Half a month later, deep in a mountain forest where rolling peaks stretched endlessly and a vast sea of trees covered the land, the roar of wild beasts echoed from the depths now and then.
Ssssh!
Chen Xun swung his hatchet in a swift arc. Several spurts of blood erupted, and a brown bear collapsed to the ground, dead on the spot. Sparks flew as he lit a fire, set up a large cauldron, and boiled a pot of water—time for a feast.
"How do you like my unmatched axe skills, Old Ox?" Chen Xun twirled the hatchet in his hand and glanced at the black ox.
Moo!
The ox let out a half-hearted moo. It was busy pawing at the dirt, covering up the bear's bloodstains. When traveling far from home, safety always came first.
"Truly inhuman strength," Chen Xun clenched his fists, muttering in awe. Going one-on-one with the bear, he'd knocked it unconscious with a single punch, shattering several of its ribs in the process.
Man and ox sat around the cauldron, gorging themselves on the meat. Wild game always tasted richer, more satisfying than anything else.
"Old Ox, even though we've got this incredible strength, you saw those cultivators—they're no joke," Chen Xun said, munching on a bear paw with a smack of his lips. "We can't act on impulse. That random nobody you pass on the road might be an ancient monster in disguise."
Moo.
The ox responded, fully understanding as it ate its fill with relish.
"Even if we kill a chicken out here in the wild, we've got to cover our tracks and destroy the body. Don't leave a single trace behind," Chen Xun warned.
Moo?
The ox tilted its head in confusion.
"Because that chicken might have a whole flock backing it up. They could track us down by the scent alone," Chen Xun explained.
Moo?
The ox still didn't get it. A piece of meat fell from its mouth, and it quickly snatched it up off the ground.
"You think a bunch of chickens are no big deal? Just kill them and be done with it?" Chen Xun scoffed, his lips glistening with grease.
Moo. The ox nodded vigorously.
"What if those chickens are raised by cultivators?"
Chen Xun said in a mysterious tone. "Wouldn't they come looking for trouble then?"
Moo! The ox's eyes widened.
"And if we beat those cultivators, wouldn't their masters come after us next?"
Moo! Moo! The ox froze, dumbfounded. It made perfect sense!
"Eventually, killing one chicken could spark a full-scale sect war. How many people do you think we can take on?"
Chen Xun raised an eyebrow, tearing off a chunk of bear meat. "If we end up getting killed by accident, how many lady cows will we miss out on?"
Moo!~~
The ox had an epiphany. Its bell-like eyes lit up, staring at Chen Xun with admiration that flowed forth like an endless river.
"Quick learner," Chen Xun praised with a grin. He loved seeing that look on the ox's face. "So from now on, we have to be extra careful in everything we do. No room for mistakes."
Moo! The ox nodded firmly.
"Now, here's a question."
Chen Xun's expression turned serious. "Suppose a lady cow and a cultivator are facing off over a spirit herb, and a fight is about to break out. What do you do?"
"Option 1: Be a hero and save the damsel in distress—step up without hesitation."
"Option 2: Side with the stronger party, bully the weak, and prioritize self-preservation."
"Option 3: Pretend nothing's happening, sneak away quietly, and stay out of the karma."
"Option 4: With your unmatched power, kill them both and take the spirit herb for yourself."
"Your answer?"
Chen Xun stared at the ox with deep, piercing eyes. The ox broke out in a cold sweat—this was a tough one.
It struggled with the decision in its mind. How could it stand by and watch a lady cow fall into danger? It made up its mind and let out a loud moo.
"Option 1? Wrong!"
Chen Xun sneered. "How could a lady cow possibly fight a cultivator? If you rush in, you'll just end up as another corpse."
Moo, moo. The ox let out a dejected low, picking Option 2.
"Option 2? Even in the World – Safety Comes First
Half a month later, deep in a mountain forest where rolling peaks stretched endlessly and a vast sea of trees covered the land, the roar of wild beasts echoed from the depths now and then.
Ssssh!
Chen Xun swung his hatchet in a swift arc. Several spurts of blood erupted, and a brown bear collapsed to the ground, dead on the spot. Sparks flew as he lit a fire, set up a large cauldron, and boiled a pot of water—time for a feast.
"How do you like my unmatched axe skills, Old Ox?" Chen Xun twirled the hatchet in his hand and glanced at the black ox.
Moo!
The ox let out a half-hearted moo. It was busy pawing at the dirt, covering up the bear's bloodstains. When traveling far from home, safety always came first.
"Truly inhuman strength," Chen Xun clenched his fists, muttering in awe. Going one-on-one with the bear, he'd knocked it unconscious with a single punch, shattering several of its ribs in the process.
Man and ox sat around the cauldron, gorging themselves on the meat. Wild game always tasted richer, more satisfying than anything else.
"Old Ox, even though we've got this incredible strength, you saw those cultivators—they're no joke," Chen Xun said, munching on a bear paw with a smack of his lips. "We can't act on impulse. That random nobody you pass on the road might be an ancient monster in disguise."
Moo.
The ox responded, fully understanding as it ate its fill with relish.
"Even if we kill a chicken out here in the wild, we've got to cover our tracks and destroy the body. Don't leave a single trace behind," Chen Xun warned.
Moo?
The ox tilted its head in confusion.
"Because that chicken might have a whole flock backing it up. They could track us down by the scent alone," Chen Xun explained.
Moo?
The ox still didn't get it. A piece of meat fell from its mouth, and it quickly snatched it up off the ground.
"You think a bunch of chickens are no big deal? Just kill them and be done with it?" Chen Xun scoffed, his lips glistening with grease.
Moo. The ox nodded vigorously.
"What if those chickens are raised by cultivators?"
Chen Xun said in a mysterious tone. "Wouldn't they come looking for trouble then?"
Moo! The ox's eyes widened.
"And if we beat those cultivators, wouldn't their masters come after us next?"
Moo! Moo! The ox froze, dumbfounded. It made perfect sense!
"Eventually, killing one chicken could spark a full-scale sect war. How many people do you think we can take on?"
Chen Xun raised an eyebrow, tearing off a chunk of bear meat. "If we end up getting killed by accident, how many lady cows will we miss out on?"
Moo!~~
The ox had an epiphany. Its bell-like eyes lit up, staring at Chen Xun with admiration that flowed forth like an endless river.
"Quick learner," Chen Xun praised with a grin. He loved seeing that look on the ox's face. "So from now on, we have to be extra careful in everything we do. No room for mistakes."
Moo! The ox nodded firmly.
"Now, here's a question."
Chen Xun's expression turned serious. "Suppose a lady cow and a cultivator are facing off over a spirit herb, and a fight is about to break out. What do you do?"
"Option 1: Be a hero and save the damsel in distress—step up without hesitation."
"Option 2: Side with the stronger party, bully the weak, and prioritize self-preservation."
"Option 3: Pretend nothing's happening, sneak away quietly, and stay out of the karma."
"Option 4: With your unmatched power, kill them both and take the spirit herb for yourself."
"Your answer?"
Chen Xun stared at the ox with deep, piercing eyes. The ox broke out in a cold sweat—this was a tough one.
It struggled with the decision in its mind. How could it stand by and watch a lady cow fall into danger? It made up its mind and let out a loud moo.
"Option 1? Wrong!"
Chen Xun sneered. "How could a lady cow possibly fight a cultivator? If you rush in, you'll just end up as another corpse."
Moo, moo. The ox let out a dejected low, picking Option 2.
"Option 2? Even more wrong!"
Chen Xun narrowed his eyes, explaining. "You already know they're fighting over a spirit herb. The more people who know about it, the higher the risk. After the cultivator takes out their enemy, they'll never let you walk away alive."
The ox's pupils constricted, cold sweat pouring down its body. It felt like it had died twice already. It let out three urgent moos, choosing Option 3.
"Hahaha! Option 3? That's the biggest mistake of all!"
Chen Xun laughed wildly, his eyes turning cold. "There are no laws in this world. Without sufficient strength, you can never be sure you won't get caught. They'll just kill you together, thinking you're trying to take advantage of the situation."
The ox's legs went weak, trembling in fear. It let out a heavy snort, its hooves scraping the ground. It let out four desperate moos, going with Option 4.
"I didn't expect you to pick Option 4,"
Chen Xun slowly stood up, a shadow falling over his face. The ox suddenly felt tiny and insignificant, collapsing to the ground in terror. Did it just die again…?
"Congratulations…"
Moo?!
The ox suddenly felt its strength returning, its legs slowly lifting off the ground. Hope flared in its eyes—did it finally get the answer right? Was it going to be revived?!
Chen Xun's pupils widened, staring down at the ox as he let out a deep, menacing laugh. "You chose the most brutal way to die, Old Ox. You're dead!"
Moo~~!!
The ox's eyes glazed over. With a thud and a cloud of dust, it crumpled to the ground, completely defeated. All the answers were wrong…
After a moment, the ox realized something was off. How could all the options be wrong? The more it thought about it, the more it smelled a rat. It glanced at Chen Xun, who was still happily munching on the bear paw—tricked!
Moo!!
"Holy shit…"
Chen Xun was suddenly sent flying through the air, still clutching the bear paw tightly in his hand. He felt the wind rushing past his face—and then spotted a group of people fighting in the distance.
His eyes narrowed sharply. He landed steadily on both feet, creating two deep craters in the ground. Meanwhile, the black ox was wolfing down the bear meat and chugging the soup, making it clear it had no intention of saving any for Chen Xun.
"Old Ox, pack up quickly! There's a fight going on over there," Chen Xun said earnestly, patting the ox's back.
Moo!
The ox nodded. Whenever Chen Xun wore this serious expression, he never messed around. They packed up the remaining meat, dug a pit, and buried all traces of their camp with practiced speed.
Chen Xun led the ox by the rope, walking silently in the opposite direction like an ordinary farm boy, blending into the background.
From high above the sky, three figures leaped through the treetops, rustling the leaves as they went. Below them, Chen Xun and the ox wandered along, their eyes vacant, completely unremarkable.
Suddenly, one of the figures stopped. His black hair streamed behind him as he narrowed his eyes, staring at the young boy below.
"Hold on,"
a voice rang out from the trees. Chen Xun's body tensed up instantly. The ox's breathing slowed to a near halt, its hooves tensed and ready to run.
The man jumped down from the tree, sizing Chen Xun up and down. "Did you see what happened ahead?"
Chen Xun's heart skipped a beat, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. He clasped his hands in a respectful salute. "Greetings, senior! What happened…?"
He couldn't tell if this man was a cultivator or a martial arts master, and he had no idea how many more people were nearby. Playing it safe was the only option.
The man glanced at Chen Xun's hands—no calluses, definitely not a martial artist. He nodded and said, "I see. Leave the ox behind."
The big black ox was burly and strong; its meat would be a great tonic for any martial practitioner.
"Senior… this is the only ox my family has!" Chen Xun's face twisted into a look of distress, his fingers trembling slightly—his acting was flawless. "You're clearly a master of martial arts. You wouldn't stoop so low as to steal an ox, would you?"
Swish.
The man drew his sword, his gaze turning sharp as he sneered. "I, a disciple of the Bai Xuan Sect, would never sink to such levels. I won't repeat myself."
"Sigh… very well." Chen Xun dropped the ox rope, staring at the black ox with a look of utter despair. He thought to himself: Definitely not a cultivator.
The man took the rope, then suddenly smiled. "Actually, you did see what happened, didn't you? This is no place for herding cattle."
"You're acting suspicious. I'm afraid you've just got bad luck."
The man turned his back to the ox, speaking to Chen Xun with a cold tone. He'd seen through the act—this boy was most likely a spy.