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

The "sworn brotherhood" is in turmoil.

Before the crowd could recover from the "vast river" inspired by Zhu Yu, they were stunned again, their faces filled with disbelief.

Another "sworn brotherhood"?

When did "swearing brotherhood" become so simple?

Feeling like old friends at first sight?

It's unbelievable how quickly they hit it off. Among the people present, some had secretly tried to "form a sworn brotherhood." After all, although "sworn brotherhood" has its limitations, having a brother who can protect you and interacting with others in terms of "reputation" has too many benefits.

But so far.

Among the tens of thousands of people in the "Wushuangmen" sect, only a handful swore brotherhood, which became a popular story.

And what about Zhu Yu?

The two sworn brotherhoods lasted no more than ten days each time…

"This is unbelievable..."

Just then.

Amidst the calm crowd, an excited voice suddenly rang out.

"Big brother!..."

The words fell.

A young man with a long sword at his waist stepped onto the arena.

It was none other than "Yu Lou," who had previously sworn brotherhood with Zhu Yu. He looked at Liu Peisan and sensed the familiar "popularity" fluctuation emanating from him. He wanted to call him "Third Brother," but the overwhelming sense of pressure he exuded made him unsure how to begin.

Liu Peisan naturally sensed the fluctuation in popularity of "Yulou", but he did not feel the warmth or the belief that they would die for each other. His face twitched, but he did not speak.

Zhu Yu, seemingly oblivious to their thoughts, gripped Yu Lou's arm with his left hand and Liu Peisan's arm with his right, and said with great enthusiasm:

"Second brother, you've come at the right time. Let me introduce you. This is my third brother, Pei. From this day forward, the three of us brothers will share both good fortune and hardship, and we will surely..."

Before he could finish speaking, an impatient voice came from the side.

"Stop dawdling and step down immediately."

Zhu Yu was startled and looked in the direction of the sound. He saw a young man dressed in a white brocade robe, carrying a jade-inlaid longsword, step onto the arena. His left eye was full of cold arrogance, and he curled his lip in disdain, snorting:

"Sworn brotherhood? That's just the way of the weak..."

"What a show-off..."

Zhu Yu looked at this man with long hair and a tall hat, one eye covered by his bangs, and only one eye could be seen, and his eyes showed surprise and doubt.

Yu Lou and Liu Peisan clearly recognized the newcomer. Upon hearing this, Yu Lou immediately retorted, "You one-eyed bastard, are you looking for a fight?"

"You?..." Dang Qing curled his lip in disdain, slightly raising his head, his wispy bangs fluttering in the wind.

Yu Lou had fought him before, but had never won even once. His momentum faltered instinctively, but he quickly regained his composure, raised his head high, and sneered:

"I may not be able to beat you, but with my brother here, how can you be so insolent!..."

As he spoke, he turned to look at Zhu Yu and Liu Peisan, his expression full of expectation.

As the leader, Zhu Yu naturally took the lead.

Just as he was about to step forward, Liu Peisan beat him to it, saying in a low voice, "This mere brat doesn't need your help, elder brother. I'll take care of him..."

After saying this, he strode towards Dang Qing with his stick in hand.

"Oh…"

Dang Qing sneered disdainfully, slightly raised his head, his wispy bangs fluttering in the wind, and wisps of smoke rose up, condensing into a deep green four-character divine incantation.

Arrogance

"Arrogant? Another special divine word..."

Zhu Yu subconsciously looked at his eye, which was covered by his hair, and nodded. This "divine word" was indeed appropriate for the occasion, but she didn't know what its effect was.

Seemingly sensing his doubt, Yu Lou spoke up to explain, "Brother, although Dang Qing is arrogant, his strength should not be underestimated. He has defeated the strong with the weak on several occasions."

"His divine word 'Arrogance' has the effect of 'evasion,' meaning he is adept at 'dodging,' and any attack he cannot see will not fall upon him."

"Of course, he can't intentionally ignore this 'offensive'..."

As he spoke, a look of envy appeared on his face.

His divine pronouncements, "rough yet meticulous," greatly benefit spiritual practice, but he is not adept at warfare. In contrast, the pronouncements of the Dangqing sect, "arrogant and disdainful of others," greatly benefit combat and are also quite adept at preserving one's life.

"Attacking attacks that cannot be seen will not fall upon you, but you cannot intentionally ignore them..."

Zhu Yu pondered this sentence carefully and finally understood why Dang Qing kept such bangs. The world seen by one eye and the world seen by two eyes are naturally different, and as long as he thinks it looks cool, it doesn't seem intentional.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but show a strange expression.

"If he thinks he's blind, wouldn't he be invincible?"

But he quickly dismissed the strange thought. "To be arrogant, one must have eyes; otherwise, how can the 'divine words' be effective?"

And in his mind.

Liu Peisan and Dang Qing immediately came to blows.

In this regard.

The "Peerless Gate" steward made no attempt to stop them, standing with his arms crossed at the edge of the arena, watching the spectacle.

The audience didn't think anything was wrong.

A warrior, a warrior—how can one be called a "warrior" if one doesn't have the courage to fight at the slightest provocation?

But this is different from simply watching without saying anything, as is the case with the Grand Competition.

The crowd started commotion, some suggesting that Liu Peisan gouge out his bright eye and brush away his bangs to break the effect of the divine saying "arrogance," while others suggested that Dang Qing should not back down, turn a blind eye, and just stab Liu Peisan in the heart, neck, and groin with his sword.

For a time, there was much talk and much discussion, making it quite a lively scene.

Whistles and shouts could be heard from the pavilions on both sides from time to time, which made Liu Peisan and Dang Qing, who were fighting, turn pale. But they were helpless. In "Da Yu", unless they had a "just cause" or created a "fighting atmosphere" in advance, they would be treated like monkeys.

A commotion arose.

The two were so angry and embarrassed that they wanted to strangle each other, but they couldn't decide who would win, so they remained deadlocked, their morale waning as they fought.

Before long, the two lost all interest in fighting, but they were also troubled by the lack of a way out. If they separated like this, it would inevitably damage their reputation and create obstacles for their future spiritual practice.

"Haha, serves you right..."

Not only the people on both sides of the pavilion and below the stage noticed the two's embarrassing situation, but even the arena steward saw it, yet he showed no intention of stepping forward to stop this farce.

Acting rashly in anger, regardless of the situation, will naturally come at a price.

According to the default rules of "Da Yu".

In such a situation, one of them has to bleed, otherwise both of them will become the laughingstock of others...

Having moved to the edge of the arena, Zhu Yu gradually began to understand the situation through the instigation of others. Just as he was about to step forward to mediate between the two, the "steward" glanced over.

The look in his eyes held no warning, but rather an air of amusement.

Zhu Yu didn't stop, and in a few leaps he arrived before the two men, easily intercepting them who didn't want to get into a fight. Under their expectant gazes, he laughed heartily and cupped his hands to Dang Qing, saying:

"As the saying goes, no friendship is formed without a fight. How about we become sworn brothers?"

Dang Qing was immediately stunned.

Liu Peisan was taken aback at first, then hurriedly stepped forward and said urgently, "Brother, 'sworn brotherhood' is not a game, no..."

Just as he was about to say something, he sensed that familiar "qi," and his words stopped abruptly. His eyes widened like copper bells, and his face was full of disbelief.

"No...no..."

Looking at Zhu Yu's sincere face, which conveyed a willingness to share both good times and bad, Dang Qing felt a surge of warmth in his heart and clasped his hands in greeting, saying, "Younger brother Dang Qing greets elder brother!"

The words fell.

He then sensed a deep connection with Zhu Yu, a connection that allowed them to risk their lives for each other, a connection that was the "reputation" that warriors relied on for their training.

Upon sensing the connection, Zhu Yu's face lit up with even greater joy. He stepped forward, grasped Dang Qing's arms, and exclaimed excitedly, "Fourth Brother!"

"Big brother!"

"Fourth brother!"

"Big brother!..."

Compared to Liu Peisan and Yulou, Dang Qing was clearly a man of strong emotions. His usually aloof face flushed red with excitement, and even a corner of his eyes, which were hidden by his bangs, was revealed.

"Come, let me introduce you..."

Just as Zhu Yu pulled the stunned Liu Peisan aside and introduced him to Dang Qing.

Pavilions on both sides.

"White Dragon King" Dong Biwu's face twitched. His gaze fell on the honest-looking young man with two swords at his waist. He rubbed his face vigorously and exclaimed:

"It's truly a case of the old waves pushing the new waves forward, each one stronger than the last..."

He paused, then said firmly:

"If this child doesn't die young, he will surely reach the Six Realms of Immortality, and perhaps even the ethereal 'Human Immortal'..."

Dong Qing, standing to the side, showed a slight change in expression and suddenly said, "Father, your daughter wants to marry him."

"White Dragon King" Dong Biwu looked over.

Lin Lu looked at her in astonishment and said instinctively, "How old is he? He's barely grown any hair..."

Dong Qing glanced at him but ignored him. Instead, she earnestly explained to her father, "Wu Ping'an is the Prefect of Jiujiang and the son of Wu Shaoyang." After a pause, she added, "Father may not know, but Wu Shaoyang is about to be promoted."

"A promotion?"

"White Dragon King" Dong Biwu frowned and shook his head, saying, "Wu Shaoyang is only at the 'Fourth Realm.' Unless he breaks through to the 'Fifth Realm,' he will find it difficult to govern a region."

Wu Shaoyang cultivated the path of "Dharma Master".

The highest level for a "Mage" is only the fourth realm. Even if Wu Shaoyang were to be promoted, he would only be a deputy. Deputies often have no power but are burdened with trivial matters.

It brought him no benefit whatsoever to the Sea Whale Gang.

Dong Qing smiled upon hearing this and transmitted his voice through the telepathic connection, saying, "Father, it is said that the special envoy sent by the 'King' is negotiating quite smoothly with that 'foreign land,' and perhaps it won't be long before..."

She didn't say anything more, and her eyes held an unreadable meaning.

"White Dragon King" Dong Biwu's pupils contracted instantly, an invisible aura enveloping the father and daughter. His gaze was deep and he said in a deep voice:

"Where did you get this information from?... "

The Great Yu King is communicating with a powerful "outer domain," which is not a secret for someone like him who is in the "Five Realms." The "Mage" lineage spread from that "domain."

But decades have passed, and there has been no news of any progress.

Unexpectedly, his daughter suddenly said that "the negotiations went smoothly," and he knew exactly what that meant.

Dong Qing dared not conceal the truth and told her everything: "A few days ago, I went to the 'County City' to attend Princess Yiluan's banquet, and I overheard Princess Yiluan and Prince Fengshui talking and learned..."

Upon hearing this...

"White Dragon King" Dong Biwu frowned. His first thought was not what would happen if the "negotiations went smoothly", but whether "Princess Yiluan" and "Prince Fengshui" deliberately spread the news.

If that's really the case.

What was their purpose?

"White Dragon King" Dong Biwu turned his head to look into the canyon, pondered for a moment, waved his hand to conceal his aura, and looked at "Azure-eyed Ghost" Wanyan Hong and "Grand Elder" Yan Shu, his lips moving slightly.

Not long after.

The three of them left together.

The middle-aged man in the brocade robe watched the three leave, and was puzzled for a moment, but did not think much of it. He turned his gaze to Zhu Yu, who was leaving the arena, and secretly marveled.

"Wu Ping'an, this young man so deeply affectionate and 'entering the Dao'... is he really Wu Heizi's son?..."

For some unknown reason, a slight smile appeared on his lips. He beckoned a follower over, gave him a few instructions, and then took off a string of gold beads from his wrist and handed it to him.

After his attendants left, a complex expression crossed his eyes, and he sighed softly:

""Enter the Tao"..."

The boy beside him glanced at him with a puzzled look, then continued munching on his pastry, his eyes glued to the fight on the stage. His bright eyes reflected the two combatants, but the video was played in slow motion, several times over…

……

A corner of the arena.

Zhu Yu was just getting to know his three sworn brothers when a man dressed as a servant approached, bowed respectfully, and offered a string of beads, saying:

"This humble servant greets Lord Wu. This is a gift from Lord Yang Lun, who instructed me to present it to you. I wish Lord Wu great success in his military endeavors."

Zhu Yu immediately sensed the abundant prestige contained within the "golden bracelet," which, if converted, would probably be worth no less than a hundred strands. How could he refuse such a benefit? He reached out and took it, replying:

"I dare not refuse the gift from an elder, and I thank Senior Yang on behalf of Ping An."

The attendant nodded, bowed, and turned to leave.

Zhu Yu watched them leave, then played with the bracelet a few times, its beads resembling carved pure gold with intricate patterns, sensing the considerable "Spiritual Origin" it contained and the calming aura it exuded. Turning to the three from Gan Yulou, he asked in confusion:

"Do you know Yang Lun?... "

Yu Lou and Liu Pei shook their heads.

Dang Qing nodded, blew on his bangs, and said, "The county magistrate of Jiangning County, the head of the largest family in Jiangning County, the 'Yang family,' is named Yang Lun."

"The county magistrate, the Yang family..."

Zhu Yu's first thought was about the original owner's identity. Wu Shaoyang, as the prefectural magistrate, was her superior. Only in this way could she explain why he would give her such a precious antique.

I didn't think much of it.

Such a fine item naturally had no reason to be returned. After speaking with his three sworn brothers for a moment, he thought for a moment, then raised his hand and pointed to the two inner disciples fighting on the stage, solemnly saying:

"Three brothers, why are those two fighting so relentlessly?... "

All three of them were taken aback, wondering what he meant.

Yu Lou thought for a moment and replied, "For the position of true successor."

Liu Peisan and Dang Qing nodded in agreement.

The "Peerless Sect" has "three thousand" inner disciples, but only twelve true disciples.

Their high status goes without saying, and the resources they acquire are the envy of many.

Leaving aside other matters...

A single method that leads directly to the "Five Realms" is priceless.

Besides.

Once promoted to a true disciple, the "Peerless Sect" will tailor a persona for them to roam the martial world and the imperial court. In just one year, their name will resound throughout the entire "Nine Rivers" sect, and everyone will know them.

The "popularity" gathered at that time can elevate it to the fourth realm in one fell swoop.

The best among them can even be included in the "Dragon and Phoenix List" candidate list.

Such treatment.

How could it not make everyone envious?

Zhu Yu nodded first, then shook his head, and said, "What is the purpose of obtaining the position of true disciple? To put it bluntly, it is to advance to a higher realm."

The three of them nodded, still not understanding what he meant.

Zhu Yu did not explain. After the duel between the two on the arena ended, amidst the astonished gazes of the three, he took a few leaps and stepped onto the high platform. Accompanied by the sound of rust scraping, he raised his sword high, and a brilliant blue-green light shot into the sky.

Like a blotch of ink, it stains the azure sky with a touch of blue, making him appear as if he's treading on clouds, about to rise with the wind.

"What is he going to do now?... "

The crowd was stunned. When they came to their senses, they all showed expressions of surprise and doubt.

Zhu Yu glanced at the crowd below the stage, raised his hand and thrust his longsword into the arena, took a deep breath, and said:

"Fellow disciples..."