Wealth, Companions, Techniques, and Land—The Ancients Truly Did Not Deceive Me

"Moo!" Black Bull answered solemnly.

"Old Bull, get to work!" Chen Xun said with a smile. "We still need to practice our spells."

"Moo!" Black Bull's eyes lit up. He had been looking forward to that Fireball Technique for ages—those street performers all knew it.

They began cultivating Spirit Medicine, practicing spells and the Qi Refining Art every day. When they were hungry or thirsty, they went hunting in the mountains. Their days were incomparably pleasant.

More than half a year later, the atmosphere inside the cave was tense, as if every rustle of wind and cry of a crane spelled danger.

"Ximen Black Bull, I never expected that in such a short time, you would cultivate to Qi Refining, Fourth Layer. It seems I cannot spare you today!"

Chen Xun's brows were cold and stern. His palms and fingers struck together repeatedly as spiritual power surged within him. "Behold my Object Manipulation Technique!"

"Moo!"

Black Bull was utterly vigilant. A pebble suddenly moved from behind him, actually attempting to ambush him. "Moo moo moo!"

He stood upright on two legs, his eyes snapping wide open. His bull hoof shot out with spiritual power, and a small fireball streaked straight toward the pebble.

Sizzle! Sizzle!

The entire cave filled with scorching heat. Watching the little stone turn to ash, Black Bull grinned. Was that all?

"My strength could pull up mountains, my spirit could blanket the world!"

"Moo~~!!"

Black Bull cried out in alarm. Chen Xun burst into laughter and lifted Black Bull over his head again. This move never failed.

After fooling around for a while, Chen Xun and Black Bull sat on the ground, the swagger in their eyes nearly soaring into the heavens. At last, they had spells to defend themselves with.

But Black Bull had truly startled Chen Xun. Over the past few years, they had learned at the Immortal Ascension Assembly that spirit beasts were completely different from humans.

Whether it was Human Race cultivation methods or spells, spirit beasts generally could not cultivate them. Yet Black Bull could cultivate them all. It could be said that he had already completely surpassed ordinary spirit beasts.

But no matter what kind of beast Black Bull truly was, he would always be Chen Xun's family. Chen Xun smiled warmly and patted Black Bull, who was still mooing away.

Another year brought another Immortal Ascension Assembly. Chen Xun arrived leading Black Bull. They walked alone, their eyes filled with endless calm.

After glancing at them, many Rogue Cultivators silently shook their heads. These were the most miserable people in the Cultivation World—without talent, yet unable to let go. In the end, they could only sit and await death in the wilderness.

Yet no one mocked them anymore. Such people could not help but earn one's admiration; they were also the true reflection of most people, a great and sorrowful portrait of desolation.

Some seasoned old hands narrowed their eyes slightly as well. Compared to this man, they fell short. If he did not come, they would instead feel strangely empty inside.

Chen Xun had never been among their targets for murder and plunder. He was too poor, and his heart seeking immortality was too pure—pure to the point that he seemed like a fool.

Inside the valley, within a sect pavilion.

The calm had vanished from Chen Xun's face as he cried miserably, "Senior, add a little more! I've lived half my life, and I only managed to pick up this one plant!"

The old man frowned slightly as he looked at the century-old Divine Convergence Grass, indecision stirring in his heart.

"Senior, look at the color of this century-old Spirit Medicine, look at its quality. Not a trace of its medicinal potency has been lost. I brought it straight here the moment I picked it up."

Chen Xun forced two joyful tears from his eyes. "Add a little more, and it'll be yours."

"Then I'll add another ten Spirit Stones. Its medicinal potency truly is not bad."

"Fine."

Chen Xun's expression immediately became calm. He absolutely could not push his luck. Seeing Chen Xun change faces so quickly, the old man's expression twitched. So the brat had been putting on an act before him all along.

"Senior, I'll also buy a few medicine boxes. My Black Bull is especially fond of them."

Chen Xun grinned. With one hundred and twenty Spirit Stones in hand, he said, "If I pick up any more, it'll be easier to bring them to you."

"Hehe, five for one Low-Grade Spirit Stone. Go pick them out yourself."

The old man shook his head with a smile and glanced at Black Bull outside the pavilion. How could anyone have such luck as to pick a century-old Spirit Medicine so easily?

Under the old man's astonished gaze, Chen Xun bought thirty in one breath, placed them into the pockets on both sides of Black Bull, and vanished from sight.

"What an ignorant little brat."

The old man muttered. Even the medicine box holding the Spirit Medicine in his hand had been demanded back. Deep within the Ningyun Mountain Range, Crane Spirit Trees could be found everywhere.

These medicine boxes were made from Crane Spirit Trees, so they were no trouble to produce.

But many years later, after Chen Xun learned of this, he beat his chest and stamped his feet, feeling as if ants were crawling all over him. Whenever he saw a Crane Spirit Tree, he would give it an axe.

They then arrived outside another Alchemy Pavilion. The pills sold here were more expensive than those sold by Rogue Cultivators outside, but their quality was guaranteed.

"Fellow Daoist, is there anything you have taken a liking to?"

A sect disciple came forward to receive Chen Xun. The place was filled with a dazzling array of goods—Alchemy Furnaces, Spirit Medicine, pills, Alchemy Techniques, everything one could need.

He had seen far too many strange characters among Rogue Cultivators. This man with a black face covering could no longer stir the slightest ripple in his heart.

"How much is this Alchemy Furnace?" Chen Xun coughed, putting on the air of someone who knew the trade.

"This is a low-grade Yellow-rank Alchemy Furnace. It only costs twenty Low-Grade Spirit Stones."

The sect disciple introduced it with a smile, pointing at a small furnace. "This larger one is also..."

"I'll take this one."

Chen Xun's heart trembled. Why was it so expensive? He could not help asking, "Fellow Daoist, I saw Rogue Cultivators selling furnaces for only ten Low-Grade Spirit Stones."

"Most of those are unranked Alchemy Furnaces, or they have already suffered considerable damage in many places."

The sect disciple explained patiently, "This will seriously affect the pill formation rate and the quality of the pills."

"Professional!"

Chen Xun praised him. Sure enough, when buying magical artifacts like these, one had to go through legitimate merchants. He then paid the Spirit Stones and left.

Most things in the Cultivation World were divided into four ranks: Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow. Though there were higher ranks, they were not something ordinary cultivators like them could ever come into contact with.

"Moo~~"

Black Bull liked the little furnace immensely and kept asking Chen Xun to show it to him.

Wealth, companions, techniques, and land—the ancients truly did not deceive me, Chen Xun sighed inwardly. Even Longevity could not escape this law.

Hiding in one place and cultivating until the seas ran dry and the rocks crumbled was nothing but a dream. One's cultivation would simply be stuck to death.

They continued selling their little booklets, but the response to them last year had been exceptionally good. In a single day, they had sold over a hundred Spirit Stones' worth.

In a dark corner, light flickered in Chen Xun's eyes, yet there was no delight at secretly profiting.

"Old Bull, after we sell them this year, we won't sell them anymore."

"Moo?" Black Bull was full of confusion. Hadn't they been selling quite well?

"First, these little booklets are too easy to imitate. Second, they draw too much attention. All we need is our first pot of gold."

"Moo!"

Black Bull suddenly understood. His mind was becoming sharper and sharper now; he understood at a touch. With a single look from Chen Xun, he knew what needed to be done.

Of course, he was not quite as good at understanding other people's looks.

"Ah, Fellow Daoist, so you were here." An old man in flowing white robes walked over with a smile, as though he had been searching for them for a long time.

"What is it?"

Chen Xun's eyes narrowed slightly. It was actually that old swindler who had sold pills before.

"I have a stroke of fortune here, related to that booklet of yours. I wonder whether Fellow Daoist might be interested."

The old man smiled with his hands behind his back. He had observed Chen Xun for a long time. The man came every year but never dared to attempt the trial. He refused to believe Chen Xun would not take the bait.

Chen Xun silently shook his head without saying a word. Leading Black Bull, he walked straight toward the street, without the slightest interest in his eyes.

The old man stood frozen in place and said, "So he really is a fool, a blockhead."

On the street.

"Old Bull, remember this. In this life, we will not harm others or covet any advantage. But we must not believe that any good fortune will simply fall onto our heads, either."

Chen Xun's gaze was profound as he spoke each word slowly. "This may cause us to miss many opportunities, but we will never suffer a loss."

"Moo moo!" Black Bull kept nudging Chen Xun. He remembered.