The prompt text for the Fish Dragon Diagram had actually appeared before, the first time he used the Cicada Molting Dragon Transformation Divine Ability.
However, at that time, Lu Ye was near death and too nervous, unsure if this Divine Ability was real or if he would die, so he hadn't even recognized the words.
Afterward, he charged with a bone, counter-killed the villain, then fell unconscious, and was saved by Wang Hu with half a pot of hot porridge...
Only now did he have the effort to calm his heart and take a look.
This body was 17 years old, a full cycle and more younger than his original body.
The original owner shared his name, and just now, he had caught a glimpse of "his own" appearance using the hot water in the pot.
He discovered that the original owner looked very much like him; if he were a cycle younger and had lost all that weight, he would look exactly like this.
Perhaps there really is such a thing as a parallel world.
Lu Ye stopped pondering it further.
Now, he was Lu Ye of Fushui County, Dong Sai Prefecture, Jin State, and his primary mission was to live well!
His Root Bone was of average quality, nothing out of the ordinary; this was understandable, as that man-eating bandit eldest brother was just an ordinary person.
Since he used that person as his Transformation Template, this was the natural result; after the metamorphosis, he had even copied the other person's severely weakened condition.
Lu Ye pondered that, strictly speaking, this Divine Ability was a bit like cheating. He and the other person were both ordinary people, and according to game settings, they were essentially the same "species."
The fact that the two of them—one near death and the other a bit further from the Gate of Ghosts—could be judged by the Divine Ability as eligible for metamorphosis was unexpected.
Doesn't that mean that as long as he isn't killed in one blow in the future, and as long as he can find a suitable target for metamorphosis in time to complete the Cicada Molting Dragon Transformation, he can save his life?
Does this count as a variant of longevity?
Lu Ye shook his head. According to his understanding of the Divine Ability, there were requirements for vitality, and he had to choose a suitable target for metamorphosis.
There were too many restrictions; it could only be said that he had one more Trump Card for Life Preservation than others.
He made a mental note to experiment when he had the chance.
The Lifespan column was a question mark; how long he could live was entirely in a Schrödinger state.
Lu Ye didn't mind; as long as there was porridge in his belly and he could eat, he wouldn't have to face the 10-second countdown again.
After all, that was too terrifying. Watching the life countdown tick away with his own eyes—he never wanted to experience that again.
Perhaps when his nutrition improved later, he would be able to see the specific numerical value for his lifespan.
Vitality was 10/100.
Lu Ye estimated that 100 was the full value for an ordinary person, and 10 was the reflection of his current weak physical state, which meant that if a strong man came along, one of them could beat ten of him.
He was completely at the level of being swept across.
Lu Ye looked up at Wang Hu on the Stone Platform.
Fortunately, he had a helper, someone who was sentimental, had a bottom line, and knew Martial Arts.
Although the other person was also very weak, it was still better than being a weakling like himself.
Looking further down, the controlled account's Carp species had also changed to a light-white common type, the skill bar was empty, and the condition was near death, with weakened Martial Power.
It was a complete manifestation of his reality body within the game.
He checked the panel repeatedly several times.
Confirming that the 10-second countdown prompt for his lifespan did not appear, he then retracted the Divine Ability.
Lu Ye closed his eyes and pondered.
For now, he had to find a way to get food, replenish his vitality in his weak body, and survive this disaster year first.
The original owner's family was poor and had never attended school, but he had heard from the elders in the village that it had been nearly three hundred years since the founding of the Jin State by the Taizu Emperor.
According to the historical cycles of his past life, it was estimated that they had already entered the end of the Dynasty, and with refugees rising everywhere, it was already a Chaotic World.
And this world had true Martial Arts experts. He remembered an Old Soldier in the village who had fought in wars saying that experts in the army practiced True Qi, moved their vitality, could lift a Great Cauldron, and run as fast as a horse.
He must find a way to learn Martial Arts, and the Cicada Molting Dragon Transformation Divine Ability was his greatest Trump Card for survival in this Chaotic World.
Lu Ye pondered for a moment, then turned over and forced himself to sleep.
The little bit of food in his stomach was far from enough, and he couldn't afford to let his mind wander. After all, thinking also consumed energy, and although it was insignificant, he had to cherish every bit of energy he had now.
The next day.
The two woke up.
Both of them had red eyes; clearly, neither had slept well all night.
Wang Hu said seriously.
"Brother Lu, we can be considered to have shared life and death together."
"My Master once said that if you share hardships and joys, you can become sworn brothers."
"How about we become sworn brothers and seek to survive in this Chaotic World?"
Ever since he encountered his Master's betrayal and his family's tragic death, he didn't know the meaning of living, and he had been drifting aimlessly with the refugee team out of the province.
Yesterday, he encountered a Life-and-death crisis and was almost put into the pot. After walking through the Gate of Ghosts, he unexpectedly figured things out and decided to live well; at the very least, he had to pass on the Wang family line and not let it end with his generation.
Now that he was in a strange land seeking survival, he needed a local who was familiar with the area to accompany him. In his view, Lu Ye, who had almost gone through the pot with him, was naturally the most suitable.
Lu Ye was overjoyed upon hearing this; wasn't this like someone handing him a pillow when he was sleepy?
"Good, Brother Wang Hu, I have the same intention. May I ask your age, Brother Wang?"
"I am eighteen..." Wang Hu said.
Lu Ye was startled; this Wang Hu looked far too old for his age.
He rolled his eyes.
"Then I am one year older than you, nineteen!"
In any case, his real age was nearly a cycle older than Wang Hu's, so he didn't feel guilty about being the eldest brother.
Wang Hu immediately bent over and respectfully called him eldest brother, and Lu Ye was overjoyed as he grasped his hands.
The two decided to become sworn brothers right in front of the broken divine statue.
They piled up some dirt, lit tree branches to use as incense, made their vows, and became brothers of different surnames.
"Hu Zi, today is a good day for us to become sworn brothers, we must have a good meal."
"Eldest brother is right, we must eat our fill."
So Wang Hu burned wood, and Lu Ye fetched water.
When the water in the iron helmet boiled.
Wang Hu carefully took out a cloth bag from his embrace, carefully poured a little flour onto a tile, hesitated for a moment, and then used his Finger to pinch a bit of flour and put it back into the cloth bag.
On the other side, Lu Ye, who had completely integrated the memories of his predecessor, bowed several times to the divine statue that witnessed their brotherhood, said "excuse me" in his heart, and made a great vow to reshape the golden body for the statue in the future, before carefully scraping half a handful of mud from the clay statue with a tile.
Lu Ye poured the half handful of fine mud into the flour and stirred it evenly with a tree branch.
Then he poured the flour mixed with fine mud into the boiling water.
After all, flour was precious; who would be willing to eat pure flour?
Refugees were used to adding dirt to their flour; the thin porridge Lu Ye drank yesterday had an earthy smell because Wang Hu had added too much dirt to the flour.
After waiting a moment for it to cook, the two divided the thin porridge in the iron helmet into two portions.
In just three or two gulps, they finished the porridge. Lu Ye licked the tile clean, and Wang Hu turned the helmet upside down, carefully scanning it for a long time to confirm there were no Remnants left, before reluctantly putting the iron helmet down.
Their stomachs rumbled, but both had satisfied expressions.
"Today's meal was not bad."
"Indeed, half mud and half flour, it truly is a life like an Immortal."
Lu Ye and Wang Hu looked at each other and smiled, finding joy in their suffering.
The two sat cross-legged and discussed, deciding to accompany each other on the road and head to Dong Sai Prefecture. After all, there were more opportunities in the Prefecture City, and they heard there were disaster relief congee stalls.
If they were lucky, perhaps they could even find an Influential family recruiting Servants and find a long-term meal ticket.
Just as they were about to get up, they heard the sound of hoofbeats approaching from outside the ruined temple.
Someone was galloping past the main road in front of the temple, whipping their horse incessantly, looking very anxious.
Suddenly, a shrill whistle sounded in mid-air.
The man let out a miserable cry and fell at the entrance of the ruined temple.
Following that, numerous hoofbeats sounded, surrounding him completely.
Accompanied by the sound of a Hunting dog barking, they heard someone give a cold laugh.
"Damn Bandit, run, why aren't you running anymore?"
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