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

Chapter 78 Brothers' Little Bath and Skin Resurfacing (Please Subscribe)

"Huh—"

Lu Changming's face showed surprise, and his clenched fist slowly loosened. Suddenly, he burst into laughter, saying, "I've long heard of the name 'Jade-Faced Gentleman,' and seeing you today, it's truly well-deserved. You're an upright and honorable man."

Bai Yutang sensed the immense pressure looming over his head dissipate and breathed a sigh of relief. Upon hearing this, he quickly replied, "How dare I! Who doesn't know the righteous reputation of Chief Lu, the 'Brother of Loyalty'? I have long admired him, and only today, seeing him in person, have I truly understood what a hero is!"

"Brother Bai, is that truly how you see me?"

Lu Changming's expression was solemn.

Bai Yutang, not knowing the meaning of his words, hesitated for a moment, then nodded emphatically, "These are my heartfelt words."

Lu Changming's solemn expression instantly melted, replaced by a hearty smile. He raised his hands in a fist salute and said, "Since we are so compatible, how about we become sworn brothers?"

"Um?"

Bai Yutang was stunned.

"Here it comes—"

Wu Yong and the others below also showed expressions of helplessness.

The bandits who had been there longer showed expressions of "I knew it," while those who had joined later stared blankly at the scene with strange looks in their eyes.

In no time.

Lu Changming's loud laughter echoed throughout the mountain village.

"My men, quickly prepare a grand banquet to welcome my seventh brother, the 'Jade-Faced Gentleman', and wash away the dust of his journey!"

"promise!"

The bandits all agreed.

Wu Yong, Meng Qi, and Lady Shi exchanged a glance, sighed inwardly, forced a smile on their faces, and stepped forward to greet this "Seventh Brother" who had come knocking on their door!

Dong Chengen, Bai Doufu, and the others looked at each other, not daring to offend their leader, and followed.

A corner of the valley.

"hiss--"

Seeing this, Zhu Yu took a deep breath and thought to himself, "This 'loyal and righteous' Lu Changming is something else—"

The martial arts world is not just about fighting and killing, but also about human relationships and social interactions.

One less enemy, one more friend, and the road ahead will be easier.

Lu Changming has figured this out, no wonder he was able to manifest the divine phrase "like-minded"—

I didn't think much of it.

Zhu Yu picked up the broom by the door and walked towards the mountain wall. Every now and then, he would see an unfamiliar plant and pluck a piece of it and put it in his mouth.

[Unknown herb: Useless to eat]

[Unknown herb: Contains a mild laxative effect]

[Unknown herb: Contains analgesic properties]

【————】

Amidst the clamor and shouts of the bandits, Zhu Yu calmly swept up the withered branches and leaves on the ground, collecting information on each unfamiliar plant.

Time passed slowly.

Zhu Yu used "Body Washing Soup" as an example to demonstrate the visible increase in the progress of the skin-refining medicinal soup.

As the evening glow rises.

In front of the "canteen".

The thin, dark-skinned boy, who was sweeping away dead branches and leaves, suddenly paused, a smile briefly appearing on his lips before his sorrowful expression returned.

At this time.

Scattered groups of people, like Zhu Yu, who were in charge of odd jobs, chatted as they entered the canteen. Smelling the enticing aromas emanating from the canteen, they all showed delight on their faces.

"The boss is hosting a feast today; there might be meat to eat."

"You're so lucky! These cattle and sheep are raised on precious herbs; even adults don't get to eat them often—"

"Meat broth would be nice too—"

'

'

The group chatted amongst themselves and hurriedly entered the cafeteria.

Zhu Yu's body is in the prime of its growth, and since skin resurfacing requires a lot of nutrition, it naturally won't miss out on food.

Enter the cafeteria.

The crowd had been lined up in an orderly fashion in front of a window, and one could vaguely see a burly man wearing an apron busy inside.

I was so busy that I had to put in a lot of work.

As the line of people behind him stretched far into the distance, accompanied by the enticing aroma of meat, a gruff voice rang out, "Two coarse pancakes each. Take one more, and I'll chop off your hand."

"Oh, Madam Liu, we all know the rules. Hurry up and serve the food. My mouth is watering."

"Remember the kindness of the chief, otherwise you bunch of good-for-nothings would have starved to death somewhere long ago!" Liu Niangzi muttered a few words, and then two crisp clanging sounds were heard, and the crowd began to move.

It wasn't long before it was Zhu Yu's turn.

A burly, masculine-looking man sized him up and asked, "New here? What's your job?"

Zhu Yu nodded and replied, "I've been assigned the 'street cleaning' position."

Liu Niangzi paused in her ladling of meat soup, then snorted, "I knew that old bastard Mu couldn't stand it anymore. Doesn't he realize that the world is in such chaos? His village is probably gone by now. What kind of bullshit triumphant return is he talking about?"

As he spoke, he gently swirled the spoon around in the large pot, and when he poured it into Zhu Yu's soup bowl, a palm-sized bone with some bits of meat still attached lay in the oily broth.

"Thank you, Madam Liu."

Zhu Yu paused for a moment, nodded her thanks, and then left with the soup bowl.

"That little black monkey is quite polite—"

Looking at that slender figure, Liu Niangzi muttered something to herself, then continued getting her food, occasionally shouting something.

Others only looked on with envy at the meat and bones in Zhu Yutang's bowl, and no one said anything, because everyone who was new here would receive this treatment on their first visit.

Zhu Yu found a secluded spot to sit down, not dwelling on the change in treatment. He broke off a piece of bread, dipped it in the meat broth, and put it in his mouth.

Suddenly, a mixture of salty, astringent, and fishy aromas rushed into his taste buds, causing him to frown. He didn't know if it was the effect of his innate ability to "endure hardship" or the return of his original physical memories.

After chewing a couple of times, Zhu Yu found it quite delicious and his appetite was whetted. He kept eating pieces of bread, and soon both large pieces of bread and meat soup were gone. The meat bone was left only as white as snow.

Zhu Yu patted his stomach, picked up the cleaned beef bones, and left the cafeteria.

This greatly disappointed many people who stayed after finishing their meal, as beef bones are a valuable ingredient; when ground into powder, they are highly nutritious.

The group left with sighs.

"This little thing is quite cunning." Madam Liu crossed her arms and watched this scene, her fleshy face trembling.

As the sunset fades.

The center of the valley was brightly lit, and the shouting and clamor grew even louder.

Zhu Yu glanced at it, then, carrying what others saw as weeds, quickly returned to the wooden house, retrieved a decoction pot, and arranged the herbs one by one according to the prescription analyzed by the Eye of True Sight.

"Two parts bitter butterfly grass, one stalk of white flower root, three parts mugwort leaves—"

He simply washed and cleaned each plant, put them into the frying pan according to different quantities, added a few more pieces of firewood, picked up a wicker basket, and turned to go out.

Half an hour later.

Zhu Yu carried a basket of cleaned sand and gravel back to the wooden house, took down the frying pan that had been turned off and was still emitting faint steam, poured the prepared bathing medicine into a bowl, checked to confirm that the medicine was working properly, and then picked up the wooden bowl and drank it all in small sips.

Feeling the gushing heat rising from his abdomen, he no longer hesitated, took off all his clothes, stepped over to the basket containing sand and gravel, picked up a handful of sand and gravel and pressed it against his chest, rubbing it vigorously.

In just a moment.

His chest, where his ribs were exposed, was covered with a dense network of tiny scratches, from which streaks of bright red blood oozed out.

Zhu Yu felt the heat rising from his abdomen to his chest, nodded slightly, and once again scooped up a grain of sand and pressed it against his uninjured skin, rubbing it in.

This was repeated over and over, leaving no part of his body untouched, including his head, face, back, groin, and soles of his feet. In a short time, it was as if he had rolled down a mountain, his body covered in countless tiny scratches.

The densely packed array of creatures was quite unsettling at first glance.

I don't know if I've become numb or if "suffering" has had an effect.

In the end, Zhu Yu felt no pain at all. According to the Stone Mill Method, he used his divine sense to guide a wisp of faint blood and qi that resided in his heart, allowing it to slowly descend from the top of his head, inch by inch, to nourish and temper his skin.

Whenever some of the Qi and blood are consumed, heat is introduced to restore them. In this continuous process of consumption and restoration, the Qi and blood visibly grow stronger and become more refined.

Simultaneously.

This also allowed Zhu Yu to have a more subtle control over Qi and blood.

I don't know how long it has been.

When Zhu Yu awoke from his meditation, it was already dawn outside. He glanced at the layer of blood scabs that had formed on his body and then focused his gaze on himself.

【Mi Sheng "Zhu Yu"】

Age: 15/52

[Realm: Cultivating Divine Seed: Skin: "7%", Innate Skill: "1%"]

[Attributes: Constitution 0.7, Spirit 0.7 [24]]

[Innate Skill: Endurance]

[Status: Weak]

One night passed.

Skin smoothing increased by 7 points, skill development by 1 point, physique enhancement by 0.2 points, and spirit increase by 0.1 points.

The enhancement of the spirit is due to the further integration of the ring with the body, and this process will accelerate as the body's essence grows stronger.

"good--"

Zhu Yu nodded in satisfaction, put away the panel, and briefly felt the change in the firmness of his skin. Just as he was about to fetch water to wash up, he suddenly remembered what the old man, whom Liu Niangzi called Old Man Mu, had said.

Too clean might be an eyesore.

Thinking back to how slovenly those who did odd jobs were, he paused, turned around and went straight out the door. Looking at the still somewhat dim sky, he picked up the hoe from the corner of the wall, took out yesterday's cow bone from his pocket, and put it in his mouth to grind it little by little.

The training ground was located in the middle of the valley.

Zhu Yu quickly arrived at the scene and, looking at the potholes that he hadn't seen during the day, felt a surge of anger for no reason.

It goes without saying.

These potholes must have been caused by the bandits drinking and fighting each other last night!

"Only by enduring the bitterest of hardships can one rise above others!"

Zhu Yu took a deep breath, muttered a few words to suppress his anger, and his face regained its sorrowful look. He picked up the hoe and filled in the holes one by one, tamping them down.

Time passed little by little.

As the sun rose on the horizon, the bandits, who had enjoyed drinking and feasting the night before, began a new day.

Some carried knives and guns to cover patrol shifts, some rode horses to patrol, scout locations, and gather intelligence, while others traveled light to collect tolls for their shifts.

Those who did odd jobs, like Zhu Yu, also started to get busy.

Some carried water, some chopped wood, and some repaired roads.

Waiting until the sun hangs high in the sky.

"call--"

Zhu Yu filled and compacted the last pothole, straightened his back, spat out the cow bone in his mouth, and let out a soft breath. His back immediately hunched over as if it had shrunk.

Because of the "suffering," he didn't straighten himself out, letting his body make the choice, and so he silently walked towards the cafeteria.

We walked a short distance to the cafeteria.

From afar, one could see burly men eating white flour buns, chewing on bones with bits of meat, laughing and shouting from time to time. The voices that used to say "Remember the boss's kindness" that they used to hear yesterday were gone.

Zhu Yu didn't go forward. Instead, he squatted under a big tree with the other chores, enjoying the shade while waiting for the bandits to eat.

Having spent half a day digging pits, Zhu Yu was stained black with sweat and dust, thus completely integrating into the group of people doing odd jobs.

People would occasionally chat with him, mostly about trivial things like where snake tracks had been found and he should be careful, or encountering a pheasant while fetching water from the stream and regretting not having brought a bow and arrow.

Not long after.

After eating and drinking their fill, the bandits dispersed like birds and beasts.

Hungry and exhausted, Zhu Yu and the others hurried inside.

Not long after.

Liu Niangzi's loud voice rang out again.

"You filthy creatures are in luck! The foreman has given orders that the chief and 'Jade-Faced Gentleman' have become sworn brothers. You'll all share in the joy and get a piece of meat and bone."

Amid cheers, Liu Niangzi's cursing was interspersed with the phrase, "Remember the kindness of the chief."

Not surprisingly.

Liu Niangzi didn't recognize Zhu Yu, so she gave him a small piece of meat bone and told him to get lost.

Zhu Yu didn't pay any attention. He sat in the corner, took a sip of the meat soup, and found it still tasted the same—delicious!

Unfortunately, the scraps of meat and bones were from sheep, which is not as effective as beef bones.

After eating and drinking his fill, Zhu Yu carefully put away the lamb bones, picked up a hoe, and walked out of the kitchen.

"Hey, why isn't that little guy here—"

After finishing the last person's meal, Liu Niangzi was puzzled for a moment, but then she put it out of her mind. It was not surprising that someone would occasionally disappear from "Yunshan Village", and someone she had only met once was not worth her attention.

Zhu Yu gathered some herbs for making nourishing soup, and soon after returning to the wooden house, he picked up a broom and began his busy afternoon.

Remember what Old Man Mu said.

You can be slow elsewhere, but you absolutely cannot be slow in front of the gates of important people; in fact, you must be fast!

As darkness fell.

Zhu Yu cleaned the courtyard where he used to live, and unsurprisingly, he saw white tofu and rice sprouts again.

The two were enjoying the shade under the trees in the courtyard, and only glanced at his arrival before paying no further attention.

Neither of them could recognize that the filthy, hunched-backed man with a sorrowful, weathered face was Zhu Yu.

For some reason, when Zhu Yu saw this scene, his heart suddenly raced. The fatigue from his earlier work seemed to have vanished without a trace. He was still very tired and bitter, but it was far from unbearable.

"No pain, no gain."

He muttered a few words to himself, quickly swept up the fallen leaves, picked up the broom, and moved away.

Wait until he leaves.

Lu Wanrong hesitated for a moment, then asked in a low voice, "Brother Bai, is our Yunshan Village about to do something big?"

"Um?"

Bai Doufu's brow furrowed immediately, and he asked in confusion, "The mountain stronghold is peaceful, why would the Mi family girl say that? Could it be that she heard some rumors?"

Lu Wanrong quickly shook her head and explained, "I saw Master Liu spending the whole day making wound medicine and herbal pills to treat internal and external injuries, so I had some guesses and came to ask Brother Bai."

"so--"

Bai Doufu's eyes lit up with understanding. After a moment's thought, he smiled and said, "It's not a big deal anyway, so I might as well tell you."

"Three months later, the chief's sworn brother plans to break him out of prison. Our Yunshan Village will be responsible for protecting his escape route, so we asked Doctor Liu to prepare some wound medicine in advance in case of emergency."

"A prison break?"

Lu Wanrong was taken aback. She thought Yunshan Village was going to attack other forces to see if she could take advantage of them, but she didn't expect this. She immediately lost interest in joining in the fun.

"This man is someone of great importance; he's said to be an instructor in the Zhenwu Army—"

Bai Doufu, on the other hand, was in high spirits, going on and on about how amazing that person was and what his reputation was like—

These have nothing to do with Zhu Yu.

After eating two yellow cakes and drinking a bowl of meat soup, he picked up a broom and returned to the wooden house as usual, immersing himself once again in the stone mill practice.

that's it.

The days passed uneventfully.

Zhu Yu's back became increasingly hunched, his face grew more and more sorrowful, and his pupils were filled with a bitter numbness. However, the skin beneath the layer of black grime was undergoing drastic changes.

"Xianfen" refers to the underworld.

A small hill, a wooden house.

The wood and earth spirits floating in the air rushed towards the second floor of the wooden house, and faint whistling sounds could be heard from them.

At this time.

A faint white light shot out from a lush field, and after a few shifts, it arrived at a dark stone about ten feet in diameter in front of the wooden house's courtyard gate.

It manifested as a tiny mantis, the size of an infant's fist, entirely milky white, resembling a miniature mantis carved from mutton-fat jade.

-

squeak--

The black stone trembled, and a head resembling a turtle with two large incisors in its mouth emerged. It chirped a few times at the mantis, its dark eyes looking towards the second floor of the wooden house.

The wait wasn't long.

Dressed in a blue robe embroidered with dragon patterns, with delicate features and a solemn face, he walked out slowly, looking up at the gray sky. He stretched and chuckled, "More than a month has passed, and the harvest time has finally arrived—"

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