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

A sworn brotherhood is even greater than the "kindness of parents" or the "affection of husband and wife".

Zhu Yu gained some understanding through reading the books in the collection, but that was all; he thought it was just a characteristic of the "Dayu" culture.

But just now.

Yu Lou knelt on one knee and invited them to "become sworn brothers".

Zhu Yu suddenly sensed the arrival of the "Martial World's" Great Will, which startled him. He thought that his "Divided Spirit" attack had been discovered by the Great Will. Fortunately, it was just a false alarm. The Great Will came here to verify him, or rather, to verify whether Yu Lou had any intention of "swearing brotherhood".

I don't know if it's just my imagination.

As the Great Will swept over his divine words, "Righteousness and Righteousness," Zhu Yu vaguely sensed a fleeting feeling of elation.

Then he suddenly understood.

Should you become sworn brothers with Yulou, who is willing to "take the fall" for you, so that you share both glory and loss?

It seemed that as long as he nodded, the "sworn brotherhood" would be formed instantly.

He hesitated for only a moment before agreeing to become sworn brothers with "Yulou". Who could refuse a "brother" who would take a knife for them?

The thought settled.

He felt an inexplicable connection with Yulou. He could clearly sense the "popularity" surrounding Yulou and had a feeling that he could take Yulou's "popularity" if he got Yulou's consent.

at the same time.

He could also transfer his "popularity" to "Yulou".

They are of the same breath and share the same branches.

However, if he takes advantage of the "Jade Pavilion's" reputation, he must return it within a certain period if the "Jade Pavilion" needs it, otherwise he will suffer a backlash. The more he takes, the greater the backlash will be.

of course.

If the "Jade Pavilion" does not want it, there will be no "backlash". However, if he accidentally dies, the "popularity" he has taken will turn into a raging flood, and the backlash will be even more severe.

"We are of the same blood..."

Zhu Yu's eyes lit up. He felt that he had discovered his own "path". The divine words "righteousness" not only made him trustworthy, but it seemed that even the great will of the "martial world" appreciated him. He easily passed the "sworn brotherhood" test.

With this thought, he turned to look at the three thousand inner disciples around him, a perfectly measured, gentle smile spreading across his face, and thought to himself:

"As the old saying goes, 'Like father, like son; like brothers, like brothers.'"

"If I had three thousand sworn brothers and sisters..."

"The boundaries of 'states and counties,' 'four borders,' and even 'five borders' are still unknown..."

In an instant, a multitude of complex thoughts flashed through my mind.

"call…"

Zhu Yu breathed a sigh of relief, smiled and greeted the disciples who were looking around. Before they could come forward, he sat cross-legged on the ground and immersed himself in cultivation, absorbing the "human prestige" contained in the "dragon pearl".

He wanted "three thousand brothers".

But the prerequisite is that it must be with his "three thousand brothers".

To achieve such a feat, he must first win the "Inner Sect Competition"! Only then will he be the undisputed leader!

Once this unprecedented feat is accomplished...

The sheer "popularity" he's amassed through this alone could easily propel him to the fourth realm, or even the fifth realm...

If it is still insufficient.

Wait for "True Lord Qingping" to lead the Foundation Establishment cultivators here.

Another opportunity for him...

Three days passed in the blink of an eye while he was cultivating.

The first round of the "competition" had just ended.

That's why it took so long.

"Competition" occupies less than one-tenth of the time; the remaining nine-tenths of the time is spent on making appearances, building a persona, and showcasing oneself to the outside world in order to gather more "popularity".

As time went by...

More and more people came to the "Peerless Gate", including people from the third and fourth realms. Some were wandering knights and maidens who roamed the world freely, while others were high-ranking officials in the imperial court.

The crowd gathered here numbered well over ten thousand, and the number of people involved behind the scenes was in the tens of millions…

It is easy to imagine how enormous a "popularity" such a large number of people represent.

This is the millennium-old heritage of the "Wushuang Sect," the overlord of the "Jiujiang County" bandit forces.

At this time.

The "deacon" on the stage called out.

"Number 999, Wu Pingan; Number 2, Liu Peisan, come to the stage."

The words fell.

The crowd instantly parted to create two passageways.

Zhu Yu suddenly stood up.

As everyone gazed at the inky black divine inscription "Righteous Spirit" above his head, their eyes no longer held mockery or sarcasm, but rather a complex mix of emotions and admiration.

In just three days, he reached the "Divine Word Realm" perfection.

Although it was due to his "popularity," it also shows that Zhu Yu was exceptionally talented.

"Given his family background, if he had used the time he would spend reading on cultivation, he would probably have broken through to the 'Golden Body Realm' by now, right?..."

"A 'bookworm'? Who came up with such a nickname? It's utterly absurd!"

"Extraordinary people do extraordinary things. Senior Brother Wu is no ordinary person. In the future, he may well make a name for himself like the 'Sword Saint' and the 'White Dragon King'..."

"Yu Lou is truly cunning and treacherous..."

"..."

The crowd buzzed with discussion, their gazes toward Zhu Yu quite fervent, especially those martial artists who had been near him in recent days. They stared intently at the "righteous spirit" for a long time, and from the bottom of their hearts, they believed that Zhu Yu was such a person.

If I weren't afraid of disturbing his cultivation, I would have already gone up to befriend him.

Zhu Yu did not make any effort to get closer to his future sworn brother and sister. He nodded in greeting, stepped onto the arena, and looked at the young man who had stepped onto the arena opposite him.

He was dressed in black, with long arms, a wasp waist, and mantis legs, clearly possessing an excellent physique for martial arts training. Moreover, instead of a sword, he carried a bronze-colored staff on his back.

Upon stepping onto the arena, Liu Peisan remained silent, reaching behind his long staff. Wisps of smoke rose from his head, condensing into a four-character divine incantation as black as ink.

Upon stepping onto the arena, Liu Peisan remained silent, reaching behind his long staff. Wisps of smoke rose from his head, condensing into a four-character divine incantation as black as ink.

[Ten miles without a head]

"Huh..."

Zhu Yu had not witnessed the fight beforehand and did not know the meaning behind the phrase "Ten Miles Without a Head," but based solely on the surface of the words and the pitch-black divine incantation, he knew that the person was no ordinary individual.

At this time.

I overheard some whispers from the audience.

Whether Liu Peisan intended to let him understand the effects of "divine words" or was waiting for more "popularity" to gather, he stood with one hand holding a stick, his eyes, like copper bells, glancing slightly at the sky, exuding an aura of dominance over everyone.

The fragmented conversation allowed Zhu Yu to roughly understand the effect of the divine words, "ten miles without a head."

It is indeed very strong.

If it's not a top-tier divine saying, it's certainly a very high-level one.

However, unlike the offensive type of divine words he had imagined, "Ten Miles Without a Head" was a "benefit" type of divine word.

He can gather an indestructible aura by cutting off the "cauliflower head" within a radius of ten miles, and this aura allows him to temper the true qi and blood belonging to the "Golden Body Realm" ahead of time.

Although there was only one.

However, it can easily crush the loose blood and qi of the "Divine Word Realm".

Zhu Yu's eyes were solemn. Back in the "Righteousness" Spirit Ruins, he had fought against a half-crippled "Golden Body" martial artist with his "Divine Word Realm" body. If it weren't for the "Superior Man" Divine Word, he would probably have been smashed into mincemeat.

That's it.

After killing it, he also paid with his own life.

As the thought flashed through his mind, he reached for the sword at his waist, but instead of pressing it on the sharp weapon "Cheng Ying", he pressed it on the mottled ancient sword.

at the same time.

"drink…"

Liu Peisan roared and slammed his staff down. His scarlet flames rose several feet high, and then collapsed and subsided amidst his angry shout, transforming into piles of scales.

In the blink of an eye.

His body was completely covered by a scarlet, glass-like heavy armor, with only his head showing a pair of bloodshot eyes that gleamed with the ferocity of a wild beast.

"hiss…"

Seeing this scene.

Not only did the crowd below the stage gasp, but the guests on the pavilions on both sides also turned their gazes, and some martial artists at the "Golden Body Realm" were even more astonished.

One of the "Golden Body Realm" martial artists exclaimed, "True Qi Condensed Armor!..."

"How is that possible! He's only at the 'Divine Word Realm'..."

Immediately following, a martial artist at the "Golden Body Realm" looked on incredulously.

"Yeah, how could that be..."

In an instant,

A buzzing murmur arose.

Some of the teenagers who came with their elders asked them why they were so shocked, and only after hearing their explanation did they understand.

"True Qi Condensed Armor" is not as simple as transforming "Qi and Blood True Qi" into armor. It requires the use of special "martial arts skills", and these skills are demanding on the practitioner. Only those with meticulous attention to detail can master them.

Its cultivation is difficult, and its power is naturally extraordinary.

A middle-aged man in a long robe, with a dignified face, clearly someone who held a high position, patted the head of the curious child beside him and sighed softly, "There's a saying in the 'Golden Body Realm': those who have 'condensed true qi into armor' cannot be broken without a 'famous weapon'."

The child listened with a completely bewildered expression.

The crowd nearby nodded in agreement, their gazes fixed on Liu Peisan, who was shrouded in crimson heavy armor on the arena, and they all exclaimed in admiration:

"As expected of the Peerless Sect, which dominates the Jiujiang region, it produces many outstanding talents. This person has mastered the Armor Condensation Technique at such a young age. Even if he doesn't reach the fifth realm, he's definitely destined for the fourth..."

"That young man has decent aptitude for cultivation, it's a pity..."

"It seems the outcome is already decided..."

"..."

Discussions arose in the pavilions on both sides, while the disciples below the arena were even more boisterous. Those who knew the background boldly declared that "Liu Peisan" would surely win the "true successor position," while those who did not understand refuted them one after another, creating a noisy commotion.

"So strong... Looks like I can't hide my strength anymore..."

Zhu Yu looked at Liu Peisan, who was clad in heavy armor, and felt his overwhelming aura. His pupils contracted involuntarily, and without hesitation, he raised his hand and drew his ancient sword.

With a hiss, the sound of rust scraping against each other rang out, and a longsword covered in rust, seemingly on the verge of breaking, was drawn from its sheath.

As he drew his sword, Liu Peisan, shrouded in the heavy armor of "Qi and Blood True Qi," moved. Without any fancy moves, he charged forward like a raging bull, raising his fine bronze staff high. A streak of scarlet glass rapidly spread from his palm along the entire staff, instantly lengthening it by more than three feet.

The person did not arrive.

An overwhelming, suffocating pressure emanated from the air.

Those who were closer to the arena felt the chilling aura emanating from it and couldn't help but take a step back.

Then, under the watchful eyes of everyone.

Zhu Yu exuded that familiar wisp of azure energy, but instead of forming a protective shield as before, it surged into the rusty sword in his hand that seemed about to break.

But his next move stunned everyone present.

He simply put one hand behind his back, raised his sword as a brush, and with each stroke of the sword, he wrote a line of large characters in mid-air.

[The Zhao guest wears a silk tassel on his hat, his Wu hook sword gleaming like frost and snow.]

"Poetry?... "

"Has he gone mad? Is this the time to write poetry?... "

"He knew he was doomed to defeat, and wanted to gain 'popularity' through 'poetry'? But 'popularity' isn't earned that way; it's utter nonsense..."

Everyone likes "popularity".

However, earning "popularity" also depends on the occasion.

Composing poetry while competing with someone?

Nonsense!

Upon reaching the center of the arena, Liu Peisan saw that Zhu Yu was treating their fight as a game. His eyes flashed with even more ferocity, his steps quickened, and the long staff in his hand trembled and hummed, as if a savage and powerful force was about to burst forth.

But Zhu Yu seemed completely unaware. The rusty sword swept across the air like flowing clouds and water, leaving another line of poetry imprinted in the air.

A silver saddle shines on a white horse, swift as a shooting star.

The writing fell down.

Pavilions on both sides.

"Huh..."

"White Dragon King" Dong Biwu, "Green-Eyed Ghost" Wanyan Hong, and the dignified middle-aged man, the Grand Elder of the "Peerless Sect," suddenly raised their heads and looked up at the sky.