" cultivated using the "Star God Great Method".

Even after time travel, Liu Ji did not break through to the Human Immortal realm.

It wasn't that he was worried about ruining his future; it was simply that the energy level of the Lesser Thousand Worlds was too low, making it too difficult for a Human Immortal to break through, and his talent wasn't enough.

However, his continued cultivation of "Old Man's Joy" made his soul power and willpower too strong. Although he did not reach the realm of a human immortal, he cultivated the Heavenly Star God to the realm of "Immortal Martial Dharma Form".

If he condenses the Human Immortal Essence Pill, he can immediately break through to the Immortal Martial Dharma Form.

Liu Laosan's ability to resist the wear and tear on his soul caused by time and time travel was mainly due to the "Star God Technique".

The "Old Man's Joy" is more powerful and has a more obvious effect on strengthening the soul and spirit, but it has no effect on resisting the wear and tear of time. This surprised Liu Ji, and he even planned to ask the old Taoist Wuyazi about it when he met him next time.

It would be best to help him fix this "loophole".

—How can a powerful technique of the Human Emperor be unable to withstand the wear and tear of time? This is unacceptable.

“Brother, even if you can hold on, we’ve all left, and there are fewer and fewer people left. It will be difficult to deal with ‘Fake Grand Tutor Yu’! Peng Yue, me, and Xiahou Ying are all gone. What will you do if you are all alone and captured by ‘Fake Grand Tutor Yu’?” Lu Wan said worriedly.

"I'll either hide in Mount Mangdang to cultivate myself, or seek refuge with someone else. Don't worry, I'll prioritize safety and won't act recklessly," Liu Ji said.

In the end, Liu Laosan persisted until his 220th crossing before finally giving up.

Xiang Yu, Xiang Liang, and twenty-five others fought their way through three hundred worlds.

(End of this chapter)