Chapter 28: Sworn Brotherhood
Chapter 28: Sworn Brotherhood
“A last desperate struggle!”
The Golden-Maned Beast thrashed in the pit, viciously swinging its enormous body as if trying to shake Ye Yun off. However, it had long lost its earlier aura of devouring everything, replaced now by extreme terror.
“An Adult Stage demon beast truly is formidable. It took immense effort just to subdue one outside earlier. To kill you, I’ll need a Partial Activation!”
Ye Yun declared domineeringly, staring down at the beast beneath his feet. “After breaking through to the Fifth Layer: Qi Transformation and cultivating True Qi, I’ve never tried to execute the Indomitable Blood Body while in a True Qi state. Golden-Maned Beast, today you shall be my debut, to test the power of my Partial Activation!”
Whoosh!
Majestic True Qi burst from his body. A bloody light shimmered on his arms. Spiderweb-like crimson threads of blood appeared on Ye Yun’s arms. The blood energy fused with his True Qi. At this moment, Ye Yun felt his arms were indestructible; they could snap any blade’s edge.
Thud!
His bright red arms, carrying a blinding bloody light, shot forward like crimson spears straight into the Golden-Maned Beast’s head. The beast’s skull seemed as soft as tofu at that instant. Ye Yun’s fist pulverized it into mincemeat. The bones crackled and shattered. Yet, the beast’s hindquarters still released a terrifying power, making a final, desperate struggle.
“Overlord Fist!”
With Ye Yun’s furious roar, the image of a nine-armed Overlord Fist appeared behind him. It too was a bloody red color, just like the blood energy. This crimson hue was the manifestation of the perfect fusion between blood energy and True Qi.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The nine-armed Overlord Fist pounded the Golden-Maned Beast relentlessly, blow after blow. After over a dozen strikes, the Golden-Maned Beast was reduced to a pulpy mess. Flesh and blood spread thickly across an area several yards wide, resembling Hell.
“I thought I might not find the Demon Crystal Core!”
Ye Yun fished out a fist-sized Demon Crystal Core from the pulp. It was even more dazzling than one from a Growth Stage beast. Holding it in his hand, he felt a terrifying demonic power roaring within, like a Divine Dragon crossing the sky from a great river, shaking heaven and earth. If not for Ye Yun’s vast True Qi, an ordinary Fifth Layer: Qi Transformation cultivator probably couldn’t even hold it steady.
“An Adult Stage demon core truly is different. It’s more refined than even that Four-Armed Demon Bear’s. But the Four-Armed Demon Bear is extremely rare, still more precious than this!”
Ye Yun examined the Demon Crystal Core carefully, murmuring to himself. “With this one Demon Crystal Core, I can probably trade for many things. Adult Stage demon beasts likely pose no threat to me anymore. The Adult Stage is roughly equivalent to a Tenth Layer of Flesh Immortal powerhouse. From now on, within the Flesh Immortal Realm, no one can pose a life-or-death threat to me. Once I achieve the Ultimate Activation of the Indomitable Blood Body, coupled with the sacred, powerful energy of my Life Spirit Pearl, I can dominate the Flesh Immortal Realm from this point on.”
“What domineering power! That True Qi sensation just now was too terrifying, truly chilling. What cultivation art is he practicing? At Flesh Immortal Fifth Layer, he possesses True Qi reserves not weaker than a Tenth Layer of Flesh Immortal powerhouse. I probably… I indeed underestimated him at first. In the end, I was the one saved by him.”
Monstrous waves surged in Yue Li’s heart. He had heard of geniuses who could kill opponents beyond their level, but he had never heard of a Flesh Immortal Fifth Layer genius capable of killing a Ninth Layer of Flesh Immortal powerhouse and an Adult Stage demon beast. Fifth Layer possessing the power of the Tenth Layer—who would believe such a tale if it spread?
He had to believe it. Yue Li knew he wasn’t dreaming. If it were a dream, he wished it were, because otherwise, upon waking, he feared he’d still be pursued by the Golden-Maned Beast.
“Brother Ye, I, Yue Li, have never admired anyone before. With your low Fifth Layer cultivation, you killed a Ninth Layer powerhouse and an Adult Stage demon beast. I am convinced, and I also thank you for your assistance.”
Yue Li walked up to Ye Yun and expressed his gratitude sincerely.
Ye Yun replied heartily, “Brother Yue treated me with genuine sincerity from the start. At the very beginning, you spoke up for me, telling me to run far away to save myself. For that, I was immensely grateful even then.”
“Thinking back now, I was truly blind, failing to recognize a real expert. Brother, you kept it hidden very well. But then again, in these vast mountains, the most frightening thing isn’t the demon beasts; it’s human hearts. The closest people beside you might be the real daggers. You, brother, I, Yue Li, acknowledge. If you don’t mind me, would you be willing to become sworn brothers with me?” Yue Li said excitedly, looking at Ye Yun eagerly after speaking.
“Good! I had the same thought. I, Ye Yun, am 16 this year!”
“I, Yue Li, am 20 this year. I wish to become sworn brothers with Ye Yun!”
Ye Yun and Yue Li exchanged a glance, then knelt simultaneously. They laughed heroically towards the sky and proclaimed, “We two brothers hereby become sworn brothers henceforth. We do not seek to be born on the same day, but we vow to die on the same day. From now on, we share honor and disgrace, inseparable in life and death. If we violate this oath, may our bodies not enter the yellow earth, and our souls not enter Reincarnation.”
“Share honor and disgrace, inseparable in life and death!”
The two held each other’s hands tightly, not parting for a long time. The hot blood and heroic spirit of men, as vast as heaven and earth, let passion surge with their fervor now.
“Brother!”
“Big Brother!”
Yue Li placed a large hand on Ye Yun’s shoulder, grinning from ear to ear. “Brother’s surname is Ye, so you must be from that Ye Family in Red Cloud City. I heard the Ye Family has a very long history. With talent like yours, brother, you must be a prominent figure in Red Cloud City too, right? Not like me. Although my Yue Family is powerful, I hold no status within the clan!”
“Big Brother, I never thought our situations would be similar.”
Hearing Yue Li’s words, Ye Yun’s heart filled with melancholy, feeling a sense of mutual understanding. “I was indeed considered a genius in the Ye Family in Red Cloud City back in the day. Unfortunately, a mishap occurred midway. My Fourth Layer cultivation was destroyed by the Qin Family, reducing me to a cripple. Luckily, through arduous training later, I managed to cultivate these skills.”
“I never imagined brother’s path was so rugged. Although I hold no standing in my family, I am still somewhat of a figure. I just lack influence within the clan, but wherever I go, I am respected. Ah, the Qin Family… right, the Qin Family has a peerless genius, Qin Qing. That girl is truly extraordinary. But now, having met you, brother, I think Qin Qing must be inferior to you.”
“Big Brother has also heard of Qin Qing?” Ye Yun raised an eyebrow, looking curiously at Yue Li.
Yue Li blurted out, “Not only heard of her, I’ve even seen her at the Xuanwu Sect. By the way, I am currently a Registered Disciple of the Xuanwu Sect. The Xuanwu Sect has tens of thousands of disciples and countless geniuses. Qin Qing is the genius among geniuses, one of the three peerless talents of the Xuanwu Sect. Because of this, the Qin Family’s status in the White Jade Dynasty has skyrocketed, and their influence within the Xuanwu Sect has grown powerful. Nowadays, no one dares confront the Qin Family head-on, all because of Qin Qing’s existence.”
“How old is she, and what’s her cultivation level?” Ye Yun pressed.
“The same age as you, brother, sixteen. But her cultivation is at the Earth Immortal Realm. As for which specific level within the Earth Immortal Realm, I don’t know. I’d need to be promoted to a Formal Disciple to find out, probably. Unfortunately, in the Xuanwu Sect, only those at Flesh Immortal Eighth Layer can become Registered Disciples…”
“Big Brother, no need for discouragement. Everyone’s opportunities differ. It’s just that your opportunity hasn’t arrived yet. Once it comes, you’ll surely leap through the dragon’s gate and become a lofty figure.”
“Thank you for the encouragement, brother. By the way, my Yue Family isn’t far from Red Cloud City. Have you heard of Tianyao City?” Yue Li’s expression softened. Hearing Ye Yun’s words, the bitterness in his heart suddenly eased.
Ye Yun nodded. He had studied since childhood and naturally knew. “Tianyao City is located due east of the White Jade Dynasty, one of the major central cities in the eastern region. Red Cloud City is in the southeast, only one-tenth the size of Tianyao City. It’s a full thousand miles from Red Cloud City to Tianyao City!”
“And my Yue Family is the foremost major family in Tianyao City, second only to the Bai Family. If the Yue Family hadn’t been defeated back then, we might have been the rulers of the White Jade Dynasty.”
After speaking, Yue Li wore a look of pride. With such a grand background, his confidence was also strong.
“Big Brother, earlier I saw you using a remarkable weapon. What was that?” Suddenly, the image of the black bracelet Yue Li used to block the Golden-Maned Beast flashed in Ye Yun’s mind.
“Are you talking about this Frost Ice Bracelet, brother?”
A spiritual light appeared in Yue Li’s hand. The black bracelet floated quietly above his palm, shining brilliantly. Ye Yun stared, wide-eyed and speechless. Yue Li explained, “The Frost Ice Bracelet is a low-grade Saint-ranked Cultivation Artifact. It possesses unfathomable and variable abilities, primarily defensive. Using it, one can withstand attacks from a Tenth Layer of Flesh Immortal, but at most twice. A third time would be unbearable. If a Tenth Layer of Flesh Immortal cultivator obtained this item, they could resist a few attacks from an Earth Immortal. It’s a treasure typically possessed by Earth Immortal Realm powerhouses.”
“So this is a Cultivation Artifact!”
Ye Yun looked stunned. He had naturally heard legends of Cultivation Artifacts. Cultivation Artifacts possessed unimaginable power. For example, a Storage Ring barely counted as one. Previously, Ye Yun had only heard rumors. He never thought he’d be fortunate enough to see one now. Even the Ye Family didn’t own a single Cultivation Artifact. Yet Yue Li, only at the Seventh Level of Flesh Immortal, possessed one. This showed how profound the Yue Family’s influence was.
“This was an engagement token between my mother and father. For this training journey, my mother, fearing danger, gave it to me for self-defense. I never thought I’d actually use it.” Stroking the Frost Ice Bracelet, Yue Li grew melancholic.
“Then please put it away safely, Big Brother. I’ll go collect the Cold Ginseng Grass first!”
Ye Yun turned and flew towards the Cold Pool. In an instant, he hovered mid-air, releasing a vacuum hand-shaped True Qi to pluck the Cold Ginseng Grass from the Cold Pool from a distance.
“A Divine Ability technique only available at the Ninth Layer realm! Brother, you are truly incredible!” Seeing Ye Yun obtain the Cold Ginseng Grass, Yue Li showed not a trace of greed or jealousy, only joy.
“What a unique aura. I feel my Dantian’s True Qi can almost sense its Spiritual Qi. It truly is a spiritual treasure!”
Holding it in his hand, Ye Yun examined it carefully. Then he flew down and landed before Yue Li, speaking somewhat apologetically. “Big Brother, to be honest, this item was my purpose for coming here. My father was seriously injured in secret by the Heaven and Earth Gate. His Dantian shattered, and his cultivation was completely ruined. He needs this item to preserve the essence energy in his Dantian, to facilitate its reconstruction later.”
Hearing this, Yue Li became full of concern. “So Uncle needs it so urgently. Please take it, brother. If you need any help, just tell me. My Yue Family has everything. Whatever you want, brother, I will try every possible means to obtain it for you.”
“Thank you, Big Brother. In the future, if I have a need, I certainly won’t stand on ceremony. Let’s go see what fate befell that Song Zhen now.”
“Let’s go!”
Yue Li and Ye Yun rushed towards the valley center. In Yue Li’s eyes flickered intense resentment.