The Last Bottom Line of a Longevity Being

"Chen Xun, you shouldn't forge for too long."

Sun Kaile frowned slightly. Not only was Chen Xun strong, but his endurance was incredible too. "You'll hurt your body this way. When you're old, you'll end up like me."

"Elder Sun, it's fine. I was born strong—crazy strong."

Chen Xun did not care in the slightest. He had not even used his full strength for this work, so he was barely tired.

He was constantly refining his control and increasing his strength. In the past, putting in too much force might have ruined the metal, but now, with his control over strength and technique, one hammer blow was equal to several from before—and would not ruin the piece.

To outsiders, he appeared to be forging iron. In truth, Chen Xun was constantly cultivating. A skill too many never weighed one down, and time was what he lacked least.

"Hehe, all right."

Sun Kaile shook his head and smiled. Perhaps Chen Xun's optimism had rubbed off on him over the past year; he felt much younger too.

At night, Chen Xun and Black Bull returned to the courtyard.

As usual, he added this year's Longevity Points to speed. One man and one bull huddled together furtively.

"Old Bull, dig!"

Moo!

Clods of earth flew everywhere, gradually revealing an earthen jar. It was filled with copper coins, along with a piece of silver. Chen Xun sighed endlessly in emotion. They had money now.

"Moo! Moo!" Black Bull nudged Chen Xun, hope shining in its eyes.

"Once we finish Brother Zhang's order, we'll go buy the wooden carving. Don't worry, I remember."

"Moo~~" Black Bull happily bounced in place. Its happiness was just that simple.

Chen Xun changed locations and buried the earthen jar again. When out in the world, one could not let down one's guard in the slightest.

The following month, Zhang Jiang did not come. Chen Xun found it strange. Brother Zhang had never broken an appointment before, so why had he not come today?

"Maybe something delayed him."

Chen Xun did not think much of it and continued forging. He was still far from the realm of meticulous control over strength; diligence could make up for clumsiness.

The next month, someone finally came to collect the blades, but it was not Zhang Jiang.

"Hey, miss, where's Brother Zhang? He said he'd come collect the blades last month," Chen Xun casually asked. Black Bull was carrying the long blades behind him.

"Senior Brother Zhang... died in a fight with the Hundred Profound Sect," the woman said quietly, her spirits low.

"Ah?"

Shock flashed through Chen Xun's eyes, but he immediately changed his tone. "I spoke out of turn. I'll go get the blades for you right away."

"Okay." The woman nodded.

Before long, the woman and her fellow sect members paid for and took all one hundred long blades. Chen Xun sat in the back and sighed softly, saying to Black Bull, "Brother Zhang is dead."

"Moo?"

Black Bull nudged Chen Xun in disbelief. Brother Zhang had still been so young.

"I heard he died in a fight. People of the martial world kill and are killed—it's normal."

Chen Xun shook his head with a sigh. "Even cultivators will die if they get involved in conflict."

Black Bull nodded heavily. They were still safer this way.

"Our path of Longevity is originally an invincible road. Don't offend others, don't get involved. Within the limits of what we can do, we can help the friends around us."

Chen Xun spoke calmly, his gaze distant. "Nothing in this world can stir waves in our hearts anymore. Keep a level mind."

Moo!

Black Bull looked at Chen Xun with eyes full of bovine admiration. So cultured. It simply could not say things like that.

"Chen Xun, the iron ore seller heard our business was doing well and raised his prices."

Sun Kaile hurried in from outside, anxious. He had always been responsible for purchasing the shop's iron ore.

"Ah?! What?!"

Chen Xun shot to his feet, fury blazing in his chest. They had only just started making some money. "Isn't this bullying honest people?!"

"Old Bull, grab the gear. Damn it."

Chen Xun instantly drew the two Mountain-Splitting Axes from his waist. Bare-chested, all sixteen of his abdominal muscles were on display. "Let's go reason with them!"

Moo! Moo!!

Black Bull flew into a rage as well. With a toss of its horns, its custom-made bandit gear instantly covered its entire body. No one would be getting through to it; it was specially equipped to reason with people.

The iron ore shop was only a few streets away. Chen Xun led Black Bull over in a fierce rush, their momentum overwhelming and wind rising beneath their feet.

The iron ore boss was horrified when he saw them. He shouted, "Hero, what are you intending to do?"

"Nothing much. We're just here to reason with you. Why did the iron ore price go up only for us?"

Chen Xun gripped both axes and roared, "That's unfair, understand?"

Moo! Moo!

Black Bull bellowed twice behind him as well, loud and full of vigor.

What the hell.

Sweat beaded on the iron ore boss's forehead. The man looked vicious, had sixteen abdominal muscles, and was followed by a Black Bull covered in blades—and he was saying he had come to reason with him.

"Hehe, don't be hasty, hero. Are you from Sun Kaile's household?"

"That's right. Boss, give us an explanation. That blacksmith shop is under Zhang Jiang—Brother Zhang's—protection too."

Chen Xun enunciated every word. If people did not put up some show of force, then kind people would only be bullied. It was the same in every world.

"Fine, please wait a moment and have a seat." The iron ore boss cupped his hands with a smile.

"Sure. We're reasonable people too. We're not here to cause trouble."

Chen Xun's tone softened as he sat down and slapped the Mountain-Splitting Axe onto the table. He was not in a hurry at all.

Not long after, the iron ore boss stepped outside. With a beaming smile, he cupped his hands and said, "It's this man and bull causing trouble at an official establishment."

"Arrest them!"

A group of government soldiers swarmed in and instantly seized Chen Xun. They did not even spare Black Bull.

"We came to reason with you! We've been wronged!"

Chen Xun shouted as his body struggled slightly. "I really came to reason with you!"

"Stop talking nonsense! You're picking quarrels and provoking trouble here, disrupting Panning City's public order. Who are you trying to scare?!"

A government soldier shouted coldly and took the two criminals away. Chen Xun continued crying that he had been wronged.

Five days later, Chen Xun and Black Bull walked out of the prison and saw daylight again.

However, their Mountain-Splitting Axes and blades had been confiscated, so they could only return and forge new ones.

Back at the blacksmith shop, Sun Kaile prepared a brazier. The man and bull repeatedly jumped over it, laughing and giggling as though nothing had happened.

Still, after Chen Xun's little stunt, the iron ore boss truly did not raise his prices after all. It counted as a small gain.

In the blink of an eye, another five years passed.

The blacksmith shop's business boomed, even stealing quite a bit of trade from the neighboring blacksmith shop. When that owner discovered it was Chen Xun, he beat his chest in regret and cried that he had failed to recognize a hero with his discerning eyes.

He even invited Chen Xun to a tavern for a meal. Their grievances vanished like smoke, though Chen Xun's appetite terrified him. Chen Xun even packed leftovers after eating, and the blacksmith shop owner suffered a massive financial loss.

The two now addressed each other as brothers. Chen Xun was absolutely impeccable when it came to worldly dealings.

But today, Chen Xun raced down the street. He was so fast that he stirred up a powerful gust, and his eyes were filled with anxiety.

Over these five years, his control over strength had reached perfection. He added five Longevity Points to speed.

Chen Xun and Black Bull's Longevity Points were now: Strength, 21. Speed, 8.

Chen Xun carried several bags of medicinal herbs. Sun Kaile's body was nearly finished. For the past year, he had only stayed alive by relying on medicinal herbs, which had already drained all their savings.

But so what? To Chen Xun, wealth was like passing clouds. The people around him were what mattered most. Always cherish the present and live brilliantly.

Besides, people were not grass or trees—how could they be without feelings? He had already reached the ultimate destination of all cultivators—Longevity. There was no need to cast away emotion and desire in pursuit of some so-called supreme Great Dao. This was the final bottom line he held as a Longevity Being.

Chen Xun had always believed in one rule: within the limits of what he could do, help the friends around him; beyond those limits, never force himself.