Fishing for Ox

"Holy Water Buffalo?" Chen Song rejoiced.

"Great Immortal, you've seen it?"

Zhenyuanzi nodded slightly, "This ox is a rare beast from the Great Wilderness. Its entire body is dark green. The reason it's called the Single-Horned Kui is that the base of its two horns are actually connected, thus it can be considered to have a single horn. It possesses immense strength, a calm temperament, and its cultivation is similar to your Kui Niu."

He glanced at the Kui Niu, which snorted in disagreement.

Dare you spar with me! I guarantee I'll make you fly!

"As far as this humble daoist knows," Zhenyuanzi pointed in the direction of Buzhou Mountain.

"At the foot of Buzhou Mountain, that celestial pillar, there lies a vast expanse of marshland. Beneath the largest deep pool within it, there is hidden a 'Golden Kettle Cave,' the dwelling place of that Holy Water Buffalo. The cave entrance is concealed by a natural water curtain formation, making it difficult to find under normal circumstances."

Hongyun slapped his thigh, "That marshland at the foot of Buzhou Mountain? No wonder I always felt the water spiritual energy was exceptionally dense whenever I passed by. So that's where such a treasure was hidden!"

Big White's ears drooped upon hearing "deep pool" and "underwater." "Woof? We have to go in the water again? Brother, can we find a mount that lives on land next time..."

Chen Song looked at Big White with disdain, "The first time I met you, didn't you come out of the water? You're afraid of water?"

Big White immediately shrunk its neck, looking wronged, and mumbled softly, "Woof... that's different, isn't it? That pool last time wasn't deep, and I was just looking for food. I happened to smell the delicious scent from your hand."

"This time is different, boss! This is a deep pool! The kind that's bottomless! What if there are water monsters down there that like to eat dog meat... I... Last time I was fishing in a water cave, an ancient turtle almost bit my tail! Scared this dog to death! From now on, anywhere the water is deeper than my height, Little White absolutely refuses to go!"

"Tch, coward dog!"

Chen Song glared at Big White contemptuously and ignored its incessant muttering. He turned and respectfully cupped his hands to Zhenyuanzi, "Thank you, Great Immortal, for your guidance. This junior will go find the Holy Water Buffalo now!"

After clarifying the specific location, which was a deep pool shaped like a bull's horn bend at the foot of Buzhou Mountain, Chen Song patted Big White's head, telling it to grow larger, then leaped up and mounted its soft back.

He called out to the Kui Niu, "Old Ox, keep up!" and they galloped towards Buzhou Mountain, riding on the dog. The Kui Niu's four hooves flashed with lightning, keeping pace closely behind.

Riding a dog, eating snacks, with an ox following behind, Chen Song arrived at the marshland Zhenyuanzi had mentioned.

The water surface here was wide and as deep and dark as ink, far surpassing the shallow marsh where he had first encountered Big White. It exuded a profound pressure of water spiritual energy. The surroundings of the pool were deathly silent, with hardly any trace of birds or beasts.

As soon as Big White saw the bottomless, dark water surface, its four legs instantly went weak. It clung tightly to Chen Song's pant leg, saying with a crying tone, "Woof! Brother! I really can't! This water looks evil! There must be something big down there! I... the tip of my tail still remembers the bite marks of that old turtle! How about... how about letting that stupid ox go down?"

The Kui Niu, which had been eager to try, instinctively took half a step back upon hearing this.

It said in a deep, muffled voice, "Young Master, it's not that this old ox is shirking... it's just... it's just that I am of the lightning element, naturally clashing with water. Especially this kind of deep, cold water, if I go down, my spiritual power might be difficult to utilize five or six... If we accidentally alarm the Holy Water Buffalo, it won't be good."

It spoke eloquently, but Chen Song caught the flicker of guilt in its eyes—this old ox seemed to be afraid of capsizing in a ditch.

Chen Song looked at these two cowards, and anger flared within him. He stared at the calm water surface, then at the Ginseng Fruit in his hand, and suddenly had an idea!

"Got it!" He slapped his thigh, a cunning smile appearing on his face. "Since you two useless fellows don't dare to go into the water, let's make it come up itself!"

Big White and the Kui Niu looked bewildered: "Woof?/Moo? How do we make it come up?"

Chen Song chuckled and rummaged in his sleeve.

First, he took out a handful of pine nuts emitting a faint Wood Essence Qi. After thinking, he felt the temptation might not be enough. He then took out a few Fire Dates, given by Hongyun, which had slightly weaker spiritual energy but a fragrant aroma. Finally, he added a Ginseng Fruit.

Before leaving Wuzhuang Temple, Chen Song had been stuffed with many Fire Dates and Ginseng Fruits by Hongyun and Zhenyuanzi. Of course, the Ginseng Fruits were the stock left over from years of harvests, while the Fire Dates were a small "specialty" from Hongyun's own dojo, Fire Cloud Cave.

"You can't catch a wolf without sacrificing a child!" Chen Song gritted his teeth, deciding to go all out. He used his magic power, forcing out a strand of incredibly tough, innate Wood Essence Qi from his fingertip, transforming it into a nearly transparent, long, thin thread. Then, he carefully tied the Ginseng Fruit, Fire Dates, and pine nuts to one end of the thread.

Big White's eyes widened, and drool streamed down its face: "Woof! Brother! You... you're really going to use this to fish for an ox? That's too extravagant! How about trying it on me first? I guarantee I'm easier to catch than that Green Ox!"

Chen Song kicked it away irritably, "Get lost! Are you worth this price?"

He walked to the edge of the pool and, like a mortal fishing, gently cast the thread tied with the Ginseng Fruit into the deep water. As the fruit, imbued with vigorous life force and a unique fragrance, entered the water, the aroma seemed to come alive, transforming into invisible ripples that quickly spread towards the depths of the pool.

Chen Song held his breath, gripping the other end of the thread. He instructed Big White and the Kui Niu, "You two, hide far away, conceal your presence, and don't scare the fish... ah, don't scare the ox away!"

Big White and the Kui Niu quickly scurried behind a large rock, only their four eyes peeking out, nervously staring at the water surface and the faintly visible, alluring "bait" beneath.

Time passed slowly, and the water surface remained calm. Big White grew impatient and whispered, "Woof... Brother, is that Green Ox sleeping like a log? How about we tug the line a bit, make it move?"

The moment its voice fell!

From the depths of the previously calm, mirror-like pool, two eerie blue "lanterns" suddenly lit up! A powerful aura approached rapidly from afar, ascending at high speed! The water surface began to churn violently, with surging undercurrents!

"It's here!" Chen Song's spirits lifted, and he tightened his grip on the thread.

A massive green figure burst out of the water, sending up a spray of water! It was the Holy Water Buffalo! Its pair of blue ox eyes were fixed on the Ginseng Fruit, which was mere inches away and exuding an irresistible aroma. Its huge mouth opened, and it was about to swallow it in one gulp!

At this critical moment, Chen Song flicked his wrist, channeling magic power into the thread. The "ox bait" was yanked up with a "whoosh," narrowly avoiding the ox's mouth!

The Holy Water Buffalo missed its bite. It froze for a moment, clearly not expecting the duck that was about to land to fly away? Its ox eyes looked at the hovering, swaying Ginseng Fruit with confusion and anxiety, and it instinctively leaped up again, trying to reach the fruit.

Chen Song, like an experienced angler, pulled and released again. The Ginseng Fruit traced an alluring arc in the air, always just out of its reach.

"Moo?!" The Holy Water Buffalo became a little anxious, letting out a dissatisfied low moo. Its massive body reared up, swinging its front hooves, looking both endearing and impatient.

Big White, hiding behind the rock, stared dumbfounded, its doggy mouth agape enough to fit an egg: "Woof... you can play like this?"

The Kui Niu was also stunned, its ox brain struggling to comprehend: "Young Master... this... is this the legendary... bull-baiting?"

Chen Song, skillfully "leading the ox," revealed what he considered a friendly smile to the anxiously circling Holy Water Buffalo:

"Fellow Daoist Green Ox, don't be in a hurry! Want to eat the fruit? No problem! Follow me, and in the future, you'll have all the fruit you can eat!"