A Bull Who Knows Good Food Is a Fine Bull

Green Ox (for convenience, it would be called Green Ox from now on) bit at empty air again.

It stared blankly at the Ginseng Fruit right before its eyes, its fragrance soul-hooking yet always just a tiny bit out of reach. Its bovine eyes were filled with immense confusion and even greater desire.

It shook its huge head, sending water splashing everywhere, then stubbornly reared up on its hind legs and tried to reach for it with its front hooves.

Chen Song lightly flicked his wrist and released a trace of mana. The Ginseng Fruit and other items tied to threads of Wood Essence Qi seemed to gain sentience, drifting upward another small distance and perfectly maintaining that delicate gap of being "visible but unreachable."

"Moo—!"

Green Ox let out a low roar tinged with grievance and impatience. Its massive body crashed back onto the water, kicking up a huge spray. It fixed Chen Song with eyes as deep as pools, then looked at the fruit again, two streams of white mist laden with dense water spiritual energy blasting from its nostrils. Clearly, it was undergoing a fierce inner struggle.

Behind a rock, Big White clung to Chen Song's thigh with its paws in terror. "Woof! Elder Brother! Stop teasing it! Give it to him already! Look, his drool is practically raising the water level in the pool! What if he gets angry and charges at us?"

This Green Ox was obviously stronger than him. If Green Ox had been the one fighting Kui Ox earlier, it was hard to say who would have gone flying.

Although Kui Ox said nothing, he uneasily stamped the ground with his hoof. He felt that the young master's method of "teasing a bull" was somewhat... too demanding of a bull's patience.

Seeing that the timing was about right, Chen Song steadied the threads and let the Ginseng Fruit, Fire Date, and pine nuts hover about a foot in front of the Holy Water Buffalo's nose. He piled on what he believed was a very sincere smile.

"Fellow Daoist Green Ox, tell me, does this fruit smell good? Do you want to eat it?"

Green Ox's enormous head nodded instinctively, its gaze following the fruit as it bobbed up and down.

"Join me and become a mount for my Master, Taishang Laozi. My Master is Pangu's True Lineage, and he is bound to become a Heavenly Dao Saint in the future... Forget one fruit—there'll be all kinds of heavenly treasures, spiritual pills, and wondrous medicines for you later! Surely that's better than sleeping alone at the bottom of this deep pool, right? So, what do you say? Think it over?"

Kui Ox: Why did that sound familiar?

A trace of hesitation flashed through Green Ox's eyes. He had lived freely and comfortably here for so long; suddenly asking him to acknowledge a master was something he was ultimately unwilling to do.

Yet the fragrance of the Ginseng Fruit constantly tugged at his nerves. He let out a muffled growl. "Moo... I cultivate peacefully here, and it is quite good... Why should I leave with you?"

Chen Song had expected that answer. Unhurried, he took out another Fire Date brimming with spiritual energy and waved it before the Holy Water Buffalo's eyes. "Oh? Is that so? Then what about this? And this? There'll definitely be more later! Even tastier things!" Like performing a magic trick, he produced a small handful of Five-Needle Pine Nuts.

An even richer fragrance spread through the air, becoming an even deadlier temptation. Green Ox's eyes instantly widened, and the rumbling in his throat grew louder and louder.

Seeing this from behind the rock, Big White immediately panicked and jumped out with a shout. "Woof! Elder Brother! That's all my rations! How can you feed it to a bull? Bulls eat grass!"

Kui Ox could not help saying in a muffled voice, "Young Master, isn't this... a little too unfair?" He had been beaten into submission back then, yet Green Ox was going to enjoy snack-based temptation just by being "fished"? It was unfair!

Chen Song turned and shot them a glare. "Shut up! I'll make it up to you later with double portions!"

Then he turned back to the Holy Water Buffalo with a beaming smile. "Old Green, look, my sincerity is enough, right? Opportunity knocks but once! As long as you nod, these fruits are yours immediately! There'll be even more later!"

The Holy Water Buffalo looked at the many Spirit Fruits swaying before his eyes, then sensed the pure aura of the Taishang Immortal Method on Chen Song, along with the faint but heart-palpitating pressure of the Mysterious Yellow Tower. Then he looked at Kui Ox beside him, whose aura was no weaker than his own, and at the white dog that, though cowardly, did not seem easy to provoke...

Within his enormous bovine brain, instinct and appetite engaged in a fierce battle.

In the end, his desire for delicious food and his longing for a future where he would always eat his fill overwhelmed his thoughts of carefree freedom and seized the upper hand.

"Moo..." He let out a low cry as though resigning himself to fate. His enormous head slowly lowered, and the two horns atop it lightly touched the water in surrender. "I... am willing to accompany Fellow Daoist to Kunlun and pay respects to the Master."

"Haha! Good! A bull who knows good food is a fine bull! No, wait—a fine hero!" Chen Song was overjoyed. With a flick of his wrist, the Ginseng Fruit, Fire Date, and pine nuts all floated lightly toward Green Ox.

Tears of envy flowed uncontrollably from the corner of Kui Ox's mouth. A three-in-one combo! Neither he nor that mangy dog had ever tried one!

Green Ox impatiently swallowed everything in one bite. Feeling the vast life force melt within his body, he blissfully narrowed his huge eyes and let out a satisfied "Mmm-moo." Even his resistance toward Chen Song dissipated by more than half.

Chen Song clapped his hands. Done and dusted! He looked proudly at Big White and Kui Ox. "See that? This is called wisdom! Winning without fighting is the highest form of excellence!"

Big White grumbled sourly, "Woof... Wasn't that just fishing? Even a blind cat catches a dead mouse sometimes..."

Green Ox sensibly shrank to the same size as Kui Ox and Big White and came before Chen Song.

Looking at the smaller but still imposing Green Ox before him, who now seemed somewhat adorably foolish because of the food, Chen Song's sense of accomplishment soared. He patted Green Ox's head and laughed. "Old Green, that's what I'll call you from now on. We're brothers now! Follow my Master, and I guarantee you'll eat and drink well with a boundless future ahead of you!"

Green Ox lowered his head obediently and gently rubbed Chen Song with his huge horns to show affection. A satisfied "Mmm-moo" rumbled from his throat. Clearly, the three-in-one snack gift pack had produced immediate results.

Having settled the major matter of finding a mount for his Master, Chen Song was in high spirits. His gaze naturally drifted toward the towering, colossal mountain shadow in the distance that connected heaven and earth—Buzhou Mountain. It was formed from Great God Pangu's spine, the pillar of the primordial world, and the headquarters of the Witch Clan.

"Now that the mount is settled, and we're already here, wouldn't it be a wasted trip if we didn't visit the Witch Clan's territory and greet the Ancestral Witch brothers?" Chen Song's eyes rolled as he instantly made up his mind. "Let's go! We're going to the Witch Clan to play with the brothers! Big White, Old Ox, Old Green, move out!"

The moment Big White heard they were going to the Witch Clan, he perked up. "Woof! The Witch Clan! Those muscle freaks! Great, great! They must have lots of different food over there!" That silly dog's thoughts never strayed from eating.

Kui Ox and Green Ox exchanged a glance, both somewhat hesitant. The Witch Clan was one of the primordial world's top powers. The Twelve Ancestral Witches were all Quasi-Saint-level great powers, and most of them had fiery tempers. To just show up uninvited...

"Young Master, the Witch Clan's territory, wouldn't it be a little..." Kui Ox carefully chose his words.

"What are you afraid of?" Chen Song waved a hand dismissively. "The Ancestral Witches and I shared the bond of fighting side by side under the Dao Ancestor's nose—getting kicked out of Purple Cloud Palace together! We're close! Besides, we're going for friendly exchanges, just to have fun! It's not like we're going there to pick a fight!"

As he spoke, he patted the dog's head. Big White skillfully enlarged himself, Chen Song swung onto his back, and with high spirits, pointed toward Buzhou Mountain. "Destination: the Witch Clan tribe! Full speed ahead!"

Seeing that they could not dissuade him, Green Ox and Kui Ox could only follow.

The closer they drew, the more they could feel that wild, vast aura rushing toward them.

Enormous stone houses, crude totem pillars, and the dense power of blood and vitality permeating the air all displayed the Witch Clan's distinctive style. Many members of the Witch Clan moved about on the outskirts of the tribe, either tempering their bodies or returning from hunts. Every one of them was tall and powerfully built, their blood and vitality flourishing.

Chen Song and his group's arrival immediately drew the attention of the Witch Clan's patrolling warriors.

Several burly Great Witches wielding massive axes or bone spears rose into the air and blocked their path. The leader had a rough face, knotted muscles, and dense baleful energy surrounding him. He was none other than the famed Great Witch You of later generations.

"Stop! What cultivators are you, to dare trespass into the territory of my Witch Clan!"