Under One Person: The Sea Emperor Who Shattered Heaven and Earth

Startled, Ma Ben shrank back and quickly led the donkey into the nearby bushes, wondering to himself, "How did she end up here? Could it be... that Brother Jiang noticed something was wrong and sent someone to look for me, and just happened to run into her?"

Meanwhile, a hundred meters away, behind the shadow of a tree, Duanmu Ying's palms were covered in cold sweat.

"That figure looks exactly like Ma Ben."

Duanmu Ying bit her lower lip, feeling extremely guilty. "Old Ma usually listens to Brother Jiang the most. His appearance here must mean that Brother Jiang sensed something was wrong and sent him to intercept me on the way."

Then, an extremely bizarre scene appeared.

Amidst these towering mountains, these two trusted lieutenants of Jiang Zhen, one believing the other to be a constable sent by Jiang Zhen, and the other believing the other to be an informant planted by Jiang Zhen, each unleashed their most treasured stealth skills, engaging in a game of mutual confrontation and evasion on the rugged mountain path.

Ma Ben took a longer route, while Duanmu Ying ventured into the deep forest. Although they were on the same path, they spent a considerable amount of time wandering around in the mountains due to their mutual wariness.

When Ma Ben finally reached his destination, he was exhausted and covered in sweat. He was about to go in with all his might when he noticed a familiar figure crouching and sneaking forward from behind the bushes not far away.

"Ma Ben is here!" Duanmu Ying couldn't hold back any longer. She felt that rather than being arrested, she should strike first.

Ma Ben was so frightened he almost slid down the hillside. When he turned around, he saw Duanmu Ying: "Sister Yingzi! You...you really came to arrest me...I'll just go in and take a look. After I'm done, I'll go back to Shanghai and explain things to Brother Jiang!"

Duanmu Ying was stunned, her eyes wide open: "What did you say? I came to arrest you? I thought you were sent by Brother Jiang to intercept me!"

The two stared at each other for a full ten seconds.

An awkward atmosphere filled the air.

"Um... did you also receive a letter from the leader of the Quanxing Sect?" Ma Ben asked tentatively.

“I’ve met him a few times before, and he seemed alright. Then, out of nowhere, I received a letter with an address on it, so I decided to come and take a look.” Duanmu Ying laughed absurdly.

"So, you didn't come here to arrest me?"

"Catch you my foot! I've been hiding from you for days!" Ma Ben sighed and plopped down on the ground. "Since everyone sneaked out, that makes things easier. As for Brother Jiang... let's talk about it when we get back."

The two passed through a narrow crevice in the rocks and reached their destination; it was already late.

Within the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Valley, strange rocks abound, and the direction in which the vegetation grows seems distorted and defies common sense. In a wide valley, a campfire rises, and figures move about.

"Oh, two more have arrived."

Wugensheng sat on a huge rock high up, holding a jar of wine in his arms, waving in the direction of the valley.

When Ma Ben and Duanmu Ying got closer and took a look, they immediately gasped in shock.

The people sitting here are all renowned figures in the world of supernatural beings. They are dressed in various styles, some in Taoist robes, some in long gowns, and some even wearing tokens of their sects. Yet, at this moment, they sit together peacefully around the campfire.

Ma Ben recognized several familiar faces: Zhang Huaiyi from the Celestial Master's Mansion of Longhu Mountain, Zhou Sheng from the Wudang Sect, Zheng Zibu from the Shangqing Sect, and his two fellow disciples... These were all highly skilled disciples from prominent sects, yet they were all sitting next to the Quanxing Sect Leader.

Wugensheng jumped down from the boulder, patted the dirt off his backside, and although he had a smile on his face, his gaze swept around behind the two of them several times. When he found that there was no one else, his expression turned into a faint, almost imperceptible sense of loss.

Wugensheng turned his head and looked at the people sitting around the fire, introducing them to the last two.

Celestial Master's Mansion: Zhang Huaiyi

Wudang Sect: Zhou Sheng

Liangshan Shaman: Feng Tianyang

Casual writer: Ruan Feng

Shangqing: Zheng Zibu

Quanxing: Gu Qiting

Tang Clan: Xu Xin, Dong Chang

Completeness: High-level

Wulou Vajra: Dou Hong, Liu Wang (both the eldest and second eldest are involved, the disciples of this sect are really miserable)

Iron Plate Immortal: Mr. Lu

Natural Gate: Bian Tong, Hao Wencai

Yanwu Hall: Liu Deshui

Wudang Sect: Song Mian

Fujiyama: Fangying

Red Flower Fairy: Huang Fang

Tiangongtang: Zhao Pingshan, Zhao Tianhai

Three-way fire needle: Sun Renfang

Golden-bodied Old Man: Ding Dali

Huodezong: Fengping

Mo Men: Zhang Xuan

Wuhou School: Tian Xiaodie

Secret Painting Workshop: Dou Ruchang

Wild Maoshan: Wang Xinhai

Bai Cao Tang: Zhang Gui

Flowing Cloud Sword: Lin Zifeng

Yi Xian Liu: Xu Xia

Jiyun Society: Liao Tianlin

The Art of Technique: Hu Haiwang

Miao Village, Qinghe Township: Wei Shufen

This group encompassed almost all the top lineages in the world of supernatural beings at that time.

After introducing everyone, Wugensheng was about to introduce the two people to the crowd when someone waved his hand and said:

"These two need no introduction. Master Ma of Tiangongtang and Doctor Duanmu of Jishetang both hold important positions in the Cao Gang and serve under Chief Jiang. Everyone in the martial arts world knows them."

"Wugensheng, what is your purpose in summoning us here?"

After taking a sip of wine, Wugensheng laughed loudly and said, "I, Wugensheng, have lived this life, and all I have now is you friends and the wine in my bowl."

“Among you, there are those who want to kill me. If I take the wrong step, they will still come after me. There are those who wanted to compete with me back then, those I regarded as mentors, those I once discarded like trash, but who turned out to be used by them after being discovered, and those who saved me from danger several times…”

"Demons? Famous families? To hell with the Canal Gang, to hell with the Celestial Master's Mansion, to hell with Wudang... Bah!"

As he spoke, Wugensheng filled the bowl with wine: "To hell with Quanxing."

He then threw out a wine bowl filled with wine, and everyone quickly caught the bowls.

"Gentlemen," Wugensheng said, raising the wine bowl in his hand.

"I, this bastard, am going to have a good drink with the thirty-five bastards he admires, and let them all go to hell!"

"You're the bastard! I think you're really tired of living. What the hell did you just say?!" Someone immediately stepped forward and kicked Wugensheng to the ground.

Wugensheng lay on the ground and laughed loudly, "It is true that my regard for you as friends is a one-sided act. I sent out a total of thirty-six letters, but based on just one letter from me, thirty-five of you actually traveled thousands of miles to meet me. My life has really been worth it."

Immediately, someone asked in confusion, "Who else has been harmed by you, you wicked person?"

After a moment of silence, Wu Gengsheng said, "It doesn't matter. With you thirty-five of you, I, Wu Gengsheng, am content for this lifetime!"

After several rounds of drinks, Wugensheng finally revealed his true purpose: he wanted to take everyone to explore the secrets deep in the valley, a place called the Nine-Bend Cave, which was said to be the treasure land of Zhang Boduan, the man of Ziyang Mountain.

During this process, everyone revealed their deepest, most secret dreams.

Gu Qiting: "I want to see the whole picture of this world."

Zhou Sheng: "What good is it to see things clearly? Everything in this world, with its myriad forms, is subject to change. I want to control the changes in all things in the world."

Duanmu Ying: "Master Zhou, you're being too arrogant. I don't have such high expectations. All I want to do in this life is heal the sick and save people."

Feng Tianyang pondered for a moment and said, "I want all the spirits in the world to serve me."

Ma Benzai said, "The current methods of weapon forging are too mentally taxing. I want to create a completely new method of weapon forging."

Ruan Feng lay on the ground and said, "I don't want to think about anything, I just want to eat and drink well and live a few more years."

After a long silence, Zhang Huaiyi asked Wugensheng what he wanted most in his life.

Wugensheng, still slightly drunk, paused for a moment and said, "Cultivation is just so-so, it's all about fate. If you ask me what I want most in my life, I really can't answer you. But what I can say for sure right now is that I want you guys, my brothers."

Everyone was taken aback, but Wugensheng was filled with his sudden idea and shouted, "I just want brothers! I want you all to be my brothers!"

"I wish to become sworn brothers with all of you!" Upon hearing this, the previously lively atmosphere instantly fell silent.

In the suffocating silence, Zhang Huaiyi stepped forward.

"I won't agree." His voice wasn't loud, but it made everyone look up. "You talk about sworn brotherhood, but you don't even know your own name. Wugensheng, you have no surname or given name, you won't even tell us your real name, how can you swear brotherhood?"

"I have one, I have a name and a surname, my name is Feng Yao," Wugensheng suddenly shouted.

"Born during the Guangxu era in Lantian, Shanxi Province, my mother died at birth, and I was taken in and raised by a Taoist priest surnamed Feng. Wugensheng is the name I gave myself."

"Wait a minute." Huang Fang, who had wanted to sleep with Wu Gensheng back then, stood up in shock.

"You said you were born during the Guangxu era, how old are you this year?"

“I haven’t kept a specific record, but I’ve probably wasted more than forty years of my life.”

"He doesn't look like he's in his forties."

Wugensheng scratched his head and laughed loudly, "My child is about the same age as the youngest people sitting here. I not only have roots, but also descendants."

Dou Hong immediately stood up: "Wu Gensheng, do you know what you're saying?"

Wugensheng looked up at the sky, then at the crowd.

"I know that I, Wugensheng, am not worthy of having brothers and sisters. My idea of ​​becoming sworn brothers with you is pure fantasy. What if I were Feng Yao, a man who sees things through to the end?"

"Would you be willing to become brothers and sisters with me?"

Dou Hong laughed and cursed, and then everyone stood up at the same time, all looking at Wugensheng with serious expressions.

Wugensheng clasped his hands in a fist salute and addressed the crowd, saying, "Am I, Feng Yao, now qualified to become sworn brothers with you all?"

That night, the thirty-six men were drunk for three days straight.

Chapter 81 The Beginning of the Jia Shen Rebellion