Inside the Heaven Burying Bell.

Gu Youwei, suppressed by endless divine might, looked utterly forlorn.

Staring at the young Heavenly Emperor in the mirror, she had become a tearful mess.

She had been carefully cared for by Gu Changqing since birth, later joined a sect, was loved by her master, and was taught ancient, powerful techniques.

She had never suffered such misery.

She had never imagined how hard it would be for a child with no backers or resources to survive in this cruel world.

At this moment Gu Youwei felt as if her heart were being cut, silently wailing.

If he had not given his Immortal Root to her, her brother would not have suffered this fate.

This was a boy who would become the Heavenly Emperor who suppressed the Three Realms!

“Gu Changqing! Gu Changqing!!”

Gu Changqing was awakened by a shrill voice.

He wanted to sleep, but Jiang Minghuang was violently shaking him. Once again he thought this guy was truly annoying—he shouldn’t have saved him just now.

“Stop shaking me. Even if I weren’t beaten to death, you’ll shake me to death…”

Gu Changqing coughed up a mouthful of blood. The intense pain throughout his body sharpened his awareness.

“Why did you do that!”

“Who told you to help me!”

Gu Changqing didn’t open his eyes but could hear Jiang Minghuang’s sobbing voice as he said, “We’ve been together two years, so I couldn’t just watch you get beaten to death. If you’re alive, someone will talk to me. If you die, the world will be terribly dull.”

“Then when someone hits you, why don’t you just fall to the ground and play dead? If you stay on the ground they won’t hit you!” Jiang Minghuang roared.

Gu Changqing pressed his lips into a smile and did not reply.

“You’re really sick in the head.” Jiang Minghuang collapsed beside Gu Changqing.

Without warning, he suddenly began to wail loudly.

Gu Changqing was somewhat moved. This guy was usually very tough. After being beaten he’d still smile and ask what they’d eat later.

But this time, being trampled underfoot, the thing he valued most—his face—was completely gone.

Gu Changqing listened to him wail.

After a long while, his emotions seemed to stabilize. “When have I, Jiang Minghuang, ever suffered such humiliation? I’m from the top noble family of the Upper Realm.”

Gu Changqing had never understood why this guy valued that so much.

He said, “What’s shameful about it? It’s just being beaten.”

“Hmph, that’s you—when you are beaten it’s not shameful, but when I’m beaten it’s a huge disgrace! I’m not like you.”

Gu Changqing silently smiled and ignored him.

Jiang Minghuang went on, “I know you don’t believe me, but I’m really the young master of an Upper Realm noble family, with status so high it’s in the heavens.”

Gu Changqing still ignored him.

Jiang Minghuang continued, “One day I’ll show you exactly how high my status is.”

Gu Changqing said, “No matter how high your status, being beaten isn’t shameful.”

“Shame is losing courage and backbone. So what if you’re trampled? Did you beg? Did you call someone ‘grandfather’?”

Hearing this, Jiang Minghuang was stunned for a moment.

Suddenly he laughed again, forcing out a loud laugh.

“Gu Changqing, you’re such a fool—despite being beaten, you don’t lie down and play dead. People like you are the biggest fools in the world.”

Gu Changqing said, “Aren’t you the same? You just had to call someone ‘grandfather’ and you wouldn’t have to suffer the beating.”

“Two fools, yet together they drove away a group of cultivators…”

The two began laughing again. In the bone-chilling wind, they seemed crazed and truly like fools.

Gu Changqing asked him, “How long do you plan to live like this? My dao foundation has been destroyed so I can never cultivate in this life. You’re different—why not find a sect and cultivate properly?”

Jiang Minghuang chuckled, “The Jiang family is such a great noble family, why worry about cultivation? To take someone as my master would be a disgrace that I cannot bear.”

Gu Changqing fell silent. Indeed, the two were in the same situation, but Jiang Minghuang had far more choices than he did.

“All my life, I have disliked owing others anything. You once owed me your life, but these past two years I’ve owed you more and more. Without you I might have starved to death. This time you took a beating for me again. I’m afraid I can never repay you. How about we become sworn brothers?”

“What? If we become brothers, we don’t have to return favors anymore?”

“Brothers live and die together. What is mine is yours, and what is yours is mine. There’s no need to draw the line so clearly.”

Gu Changqing smiled faintly and opened his eyes.

He suddenly felt that this guy had a point.

His life had been full of hardship. His parents were dead, and the only family left was Gu Youwei, who was no longer by his side. Having another brother seemed like a pretty good idea.

“How do we do this?”

Jiang Minghuang pulled Gu Changqing up.

The two stood shoulder to shoulder under the firmament and raised three fingers to take an oath.

“I’m one year older than you…”

Jiang Minghuang looked at Gu Changqing and was about to say something, but when he saw that bloodied face and those eyes that gave no hint of age…

He inexplicably paused, then said, “Then be my elder brother.”

The sky was blue as if washed by rain.

Two youths stood proudly beneath the sky and spoke in unison.

“In happiness, we revel together with wine and song.”

“Where winds rise, we roam mountains and rivers together.”

“Against fierce enemies, we face life and death together.”

“In danger, together we face seas of fire and mountains of blades.”

“If the elder meets trouble, the younger draws his sword at once.”

“If the younger is in danger, the elder would rather die nine times than turn back!”

“With my brother by my side, I shall be invincible in the world!”

Their voices soared into the sky, shattering the clouds…