Sun Shining Brightly, a Good Day for Farewell

"Old Ox, Sequence 478 was in the bag! Five hundred contribution points in two days—that was more than we made in two years!"

Chen Xun lay atop Big Black Ox's back, examining the Yellow Talisman in his hand. Once the competition was over, they could exchange it for contribution points at the Sect Main Hall.

"Moo~" Big Black Ox turned its head, looking at Chen Xun with aching concern.

"Old Ox, what's this? Back when we were in Pan Ning City, who had it easy? Weren't we all surviving in the cracks?"

Chen Xun spoke carelessly, smiling. "A few injuries in exchange for so many contribution points—we made a profit. We should thank the sect for giving us this opportunity."

"Moo moo~" Big Black Ox nodded, thinking how nice it would be if it could take Chen Xun's injuries for him. Its hide was thick and tough.

Once they returned to Medicine Valley, Chen Xun roused himself and applied ointment all over his body. Big Black Ox stayed by his side, doing nothing else.

"This Bigu Pill can only be used for emergencies. It's not like we lack the time to eat."

Chen Xun took out an earthy-yellow pill. He had started the furnace to refine pills once the previous year. After swallowing one, he truly no longer felt hungry—but neither did he feel full. It was utterly tasteless.

"Moo moo!" Big Black Ox felt the same way. How could Bigu Pills compare to wild game from the mountains? Eating one felt as though a heap of dry grass had been stuffed into its stomach.

"Old Ox, get to work. Go tend to Medicine Valley."

Chen Xun had already smeared himself with ointment and smiled. "How could they really hurt me? I deliberately didn't dodge those attacks."

"Moo moo~"

Big Black Ox looked back every few steps. The medicinal garden truly had not been tended for two days, so it had to go check on it.

Once Big Black Ox vanished from sight, Chen Xun sucked in a breath and grimaced in agony. Though he had suffered no internal injuries, these external wounds truly hurt.

Several days later, the Sect Competition ended. Chen Xun and Big Black Ox raced toward the Sect Main Hall. The sect had not taken back the Yellow Talisman, saying it was to be kept by the disciples as a memento.

"Junior Brother Chen!"

A familiar voice rang out behind Chen Xun. His face lit up. "I didn't expect it really was you."

"Senior Brother Ji!" Chen Xun was delighted as well. Looking at Ji Kun, he saw that his features had grown a little more resolute, though he still had that skinny-monkey look.

Chen Xun could not help feeling wistful. Even within the same sect, it had taken a full two years for them to run into one another by chance.

"Junior Brother Chen, didn't you become an Outer Sect Elder?"

"I went to manage a medicinal garden. My family used to do this work."

They walked beneath a secluded tree and began reminiscing. Big Black Ox followed behind them, then lay down when it saw them stop.

"Junior Brother Chen, this medicinal garden is not a good place. They all call it the Land of Lost Ideals."

Ji Kun looked as though he hated to see iron fail to become steel and tried to persuade him. "The people there are all old hands of the sect, those who believe they have no hope of reaching Foundation Establishment in this life."

"We still have our best years ahead of us. You must not slack off, Junior Brother Chen!"

"Senior Brother Ji, I appreciate your kindness, but I truly dislike fighting and killing."

Chen Xun also looked troubled. He understood Ji Kun's meaning. Being an Outer Sect Elder brought many opportunities and was absolutely beneficial for increasing one's strength.

"Alas, Junior Brother Chen, you do not know this. Do you know how the sect disciples view us rogue cultivator disciples?"

Ji Kun's face showed indignation. One hand was behind his back, while the other clenched into a fist.

"I truly don't know." Chen Xun shook his head. He felt that these senior brothers and junior sisters were quite nice, and he had never suffered any discrimination.

"They say we are... stepping stones. Even the Foundation Establishment Elders do not think much of us."

Ji Kun had spent the past two years as an Outer Sect Elder. There were many factions there, and endless schemes and infighting. At times, even contribution points were embezzled.

"Senior Brother Ji, what do you mean?" Chen Xun asked calmly. If this had been before, he would have pulled out three Mountain-Splitting Axes and gone to make trouble on the spot.

"In another three years, the Southern Dipper Mountain Secret Realm will open, but most of those who go are rogue cultivators."

"Yes, I know that. Otherwise, how would we have had the chance to enter the sect?"

"Junior Brother Chen, do you know how many can go every twenty years, and how many return alive?"

Ji Kun took a deep breath and said solemnly, "Seven hundred people. Fewer than a hundred return. If they fail to gather a Foundation Establishment Spiritual Herb, they receive nothing."

"That black-hearted?!"

Chen Xun cried out in shock. Although he had long known they were being sent as hired thugs and cannon fodder, he had not known things had become this black-hearted.

"Of course. We are rogue cultivators left over after the Ten Great Immortal Sects made their selections. On the surface, everyone seems to be treated equally, but what elder truly thinks highly of us?"

Ji Kun's eyes dimmed. Over the past two years, many of his fantasies had been shattered, and he had become far more brooding.

Those rogue cultivators with the potential for Foundation Establishment had long since been taken away by the Ten Great Immortal Sects. If they wanted to establish their foundations, they could only tread that road paved in blood.

"Senior Brother Ji, do you intend to go to the Southern Dipper Mountain Secret Realm?" Chen Xun scrutinized him twice. He was still at the Qi Condensation Eighth Layer; perhaps his strength was somewhat lacking.

"That's right!" Ji Kun nodded gravely. "I have accumulated enough contribution points now and am preparing to enter seclusion for bitter cultivation. If I break through to the Qi Condensation Ninth Layer, my chances of surviving will be greater."

"Senior Brother Ji, you could wait for the next twenty years. You are still so young. You could build up your strength first."

"Junior Brother Chen, in twenty-three years, my qi and blood will decline and my strength will fall sharply. What will I have left to contend with?"

Ji Kun clenched his fist tighter and tighter. In his eyes was unwillingness—he truly was unwilling.

His words shook Chen Xun to the core. Yes, even the Qi Condensation Stage only lasted a hundred years, gone in the blink of an eye. How many twenty-year spans did cultivators have?

"Junior Brother Chen, the sun is shining brightly today. It is a good day for farewell."

Ji Kun smiled peacefully. He liked Chen Xun very much. Chen Xun seemed as though he had never harbored any ill intentions, and being around him was always easy.

After working in the Outer Sect Elder Hall for two years, he had discovered that friends like Chen Xun were all the more precious. Perhaps Chen Xun had been right to choose the medicinal garden.

"Senior Brother Ji, wait a moment."

Chen Xun hurriedly took out his Storage Bag and removed two Heavy Feather Pills and a bottle of Bigu Pills. "Senior Brother Ji, I bought these Heavy Feather Pills in Nine Stars Valley. There are two left, and their medicinal potency has not faded."

He now understood that great kindness could become great enmity. He did not dare take out too much and ruin the bond between them.

"They're actually Heavy Feather Pills."

Ji Kun said in surprise. These were precious pills for the Qi Condensation Stage, and their price was steep. "Junior Brother Chen, I have no ulterior motive. Please take them back. You need them badly too."

"Senior Brother Ji, take them. You need them more than I do. We manage the medicinal garden well now, and we earn quite a few contribution points every year."

Chen Xun smiled sincerely and hurriedly placed them in Ji Kun's hands.

"It is difficult to refuse such heartfelt generosity, but I will only accept one Heavy Feather Pill. Take the rest back." Ji Kun accepted it solemnly, his words leaving no room for argument.

"Ah, all right." Chen Xun let out a faint sigh and put the other items back into his Storage Bag.

"Junior Brother Chen, Junior Brother Ox, I'll be going now. Take good care of yourselves."

Ji Kun gave a cupped fist salute, then looked toward Big Black Ox. The latter hurriedly stood up on all four legs and let out a mooing cry.

Beneath the tree, Ji Kun departed. Chen Xun and Big Black Ox watched his receding figure, so lonely yet so resolute.

"Senior Brother Ji will definitely reach Foundation Establishment, Old Ox. Don't you think?" Chen Xun murmured.

"Moo~~"

Big Black Ox nodded as well. Ji Kun was the only one in the sect who treated it as a junior brother. The merit upon its body would bless him.

"Come on, Old Ox. Let's head back too. The straw hats still haven't been woven."

"Moo~~"

Man and ox headed back toward Medicine Valley. A gentle breeze swept through, and countless fallen leaves drifted beneath the tree, a beautiful sight indeed.