Safety Comes First When You're Away from Home

Half a month later, in a mountain forest, ranges rose and fell, the woods stretched vast and boundless, and from deep within came the roars of wild beasts.

Splat!

With a swing of the Mountain-Splitting Axe, several sprays of blood blossomed. A brown bear dropped dead on the spot. Sparks rose, a large pot was set up, and once the water boiled, the feast began.

"Old Bull, how was my Peerless Axe Technique?" Chen Xun flicked the axe in his hand and looked at Black Bull.

Moo!

Black Bull gave a perfunctory low. It was currently using its hooves to dig up dirt and bury the bloodstains. When away from home, safety came first.

"Truly inhuman strength."

Chen Xun clenched his fist and kept marveling. In a one-on-one fight with the brown bear, he had knocked it into shock with a single punch and broken several of its ribs.

The man and bull gathered around the pot and devoured the food with gusto. Wild game really was fragrant, and eating it felt satisfying.

"Old Bull, although we possess inhuman strength, you saw it too. Damn it, there are immortals in this world."

Chen Xun chewed on a bear paw and clicked his tongue. "Don't act rashly when trouble arises. Those people who look insignificant might well be some ancient monster."

Moo.

Black Bull responded, showing that it understood while eating with relish.

"Even if we kill a chicken in the wild, we must destroy the evidence and leave no trace for others."

"Moo?"

"Because there might be a flock of chickens behind it, and they could track us down by scent."

"Moo?"

Black Bull still did not understand. A chunk of meat fell from its mouth, and it hurriedly picked it up from the ground with its muzzle.

"You think a flock of chickens is nothing? Just kill them?" Chen Xun sneered, his mouth glistening with oil.

"Moo." Black Bull nodded.

"What if those chickens were raised by immortals?"

Chen Xun spoke in a profound tone. "Wouldn't they come looking for trouble with us then?"

Moo!

"And if we beat that group of immortals too, wouldn't their master come looking for trouble with us?"

Moo! Moo! Black Bull froze. It made far too much sense.

"In the end, a single chicken might trigger a war between sects. How many people could we possibly fight?"

Chen Xun raised a brow as he tore into the bear meat. "If we were carelessly beaten to death, how many Little Heifers would we be losing out on?"

"Moo!~~"

Black Bull understood. Its great bell-like eyes shone brightly as it looked at Chen Xun, the admiration in them surging like the rolling Jiang River, endless and unceasing.

"You can be taught."

Chen Xun smiled in praise. He liked seeing Black Bull make that expression. "So from now on, be careful in everything you do. Not the slightest carelessness is allowed."

"Moo!" Black Bull nodded.

"Then here comes the question."

Chen Xun's expression turned solemn. "If a Little Heifer faces off against an immortal over a spiritual herb, and a great battle is on the verge of erupting, what should you do?"

"Answer one: A hero saving a beauty is a duty that cannot be shirked. Who else but me?"

"Answer two: Stand with the stronger side, bully the weak, and seek self-preservation."

"Answer three: Pretend nothing happened, quietly pass by, and avoid Karma."

"Answer four: I alone am invincible. Everyone dies, and the spiritual herb is mine."

"Please answer."

Chen Xun's deep pupils stared at Black Bull. Sweat began to bead across the latter's body. What a difficult question.

Black Bull's eyes struggled. How could it watch helplessly as a Little Heifer fell into the enemy's hands? It made its decision. "Moo!"

"Answer one? Wrong!"

Chen Xun sneered. "How could a Little Heifer contend with an immortal over a spiritual herb? If you charged in, there would only be one more corpse."

"Moo, moo."

"You actually chose two? Utterly wrong."

Chen Xun narrowed his eyes slightly and explained, "You already know they are fighting over a spiritual herb. Every additional person who knows means an additional risk. After the immortal deals with their enemy, they will not spare you."

Black Bull's pupils contracted, and more and more cold sweat poured down. It had already died twice. "Moo, moo, moo!"

"Hahaha, you actually chose three? Even more wrong than wrong!"

Chen Xun laughed wildly, coldness in his eyes. "There are no laws in this world. Without strength, you can never be sure whether you have been discovered. They will only kill you too, thinking you are a bull trying to reap the benefits."

Black Bull went limp all over, trembling from Chen Xun's words. It snorted heavily at the ground. "Moo, moo, moo, moo!"

"I never expected you to choose answer four."

Chen Xun slowly rose to his feet. A shadow covered his face, and Black Bull suddenly felt incomparably tiny. It collapsed in terror. Had it died again...

"Congratulations..."

"Moo?!"

Upon hearing that, strength suddenly returned to Black Bull's body. Its four legs gradually lifted, and hope ignited in its eyes. Had it finally gotten it right? Was it going to be revived?

Chen Xun's pupils slowly widened as he looked down at Black Bull and laughed in a low voice. "You chose the most brutal way to die. Old Bull, die!"

Moo~~!!

Black Bull's pupils went vacant. Bang! A cloud of dust rose as it collapsed onto the ground. It had actually gotten every answer wrong...

After a while, Black Bull thought something was off. How could every answer be wrong? The more it thought about it, the more wrong it felt. Looking at Chen Xun, who was still eating bear paw, it realized it had been tricked!

Moo!!!

"Fuck..."

Chen Xun was instantly sent flying into the air, still clutching the bear paw tightly in his hand. He felt the breath of the wind, and he also... saw a group of people fighting in the distance.

His eyes narrowed, and he landed firmly on both feet, smashing two large craters into the ground. Black Bull was greedily eating bear meat and drinking soup, clearly intending to leave nothing for Chen Xun.

"Old Bull, clean up quickly. There are people fighting in the distance." Chen Xun spoke seriously and patted it.

Moo!

Black Bull answered. Whenever Chen Xun wore that expression, he never joked around. They packed up the meat, dug pits, and swiftly buried the traces, their movements practiced and skillful.

Chen Xun led Black Bull by the rope, looking like an ordinary farm boy as they silently headed in the opposite direction without speaking a word.

From high above in the Skyvault, three figures darted through the trees, making rustling sounds. Beneath the trees, Chen Xun and Black Bull strolled along, their eyes dull and their presence utterly unremarkable.

One figure suddenly stopped. His black hair streamed behind him as he narrowed his eyes slightly at the young man.

"Wait."

A voice came from the trees. Chen Xun's entire body tensed, while Black Bull's breathing gradually softened, its hooves already poised to strike.

The man jumped down from the tree and looked Chen Xun up and down. "Did you see what happened ahead?"

Chen Xun was startled, cold sweat covering his face as he cupped his hands. "Greetings, Senior. What happened...?"

He could not tell whether this person was an immortal or a martial arts expert, much less how many people were nearby. Cowardice was the best strategy.

The man glanced at Chen Xun's hands. There were no calluses, so he was definitely not a martial artist. He then said, "I understand. Leave the bull behind."

This Black Bull was broad and sturdy, and its flesh would be greatly beneficial to martial artists.

"Senior... my family only has this one bull. You look like a martial arts master. There is no need to specifically rob me of my bull, is there?"

Chen Xun's expression was ugly, his fingers trembling slightly. Every look and movement was perfectly in place.

Shing.

The man drew his sword, his gaze sharp as he sneered. "My Hundred Profound Sect has not fallen so low. I do not wish to waste any more words."

"Ah, fine." Chen Xun let go of the rope and looked at Black Bull in a daze, thinking to himself that this person was indeed not an immortal.

The man took the rope, then suddenly smiled. "You saw it, didn't you? This is no place for herding cattle."

"Your behavior is suspicious, so you can only blame your bad luck."

With his back to Black Bull, the man spoke to Chen Xun. He had seen through everything. This person was very likely a spy.