Deep Brotherly Bonds!

At the edge of the cliff, a long, deathly silence fell once again.

Only the wind howled like weeping, sweeping through the crevices of withered pines and rocks.

Shi Pan slowly closed his eyes, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked, but in the end he could only let go; it was all fate.

Fate cannot be changed; it's all fate, it's destiny.

The great path leads alone, each in their own place...

Yes, our ancestor was incredibly insightful.

Shi Yin cultivates ice, while the Lightning Bear Line cultivates thunder; if he stays in Divine Firmament Plain, the Lightning Bear Line can provide him with very few Ice Dao resources.

Even though he was Shi Jian's most valued adopted son, he would eventually be trapped by the Great Dao.

Only by going to the Northern River, to that eternal frozen plain, and inheriting the vast resources of the Snow Bear Lineage, can Shi Yin truly break free from his shackles and forge a bright future on the path to heaven!

Moreover, if Shi Yin were to become the Snow Bear Clan Chief one day, the Lightning Bear and Snow Bear Clans would secretly form an alliance within the Ancestral Court.

What a terrifying aid they were!

This is an open strategy, a general trend of the people, and an inevitable destiny!

"Okay... okay."

After a long while, Shi Pan exhaled a long, murky white breath, and forced a smile that was more like a grimace on his face.

He then reached out and slammed his fist heavily into Shi Yin's chest, which was as hard as iron.

"Becoming the head of the main branch is an incredible stroke of luck! I should be happy for you, so why am I feeling all teary-eyed instead..."

Shi Pan turned his head away and took a big gulp of strong liquor.

The liquor dripped down his rough stubble, soaking his breastplate.

"Third brother, do you still remember the day when the Ancestor rescued us from a pile of corpses on the Profound Spirit Continent?"

Shi Pan's voice was low and somber, carrying an indescribable sorrow:

"Back then, the three of us little bear cubs couldn't even get a full meal. It was our ancestor who raised us single-handedly."

"Later, when the Myriad Demon Domain was established, we fought with others for territory, resulting in fierce battles that shook the heavens and the earth. You were the smartest, Shi Mo charged ahead, and I covered your retreat..."

At this point, Shi Pan's shoulders trembled slightly.

"But what happened next?"

"That brat Shi Mo, in his pursuit of the Golden Core, ended up with not Root Bone left..."

Of the three brothers from back then, only you and I are left.

"Your talent is exceptional, your comprehension unparalleled, and you are the one the Ancestor values most. Now you are about to become the head of the main lineage, and in the future you will be Spirit Transformation, perhaps even reaching the level of Dao Venerable!"

"But what about me?!"

Shi Pan suddenly tore open the armor on his chest, revealing a chest as solid as a rock.

Right in the center of his chest, a hideous, twisted, pitch-black scar, like a dead centipede, was branded firmly onto his flesh, radiating a withered, deathly aura.

"He's nothing but a piece of trash, his Dao Path utterly destroyed, with no way out."

Shi Pan smiled bitterly, pointing to his heart:

"Nascent Soul Early Stage! At best, I'll only ever reach the Nascent Soul Early Stage in my entire life!"

"There's no possibility of making any further progress, let alone aspiring to a perfect Immortal Foundation, let alone a Nascent Soul Dao Venerable!"

"Shi Mo perished early, turning to ashes; I, Shi Pan, survived by sheer luck, but my path is blocked; while you Shi Yin... are destined to ascend to the heavens and sit atop the Nine Heavens as the sect leader!"

"Three brothers... hehe, three brothers!"

"Why is the Dao so cruel? Why are the fates of these three brothers so different?! Truly, Heaven, how have you treated me so cruelly!"

A furious and sorrowful roar echoed across the empty cliff.

Shi Pan clenched his fists, his strong body heaving violently, but tears finally rolled down his large, round eyes.

This is not jealousy.

Instead, he is a fellow traveler abandoned by the times and fate, feeling a profound sense of powerlessness as he watches his closest brothers, who fought alongside him, drift further and further away.

The path to immortality is long, and looking back, one finds only countless bones withered.

The boys who were once neck and neck will eventually go their separate ways in the sands of time.

Shi Yin remained silent in the face of Shi Pan's choked sobs.

He simply stood quietly in the wind, letting the Extreme Cold wind tousle the white hair on his forehead.

After a long while, Shi Yin stepped forward.

He stretched out his pale, cold hand and placed it on Shi Pan's broad, heaving shoulder.

The Extreme Cold Law Power rippled slightly, transforming into a gentle, clear spring that slowly flowed into Shi Pan's heart, suppressing the faintly aching scar.

"Big brother."

Shi Yin spoke, his voice still cold, yet carrying a profound sincerity:

"Shi Mo is dead, he died on the path of the Dao Contention, he died for his clan, I have never forgotten him."

"And you, too, cut off your own path in order to protect your people."

Shi Yin's gaze was intense, staring directly into Shi Pan's bloodshot eyes:

Do you feel like you've been left behind?

You're wrong.

"With tens of millions of miles of territory and hundreds of thousands of clansmen in Divine Firmament Plain, the Ancestor is going into seclusion to hone his skills, while the eldest and second young masters will eventually have their own battlefields to fight."

"This land, the very foundation of the Lightning Bear Line, this cornerstone of our ancestral legacy laid by our ancestor—who but you is worthy to guard it? Who can guard it?!"

Shi Yin's fingers tightened, almost digging into Shi Pan's armor.

"I went to the Northern River to fight against the deadly blades from beyond the heavens; while you stayed in Divine Firmament to protect the lifeline of the entire clan."

"Without you guarding the rear, how could Shi Xiao dare to fight freely in the Dao Realm? How could Shi Lei cultivate in peace in Lightning Mountain?"

"How could our ancestor be able to cultivate the Dao wholeheartedly in the Lightning Origin Ancient Cave without any worries?"

"Big brother, you were never a scapegoat."

"You are the most solid foundation of the Lightning Bear Line."

"If I leave, the clan will still need you to lead it, and it will also need you to help the descendants of our two ancestors in the future."

"This clan ultimately cannot do without you, elder brother."