"Eternity is truly as lonely as snow."
A young man was lying on a hillside, a dogtail grass dangling from his mouth. He gazed into the distance as a gentle breeze swept past, bending all the trees and plants in its wake. Yet from the tone of his voice, it was not a sigh of lamentation—rather, it brimmed with unbridled delight.
Moo~ Moo~
Beside him sat a horn-broken black ox. Yes, sat—not standing. It perched on its hind legs, its black back ramrod straight.
The youth's name was Chen Xun. He had transmigrated to this world a year ago. A boundless, vast realm where countless cultivators could move mountains and drain seas, hovering high above the clouds to overlook the mortal world. But unlike ordinary transmigrators, Chen Xun had arrived with a system in tow. Back then, he'd been over the moon, visions of countless novel protagonists' legendary tales flashing through his mind.
However...
Chen Xun's system was nothing like those overpowered cheat codes—no invincible physique, no god-tier cultivation techniques. All it granted him was immortality. The laws of heaven and earth could no longer bind his lifespan, yet he could only boost one attribute point per year.
Strength, Speed, Defense, Mana, Essence of All Things.
Strength, Speed, Defense, Mana—he understood those clearly enough. But Essence of All Things remained a mystery, no matter how hard he pondered it. Eventually, he brushed it aside; living was what mattered most. Still, the system was quite thoughtful. For the long, long road of immortality, it had gifted him an immortal spirit beast as a companion. The ox couldn't speak, but it understood every word he said. What's more, Chen Xun could allocate attribute points to it each year too—without spending any of his own immortality points.
"We may be immortal, but we can still be killed," Chen Xun sighed. "We'd better lay low from now on."
Half a year ago, he and the ox had planted a rice paddy in the village and raised a flock of chicks. But on a dark, windy night, Old Wang from the neighboring village had led a group of men to steal everything they owned. When Chen Xun found out, he'd been so enraged he'd nearly burst a blood vessel. Was there no justice left in this world? No law at all?! He'd grinded his axe to a sharp edge, grabbed it, and marched to the next village with the big black ox to demand an explanation. But the villagers had outnumbered them. Chen Xun had been beaten black and blue, and one of the ox's horns had been wrenched clean off. The two of them had fled for their lives, spending days nursing their wounds afterward.
Moo!
The ox huffed angrily, its eyes blazing with resentment. Those men had been utterly despicable. That incident had left a deep, lasting psychological scar on Chen Xun.
Ding! Host is now eligible to allocate attribute points.
Chen Xun curled the corner of his mouth into a smirk. The one-year wait was finally over. "Allocate!" Without a moment's hesitation, he poured the point into Strength. After all, the reason he'd been pummeled so badly back then was his pitiful lack of strength—he couldn't even push away the men who'd pinned him down.
"Holy shit..."
Chen Xun's face turned as crimson as pork liver. A surge of power suddenly coursed through his body, his arm veins bulging like twisted ropes. He threw a punch straight at the ground, startling the ox so badly it leaped up on its hind legs.
"I am the master of my own fate—not heaven!"
Boom—
For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Chen Xun's hand snapped. Once again, he and the big black ox spent several days confined to their bed, nursing their injuries. He took the chance to allocate a point to the ox's Strength as well, though it didn't seem to change much outwardly. After witnessing Chen Xun's disastrous outcome, the ox merely tested its newfound power cautiously—and found it quite satisfactory.
They lived in a thatched cottage in a small village, keeping to themselves and never seeking trouble. But the unwritten rules of this world were etched into every person's very bones: Mortals must bow and show deference when they encountered cultivators. They must never be offended—even the folks in this remote, backwater village knew that rule by heart.
"Brother Xun!"
A boy's voice rang out outside the thatched cottage. It was Xiao Hei—the village kid, given this nickname because he'd been born with dark skin.
"What's up, Xiao Hei?" Chen Xun, his injuries fully healed, ambled over to open the door.
"The village chief sent me to bring you some rice." Xiao Hei hugged a sack of rice and grinned foolishly, his eyes sparkling with childish innocence.
"Tell the village chief thank you for me."
Chen Xun took the sack, his heart swelling with gratitude. He and the big black ox had been surviving on wild vegetables for days, teetering on the brink of starvation. To think an immortal being was nearly starving to death—what a ridiculous travesty of nature! The thought sparked a flicker of resentment in Chen Xun's chest. Revenge is a dish best served cold. I'll dig up your ancestors' graves someday, Old Wang!
"Brother Xun, I'll head back now—Mother's calling me for dinner."
"Alright, off you go then."
Chen Xun smiled, watching the boy's retreating figure. As he stared at the sack of rice in his hands, tears of gratitude streamed down the corners of his mouth. Good people still existed in this world, after all.
Moo!
The big black ox let out an impatient low from inside the cottage. It hated eating grass—it loved rice just as much as Chen Xun did.
Moments later, wispy smoke curled up from the stove, and a pot of fragrant rice was ready. Man and ox sat cross-legged on the earthen floor, wolfing down their food with visions of the future dancing in their eyes.
"Old Ox, we've got to keep our heads down and stay alive," Chen Xun mumbled, shoveling a mouthful of rice into his mouth and swallowing hard. "This world is vast and boundless. When we strike it big someday, I'll find you a few lady cows to keep you company."
Moo! Glug glug.
The ox rolled its eyes, filled with unbridled disdain, as if saying, "Wasn't it you who grabbed the axe and charged straight into the neighboring village back then?"
"They had the numbers on their side. To deal with scum like that, we need strategy," Chen Xun said mysteriously.
The big black ox's eyes lit up. It immediately shuffled closer to Chen Xun, ears perked with interest.
"We'll wait until they're old and decrepit—then we'll smash their teeth in and dig up their ancestral graves! How dare they mess with an immortal?!" Chen Xun declared fiercely, his eyes flashing with sharp resolve, looking utterly triumphant.
Moo! Moo!
The ox's bell-like eyes sparkled with excitement. It nodded vigorously, letting out enthusiastic lowings—This plan is perfect! Brilliant!
"Wait... what's that burning smell?"
Chen Xun sniffed the air, then suddenly spun toward the kitchen. His eyes widened in horror. "Our thatched cottage!!"
Moo~~ The ox let out a panicked snort, its hooves stamping anxiously.
"It's on fire!"
"Chen Xun's place is burning! Hurry, put out the fire!"
...
An hour later, the flames finally died down. The entire cottage was reduced to smoldering ruins. Man and ox knelt outside, their eyes empty and lifeless, overcome by despair.
Chen Xun had been an orphan in the village, and his recent string of misfortunes had left everyone feeling sorry for him. The villagers murmured a few words of comfort before dispersing.
"It's over... we've lost our home," Chen Xun muttered, his voice hollow and defeated. He had no idea how to build a house—truly, when it rains, it pours. Life was nothing but misery.
Yet heaven always leaves a way out. The ox had regurgitated the rice it had eaten earlier, saving it from the fire. It would be enough to last them a few more days.
"Old Ox," Chen Xun sighed, shaking his head dejectedly. "I noticed a few caves at the foot of the eastern hillside. Let's go live there. I really should have learned some crafts in the village back when I had time to farm. Now I'm good for nothing."
Moo! The big black ox could not have cared less. Wherever Chen Xun went, that was its home.
Outside the small village, the ox carried a bundle of dry hay on its back, while Chen Xun gathered firewood to bring to the cave—their temporary shelter.
Over the next year, Chen Xun apprenticed himself to the village carpenter. The ox helped haul materials, and the villagers all praised it for being intelligent, telling Chen Xun not to kill and eat it.
Chen Xun scoffed at the idea. "I'd sooner starve to death or jump off the hillside than betray a friend."
"Delicious."
Chen Xun grinned, shoveling large mouthfuls of beef into his mouth. At the end of the year, to celebrate the festival, the villagers had slaughtered a few cattle and thrown a feast for everyone. He would never miss such a good opportunity. Only the big black ox watched with its pupils constricted, unable to bring itself to eat even the few pieces of beef Chen Xun had given it.
After the feast, they certainly weren't about to waste food. Chen Xun and the ox packed up all the leftovers no one else wanted—one had to be thrifty to get by. Inside the cave, the big black ox ate the leftovers with great relish, while Chen Xun finished of