This World, This Environment—We Cannot Decide Them

Chen Xun remembered that little girl. Her clear, crisp "Thank you, big brother" still echoed in his mind.

Chen Xun's heart trembled as he slowly said, "Damn it... they were utterly vicious. They didn't even spare children."

"Moo! Moo!" Big Black Ox was still nudging several people, trying to wake them.

"They weren't immortal cultivators. They were probably bandits."

Chen Xun crouched halfway and looked into the distance. The corpses here were all elderly people, women, and children. The murderers should still be pursuing those fleeing civilians.

Chen Xun and Big Black Ox left the two water jars and the clothes on the spot. The two Mountain-Splitting Axes slowly revolved, slicing every snowflake in two.

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Boom—

The thick snow beneath them shook, while a fierce sonic boom rang through the air. They seemed to be treading upon a sea of snow, great waves of snow surging up behind their feet as their momentum soared to the heavens.

In the distance, several dozen mountain bandits laughed wildly. Blood continuously dripped from the broadswords in their hands. Now that Pan Ning City had also fallen into turmoil and great numbers of martial artists had been conscripted, who could possibly control them?

"Big Brother, more and more people fleeing to Pan Ning City have been showing up."

One mountain bandit grinned hideously. "They brought their entire family fortunes with them. One job, and it's all fat meat."

"These are the good days."

Big Brother held his broadsword and laughed madly. "Our time has finally come! Boys, kill!"

"Yes, Big Brother!"

"Yes, Big Brother!"

The mountain bandits raised their broadswords and shouted in response. Behind them lay a field of corpses. Killing people and robbing them of their goods was exhilarating beyond compare. There had once been government troops to suppress them, but now they had all gone to the battlefield. Life had become comfortable.

Miserable screams rang out one after another as several more civilians helplessly fell and died. Their eyes held deep unwillingness; they could not rest in peace. They had clearly been almost there...

The mountain bandits laughed even louder as they searched through their clothes for gold, silver, and jewelry. Refugees loved to carry such things.

Suddenly, some commotion came from behind them. Every mountain bandit turned around, narrowing their eyes. Why was the snow on the ground splashing so high?

"What ghostly thing is that?!"

Big Brother spat, dressed in animal hides as he stood at the very front with his blade in hand. The snow was too heavy; he could not see clearly.

"Huh? Something's running?"

"Damn it, Big Brother, something feels wrong..."

"Is it a person? Or a black ox?"

"Not good, run!!!"

Big Brother's pupils contracted violently as he suddenly let out a roaring shout. But by the time they saw the figures clearly, it was too late.

Chen Xun stamped his foot, still accelerating. A sharp sound of tearing air suddenly erupted as he arrived in an instant!

Big Brother's mind had already gone blank. In less than the blink of an eye, that man had arrived above him. That man's eyes were the coldest he had ever seen in his life...

Slash! Big Brother's head shot towards the sky, his eyes seeming not to have realized what had happened. Blood gushed from his body and splattered everywhere as it toppled forward.

Big Black Ox charged straight into the crowd of mountain bandits, letting out an enraged bellow. The bandits' expressions twisted in unbearable pain, as though they had been struck by a mountain. Big Black Ox rammed them to death alive.

Desperate screams rose one after another. Even at death, they did not know who had killed them.

Smoke filled the sky as the corpses of several dozen mountain bandits were burned to ashes by the Fireball Spell. Chen Xun and Big Black Ox's figures gradually vanished into the vast snowfall.

Inside the mountain cave, Chen Xun and Big Black Ox had already brought back the water jars and clothes. They were somewhat silent, never having expected that their good intentions would bring about disaster.

Chen Xun and Big Black Ox did not deal with the corpses. They had already been buried beneath thick snow, and many people had vanished without a trace.

If Chen Xun had not shown them the way, perhaps they would not have encountered those utterly vicious mountain bandits.

"Old Ox, there are some things that aren't for us to decide."

Chen Xun sighed softly and patted Big Black Ox. "This world, this environment—we cannot decide them, nor do we have the ability to change them."

"Moo..." Big Black Ox placed his head in Chen Xun's arms again.

"The only thing we can decide is ourselves. All we can ask is to have a clear conscience."

Chen Xun looked at Big Black Ox and smiled faintly. "Such things happen everywhere, at any time. Take it a little more lightly."

"Moo..." Big Black Ox nodded. It simply felt that those people had been too hateful—robbing others was one thing, but they had even killed them.

"Old Ox, let's start cultivating. We haven't finished the Heavy Feather Pills yet."

Chen Xun's expression stirred, sweeping away the unhappiness from before. "Look ahead. There are still many things we need to do."

"Moo moo!" Big Black Ox's eyes opened slightly wider as it too gathered its spirits.

They consumed pills extremely slowly and steadily. Back then, they had eaten several in succession. Now, they ate one pill and meditated for several days, slowly refining its medicinal power and becoming familiar with their increased spiritual power.

Time gradually passed as they ate away at their reserves. Another year went by, and it seemed that it had not snowed again this year.

They had now broken through to Qi Condensation Stage 7, and the Heavy Feather Pills had been completely used up. However, they had saved seven hundred-year spirit herbs, preparing to make a fortune.

Chen Xun had finally raised the Essence of All Things to 20 as well. They planned to start adding points to their spiritual power next year and see whether the spiritual power within their bodies would increase.

More and more people fleeing from the other side of Ningyun Mountain Range arrived. Some starved to death on the road and were eaten by vultures; some were killed by wild beasts; some were robbed by mountain bandits...

Others passed by outside their mountain cave. It seemed that things outside were becoming increasingly unstable.

Seeing so many civilians starving and freezing, Chen Xun and Big Black Ox would quietly give them some smoked dried meat. But they no longer had much contact with them. Who could truly make sense of the karma in this world?

In such times, rogue cultivators yearned even more fiercely for strength. They squeezed their way in headfirst, wanting to enter the Ten Great Immortal Sects rather than muddle through life in this mortal world.

Compared to the tragic state outside, the Ascension Convention was in full swing, even more lively than in previous years. Their aspirations were higher than the heavens as they longed for the broader world of immortal cultivation.

Inside the mountain cave, one man and one ox lived without contending with the world, each doing their own things. The turmoil outside had nothing to do with them.

"Old Ox, I'm going to the Ascension Convention. Wait for me here."

This time, Chen Xun did not plan to wear his hood, nor did he plan to bring Big Black Ox. It would be safer this way.

"Moo moo!" Big Black Ox clamped its mouth tightly onto Chen Xun. They had never been apart.

"I'll be back in one day. If I'm not back, come find me."

"Moo?"

"Really. When have I ever lied to you? If I'm quick, I'll be back in half a day."

Chen Xun smiled. They had run out of spirit herbs and no longer had a Pill Refining Furnace, so he had to make a trip.

"Moo..."

Big Black Ox nodded and ran over to move aside the massive stone blocking the mountain cave, then waited there for Chen Xun.

Chen Xun shot out with a single stride. This time, he carried four medicine boxes, containing four hundred-year spirit herbs. He also no longer used the Essence of All Things to conceal his cultivation.

After hesitating, Big Black Ox chased after him and escorted Chen Xun for a long distance. Only when they were about to enter the depths of the mountain range did it leave, continuously calling out moo moo.

Chen Xun looked back with every step, only quickening his pace after Big Black Ox disappeared from view.

"There are quite a few more people now."

Chen Xun encountered many rogue cultivators on the road. The moment they saw his Qi Condensation Stage 7 cultivation, they all let him go first as a senior, their eyes filled with respect.

In a world where strength reigned supreme, the accomplished always came first. Chen Xun remained extremely low-key and paid no attention to anyone.

After entering Nine Stars Valley, he moved through the various places with practiced ease. He even heard about the matter of selling booklets. Chen Xun merely smiled faintly, an inscrutable gleam flashing through his eyes.

There were also many more rogue cultivators selling things in the valley, all bartering goods to increase their chances of passing the trials.

He arrived at a pavilion belonging to a small sect, adjusted his emotions, and entered the pavilion step by step with a mournful face.