Chapter 500: Sworn Brotherhood

Seeing that Li Huowang was listening, the doctor was delighted and spoke even more enthusiastically.

"Li Huowang, your subconscious heard it, which is why your true self happened to awaken at this moment to meet Yang Na. Do you understand? This isn't a coincidence; there aren't that many coincidences in this world."

"When you wake up, it's not because of something happening in your hallucination; it's because you *want* to wake up, and that's why your hallucination changes."

"What kind of nonsense are you..."

Li Huowang paused abruptly at this point, a glimmer of joy gradually appearing on his face.

"Yes! You're right, this logic makes perfect sense, so this world is indeed real! This world *is* real!"

"Hmm...?"

The doctor scratched his wig. Although the patient accepted this explanation, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

"It's fine, as long as he accepts the explanation."

The doctor looked at Li Huowang again and said, "Look, if we view this dialectically, doesn't it mean that the world of your hallucination is fake?"

"No! That side is real too!"

Li Huowang stated emphatically, "My subconscious here sensed the need to awaken, which is why the Primal Qi in my body loosened, allowing me to return to this world! So none of those were coincidences!"

The doctor was stunned by Li Huowang's gibberish. What was this "Primal Qi"? How could this patient just invent things to force his own logic to fit? Could he just change things arbitrarily?

"No, no, no, Li Huowang, listen to me about this—"

"No! You shut up! You listen to *me*! Perhaps that Primal Qi within me, besides being a part of the Heavenly Dao, could also be the key to two worlds! Just like Zhuge Yuan! We are all of the 'Heart' generation! This makes perfect sense!"

"Yes! Exactly! Maybe when a part of the Heavenly Dao split in that insane world, it tore through space and time, jumped into this world, and attached itself to me! That's why I have the special ability to travel between two worlds!"

"This world is real! That world is real too! Nothing is fake! They are all real! All real!"

"Primal Qi," "Zhuge Yuan"... The doctor, looking troubled, was completely baffled.

As he stood there in a daze, Li Huowang rushed forward and gave him a big hug.

"Thank you! Doctor, everything makes sense now! My surroundings are trembling; I think I'm going back. Let's talk again properly next time we have a chance!"

As the excited Li Huowang finished speaking to the astonished doctor, the flesh on his face gradually peeled away, eventually transforming him into a standing skinned dog.

The bright surroundings suddenly darkened, and Li Huowang returned to the dim forest.

Li Huowang calmed his excitement slightly. Although he truly wanted to share this thrilling news with Li Sui, he knew she wouldn't understand anything.

"Calm down, calm down. Keep cultivating diligently. Even though that side is real! I can't give up yet; I still need to save Zhuge Yuan!"

After taking a few deep breaths, Li Huowang looked at the tentacled skinned dog in front of him and asked, "Li Sui, why are you here? Weren't you supposed to leave with your mother? Where is she?"

"Father, Eldest Aunt is behind you."

When Li Huowang spun around and saw Bai Lingmiao standing there, he finally relaxed. Holding Zhuge Yuan's spine sword, he walked over to her and said with some displeasure:

"Why did you follow again?"

"Senior Brother Li, you said that those Disciples of the Forgetful Path who can disguise themselves are spying on us. I was afraid that you might have been replaced after being separated for so long, so I secretly followed you with Li Sui."

After Bai Lingmiao gently explained, Li Sui added, "Eldest Aunt also said that if you were in danger, we could help."

Seeing Bai Lingmiao lower her head guiltily, Li Huowang sighed softly, reached out, and pulled her into his embrace, gently stroking her waist-length white hair.

"Never mind, let's not talk about it. It's good that everyone is safe."

When Li Huowang saw Zhuge Yuan and the others standing in the distance, silently staring at them, he cleared his throat and walked towards the carriage with Bai Lingmiao.

The chaotic night passed. Although there were some twists and turns, the situation was finally resolved, and Li Huowang was quite satisfied.

When the sun was high in the sky, Li Huowang, who hadn't slept all night, carrying three swords, arrived at a small hillside next to a waterfall. He looked down at the yellow night flowers on the ground and the beautiful scenery, then nodded in satisfaction.

"Brother Zhuge, this place has good Feng Shui, doesn't it? How about I bury your body here?" Saying this, Li Huowang pulled out his Purple Tassel Sword, ready to start digging.

"Brother Li, Brother Li, don't be in a hurry," Zhuge Yuan called out, stopping him.

He stared at his own spine sword on Li Huowang's back and said, "Brother Li, since this sword is now in your hands, you should keep it."

"What? How can that be!" Zhuge Yuan raised the folding fan in his hand, cutting off Li Huowang's next words.

"Brother Li, you have risked life and limb for my survival, and I am immensely grateful. Every time you faced danger, I was deeply anxious. If my physical form can be of even the slightest help, then I will feel more at ease."

Li Huowang held the sword in his hand, silently observing Zhuge Yuan's shrunken head on it. It was, indeed, a very powerful magical artifact.

If it were anything else, he wouldn't hesitate at all, but this object was refined from the spine of his good friend.

"Brother Li, a great person doesn't dwell on trifles. You are surrounded by powerful enemies now. If you were to die and lose your soul because you lacked a magical artifact, then I, too, would follow you. Even if this sword were buried here, I would not rest in peace."

When Zhuge Yuan said this, Li Huowang no longer hesitated. He re-sheathed the broad spine sword on his back. He rushed back into the carriage, found two bowls, poured half a bowl of water into each, then bit his finger to let blood drip into both bowls. Next, he lifted the spine sword and soaked it in the bowls.

Li Huowang raised the bowls of blood water high towards Zhuge Yuan, who was floating in mid-air.

"Come! Brother Zhuge, let's become sworn brothers! I, Li Huowang, swear here and now! I will do everything in my power to resurrect Zhuge Yuan!"

Zhuge Yuan stood there with a solemn expression. When he saw the bowls of blood water in Li Huowang's hands poured onto the ground in front of him, he cupped his hands as if holding a wine cup and brought it to his mouth as if drinking.

Just as Li Huowang picked up the bowl of blood water and drank it down, the faceless, eyeless Disciple of the Forgetful Path beside them pinched his throat and shouted:

"You and I, brothers, may not be born on the same day in the same year, but we vow to die on the same day in the same year! Hahahaha!"