"The particulars of my ascension to the Grandmaster Realm..."

Faint nostalgia appeared in Xu Weiguo's eyes.

"I remember, one night I got into a conflict over a barmaid at the 'Red Romance KTV'. I was full of youthful vigor then and accidentally killed someone in a fit of rage. It turns out the person was of remarkable background, and the moment I stepped out, I was surrounded by dozens of guns, trapped in a seemingly hopeless situation..."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yuan, who was holding his teacup, paused for a moment.

He remembered that Xu Weiguo became a Grandmaster when he was in his sixties.

Youthful vigor in his sixties... Jealousy over a hostess in his sixties...

It seemed Master Xu Weiguo's youthful impetuosity lasted quite a long time.

"...In such a situation, I had nothing but my martial arts skills. There was nothing else to rely on. In the face of life and death, there is great fear but also great opportunities. After surviving that ordeal, I naturally ascended to the Grandmaster Realm..."

Lu Yuan listened quietly, the light from the incandescent bulb on the ceiling, refracted by the tea near his lips, flickered faintly in his eyes.

Apart from martial arts, there is nothing else to rely on... Apart from martial arts, there is nothing else to rely on...

Lu Yuan seemed to grasp something, a hint of understanding slowly rising in his mind.

"Has Master Xu ever heard of any other Grandmasters' ascension processes?" Lu Yuan continued to inquire.

After pondering, Xu Weiguo said, "Yes, I had an old friend who, due to the peculiarity of his martial arts, had no offspring. He had been troubled by this for half his life. Eventually, a woman bore him a son; he was so overjoyed that he became a Grandmaster that night...."

"What happened then?" Lu Yuan found it interesting and couldn't help but inquire further.

To his surprise, Xu Weiguo sighed deeply and said, "..Later it turned out the son was not his, but a bastard child that woman had borne with another man. He had not been a Grandmaster for long, and his realm was not yet stable. When he heard this news, he suffered a great shock, fell into a state of Qi deviation, and died vomiting blood."

"Uh...."

Lu Yuan was stunned for a moment, unsure of what to say.

Truly a tragic story, he thought.

"Hmm. Afterward, I avenged him by skinning that adulterous couple alive and making them kneel before his tomb until they died...." Xu Weiguo said, finishing his tea in one gulp as if he were drinking alcohol.

Seeing the discourse taking a turn towards a melodrama, Lu Yuan quickly coughed lightly and said, "It seems the method of ascending to Grandmaster varies from person to person, and there is no fixed shortcut..."

Lu Yuan was just expressing a spontaneous sentiment, trying to steer the conversation back on track.

Unexpectedly, Xu Weiguo responded, "That's not entirely true..."

"Oh?!"

Lu Yuan was quite surprised.

He increasingly realized the benefits of communicating with a Grandmaster like Xu Weiguo. Putting aside their strength, their rich life experiences are treasure troves for others.

"Numerous distinct Grandmaster Wills are engraved on the Heaven Climbing Ladder in Penglai. Throughout the long history of the Ancient Martial Arts World in the Sum Country, almost every Grandmaster has left their own imprint on the ladder. These Grandmaster imprints have remained undiminished over the centuries and are very effective in tempering the will of Fighters. During my short eleven years in Penglai, I saw at least three people become Grandmasters through the ladder..." Xu Weiguo said.

Lu Yuan was slightly stunned. He had heard about the Heaven Climbing Ladder in Penglai from Swimming Dragon before. He didn't expect it to have such a backstory or such effects.

"If I have the chance, I must definitely visit Penglai..." Lu Yuan nodded and casually said.

After pouring tea for Xu Weiguo, he nonchalantly asked, "Why did Master Xu leave Penglai? Is it convenient to tell me? If it's not, just forget it..."

Xu Weiguo laughed lightly and shook his head, "There's nothing inconvenient about it. The reason is quite simple, it can be summed up in three words—"

Xu Weiguo said coolly, "No prospects."

"Hmm?!"

Lu Yuan blinked, "How so?"

Xu Weiguo sighed lightly, "There are too many Grandmasters in Penglai. The Five Elders control all the resources. For lower-ranking Grandmasters like me, forget about meat, we can't even get a sip of soup..."

The Five Elders... Lu Yuan caught the phrase in Xu Weiguo's words but didn't ask. Instead, he wondered, "Frankly, I don't understand why Penglai, for all its lofty status, cares so much about worldly wealth."

"I'm not sure." Xu Weiguo shook his head. "Actually, it's not all about money. The main thing is Longevity Materials..."

Longevity Materials?! Lu Yuan's expression flickered; it was the first time he had heard this term.

Xu Weiguo saw Lu Yuan's reaction and looked at him with an envious gaze, saying, "Lord Lu, you are young and possess outstanding talent. Your life is as brilliant as the sun rising at seven or eight in the morning. You still have plenty of glorious times ahead to enjoy. But we're not the same. Even if we become Grandmasters and take care of our health, we can only live a few decades longer than ordinary people. What really attracts a large number of Grandmasters to Penglai is the endless supply of Longevity Materials. And these Longevity Materials mainly come from the Secret Realms...."

So, that's how it is.

Lu Yuan suddenly understood. Xu Weiguo's words also answered another question he had: why Yellow Bear was so keen on exploring Secret Realms. If it was connected to the "quest for immortality," everything would make sense.

The reason for Xu Weiguo's departure from Penglai was indeed simple.

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