Chapter 118

Chapter 118: The Brotherhood Scroll

This suggestion caused Lou Yun and Leng Cangqiong to lock eyes instantly. Though neither spoke immediately, inwardly, both thought Leng Qianrou’s idea was extremely good!

Leng Cangqiong was the first to speak, smiling. "I have no objection. What about you?"

Towards Lou Yun, he naturally held some goodwill. In Lou Yun, he caught a faint glimpse of his younger self. That’s why he hadn’t punished Lou Yun for breaking his rules, instead sparing him. Hearing about Lou Yun’s quest to save his sister, he had even offered aid personally. Now, Lou Yun had even cured Leng Qianrou. Naturally, he was very willing to have such a younger brother.

Lou Yun certainly had no objections either. Honestly, he deeply admired Leng Cangqiong. Through their recent interactions, he could also see that Leng Cangqiong wasn’t as unfeeling as rumors made him out to be. So, the prospect of having such an adoptive elder brother truly delighted him!

Leng Qianrou clapped her hands lightly. "Good! Since neither of you has any objections, why don’t we perform the ritual right here and now!"

Leng Cangqiong shook his head, however. "This place isn’t suitable. A vow of brotherhood should be solemn. This younger brother is the only sworn brother I, Leng Cangqiong, will ever have in this lifetime. We can’t be so hasty. Let’s head outside first!"

Leng Cangqiong, after all, hailed from a century past. Traditional values ran deep in his bones, especially for a significant event like this. A rushed ceremony felt disrespectful to Lou Yun.

Lou Yun had never formally performed such a ritual before and didn’t feel he should comment. He simply nodded.

So, the three of them left the subterranean ice cave together and emerged onto the snowy mountain.

Leng Cangqiong addressed Lou Yun and Leng Qianrou. "You two wait here for a moment. I need to find someone and get some things!"

Leng Qianrou asked, puzzled. "Brother, what do you need? Where are you going to find someone?"

"Haha!" Leng Cangqiong was in excellent spirits and patiently explained. "We need at least an incense burner, sacrificial offerings, a brotherhood scroll, and such. Many people live within this Great Snowfield. They’ll surely have what we need."

Lou Yun spoke up quickly. "I have an incense burner here! I don’t know if it will do."

As his words fell, the Chaos Golden Cauldron shimmering with golden light appeared before the three of them. Chang Xiang had wanted to stop him, but before he could speak, he cursed inwardly, frustrated. Wasteful child! Using the Chaos Golden Cauldron as an incense burner for a brotherhood vow? If other alchemists or skilled weapon makers knew, they’d be so furious they’d vomit blood!

Leng Cangqiong looked at the Chaos Golden Cauldron, smiled, and nodded. "It’ll work. But we still need a few other things. I’ll be right back!"

After saying this, he vanished without a trace, leaving Lou Yun and Leng Qianrou looking at each other in surprise before they both simultaneously "pffted" and burst out laughing.

Leng Qianrou said with a smile, "Actually, my elder brother is a very good person. His personality might seem a bit cold, but it’s the environment he grew up in that caused it."

Lou Yun nodded. "I can see that."

Leng Cangqiong was incredibly fast. Before they could exchange more than a few sentences, he was back, holding a huge bird that resembled a peacock in his hand.

Next, Lou Yun and Leng Qianrou watched Leng Cangqiong begin his busy preparations. First, he placed the large bird on the ground. Then, he took out three thick incense sticks, each the size of a child’s forearm, and inserted them into the Chaos Golden Cauldron. After that, he produced a large bowl and placed it on the ground. Finally, he took out two sheets of blank paper and a writing brush, handing them to Lou Yun.

After completing all this, Leng Cangqiong suddenly let out a fierce roar, thrusting both palms upward violently!

With a surge of powerful weapon spirit power rushing out, Lou Yun and Leng Qianrou heard a tremendous "BOOM!" A dazzling light flooded their surroundings. Looking up, the massive hollowed-out stone cavern they had been standing in had vanished!

Above them stretched an azure, clear sky. Beneath them lay a vast expanse of snowy ground. A rush of fresh air instantly invigorated everyone.

However, Lou Yun was even more awed by Leng Cangqiong’s strength. With just a thrust of his palms, he had shattered such an enormous stone structure instantly!

Leng Cangqiong walked up to Lou Yun and handed him an incense stick and a sheet of blank paper. "This is the brotherhood scroll. Write down your name and date of birth! Then bite your finger and leave a bloody fingerprint."

Lou Yun did as instructed. Leng Cangqiong himself took another sheet of blank paper, swiftly wrote on it, and pressed his own bloody fingerprint onto it.

Then, Leng Cangqiong waved his hand. The large bird and the large bowl on the ground flew into his grasp. Pinching the bird’s throat, he let two drops of blood fall into the bowl. Immediately after, he squeezed a drop of his own blood from his finger into the bowl as well, then handed the bowl to Lou Yun.

"Do exactly as I did."

Lou Yun took the bowl and realized, to his astonishment, that it was filled to the brim with wine. Not a single drop had spilled!

After adding his own blood, Leng Cangqiong pointed his finger. The incense sticks in his own and Lou Yun’s hands ignited. He then gestured for Lou Yun to join him facing north and kneel down.

Leng Cangqiong first sprinkled three drops of the wine mixed with their blood and the bird’s blood onto the ground. Then, he loudly proclaimed, "Heaven above and Earth below! Today, I, Leng Cangqiong, swear brotherhood with Lou Yun. Henceforth, we share hardships and fortunes! Should I break this oath, may Heaven and Earth condemn me to a fate worse than death!"

After saying this, he raised his head and took a sip before passing it to Lou Yun.

Lou Yun accepted it, repeated Leng Cangqiong’s words, took a sip, and placed the wine before the Chaos Golden Cauldron.

Finally, the two lit their respective Golden Orchid Pacts before them. They bowed three times facing north, then stood and inserted their burning incense into the Chaos Golden Cauldron, thus completing the oath-sworn brother ritual.

Strangely, as Lou Yun stood up, a peculiar sensation inexplicably surged within him. He immediately felt ripples of undulating energy permeating the surrounding air, faintly accompanied by what sounded like the rumble of thunder.

Yet all these sensations arose and vanished in an instant. Puzzled, he looked at Leng Cangqiong, who smiled slightly and asked, "Yun Brother, did you feel it too?"

"Yes, Elder Brother. What was that just now?"

"Haha, now you understand why I insisted so solemnly on calling Heaven and Earth as witness. Only this way, we pledging to be true brothers, Heaven and Earth resonated with our oath, manifesting as you witnessed. It was their response to our bond. As for the exact reason… I don’t know. It must be a manifestation of the energies between Heaven and Earth. Your spirit sense must be exceptional to detect it—ordinary folks wouldn’t feel a thing!"

"Energies between Heaven and Earth…"

Lou Yun nodded slowly. He hadn’t imagined that Heaven and Earth truly would respond to his oath with his elder brother. Particularly, this boundless energy felt different from what he sensed while forging weapons. Vaguely… it seemed to remind him of something!

Seeing Lou Yun evidently lost in thought, Leng Cangqiong, though unaware of his thoughts, remained quiet and stood patiently beside him.

A long while later, Lou Yun finally snapped out of it. The sudden insight that had flashed through his mind remained elusive. Though a little regretful, he felt an increasingly familiar sensation towards this Heaven and Earth energy. He believed it wouldn’t be long before he could truly touch this universal force!

Noticing Leng Cangqiong and Leng Qianrou waiting for him, Lou Yun offered an apologetic smile. "Elder Brother mentioned the Heaven and Earth energy just now, and I felt a sudden moment of understanding. My apologies!"

Leng Cangqiong laughed heartily. "Brother, we are family now! No need for such formality. Right! From now on, you may address Qianrou as sister!"

"Understood, Elder Brother! Sister!"

The oath-sworn trio exchanged smiles, the atmosphere reaching its height of warmth and harmony.

Next, Leng Cangqiong began inquiring about Lou Yun, especially concerning Wan Huier. Facing his newly-bound elder brother, Lou Yun held back almost nothing. Except for matters involving Chang Xiang, he recounted every significant event he had experienced since childhood, holding nothing back.

Lou Yun’s life story, while perhaps not incredibly rich in duration, was filled with shocking events. Even Leng Cangqiong expressed astonishment as he listened.

"Brother, from the first moment I saw you, I sensed your uniqueness. Hearing your journey confirms my instinct was correct! Truly unexpected—your cultivation has essentially rewritten the history of cultivation on the Spirit Weapon Star! Keep striving, I believe your future prospects are truly boundless!"

"Haha, thank you for the auspicious words, Elder Brother!"

Pausing briefly, Leng Cangqiong’s gaze turned icy. "I know the Gu Feng Nation. Visited it a few times long ago. Left no special impression. But since its royal family dares to falsely accuse you and put a bounty on your head… they court death. Since you must rush back to treat your sister, I won’t delay you. After finding a safe place to settle Qianrou, I shall seek you out. Wait for me at the border of the Gu Feng Nation."

Hearing Leng Cangqiong intended to help him confront the Gu Feng royal family, warmth surged in Lou Yun’s heart, yet a chilling shiver followed. Clearly, in Leng Cangqiong’s mind, the Gu Feng royal family was already an enemy. And his way of dealing with enemies… was simply death.

With Leng Cangqiong’s strength, eliminating the entire royal family alone likely posed little challenge.

But such an outcome was not what Lou Yun desired. He hastily waved his hand. "Elder Brother, please, you needn’t come. Actually, once I return to Gu Feng Nation with my sister, everything can be resolved. Spend more time with Sister Qianrou—you’ve been parted so long!"

Leng Cangqiong understood Lou Yun’s concern perfectly. He smiled faintly. "Rest assured, brother. Since you are my sworn kin, I won’t cause you trouble. I’ll merely accompany you back once. If they acknowledge their mistake? All is well. Should they entertain other ideas… humph, I shall show no mercy! Besides," his tone softened slightly, "I’d like to pay my respects to your family."

Lou Yun could palpably feel an aura of killing intent emanating from Leng Cangqiong. Resigned, he nodded. "Very well. Then I must urgently deliver the medicine to my sister. It will likely take three months."

"Good. Then we meet again at the border of the Gu Feng Nation… in three and a half months!"