The five-year anniversary has finally arrived.
Whether the birthday will turn into a day of mourning depends on tonight.
Although Fan Wubing already has the Pitying People's Hairpin for protection, it's inevitable to feel nervous at this moment. However, once he gets nervous—
[Your Qi and blood are surging too fast, health points -0.2, current health 1.8]
"Hoo—"
"Hoo—"
He quickly takes a few deep breaths to calm his emotions.
[Your mood has stabilized, health points recovering]
[Health points +0.1]
He turns his head and asks the maid next to him,
"Sister Zhi Lan, where's my father?"
The maid Zhi Lan smiles and says,
"The Patriarch left for important matters three days ago and hasn't returned yet."
Fan Wubing doesn't show much emotion and just replies with an "oh."
Since his mother's tragic passing due to the flaming calamity, he had been completely estranged. Fan Qi, who used to visit once a month, hadn't come for half a year.
Fan Wubing has no attachment to his father in this life, only pity for his mother, who loved him dearly, for her tragic end.
After a while, he asks,
"How much longer?"
The maid Zhi Lan looks at the incense burning nearby and says,
"When this incense burns out, it will be the young master's fifth birthday. The young master is blessed with fortune and need not worry, he will definitely pass this birthday safely."
Fan Wubing gets up and walks to the door, looking out into the night sky.
The overcast clouds are getting thicker, and a crimson light hangs high in the sky, occasionally swept by electrical dragons.
This anomaly looks more dangerous than the previous ones.
The incense is about to burn out, and the two maids leave one after another as arranged, leaving Fan Wubing alone. Not only that, but within a hundred meters around his courtyard, there is not a soul.
A flash of lightning suddenly pierces the night and falls into the Fan Family courtyard.
After the lightning, everything returns to silence, and Fan Wubing is stunned,
"Father."
Fan Qi suddenly appears from nowhere, covered in blood, looking withered as if he has lost dozens of pounds. He holds a bloodstained grass in his hand, hands it to Fan Wubing, and says in a deep voice,
"Wubing, after the incense burns out, eat this grass. Remember, you must eat it after the incense burns out."
Without waiting for Fan Wubing to speak, he disappears back into the darkness in the blink of an eye.
Fan Wubing holds the bloodstained grass, still in shock. He examines it closely,
This is...
Spirit-Extending Grass!
In "The Endless Immortal Path," Spirit-Extending Grass is a top-grade spirit herb that only grows in areas filled with monsters and abundant vitality. It is useless for cultivation but has the effect of resurrection, being a main ingredient for refining the crucial Soul Reviving Pill.
Such a place is one that even Golden Core Stage cultivators dare not venture lightly!
He knows well, Fan Qi is not a cultivator, just a mere Martial Artist. Even as a Ninth-Grade Grandmaster, going to such a place is extremely perilous!
[Spirit-Extending Grass]
[Consumable]
[Innate attribute: after consumption, when health points drop to 0, restore 10% health points. Effect lasts for a quarter of an hour]
Looking at the Spirit-Extending Grass in his hand, Fan Wubing feels complicated, as memories from his past life flash in his mind... After learning of his terminal cancer, his father also ran around everywhere, consulting specialists in large hospitals, seeking folk remedies from Jianghu quacks, spending all their wealth just to get him a chance to live.
But...
"Sigh..."
Fan Wubing carefully puts away the Spirit-Extending Grass, silently chanting in his heart, "Defy the heavens and follow humanity..."
In the oppressive and suffocating atmosphere, the incense burns out, the last spark extinguishing.
The time has come!
Fan Wubing looks up to the sky. The crimson light between the thick layers of clouds is churning incessantly; in a moment, it suddenly converges into a monstrous, demonic dragon, falling swiftly, like heavenly soldiers with divine intent, scattering over the Fan Family courtyard.
A burst of blood light explodes, and the onlookers all turn their heads.
Such a dramatic scene is rare, even in battles between Immortals.
Inside the courtyard,
Fan Wubing gasps heavily,
"Hoo-ha—hoo-ha—"
[You have suffered an attack from Ying Huo, losing 99.99% of your maximum health points. Current health 0.0002 points]
The instant the prompt pops up, Fan Wubing immediately equips the [Damaged Pitying People's Hairpin]
[You equipped the Damaged Pitying People's Hairpin, health point limit +2 (current limit 4), current health 2.0002]
The weight in his heart finally lifts,
"Got through it, got through it!"
He couldn't contain his joy and burst into loud laughter.
The child's laughter was particularly clear and pleasant.
The crowd, who rushed over in a panic, looked at him and saw that he was safe and sound, just laughing heartily under the garden tree. They couldn't help but be infected by his mood, feeling a sense of relief and joy as if they had survived a disaster.
Fan Qi, covered in blood, walked over, looked at Fan Wubing for a long time in silence, and could only force out four words,
"It's good you're okay."
"Dad, your injury..."
"It's nothing, just a minor injury."
Fan Wubing was very sensitive to Qi and Blood. He thought to himself, the Qi and Blood are extremely withered; this is no minor injury.
But, perhaps that's what being a father is all about.
Amidst the laughter and joy, a streak of purple light broke through the dark clouds, tore through the night, and landed in the courtyard. Daoist Yushan appeared before everyone.
Fan Qi bowed and greeted,
"Daoist Yushan."
He shook his head, then looked at Fan Wubing, his insightful eyes piercing,
"Defy the heavens, comply with humanity. Wubing, the road ahead will likely be even more difficult. Are you willing to follow me and walk this path to the heavens?"
Fan Wubing knew very well that in his situation, lingering in a small place like Kuiyu City, there was no hope for survival, and he would eventually fall prey to the next Ying Huo attack.
"I, Fan Wubing, am willing to follow the Immortal and walk this path to the heavens."
Cultivators act freely and follow their fate, coming and going as they please.
After a hurried farewell, Fan Wubing embarked on the journey with Daoist Yushan.
Fan Wubing didn't have much sense of belonging to the Fan Family, only realizing at the last moment all that his father Fan Qi had done for him over the past five years.
But now, survival was still a struggle, and the gratitude to his father could only be repaid another day.
...
Daoist Yushan's flying magical artifact was a paper crane. But this paper crane was truly extraordinary and indistinguishable from a living creature. If one hadn't seen Daoist Yushan folding paper into a crane with their own eyes, they would have thought it was real.
Riding the crane, they flew and looked around.
Fan Wubing understood that although this was the world of "Endless Immortal Journey," it was much larger and richer than the game world.
As a player, every NPC he interacted with was program code. But as a transmigrator, everyone he met in this world was alive and real.
At dawn, they reached their destination.
Sitting on the back of the paper crane, Fan Wubing looked down to see the Twelve Immortal Peaks towering into the clouds, standing separate yet connected.
The sight was very familiar, and after a moment's thought, he asked,
"Immortal, is this the Eternal Immortal Sect?"
Daoist Yushan stroked his beard,
"Indeed. I believe Fan Qi has told you before. I owed a debt to the Fan Family back then, and today is the time to repay it."
He... had never heard of this.
However, his mind wasn't on that.
The Eternal Immortal Sect... In "Endless Immortal Journey," it's a renowned righteous faction, but there isn't much storyline related to it, so most players don't stay here for long. But he's different; he's a land-clearing player who's explored every nook and cranny of the Eternal Immortal Sect.
Including those healing items.
At this moment, Daoist Yushan sighed,
"Wubing. Today is different from the past; a lot has happened in these five years. My Enlightenment Peak has been gradually declining. If I take you as a disciple, I'm afraid it will only delay you. But you needn't worry too much; I've discussed it with the Sect Leader Senior Brother. You can become his disciple."
To everyone else, joining the Sect Leader's tutelage would naturally be ideal.
However, Fan Wubing firmly rejected it,
"Immortal. My father taught me from a young age that one should repay the favors bestowed upon them with all their might. A dog doesn't despise its home for being poor, so how could I abandon Enlightenment Peak just because it is in decline? I will surely adhere to my duties, cultivate diligently, and repay the Immortal's kindness."
Daoist Yushan was astonished. This child was only five years old, but he spoke clearly and could effortlessly grasp various principles. He said,
"But now that Enlightenment Peak, besides me, only has one senior sister, and it is destined to be cold and lonely. Are you still willing?"
Few people?
Just what I wanted!
"Of course. Even if there's no one, I am willing, not afraid of hardship and loneliness."
Daoist Yushan was filled with emotions. In today's world, Seekers of Immortality are eager for quick success, their spirits restless, and their patience uncertain. Yet they are inferior to this five-year-old child. His mood couldn't help but become cheerful,
"Since that's the case, I will accept you as my disciple."
"Thank you, Immortal."
"Still calling me Immortal?"
"Disciple Fan Wubing greets Master."
"Good, good, good! Hahaha..."
A hearty laugh broke through the cloudy sky. The paper crane flew into the Eternal Immortal Sect, heading towards Enlightenment Peak.
In fact,
Fan Wubing didn't have such high awareness. The reason he insisted on joining Enlightenment Peak was because... Enlightenment Peak had, at this stage, a very useful healing item.
Moreover, he currently only has 4 life points, so he absolutely cannot withstand any trouble. He must cultivate his body and mind, and avoid interacting with others as much as possible.
The Enlightenment Peak with only one senior sister was the perfect fit.