Everyone Heard It—This Man Refuses to Reason

It was the end of another year. At night, Panning City was as lively as ever, just as it had been when they first arrived.

Chen Xun's eyes brimmed with curiosity as he led Black Bull slowly down the streets, stopping here and there to look around. His hands were full of all kinds of food. They had money now, so naturally they had to spend some of it.

It was still one bite for him, one bite for the ox, making the people around them burst into laughter and remark that this young man was rather interesting.

Only, this time there was a small mishap. While watching the street performers, Chen Xun could not pull Black Bull away no matter what he did. They only continued on after it had watched to its heart's content.

Black Bull always believed that immortals were putting on the performances for them. It watched in rapt fascination, mooing without end.

"Boss, do you remember us?"

Chen Xun walked up to a vendor and smiled faintly. "We're here to buy wooden carvings."

The difference was that there was now a child sitting beside the vendor, playing with a wooden carving. The stall had also moved, though it was not far from its original spot.

"Eh, young man, it's you."

The vendor was stunned for a moment before suddenly realizing who he was—the young man who had traded rice for his wooden carvings. "You really haven't changed a bit."

"Do you have any wooden carvings of oxen? We'll buy two."

"Sure thing!"

The vendor grinned and searched around, eventually finding two lifelike wooden ox carvings without the slightest flaw. He handed them to Chen Xun. "Here you go, young man."

After paying, Chen Xun took the carvings and waved them before Black Bull's eyes, teasing it until it grew anxious. Chen Xun burst into laughter.

They went to the river and released Wish Lanterns once more. No matter what Chen Xun said, Black Bull refused to let him see its wish, using its entire body to block his view.

Chen Xun led Black Bull toward South City of Panning. There were many medical halls there, while the blacksmith shops were in North City. It was simply too far away; they would need several days to travel there on foot.

Two days later, they arrived before a shop with a plaque reading Peaceful Medical Hall. Couplets were written on either side.

Upper line: May all people beneath heaven be free of illness. Lower line: Why fear dust gathering upon the shelves of medicine? Horizontal inscription: Peace Under Heaven.

People came and went from the medical hall, all with worry on their faces. Peaceful Medical Hall's physicians had an excellent reputation here, and the nearby common folk praised them as healers who hung the gourd to save the world.

The attendants inside were extremely busy, constantly dispensing medicine to the arriving patients. Several physicians were also healing the wounded and saving the dying, and anguished wails often rang out.

"Old Bull, I'm going inside to see what's going on. I'll tie you up outside the door. You're already so big—you need to learn how to protect yourself."

Chen Xun spoke seriously. "If a stranger tries to lead you away, shout loudly and kick him once. But don't use too much force."

"Moo!"

Black Bull nodded, giving him a look that said, Don't worry. I know my limits.

"Are you here to see a doctor or pick up medicine?" an attendant casually called out.

"I'm looking for Doctor Ning Si."

Chen Xun clasped his hands. He had asked around and learned that Ning Si was the owner here. He had a mild temperament, a healer's benevolent heart, and was widely praised by the common folk.

"Little brother, you were looking for me?"

Ning Si walked over from another hall. His thick black hair was tied atop his head, and he wore a mustache shaped like the character eight. Melancholy lingered in his eyes, and he was already middle-aged.

But in Chen Xun's eyes, this man clearly knew how to maintain his health. His actual age might be greater than he appeared.

"Doctor Ning, I've come to study medicine."

Chen Xun clasped his hands. His sleeve slipped down inadvertently, revealing firm muscles and making Ning Si's eyelid twitch. What a sturdy body.

"Hehe, I'm not taking disciples for the time being. Little brother, you should try elsewhere."

Ning Si spoke calmly. For now, he had no intention of accepting disciples.

"Doctor Ning, I sincerely came to learn medicine. I can endure hardship better than anyone."

Hope filled Chen Xun's eyes as he pleaded bitterly. "I can even do odd jobs here, as long as I can learn something."

"Ah."

Conflict flashed through Ning Si's eyes. Suddenly, loud moos rang out from outside, startling everyone. A gust of wind swept past, and Chen Xun rushed out in an instant.

What agile movements. Admiration flashed through Ning Si's eyes as he hurried outside to see what had happened.

"Ah, this black ox of mine has such a stubborn temper. I just can't pull it away."

A street thug chuckled as he explained to the watching crowd. His expression was ugly; for the first time, he understood what it meant to possess the strength of an ox.

Moo! Moo!

Black Bull bellowed angrily. Just as it was about to raise its hoof, it saw Chen Xun come out and hurriedly cried out.

"What are you doing?! That's my ox!"

Chen Xun's eyes widened as he shouted furiously, "Let go!"

"You say it's your ox, and that makes it your ox?"

The thug sneered and looked Chen Xun up and down. He was only a young lad who had barely stepped into the world.

"So you mean you don't want to reason this out?"

"Heh, ridiculous. This is my Black Bull. What, do you want to start something?"

The thug spat on the ground, lowered the hand holding the rope, and slowly rolled up his sleeves. He even took out a dagger and waved it around.

He had ruled these streets for years. Handling a yellow-haired brat would be as easy as taking something from his pocket.

"Everyone heard that, right? This man refuses to reason."

Chen Xun frowned slightly and shouted to the surrounding people. In the process, he inadvertently exposed the three Mountain-Splitting Axes hanging at his waist.

The thug's steps halted, and his pupils shrank. What the hell was this?

Chen Xun planted his foot and slowly undid his buttons, inadvertently revealing sixteen blocks of abdominal muscle. His body looked as if it had been tempered by a thousand hammers, incomparably strong.

An uproar rose from the crowd. This young man had looked utterly ordinary, yet he was actually a trained fighter.

"Wait! Little brother, I suddenly realized I was mistaken. This isn't my ox. Heh... heh."

The thug's pupils trembled. This youth was far too fierce. He slowly backed away. He had kicked an iron plate this time. "I'll be leaving. I'll... be going now."

"Going my ass! You're asking for a beating!"

Chen Xun suddenly roared in fury and charged forward. He moved so fast that only an afterimage remained where he had stood, while a fist the size of a sandbag filled the thug's vision.

"Ah!! Grandpa, please stop hitting me!!"

The thug's miserable screams rang through the street as he rolled all over the ground, begging without pause. Black Bull kept spitting beside him, then finally sent him flying elsewhere with a shove of its horns.

The thug's eyes were lifeless. His body felt as if it had fallen apart, blood covering the corners of his mouth and his nose, while a foul stench of saliva clung to him from head to toe.

With sixteen blocks of abdominal muscle and a body like an iron wall, even if he called over several brothers, it would be useless. He could only take the beating for nothing. From now on, whenever he saw this man, he had better take the long way around.

"Good beating!"

"That thug deserved it!"

"He never does anything worthwhile and wanders around all day. I've disliked him for a long time."

Cheers erupted from the surrounding people. A hero truly emerged from the young, doing what they had not dared to do.

Chen Xun snorted coldly. That man had dared to lay hands on even Old Bull. If he dared retaliate, Chen Xun would unleash a massacre.

Moo! Moo! Black Bull nudged Chen Xun, only feeling at ease while he was nearby.

"It's fine, Old Bull. I'm here."

Chen Xun held Black Bull's head in one arm, his gaze still cold as he stared in the direction the thug had fled.

He suddenly looked at Ning Si, making the latter's skin crawl. This youth carried three Mountain-Splitting Axes and had sixteen blocks of abdominal muscle. Was he really here to study medicine...?

"Doctor Ning, please take me in. Let us do odd jobs at Peaceful Medical Hall. My family's inherited Black Bull can help out as well."

Chen Xun lowered his head and clasped his hands, his words filled with earnest sincerity.

Moo! Moo! Black Bull also pleaded with Ning Si.

"Doctor Ning, take him in. Young men with such a sense of justice are rare."

"That's right, Doctor Ning. This little brother is pitiful too. He came to the city with only his family's ox to make a living."

The surrounding people also spoke up for Chen Xun. He looked like someone with a bitter, tragic past.

"Fine. I'll take you in."

Ning Si nodded along. This youth did indeed seem pitiful. If he wandered outside and was retaliated against by those thugs, it would not end well. At least no one would dare touch him inside the medical hall.

"Thank you, Doctor Ning." Chen Xun was overjoyed. He also clasped his hands toward the surrounding people, thanking them for speaking up for him.

"Come."

Ning Si smiled, clasped his hands behind his back, and led them into the medical hall's rear courtyard.