Spring Goes, Autumn Comes—Twenty Years of Time

"We should live our lives well and stay out of all that fighting and killing."

Chen Xun patted Black Bull and spoke earnestly. The latter nodded as well; their lives were carefree beyond compare now.

"Old Bull, come on. Let's go find work in the village. How can one roam the world without mastering all eighteen martial arts?"

Chen Xun rose with a grin and tucked the Mountain-Splitting Axe at his waist. Now that they had rice, they no longer needed meals included with the job, nor did they have to fear being driven out again.

Moo~

One man and one ox began constantly apprenticing themselves around the village. From full funeral services to suona horns blaring to the heavens, they learned everything with great gusto.

Black Bull was even better than Chen Xun at carrying coffins. Whenever the villagers saw him, who wouldn't give him a thumbs-up?

Now, whenever there was a wedding or a funeral, the villagers would personally come invite Chen Xun out of his cave. Two words: professional!

Chen Xun had always been an optimistic man. More skills never weighed one down, and because of Longevity, he was instead filled with hope for the future. Every day was immensely fulfilling.

Ten years slipped by in the blink of an eye. Chen Xun's eyes had gained a faint trace of time, and many newborns had appeared in the village as well.

"How lonely it is to be invincible."

Chen Xun stood in the cave with a wide grin, striking a boxing stance. Before him sat a massive boulder.

Boom!

His punch struck out. The instant it touched the boulder, the stone shattered into four pieces, then instantly burst into countless fragments. The bones in his hand remained completely unharmed.

Black Bull sat on the ground, looking at Chen Xun with utter amazement. He hadn't even fractured a bone—terrifying indeed.

"Old Bull, what do you think?"

"Moo!"

"Hahaha..."

Chen Xun laughed with his hands behind his back, a look of contempt for all beneath heaven in his eyes. "That was merely one-tenth or two-tenths of this venerable one's strength."

Black Bull actually believed him. The awe in his bovine eyes grew even stronger, and Chen Xun enjoyed the sight immensely.

Over these ten years, Chen Xun had put all his Longevity Points into strength. Carrying nine cauldrons was no longer difficult for him; he had already surpassed mortal strength.

Even when Little Blackie from the village arm-wrestled him, Chen Xun could easily pin him down with just three fingers.

"Chen Xun!"

"Chen Xun!"

Urgent shouts came from outside the cave. Black Bull jolted upright. Work had come! He swiftly hooked up his equipment with his horns and raised his head slightly.

He was now the divine ox of the village. Even the village's Big Yellow dog had to call him Bull Bro when it saw him—at least, that was what he thought to himself.

"Folks, what's wrong?"

Chen Xun walked out of the cave and saw that dozens of people had come. "A wedding or a funeral? So I can prepare the right clothes."

"The old village chief... has passed on," several villagers said gloomily.

"What?"

Chen Xun was startled. The old village chief had always taken good care of him and Old Bull. His heart suddenly felt hollow. "Let's go!"

The village memorial hall was packed with villagers. Chen Xun raised his suona to his lips. The autumn wind was bleak, and fallen leaves drifted through the air.

His eyes held a trace of sorrow. Mortals could never overcome partings in life and death. A mere hundred years vanished in a flash.

Black Bull wore several bells on his back, which clanged and chimed, complementing Chen Xun's suona like an autumn funeral song sending the old village chief into the distance.

On the country path outside the village, Chen Xun wore a blank expression as he personally carried the coffin. A long procession followed behind him, while yellow funeral paper filled the sky.

"Lower the coffin~~"

Chen Xun and several others carefully lowered the coffin into the earth. He stood to one side, watching all the villagers pay their farewells.

Some prayed for protection, some for wealth, some for immortality...

After everyone had left, Chen Xun silently bowed three times and murmured with a smile, "Old village chief, thank you for your care. May you have a safe journey."

Moo~ Black Bull was downcast. He too lowered his head three times at Chen Xun's side.

When they returned to the village, Little Blackie had already grown into an adult. Seeing Chen Xun, he smiled. "Xun Bro, you're still so young. You haven't aged at all."

"It's mainly because I have a good mindset."

Chen Xun laughed it off and patted Little Blackie. "Not bad, lad. Strong as an ox—you've got thirty percent of my skill from back in the day."

"Hehe."

Little Blackie smiled sheepishly. "My father dug up some things in the mountains before and gave me a good tonic."

"Be more careful when you go hunting in the mountains. Your parents are getting old too."

"I know, Xun Bro. How about coming to my house for dinner?"

"No need, I still have things to do."

Chen Xun hurriedly shook his head. With his current appetite, he feared he would eat Little Blackie's family into bankruptcy.

"Alright then, Xun Bro, I'll be going first." Little Blackie was still carrying a wild chicken in his hand as he bade Chen Xun farewell.

"Alright."

Chen Xun smiled. Smoke was already curling from every household's chimneys as they prepared to eat.

One man and one ox passed through the myriad household lights, heading toward the cave outside the village. They left behind only lonely silhouettes and the cold gleam of the Mountain-Splitting Axe at Chen Xun's waist.

Spring came and autumn went, and another ten years hurried past. Little Blackie now had two children. Chen Xun named one of the boys Big Blackie, and often teased him until he cried in the village, making Black Ox beside him moo with laughter.

Chen Xun was now quite a respected figure in the village, yet there was still no sign of aging on him.

Quite a few people in the village had begun looking at him strangely. There was even gossip because he was unmarried, saying he was impotent.

When Chen Xun heard this, his fury soared to the heavens. He was a dignified seven-foot man, with all three legs sturdy and strong—yet they dared call him impotent!

He found Auntie Wang in the village and battled a whole crowd with his tongue. Spittle flew everywhere as they argued until their faces turned red. He nearly brought out his great treasure to prove himself, but in the end, because Black Bull was not eloquent, he was defeated.

Inside the cave, Chen Xun was so furious that he continued berating Black Bull. The black ox had stood behind him like a complete coward at the time, forcing back every word without managing to say a single one.

"Forget it. They had strength in numbers."

Chen Xun let out a deep sigh. To suffer such extraordinary humiliation and bear such an undeserved injustice... "Old Bull, it's not your fault. It's only because we've lived too long."

"Moo!"

Black Bull nodded fiercely. He had brought out his great treasure at the time too, only to have those aunties point and comment on it, laughing without end.

"But why does this strength stop increasing once it reaches 20 points?"

Chen Xun wondered aloud. It was as if he had hit a bottleneck, and Black Bull thoroughly agreed.

There was absolutely no difference between 21 points and 20 points. Helplessly, Chen Xun added the Longevity Points to speed and gave Black Bull one point as well.

Their Longevity Points now were: Strength, 21. Speed, 1.

They could clearly feel that their walking speed had doubled. Wind seemed to rise beneath their feet—the ultimate method for fleeing. After adding the points, Chen Xun had an epiphany.

"Old Bull, it's time for us to leave too."

Chen Xun sighed, his eyes still full of reluctance. "This village can no longer contain you and me."

Aside from Little Blackie's family, more and more familiar people in the village were slowly disappearing. To mortals, never-aging faces were simply too frightening. After all, this world had no skincare products or hormone injections.

And Black Bull looked far too extraordinary as well. Quite a few villagers had already set their sights on him, wanting to capture and slaughter him to give their children a tonic.