Immortal Cultivators Descend; Chen Xun Foams at the Mouth

Ding! The host could now add points.

A voice sounded in his mind. He still added one point to strength, and added one point of strength to Black Ox as well.

Chen Xun discovered that adding strength had enormous benefits. His legs had more power when he worked, and his eyesight had become sharper too. One of him could do the work of two—fiercely so.

Cuihua, the forty-year-old maiden in the village, often cast secret glances at Chen Xun.

"Maybe this is what it means to be a man."

Chen Xun looked at his muscles and let out a deep sigh. That charm with nowhere to go—who knew how many village girls it had bewitched.

"Hey, old ox! Eat slower!"

Chen Xun was shocked. While he had been lost in sentiment, Black Ox had actually eaten his share of the late-night meal.

Moo!

Big Black Ox reacted quickly and swallowed it in one gulp. Chen Xun stared wide-eyed, speechless for a long time...

The following year, Chen Xun and Big Black Ox found a blacksmith and became his apprentices. Their strength made the blacksmith marvel, and he kept praising Chen Xun for having the makings of a blacksmith.

He did not ask for wages, only food for himself and Black Ox. The blacksmith readily agreed.

The next month, because Chen Xun stepped into the Blacksmith Shop with his left foot first that day, committing a grave taboo, they were thrown out on the spot.

Chen Xun was helpless. Perhaps this was the suffering of the strong.

They continued on and found a patch of fertile land, where they began growing rice. Big Black Ox plowed the fields. One man and one ox worked in perfect harmony, laboring their way to prosperity.

"This is our kingdom."

"Moo!"

Chen Xun looked at the lush green fields before him, his eyes filled with delight. He gripped the Mountain-Splitting Axe in his hand, with two more tucked into his belt.

Big Black Ox was delighted as well, though blades hung from all four of its hooves, and an axe was tied to its horns.

"If those scoundrels dare come steal again!"

A cold glint filled Chen Xun's eyes. He looked at Big Black Ox, who looked back at Chen Xun and nodded gravely.

"Run straight away. We absolutely won't fight them head-on. With this equipment of ours, let's see who dares chase us!"

"Moo! Moo!"

This year was fairly smooth, however. They heard that some major event had occurred in the neighboring village, and everyone had been gathered together, leaving no one to care about Chen Xun's fields.

He added another point of strength to himself and Black Ox, then happily harvested the rice.

Big Black Ox dug a pit in the Mountain Cave. Chen Xun naturally understood what it meant and placed countless sacks of gleaming white rice inside.

Still, he kept some aside, intending to return it to the village chief—several times the amount from before.

Clang! Clang!

The sound of gongs rang out through the village, spreading in all directions. It could even be faintly heard inside the Mountain Cave. This was the summons issued when a major event occurred in the village.

Chen Xun narrowed his eyes slightly and hurried out of the Mountain Cave. It had better not be a village brawl. With his current strength, knocking down a burly man would be easy enough.

They sneakily lay on the Small Hillside to observe the situation, but the truth was exactly the opposite. The village was exceptionally festive, with everyone gathered outside the village chief's home.

"Let's go, old ox. Let's take a look."

"Moo!"

In the village, over a thousand people held hope and excitement in their eyes. Carrying chickens, ducks, fish, and meat in their hands, they lowered their heads and cupped their fists toward the two people at the center.

"Cloud Heaven Sect is accepting disciples. Those with Spirit Roots all have a chance to set foot upon the immortal path."

One of them wore a Daoist robe and stood atop the village chief's roof, looking down imperiously.

"Immortal, how can we tell whether we have Spirit Roots?"

"Yes, my Xiao Heizi has had the strength of an ox since he was young. A fortune-teller said he was the reincarnation of an immortal!"

The villagers were wildly excited, firing off a string of questions like a barrage of cannonballs. The two immortal cultivators frowned deeply as they listened.

"Quiet."

The immortal cultivator seemed angered. A talisman in his hand activated, and a blazing fire suddenly ignited in midair. It was terrifying, and even the air carried a scorching heat.

The villagers instantly fell utterly silent. A needle could have been heard dropping. Their eyes were filled with horror as they secretly thought, So this is an immortal!

"A big black ox walking a dog—from beginning to end."

Chen Xun brought Black Ox to the edge of the crowd, admiration flashing through his eyes. This world truly did have immortal cultivators.

Confusion flashed through Big Black Ox's eyes when it heard this. When had it ever walked a dog in the village?

"Spirit Roots are divided into Five Elements Mixed Spirit Roots, Four Elements Low Spirit Roots, Three Elements Medium Spirit Roots, Two Elements High Spirit Roots, and One Element Heavenly Spirit Roots."

With hands behind his back, the immortal cultivator explained as a token in his hand activated. "Do not be nervous. Those under twenty years old may begin testing their Spirit Roots."

Columns of light rose from the ground, shimmering in a dazzling array of colors. The villagers erupted into commotion again, and even the elderly wanted to go forward and try.

The village children and youths were eager to give it a try. One after another, they stepped forward to stand in the light, but the pillars showed no reaction.

"That's impossible! I dreamed that I was an immortal that day!"

A villager muttered crazily, his eyes filled with disbelief. He suddenly turned, knelt down, and shouted, "Immortal, please accept me as your disciple!"

"Leave. Three breaths." A cold voice came forth.

"Immortal, please!"

The villager cried out, refusing to leave the pillar of light. "I dreamed of it!"

Sssht!

A Sword Light flashed past. Blood blossomed, and the villager slowly fell, disbelief still in his eyes.

The sound of countless people kneeling rang out. The villagers trembled like sieves, their eyes filled with fear.

Chen Xun's pupils contracted. He hurriedly crouched on the ground, fine beads of cold sweat emerging on his forehead. These immortal cultivators were utterly lawless.

Big Black Ox silently lay prone on the ground as well. With their heads lowered, their gazes met, and some of the beautiful fantasies in their hearts quietly shattered.

"Continue," the immortal cultivator said coldly, looking at them as though they were livestock.

There was no more disorder after that. The villagers passed through the pillars of light in orderly fashion, hope still lingering in their eyes.

Chen Xun also timidly went to try. However, he only had Five Elements Mixed Spirit Roots, and did not attract the immortal cultivators' attention at all.

"Not bad. There is actually one person with Three-Attribute Spirit Roots."

A faint smile appeared at the immortal cultivator's lips as he looked toward the little girl. "Say farewell to your family."

"Yes, Immortal."

The little girl was reluctant to leave, yet secretly delighted. After bidding farewell to her family, the immortal cultivator even gave her family several dozen taels of silver.

"Those with Five Elements Mixed Spirit Roots may enter the sect to do menial work. They likewise have a chance to set foot upon the immortal path."

The immortal cultivator looked at several people and spoke casually.

"Immortal, I'll go!"

Upon hearing this, those few people with Five Elements Spirit Roots were overjoyed and immediately knelt down.

The immortal cultivator glanced at Chen Xun. The latter was already foaming at the mouth, sweating all over. Even Black Ox beside him was barely alive. They had clearly been frightened by what had happened earlier.

"His will is not firm. There is no hope for him on the immortal path. Let's go."

The immortal cultivator shook his head. He summoned an immortal sword from his Storage Bag, then flew away on the sword with several people, ethereal and untouched by worldly dust.

The villagers were left feeling lost, their gazes still fixed upon the immortals' retreating figures as envy rose in their hearts.

"You bastard... old ox, I told you to give me a casual kick so I could fake my death and muddle through it. Were you trying to kill me?"

Chen Xun lay on the ground, severely wounded, his chest heaving continuously. The elegance of that hoof had nearly sent him to meet his parents, who had been dead for many years.

Moo~

Black Ox nudged Chen Xun. It had not expected its strength to be so great.

It carried Chen Xun back to the Mountain Cave. After recuperating there for several days, Chen Xun's complexion finally improved.

"We absolutely cannot go to those sects."

Seeing the confusion in Black Ox's eyes, Chen Xun explained, "Sects are far too dangerous. Killing people isn't against the law there, and when they eat beef, they even throw in the bull whip as a bonus."

Big Black Ox's pupils trembled, and it shook its head wildly. It did not understand the part about killing not being against the law, but it understood the part about eating beef.

The immortal cultivators' arrival that day did not make Chen Xun yearn for the immortal path. Instead, it gave him an extreme sense of insecurity.

His feud with Old Wang from the Next Village's family had only ever involved a few fights. These immortal cultivators killed people at the slightest disagreement...

Chen Xun deeply remembered that gaze. It was exactly like the gaze he wore when slaughtering chickens.