The Path to Immortality: Starting with an Analysis of Basic Concepts

Pavilions on both sides.

The "White Dragon King," leaning on a dragon-headed cane with a hunched back, suddenly narrowed his eyes to a point, stood up abruptly, straightened his hunched back slightly, and burst forth with a jade-like blood light, transforming into a horned but legless blood dragon, standing proudly with its vertical pupils staring intently at the empty space in front of it, as if facing a formidable enemy.

The young men and women accompanying him were intimidated by his imposing aura. They grunted and retreated from the pavilion, their faces filled with horror, wondering why their father and godfather had suddenly become so enraged.

Outside the pavilion.

The group of people from the Hundred Clans forces affiliated with the "White Dragon King" looked at the pavilion with surprise and doubt, wondering why the "White Dragon King," who had not made a move for more than ten years, was reacting so strongly after the "Sword Saint" appeared.

at the same time.

A monkey's cry came from a nearby pavilion. Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw that Wanyan Hong, the leader of the "Sishui River" gang, who was known as the "Green-Eyed Ghost," was also dressed in scarlet true qi armor like the "White Dragon King" and holding the famous weapon "Hun Tian Cudgel."

His vital energy was as blazing as his hair, and combined with his emerald green eyes and curly golden hair, he truly resembled a ghost.

Then they sensed a dozen powerful auras at the peak of the "Four Realms" and on the verge of the Fifth Realm. Looking around, they saw that these auras belonged to either the leaders of a local "river road" or the heads of "families" or "martial arts schools" in various cities.

"What are they doing...?"

Everyone turned their gaze to the man standing on the altar with his hands behind his back, wearing a purple robe, with a handsome face and a pair of sharp, narrow eyes.

Even the most foolish among them would know at this moment that the "White Dragon King," the "Azure-Eyed Demon," and many other peak experts of the "Four Realms" were suddenly on high alert because of this "Sword Saint."

Among the three thousand inner disciples of the "Peerless Sect".

Zhu Yu, who possessed divine sense, was the one who felt the most deeply about everyone's doubts.

"Sword Saint" Dugu Xin makes his debut.

In his perception, it was not human, but a giant sword as heavy as a mountain. Its sharpness was like a blade hanging between his brows, as if the giant mountain would crush everything in its path into dust at any moment.

Even with his resilient spirit, the intense sense of crisis constantly urged him to draw his sword and fight back.

"This sword intent is at least level 6 or higher..."

Zhu Yu felt a chill run down her spine. She glanced at him once, then lowered her eyes, no longer daring to look directly at the figure in purple robes.

The sword intent is profound and exquisite.

The "Eye of True Sight" is used to distinguish levels.

Levels 1 to 3 represent mastery of sword intent, and many cultivators with high swordsmanship talent are at this level.

Levels 4 to 6 represent minor mastery of sword intent. Only those with exceptional swordsmanship and high comprehension can reach this level. Its power is no less than that of minor mastery "Divine Power Domain," and its mysteries far surpass it.

Levels 7 to 9 represent the pinnacle of sword intent. Reaching this level requires more than just talent; it demands a profound understanding of the divine will and a moment of sudden enlightenment. Once sword intent is fully mastered, its power rivals that of a fully mastered divine domain. When combined with external objects, even ordinary plants can become as formidable as divine weapons.

And now.

The Sword Saint Dugu on the altar unleashed his sword intent, which, in the perception of Zhu Yu and the others, appeared as an invisible blade that could fall at any moment, hovering between their brows. No one dared to be careless.

Although the "Sword Saint" is renowned and unlikely to resort to sneak attacks, what if he does? Everyone here is wealthy and powerful, and no one dares to gamble with their life, since someone could really die if they're not careful.

The noisy atmosphere in the arena suddenly stopped.

At this time.

A calm, yet clear voice quietly rang in everyone's ears.

"Thank you all for coming to my 'Peerless Gate' to witness this ceremony."

"Let's begin the ritual."

The former was addressed to guests such as the "White Dragon King" and the "Azure-Eyed Demon," while the latter was addressed to the elders on the altar and true disciples and inner disciples like Zhu Yu.

"I respectfully obey the sect leader's command."

Led by the white-haired old man, who was the previous leader of the "Peerless Sect" and is now the Grand Elder, all the elders bowed down.

"Respect the sect leader's command."

Led by nine true disciples, each with a unique aura and posture, the three thousand inner disciples bowed down in unison to the head of the altar.

"His Majesty's order."

The "White Dragon King," the "Azure-Eyed Demon," and a group of people from the Hundred Clans of Jiujiang approached, all with solemn expressions and respectfully bowing down.

The loud voices converged into one, soaring into the sky and shattering a passing white cloud.

The sky was clear and bright.

The sun seemed to brighten a bit.

In the canyon, beneath the Heavenly Gate.

Only the figure in purple robes stood proudly alone on the altar.

This moment.

In a daze, Zhu Yu vaguely sensed a vast and vigorous stream of "human hope" coming from all directions and converging towards the "altar," lasting for more than ten breaths before stopping intermittently.

It's a bit of a good deal.

The "popularity" gathered in just a dozen breaths is hundreds or even thousands of times greater than the "treasure chest" sent by "Wu Shaoyang".

"No wonder there's a 'sacrifice,' no wonder the Sword Saint Dugu had to manifest his divine power..."

Zhu Yu suddenly understood why the "Dugu" Sword Saint had released his sword intent out of nowhere. He had thought that the Sword Saint was showing off his power to the guests.

Now it seems...

What's the point of this show of force? While displaying military might have its purpose, ultimately it's just about putting on a show and gaining public support…

When Zhu Yu raised his head and looked at the altar, there was no longer the figure of the "Dugu" Sword Saint. Only the former sect leader and the Grand Elder were burning incense and performing the ritual.

When Zhu Yu raised his head and looked at the altar, there was no longer the figure of the "Dugu" Sword Saint. Only the former sect leader and the Grand Elder were burning incense and performing the ritual.

However, it looks mostly perfunctory.

After leading his disciples in nine bows, the Grand Elder swept his majestic gaze across the crowd, and his voice, as resounding as a great bell, boomed out.

"This time, three true disciples will be selected, and the inner sect competition will begin."

After saying that, he turned around and took a step, his figure as light as a wisp of smoke, and arrived at the pavilion where the "White Dragon King" was located, where he exchanged pleasantries with him.

The other elders also dispersed and went to the "Green-Eyed Demon," where the other leaders of the Jiujiang outlaws were, to exchange pleasantries and talk.

Following the elder's departure.

Most of the nine disciples, each with a distinct temperament and demeanor, left the square directly. Only one or two walked to a pavilion on one side, where they were quickly surrounded by a group of martial artists, including many masters of various lineages, who chatted warmly with them.

Zhu Yu and the others, under the arrangement of various "stewards", participated in a martial arts competition by drawing lots.

The rules are crude and simple.

There are one to three thousand accounts, with each thousand people forming one arena.

The opponent is the first two pairs of numbers.

For example, number 1 corresponds to number 1000, number 1001 corresponds to number 2000, and number 2001 corresponds to number 3000.

And so on.

Three "true disciples" were ultimately selected.

To prevent the weak from gaining the upper hand, each loser has one chance to challenge, but the price is that the ring leader can use severe force against the challenger, even to the point of death.

At first, Zhu Yu was somewhat puzzled.

It wasn't until I heard the surrounding chatter that I realized that this rule was meant to scare away people who wanted to ride on the coattails of the "leader's" fame.

can only say.

This is very "martial arts world".

Zhu Yu looked down at the number "999" in his hand, a slight smile playing on his lips. He waited for the "deacon" of the first arena to call for him, then lightly stepped onto the arena, which was over three zhang high and nearly a hundred zhang long and wide.

And his opponent.

He was a handsome young man of about sixteen, holding a fine steel longsword in reverse grip. His brows were sharp and his expression was cold. Putting everything else aside, his posture alone was quite impressive.

If he were placed in some remote town, everyone who saw him would give him a thumbs up and say, "What a fine young man of the martial arts world!"

The inner disciples below reacted with varying expressions and began to discuss amongst themselves upon seeing the two appear.

Those who knew Zhu Yu exclaimed in surprise, "This bookworm actually got the lucky draw at the start..."

Immediately afterward, someone scoffed, "Ha, it's a good start, but he's the kind of person who treats a good start as a good start."

"Junior Brother Yulou is truly lucky..."

Those who knew the boy couldn't help but feel a little envious.

Such grand events are often most eye-catching at the beginning. Even those with limited resources can still gain some attention by contributing information to influential figures like "Bai Xiaosheng," or even by reporting on "Da Yu Official" and "Jianghu Yiwen."

Especially since "Zhu Yu" has a rather special identity, he might even be mentioned in more detail.

Only this one duel.

At the very least, it can save you three years of arduous training.

On the arena.

The sword-wielding youth, Yu Lou, overheard some gossip and was slightly taken aback. His eyes lit up with surprise, and when he came to his senses, he looked at Zhu Yu as if he were looking at some kind of treasure.

Wait for the "deacon" to say "begin".

Yu Lou's eyes flickered slightly. He didn't attack, but instead gripped his steel longsword in reverse, clasped his hands in a salute, and said loudly:

"I have long admired Brother Wu's name. I hope you will give it your all in today's duel and not let my youth deter you. I began my studies at the age of three and started learning martial arts at the age of four..."

He introduced himself at length, ignoring the insults coming from the outside world. He glanced at the pavilions on both sides out of the corner of his eye, and with a slight thought, wisps of smoke rose from above his head, transforming into a verdant divine incantation.

[Rough on the outside, meticulous on the inside]

As soon as these words were spoken, the jeers and urging from the crowd subsided by more than half, and even those who hadn't paid much attention in the pavilions on both sides turned their gazes to them.

"Rough on the outside but meticulous on the inside, a special divine word...?"

On a certain blue stone platform, a tall woman dressed in white robes with a foxy face looked down, her sleeves folded. She was slightly surprised to see the young man displaying divine words.

Well known.

"Divine Words" are transformed and derived from "Innate Skills".

There are many types, covering a wide range.

However, after thousands of years of summarizing by warriors, divine words can be roughly divided into several categories.

They are respectively.

Skills: Similar to the "Five Tigers Saber" and "Overlord Spear", most of them are "skills" displayed in the weapon, and then further developed through tempering and forging.

Techniques: Similar to "divine speed" and "concealment", most of them are "skills" that manifest in a certain talent. If you want to manifest "divine speed", the prerequisite "skills" are often "walking with the wind" or "being good at running", etc. Their function is similar to "magic" in myths and legends, and they all belong to the category of "techniques".

Body: Similar to "White Dragon King" and "Blue-eyed Demon", most of them are "skills" that are manifested in their physical body. For example, "White Dragon King" is said to have "scales and skin disease", which is manifested in the divine word "reverse scales". Only by breaking through the "Dharma form" can one become "White Dragon King". Because its function is to change the body, it belongs to "body".

Some of the words "divine words" have ambiguous meanings.

They all belong to a special category.

"Roughness with subtlety" is such a concept. Its meaning is multifaceted, and its specific effects depend on the firm belief of the "Jade Pavilion" when it manifests its divine words.

"He's all bark and no bite, clearly not a good god..." A maid with a round face pouted and grumbled angrily, "The second young master could definitely beat him."

Wu Pingjun's gaze fell on the slightly thin Zhu Yu, and for some reason, a charming smile appeared on her face.

This caused the person who had been frequently glancing at him from a distance to freeze for a moment. When he came to his senses, he wanted to go up and get to know him, but as soon as he took a few steps closer, he felt that the figure was getting taller and taller, like a mountain, making it hard for him to breathe.

"hiss…"

This unusual situation instantly brought the group to their senses. Without thinking, they turned and fled. Only after they had gone several dozen feet away did they feel the heavy pressure in their hearts slowly dissipate.

Lord Wuping didn't even glance at it, as if he knew nothing about it.

Instead, the maid Baozi glared angrily at the group and muttered, "Hmph, they're all lecherous scoundrels..."

At this moment, on the arena.

Zhu Yu watched him show off with great interest. When he revealed his divine words, Zhu Yu didn't say anything. With a thought, wisps of smoke gathered above his head.

Under the watchful eyes of the Jade Pavilion and everyone else.

A deep green divine message materialized.

[Upright Spirit]

"Righteousness and integrity? Yet another special divine incantation."

"Hiss... Late stage of the Divine Word Realm? Wasn't this bookworm supposed to never cultivate? This is what you call not cultivating? Then what am I, the early stage of the Divine Word Realm?"

Some people rubbed their eyes in disbelief, staring at the deep green divine words, and said incredulously, "It really is the late stage of the Divine Word Realm..."

"How strange..."

"Who's spouting this nonsense?...

"This person isn't very old, is he? And he's already at the late stage of the Divine Speech Realm? I heard he spends all his time in the library, so he probably hasn't been cultivating for very long..."

"..."

The crowd murmured amongst themselves, exchanging bewildered glances, all somewhat speechless. Was this what they called ordinary talent? Was this what they called not cultivating? ...

Yu Lou stared at the deep green "divine words," his eyelids twitching involuntarily. This is what you call "trash"? "Bookworm"? He paused for only a moment, his gaze sharpening, his blood and qi surging beneath his feet, his figure like an arrow, and in a few leaps he was right in front of Zhu Yu.

He raised his hand and thrust out, the fine steel longsword like a white light piercing towards his throat. As it approached, it split into hundreds of sword shadows, covering the acupoints all over his body.

The eyes of the audience lit up at the sight.

"This is the sword technique 'Splitting Light and Shadow,' capable of creating hundreds of sword shadows. It's already at the pinnacle of its skill. That martial art..."

Just as one person was about to say something, their voice suddenly stopped abruptly.

On the arena.

Zhu Yu's body erupted with a strange cyan-green aura, and countless sword shadows fell upon it, but they couldn't even create a ripple, let alone break through it.

Yu Lou, who was using the sword technique "Splitting Light and Shadow," felt a sudden sinking feeling in his heart. He looked at the figure shrouded in blue light and, for some reason, felt ashamed of himself.

"Brother Wu, you don't mind my talkativeness, but I was thinking of ambushing him. I'm really not a human being..."

As thoughts raced through my mind, my reactions inevitably slowed down.

Zhu Yu would not let this opportunity pass. He reached out and drew his sword, thrusting with "basic swordsmanship." He simply stabbed through the gaps in the sword's shadow, and the weapon "Cheng Ying," empowered by "righteous energy," transformed into a clear rainbow light, accurately landing on the boy's throat.

With just a gentle push.

His young head would be pierced through in his prime.

The sword shadows dissipated.

Yu Lou stared blankly at the sword hanging in front of his throat. The words "You are too kind" in his ear startled him. Coming back to his senses, he looked at the refined young man in front of him. Even though the young man had taken away his chance to show his talent, he just couldn't get angry.

"Thank you for showing mercy, Senior Brother Wu..."