Wealth, Companions, Techniques, Land—The Ancients Truly Did Not Deceive Me

"Moo!" Big Black Ox answered solemnly.

"Old Ox, time to work!" Chen Xun said with a smile. "We still need to practice our spells."

"Moo!" Big Black Ox's eyes lit up. It had been looking forward to that Fireball Spell for ages; even those street performers knew it.

Every day, they cultivated spirit herbs, practiced spells and the Qi Refining Art. When hungry or thirsty, they went hunting in the mountains. Their days passed in utter contentment.

More than half a year later, the atmosphere inside the Mountain Cave was tense, every whisper of wind a cry of alarm.

"Ximen Black Ox, I never expected you to reach the fourth level of Qi Refinement in such a short time. It seems I cannot let you live today!"

Chen Xun's brows were cold and stern. His palms and fingers struck together without pause as spiritual power surged within him. "Behold my Object Manipulation Art!"

"Moo!"

Big Black Ox was on full alert. A pebble suddenly moved from behind it, actually attempting a sneak attack. "Moo moo moo!"

It rose onto two legs, its eyes flying wide open. Its bovine palm shot out with spiritual power, and a small fireball streaked straight toward the pebble.

Sizzle, sizzle!

A wave of scorching heat filled the entire Mountain Cave. Watching the little pebble turn to ash, Big Black Ox grinned broadly. Was that all?

"My strength could uproot mountains, my spirit could cover the world!"

"Moo~~!!"

Big Black Ox cried out in alarm. Chen Xun burst into Haha laughter and lifted Big Black Ox over his head again. This move never failed.

After fooling around for a while, Chen Xun and Big Black Ox sat on the ground, their swagger nearly soaring into the heavens. At last, they had spells to rely on.

Yet Big Black Ox had truly startled Chen Xun. Over the past few years, they had learned at the Ascension Convention that spirit beasts were completely different from humans.

Whether human cultivation techniques or spells, spirit beasts generally could not cultivate them. Yet Big Black Ox could cultivate them all. It had already completely surpassed spirit beasts.

But no matter what kind of beast Big Black Ox truly was, it would always be his family. Chen Xun smiled warmly and patted Big Black Ox, which was still mooing away.

Another year's Ascension Convention arrived. Chen Xun came leading Big Black Ox. They walked alone, endless calm in their eyes.

After glancing at them, many rogue cultivators silently shook their heads. These were the most miserable people in the Cultivation World—without talent, yet unable to let go. In the end, they could only die in sitting meditation out in these desolate wilds.

Yet no one mocked them anymore. Such people could not help but earn one's respect. They were also a true reflection of most people, sorrow written in enormous strokes.

Some seasoned old hands narrowed their eyes slightly as well. Compared to this man, they fell short. If he did not come, they would instead feel a strange emptiness in their hearts.

Chen Xun had never been among their targets for murder and plunder. He was too poor, and his heart in pursuit of immortality was too pure—pure enough to make him seem like a fool.

Inside the valley, within a sect pavilion.

The calm had vanished from Chen Xun's face as he cried miserably, "Senior, add a little more! I've lived half my life and only managed to pick up this one plant!"

The old man frowned slightly as he looked at the hundred-year-old Spirit Gathering Grass, indecision filling his heart.

"Senior, look at this hundred-year spirit herb's color, look at its quality. Not a trace of medicinal potency has been lost. I brought it straight here the moment I picked it up."

Chen Xun squeezed two joyful tears from his eyes with great effort. "Add a little more, and it's yours."

"Then I'll add another ten pieces. Its medicinal potency is indeed quite good."

"Fine."

Chen Xun's expression immediately turned calm. He absolutely could not push his luck. Seeing his sudden change of face, the old man's expression twitched. Was this brat putting on an act for him?

"Senior, I'd also like to buy a few Medicine Boxes. My old ox is especially fond of them."

Chen Xun grinned as one hundred and twenty Spirit Stones fell into his hands. "If I pick up any more, I can bring them to you too."

"Hehe, five for one Low-Grade Spirit Stone. Go take them yourself."

The old man shook his head with a smile and glanced at Big Black Ox outside the pavilion. How could anyone have such luck as to gather hundred-year spirit herbs so easily?

Under the old man's astonished gaze, Chen Xun bought thirty in one go, stuffed them into the pockets on either side of Big Black Ox, and vanished from sight.

"What a country bumpkin who has never seen the world."

The old man muttered to himself. Chen Xun had even taken back the Medicine Box holding the spirit herb in his hand. Deep within the Ningyun Mountain Range, Crane Spirit Trees were everywhere.

These Medicine Boxes were made from Crane Spirit Trees and took no effort to make.

Yet many years later, when Chen Xun learned of this, he beat his chest and stamped his feet, feeling as though ants were crawling all over him. Whenever he saw a Crane Spirit Tree, he would chop it with an axe.

They then arrived outside another Pill Refining Pavilion. The pills sold here were more expensive than those sold by rogue cultivators outside, but their quality was guaranteed.

"This One, is there anything you fancy?"

A Sect Disciple came to receive Chen Xun. The place was filled with a dazzling array of goods: Pill Refining Furnaces, spirit herbs, medicinal pills, pill-refining arts—everything one could need.

He had seen too many strange characters among rogue cultivators. This man wearing a Black Mask could no longer stir the slightest ripple in his heart.

"How much is this Pill Refining Furnace?" Chen Xun coughed, putting on the air of an expert.

"This is a low-grade Yellow-rank Pill Refining Furnace. It only costs twenty Low-Grade Spirit Stones."

The Sect Disciple introduced it with a smile, pointing at a small furnace. "This larger one is also—"

"I'll take this one."

Chen Xun's heart trembled. Why was it so expensive? He could not help asking, "This One, I see rogue cultivators selling furnaces for only ten Low-Grade Spirit Stones."

"Most of those are ungraded Pill Refining Furnaces, or they have already suffered considerable damage in many places."

The Sect Disciple patiently explained, "That will severely affect the pill formation rate and the quality of the pills."

"Professional!"

Chen Xun praised him. Sure enough, when buying magical implements like these, one still needed to go through legitimate merchants. He then paid the Spirit Stones and left.

Most things in the Cultivation World were divided into four ranks: Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow. Although higher ranks existed, they were beyond the reach of Ordinary Cultivators like them.

"Moo~~"

Big Black Ox loved the little furnace and kept asking Chen Xun to show it to him.

Wealth, Companions, Techniques, Land—the ancients truly did not deceive me, Chen Xun sighed inwardly. Even immortality could not escape this law.

Hiding in one place and cultivating until the end of time was nothing but a dream. One's cultivation would simply be stuck to death.

They continued selling their little booklets. However, the response to them last year had been exceptionally good, bringing in over a hundred Spirit Stones in a single day.

In a dark corner, a gleam flowed through Chen Xun's eyes, but there was no hint of secret delight.

"Old Ox, after we sell them this year, we won't sell them anymore."

"Moo?" Big Black Ox was utterly confused. Weren't they selling quite well?

"First, these little booklets are too easy to imitate. Second, they draw too much attention. All we want is our first bucket of gold."

"Moo!"

Big Black Ox suddenly understood. Its mind had grown sharper and sharper now; one hint was all it needed. With a single look from Chen Xun, it understood what needed to be done.

Of course, it was not very good at understanding other people's looks.

"Ah, fellow Daoist, so you were here." An old man in flowing white robes approached with a smile, as though he had been searching for them for a long time.

"What is it?"

Chen Xun's eyes narrowed slightly. It was actually that old pill swindler from before.

"I have a stroke of fortune here, one related to your booklet. I wonder whether fellow Daoist is interested."

The old man smiled With Hands Behind His Back. He had observed Chen Xun for a long time. This man came every year, yet never dared to attempt the trials. He refused to believe Chen Xun would not take the bait.

Chen Xun silently Shook Head without saying a word. Leading Big Black Ox, he walked straight toward the street, not the slightest interest in his eyes.

The old man stood rooted On the Spot and said, "So he really is a fool, a blockhead."

On the street.

"Old Ox, remember this: in this life, we will not harm others or covet any advantage. But neither should we believe that any good fortune will simply fall onto our heads."

Chen Xun's gaze was deep as he spoke Word by Word. "This may cause us to miss many opportunities, but we will never suffer a loss."

"Moo moo!" Big Black Ox kept nudging Chen Xun. It remembered.