Ming Dynasty: Gain one supernatural power every day

Zhu Gaoxu was the first to rush out of the Meridian Gate, his steps so fast it seemed he was about to be reincarnated, with Zhu Gaosui following behind him.

Zhu Gaochi walked slowly at the back, while Zhu Zhanji tugged at his father's sleeve, his little face flushed red, stamping his feet in frustration. Although Zhu Gaochi's lameness had been cured, he was still too fat to walk properly!

"Father, hurry up!" Zhu Zhanji's voice changed with anxiety as he shouted at the top of his lungs.

"What's the rush?" Zhu Gaochi panted heavily, wiping sweat as he walked, his large belly swaying back and forth. "Your fourth uncle can't run away. He can't hide forever. Besides, I can't walk anymore, you know that."

"What if Fourth Uncle flies away!" Zhu Zhanji looked up, jumping up and down in anxiety.

"He flew away and won't come back? That's his own place." Zhu Gaochi was pulled so hard by his son that he swayed to the side. He sighed helplessly, "You child, how come you're just like your second uncle? Both of you are so impulsive."

Zhu Gaochi walked at the front and turned around to shout:

"Boss, stop dawdling! Zhanji is right, let's go, let's go!" He took bigger steps, as if he wanted to run.

Zhu Gaoxu walked at the front, muttering to himself, "Fourth Brother's move just now, wow, tsk tsk, Ten Thousand Swords Return to One! A sky full of swords, densely packed, I've never seen anything like it in my life!"

He turned to look at Zhu Gaosui, "Third brother, did you see that?"

"I saw it." Zhu Gaosui followed behind, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Swords filled the sky, blotting out the sun. I'll never forget it."

"Absolutely!" Zhu Gaoxu slapped his thigh. "My eyes almost popped out of their sockets in court just now! Fourth Brother is only seven years old! Seven years old! What were we doing when we were seven? Rolling around in the mud!"

Zhu Gaochi, listening from behind, shook his head, panting heavily, and muttered something under his breath. Zhu Zhanji, not hearing him clearly, looked up and asked, "Father, what did you say?"

"I'm telling you, none of you have any sense of propriety," Zhu Gaochi said, wiping his sweat, his large belly swaying. "It's true that your fourth uncle is a god, but you can't keep talking about him all the time. What kind of talk is that?"

"Shut up, boss!" Zhu Gaoxu yelled without turning his head. "Your jaw almost dropped to the floor in court just now, do you think I didn't see it? Composed, my foot! Can you even keep your composure?"

Zhu Gaochi blushed, didn't reply, and continued to move forward, panting. Zhu Zhanji lowered his head and smiled, not daring to utter a sound. Zhu Gaosui walked in the middle, the corners of his mouth slightly upturned, unhurried.

Zhu Gaosui quickened his pace, caught up with Zhu Gaoxu, and lowered his voice: "Second brother, I have something to tell you. Don't tell anyone."

Zhu Gaoxu glanced at him sideways: "What's the matter? Why are you being so mysterious?"

Zhu Gaosui leaned forward again, lowering his voice even further: "Do you know your fourth brother's background?"

Zhu Gaoxu paused, turning to look at him: "Background? A disciple of the Dao Ancestor, what other background could he have? Third brother, are you overthinking this?"

"That's not what I meant." Zhu Gaosui shook his head, his gaze deep. "I meant, Fourth Brother's past life. Second Brother, haven't you thought about that yourself?"

Zhu Gaoxu scratched his head, thinking as he walked, when suddenly he slapped his thigh:

"Speaking of which, I've actually thought about it! To be honest, your second sister-in-law and I spent the whole night guessing about it after we got back. We thought it was the power of the Antarctic Immortal! The Antarctic Immortal controls lifespan in the human world, and my fourth brother pulled Mother back from the clutches of Yama with a single gesture. What else could it be but the Antarctic Immortal?"

He spoke with such conviction that his spittle almost splattered onto Zhu Gaosui's face.

Zhu Gaosui smiled and shook his head: "Second brother, you guessed wrong."

"You guessed wrong?" Zhu Gaoxu's eyes widened, his face full of disbelief. "Then what did you guess?"

Zhu Gaosui lowered his voice and said, word by word, "Lu Zu. Chunyang Zhenren Lu Dongbin."

Zhu Gaoxu stopped abruptly, frozen in place. His mouth opened and closed, then opened again. His eyes darted around, mentally reviewing his fourth brother's skills over the past few days.

Zhu Gaochi was walking slowly behind and didn't hear what his two younger brothers were whispering, but when he saw his second brother suddenly stop, he couldn't help but call out, "What's wrong? Let's go!"

"It's alright, it's alright, boss, take your time." Zhu Gaoxu waved his hand without turning his head, grabbed Zhu Gaosui's sleeve, and lowered his voice, "Lü Dongbin? Third brother, what makes you think that?"

Zhu Gaosui, unhurriedly, counted on his fingers and said:

"Second brother, think about it. Pure Yang Body. Lü Dongbin's Taoist name was Pure Yang True Man; this was his innate immortal body. Fourth brother acquired it the very next day, isn't that a coincidence?"

Zhu Gaoxu's eyes darted around.

"And speaking of today," Zhu Gaosui continued, "flying on a sword, all swords returning to their origin. Who is the ancestor of all sword immortals? Lü Dongbin. Fourth Brother, you match both of these skills perfectly. What else could you be but the reincarnation of Lü Dongbin?"

Zhu Gaoxu was stunned for a long time, then suddenly slapped his thigh:

"That's right! How come I didn't think of that?" He looked up at Zhu Gaosui, his face full of admiration. "Third brother, I'm impressed by your brain."

Just as Zhu Gaoxu was about to continue, a panting voice came from behind him: "What are you two... whispering about?"

Zhu Gaochi finally caught up, his forehead covered in sweat, supported by a eunuch, bent over and panting. Zhu Zhanji followed behind him, sticking out half his head, his round eyes wide open, listening intently.

Zhu Gaoxu turned around, grinned, and said, "Eldest brother, I've figured out who fourth brother was in his past life!"

Zhu Gaochi frowned, intrigued: "Who?"

Zhu Gaosui quickly pulled him aside, thinking to himself, "Second brother, didn't I just tell you that?"

Zhu Gaoxu winked and whispered, "Second brother will not forget your contributions."

Then he leaned close to Zhu Gaochi, lowered his voice, and said mysteriously, "I spent the whole night guessing, racking my brains, before I finally figured out that my fourth brother's past life was Lü Zu, the Pure Yang Immortal Lü Dongbin!"

Zhu Gaochi was taken aback: "Lü Dongbin? How did you guess?"

Zhu Gaochi stood with his hands on his hips, looking smug.

"Eldest brother, let me explain. On the first day, Fourth Brother received the power of creation, and my wife said it was the Antarctic Immortal. On the second day, Fourth Brother received the Pure Yang Body. Lü Dongbin's Taoist name is Pure Yang True Man. Can this be a coincidence? I immediately said it was probably Lü Dongbin! My wife didn't believe me."

Zhu Gaosui's lips twitched slightly, but he didn't say anything.

Zhu Gaochi asked with some skepticism, "And what about today?"

"Need I say more today? Flying on a sword, all swords returning to their origin! Who is the ancestor of all sword immortals? Lü Dongbin!" Zhu Gaoxu slapped his thigh. "Fourth brother, you've got both of these skills right! What else could you be but the reincarnation of Lü Dongbin?"

Zhu Gaochi turned to look at Zhu Gaosui. Zhu Gaosui shook his head slightly, as if to say: "Just listen and forget it." Zhu Gaochi looked away: "Second brother, you're quick-witted today."

"Of course!" Zhu Gaoxu said smugly, "My brain works better than anyone else's when I don't use it usually."

Zhu Gaosui coughed lightly. Zhu Gaoxu turned around and glared at him: "Third brother, why are you coughing?"

Zhu Gaosui cupped his hands and smiled, "Second Brother is wise."

Zhu Zhanji looked up at his father, then at his second uncle, and asked in a childish voice, "Dad, who is Lü Dongbin? Is he very powerful?"

"One of the Eight Immortals, the ancestor of sword immortals." Zhu Gaochi looked down at his son and explained, "It's the story of 'the dog biting Lü Dongbin' that your mother told you when you were little, you know?"

Zhu Zhanji suddenly realized: "The one who got bitten by the dog?"

Zhu Gaoxu laughed heartily beside him: "No, no, that's just a story. If your fourth uncle were the reincarnation of Lu Zu, that would be incredible! The ancestor of sword immortals in heaven and earth, who could compare to your fourth uncle's status?"