This made the two brothers begin to doubt themselves, wondering if leaving the village in search of Immortality was the right choice.
But Wu Shang’s heart was resolute. The world was vast.
Besides the Eight Great Sects, there were still countless unknown small sects.
If the major sects wouldn’t take him, he would just turn to a lesser sect.
In any case, cultivation was something he was determined to pursue.
Not for immortality and eternal life, to live as long as the heavens themselves.
Not for becoming the supreme in all the world, revered by thousands.
But only for the longing in his heart, the graceful shadow haunting his soul.
“Big brother, if the Divine Strategy Manor won’t accept us, you should go back first. Mother still needs someone to take care of her.”
Wu Gao smiled and comforted him.
“Don’t worry. Our mother could carry a knife and climb Tianxin Mountain herself; she’s probably healthier than either of us. Besides, everyone in Muxiang Village is united—they’ll definitely help take care of her.”
As a son, not fulfilling his filial duty and instead letting outsiders care for their mother—Wu Shang really couldn’t understand his elder brother.
What Wu Shang didn’t know was that Wu Gao was able to accompany him on his journey to seek Immortality, claiming it was out of concern for his younger brother.
But in reality, he wanted to escape Wu Su’s secret attempts to force him into marriage.
Because Wu Shang’s heart was completely occupied by that Celestial Beauty from Tianxiang; he was obsessed with seeking Immortality on the mountain.
No matter how Wu Su tried to persuade him, it was useless—not only did he not give up, but his obsession only grew.
This left Wu Su worrying day and night about the Wu family’s lineage.
Helpless, she could only urge Wu Gao to marry early and leave descendants for the Wu family.
And the person she picked was Ba Erniu’s younger sister, Ba Xiao Mei.
She was the bride Wu Gao had originally arranged for Wu Shang.
Of course, Wu Gao was against it—how could he marry his own brother’s intended?
If this got out in the village, what would people think of him?
Wu Su didn’t care about that, though; she cried, threw tantrums, threatened to hang herself, lamenting her bitter life, and cursing the heavens for being blind.
Not only had she met a heartless man in her youth, but now her sons were unfilial—what was the point of living at all?
Wu Gao simply couldn’t stand it. When he saw his younger brother determined to leave for Immortality, he lied, saying he’d escort Wu Shang part of the way.
And with that, he never returned.
Of course, after leaving the village, they asked friends to deliver news to Wu Su.
By now, she was probably at home so angry she wanted to grab a knife and chase after them.
But, well, this was Shangjing City, far from Tianxin Mountain.
It wouldn’t be so easy for her to come here.
Wu Gao looked ahead to General’s Mountain, his eyes narrowing as a surge of pride welled up within him.
How could one be content to live an ordinary life?
To marry and have children in little Muxiang Village, to be trapped there for life—this was never what he wanted.
Besides, once you’ve seen a swan, the ugly ducklings back home lose their appeal.
The swan was the real goal.
But to marry a swan, one must become a swan.
Do you really think a swan would choose an ugly duckling?
Don’t be fooled by all those made-up storybooks.
“Let’s go! Let’s not waste time—let’s get up the mountain!”
Wu Gao’s tone was urgent, as if he wished he could fly up the mountain right now.
“Big brother, we shouldn’t rush like this. We were too hasty before, that’s probably why we were seen as insincere and got rejected.”
“You’re right. Little brother, how do you think we can show our sincerity?”
Should they offer a gift?
But they’d run out of money on the way.
They didn’t have a single coin left to their names.
Besides, would those Immortal Masters even care for worldly goods from mortals?
In the end, the two brothers decided to climb the mountain, bowing at every step, to prove their sincerity.
Soon, their strange behavior attracted the attention of the Scenery Party.
The Scenery Party never used the map’s teleportation feature when idle, since walking let them better enjoy the game’s scenery.
“What are those two NPCs doing?”
“Idiot, haven’t you watched TV? Bowing with every step—in ancient times, that was a way to show sincerity.”
“No kidding, of course I know that. I’m asking, what are they doing it for?”
“Am I a fish? How could I know what a fish thinks?”
“If you don’t know, just say so. Why act all scholarly? Tch.”
As the two brothers saw more and more disciples of the Divine Strategy Manor in their battle gear surrounding them, they grew excited.
They kowtowed with even greater zeal.
“Come down to the mountain foot—there’s going to be a show!”
A show?
A crowd of Divine Strategy Players abandoned their side quests and gathered at the foot of the mountain.
The number of people grew quickly, soon blocking the stairway up the mountain.
This immediately caught the attention of the two NPC disciples guarding the mountain.
“Why have you all gathered here?”
“Whoa, the NPCs have come down!”
The sect aura on the NPC disciples was nothing Players could compare to—each exuded an inherent dignity.
Empty-handed, they nevertheless gave off the air of an indomitable spear, sharp and imposing.
The Players automatically cleared a path for them.
The NPCs glanced over the Players, then turned their eyes to Wu Gao and Wu Shang, kneeling on the stairs.
By now, the two brothers had already made it halfway up the steps, bowing with each step.
Their ragged clothes made the two NPCs frown.
“Who are you? Why are you performing such a grand salute on General’s Mountain?”
“Replying to the Immortal Masters, we brothers wish to join the Divine Strategy Manor, to eliminate evil and protect our family.”
The Players found this slogan oddly familiar, as if they’d heard it somewhere before.
The NPCs, of course, knew—but they didn’t care about any demon-slaying army.
This was one of the Eight Great Sects, the Divine Strategy Manor.
Everything had to follow the rules.
“Don’t you know today isn’t the sect’s day for accepting new disciples? Leave at once.”
Wu Gao and Wu Shang, of course, already knew this.
Ever since they’d been rejected by the Shushan Sect for this same reason, they’d gone and looked up the latest recruitment days for all the major sects.
The Eight Great Sects opened their gates to accept disciples only once a year—and it had only been a month since the last intake.
Did that mean they’d have to wait almost another year before being able to take the entrance test?
Wu Gao couldn’t wait that long.
Wu Shang was even less patient.
“Immortal Masters, we…”
Wu Gao wanted to argue, but the NPC cut him off harshly.
“I won’t say it a second time. Come back next year when the Divine Strategy Manor opens its doors for disciples.”
The NPC’s tone allowed no refusal.
Having spoken, he turned and returned to the sect.
He didn’t spare them another glance.
Wu Gao stared at the sect gate, which seemed so impossibly far away, and let out a powerless sigh.
“Little brother, let’s go. Looks like Divine Strategy Manor won’t work out.”
Seeing Wu Shang’s melancholy, dejected look, Wu Gao patted his shoulder in comfort.
“It’s alright. If Divine Strategy Manor won’t have us, there’s still Divine Fist Sect, Tang Clan, and Shifting Flower Palace.”
“That’s right. I won’t give up.”
Wu Shang clenched his fists, glancing back at the Divine Strategy Manor’s gate, and followed Wu Gao down the mountain.
If he ever got the chance to cultivate, he swore he’d make these sects look at him with new eyes, and regret the choice they’d made today.
Is opening the sect’s doors for disciples the only way to join?
No.
At least two types of people are not bound by that rule.
First: Royalty and Nobility.
Second: Geniuses.
Just now, those two gatekeeping NPC disciples could tell at a glance that the brothers’ cultivation aptitude was average, so they rejected them outright.
What?
You’re wondering how a mere gatekeeper disciple could have such authority?
No way, no way—do people still think the ones guarding the sect gates are just ordinary disciples?
To prevent hidden talents from being overlooked, and to guard against demon attacks, ordinary disciples aren’t even qualified for gate duty.
“Wait, so these two commoner NPCs were trying to join up?”
“I saw it coming a mile away.”
“What a pity—those two just wasted all that bowing.”
“Huh? Why is that crowd chasing after them?”