Two Foolish Bulls

When the two bulls heard the young man's voice, they immediately stopped fighting.

Though they had not taken human form, they spoke in human language. "Ao Guang, have you got nothing better to do? Why do you keep meddling in our business?"

"You have the nerve to say that? You two lock horns once every year, and every time, you fight for at least half a year.

"If all you did was lock horns, that would be one thing. But you always have to make such a huge commotion.

"You scare off even the fish and shrimp within a thousand li of Liubo Mountain. How could I not interfere?"

Chen Xuan had never expected the person before him to be Ao Guang, the future Dragon King of the East Sea.

At this time, however, Ao Guang was likely still the Crown Prince of the East Sea, while his father was the current Dragon King.

Although Ao Guang was nothing more than a minor character in both Investiture of the Gods and Journey to the West,

Chen Xuan believed that Ao Guang was definitely not as simple as he appeared.

He was surely carrying out a task assigned by someone, rather than being as incompetent as he had been portrayed.

Chen Xuan immediately felt inclined to befriend him. "Fellow Daoist, I do have a way to resolve this trouble once and for all."

Hearing someone speak atop Liubo Mountain, Ao Guang and the two bulls could not help looking up.

Chen Xuan sat upon a spray of waves, smiling at the dragon and the two bulls.

Thunder Beast Kui spoke in human language and asked Chen Xuan, "Who are you, and why have you come to my Liubo Mountain?"

"Wait. Who said Liubo Mountain belongs to you? It obviously belongs to me. Since when did you get to call the shots?" the black Great Water Buffalo immediately protested.

Thunder Beast Kui refused to yield, and he and the Great Water Buffalo began arguing again. Before long, thunder rumbled once more, and the two bulls resumed fighting.

Chen Xuan now understood that the Great Water Buffalo was most likely his master Tongtian's mount.

In truth, Chen Xuan had never believed that the one-legged Thunder Beast Kui could be Tongtian's mount.

Even if he was an ancient exotic beast, his appearance alone made him utterly unworthy of serving as a Saint's mount.

Tongtian could not possibly ride a one-legged bull and have it carry him along by hopping and bouncing, could he?

Now look at the Great Water Buffalo instead. Auspicious light and rosy vapors surrounded his body, while five-colored celebratory clouds rose into the air.

His two horns curved like crescent moons, and a Taiji Eight Trigrams pattern lay in the center of his forehead.

Every one of these traits matched the description of Tongtian's mount in Investiture of the Gods.

Seeing the two bulls lock horns again, Ao Guang gritted his teeth in fury.

He simply came to Chen Xuan's side. "Fellow Daoist, may I ask your name and which mountain cave abode you cultivate in?"

Chen Xuan smiled. "My name is Chen Xuan, and I am a disciple under Supreme Purity Tongtian."

When Chen Xuan gave his name, Ao Guang froze. The name sounded familiar, but he could not recall where he had heard it.

At last, Ao Guang remembered who Chen Xuan was. With a face full of envy, he said, "So you are the Celestial Immortal, the Profound School Third Generation Head Disciple whom Dao Ancestor Hongjun regards so highly!"

Chen Xuan smiled and waved his hand. "It is true that I am the Profound School Third Generation Head Disciple, but I would not dare claim that Grandmaster regards me especially highly."

Chen Xuan could tell from Ao Guang's expression that he had countless questions he wanted to ask.

But when Ao Guang saw the two foolish bulls locking horns again, he lost the mood for it.

"Celestial Immortal, you said just now that you could resolve these two foolish bulls once and for all. What method do you have?"

Chen Xuan did not beat around the bush. "Isn't it simple? Take one away and leave the other behind."

Ao Guang had thought Chen Xuan had some brilliant solution, but it turned out to be this.

He immediately sighed. "If I could make either one of them leave, I would not have worried over them for five hundred years."

Seeing Ao Guang's expression, Chen Xuan smiled and asked, "Tell me, what exactly is going on with these two?"

Ao Guang did not refuse. He sat down beside Chen Xuan and said, "Liubo Mountain gave birth to a Spiritual Beast of Heaven and Earth, Thunder Beast Kui.

"He has cultivated on Liubo Mountain all this time. Yet even after reaching the Xuan Immortal realm, he still has not been able to take human form.

"Even so, he has not caused the East Sea any trouble. We have simply stayed out of each other's way.

"But five hundred years ago, a Great Water Buffalo appeared from who knows where and tried to seize Liubo Mountain by force.

"Thunder Beast Kui naturally refused to accept that, so the two began fighting.

"The Great Water Buffalo is also at the Xuan Immortal realm and likewise has not taken human form.

"Thus, the two bulls are evenly matched, and they have fought for a full five hundred years."

Seeing Ao Guang's helpless expression, Chen Xuan felt that something was off.

"Though your Dragon Race is no longer as powerful as during the Dragon Han Initial Tribulation, surely you have not declined so far that you cannot handle two Xuan Immortals?"

Even Ao Guang had already reached the Xuan Immortal realm. If his father acted personally, how could he possibly fail to deal with these two foolish bulls?

Yet Chen Xuan had not expected that mentioning this would make Ao Guang's expression turn even more miserable.

"My father once sent the naval forces to drive these two fellows away.

"Unfortunately, they returned empty-handed. Even when my father came personally, it was still useless.

"The reason is that no one can attack these two foolish bulls. The moment anyone launches an attack against them, Liubo Mountain blocks it.

"My father tried many times and even invited friends to help. In the end, none of them could break through Liubo Mountain's defenses."

This immediately piqued Chen Xuan's interest. With a casual wave of his hand, a vast surge of magical power shot toward the two bulls.

If it struck them, the two bulls would either be sent plunging into the East Sea or knocked hundreds of zhang away.

Yet before Chen Xuan's attack could reach them, a defensive barrier instantly appeared.

It forcibly absorbed Chen Xuan's attack, preventing it from causing the two bulls any harm.

The two bulls did not care whether Chen Xuan had attacked them. They simply continued locking horns.

Each time they collided, thunder roared. The shockwaves made the waters of the East Sea churn without cease.

"See? Even a Celestial Immortal of your cultivation cannot do anything to them. What can my Dragon Race possibly do?

"We can only come again and again to persuade them, but these two foolish bulls refuse to listen to reason."

Perhaps this truly was a problem for the Dragon Race of the East Sea, but it might not be one for Chen Xuan.

A plan immediately formed in his mind, and he said to Ao Guang, "If I can help you settle this matter, how does your Dragon Race of the East Sea intend to thank me?"

"As long as you can restore peace to the East Sea, Celestial Immortal, name any condition you wish. So long as the East Sea can fulfill it, we will never refuse."

Chen Xuan nodded. "Remember, you must keep your word."

With that, Chen Xuan flashed forward toward the two bulls.