Southern Dipper Mountain: The King of Laying Low Is Born

"Old Ox, eat the Pestilence Avoidance Pill and the Insect Repellent Pill." Chen Xun took out two pills and swallowed them in one gulp, then gave two more to Big Black Ox.

"Moo~" Big Black Ox answered, curling its tongue to scoop them into its mouth. They had spent spirit stones to buy these at the sect.

"What a bizarre place."

Chen Xun spoke softly. This was completely different from the mountain forests they had entered before. There was not a trace of life Qi to be seen; everything felt deathly still. Yet the spiritual energy was abundant.

"Moo~" Big Black Ox stared with wide eyes, vigilantly looking all around as its nostrils kept twitching.

"Old Ox, the Southern Dipper Mountain Secret Realm will last for half a year. We're not in a hurry. Let's observe first."

Chen Xun shrank his neck and pulled the long-lost Bandit Mask from his robes. As he slowly put it on, that feeling, that aura—he became completely different!

"Moo!" Big Black Ox patted Chen Xun. Where was its mask?!

"Yes, yes, put it on." Chen Xun grinned. This had been their equipment when they blood-washed the Lao Wang Family.

"Moo~" Big Black Ox trembled with excitement. That feeling had suddenly returned...

Chen Xun slowly removed the Five Elements Sect disciple robes. To outsiders, they might have seemed like a protective talisman, but to Chen Xun, they were nothing but an exposure of his identity. What if someone came to settle accounts after autumn?

He changed into a set of Linen Clothes he had sewn himself. His entire body felt light, as though the shackles around him had suddenly vanished.

"Old Ox, stay hidden!" Chen Xun wrapped one hand around the ox's head. Countless thick leaves concealed the place where they stood. Steady as a rock.

"Moo~" Big Black Ox answered. It had long absorbed Chen Xun's essence and was not panicked in the slightest.

As the sun and moon turned, while disciples from every sect diligently searched for spirit herbs, this man and ox actually squatted atop a tree for an entire day, perfectly still!

"Old Ox, this place should be safe. Let's make clothes!"

"Moo?"

"Just watch. I learned a whole set of tricks from Aunt Wang back then." Chen Xun smiled, thinking once more of that Small Mountain Village. One day, he would definitely return for a look.

"Moo." Big Black Ox nodded, watching Chen Xun climb down from the ancient tree and carefully gather countless Fallen Leaves in his arms. It hurried over to help as well.

Half a day later, the work was complete. Chen Xun looked at the Ghillie Suits made from countless dead leaves, his eyes brimming with satisfaction as he quickly draped one over himself.

"Moo!" Big Black Ox was greatly startled. Chen Xun was now lying on the ground, and he seemed to have turned invisible. It could not see him at all.

"Haha..."

Chen Xun chuckled softly and rose from the ground, countless dead leaves rustling. He quickly draped the other suit over Big Black Ox. Other than its eyes, nothing could be seen—not even its horns.

"Moo!!" Big Black Ox looked at Chen Xun with only one expression in its eyes: awesome beyond the heavens.

"Hehe, Old Ox, move out!" Chen Xun grinned, looking utterly terrifying beneath the Bandit Mask.

"Moo~"

Two clumps of dead leaves slowly moved among the towering ancient trees, making exceptionally little movement while remaining remarkably nimble.

They continued onward and actually spotted spirit herbs along the way. This was their first time seeing spirit herbs in the wild, but they did not pick them. They were of no use.

They suddenly halted atop an ancient tree. Ahead lay a vast lake, its waters shimmering, surrounded by clusters of spirit herbs and rich spiritual energy.

Yet the lake carried a chill, and traces of Water Mist curled over its surface, wondrous beyond compare.

"Moo~" Big Black Ox extended a hoof to stop Chen Xun. There would definitely be danger in this lake.

"Old Ox, are you teaching me how to do things? Isn't that obvious? Only a reckless greenhorn would go over there."

Chen Xun snorted with laughter. Good fellow, Old Ox's skills had really improved over the years.

"Moo!" Big Black Ox nudged Chen Xun, its eyes unconvinced. It had clearly been the one to discover it. Why was he acting wise after the fact?

"Ice Mandarin Duck Grass, Cold Spirit Grass... there really are some."

Chen Xun looked from afar. There were actually two supplementary ingredients for the Foundation Establishment Pill. Over the past half-year, he had already gathered information on these spirit herbs and memorized it by heart.

As soon as he spoke, several sounds of air being torn came from another patch of forest. It was a three-man team, though he could not tell which sect's disciples they were.

"Old Ox, look. There really are reckless greenhorns." Chen Xun kept shaking his head, as though some water monster would burst from the lake the Next Moment.

"Moo~" Big Black Ox nodded too. These people seemed even worse than it was.

But something seemed wrong with the script!

"Wocao!"

"Moo?!"

Chen Xun and Big Black Ox stretched out their heads, low growls constantly rumbling from their throats, their faces full of disbelief. The three people leisurely kept picking spirit herbs, while no water monster appeared in the lake.

"Impossible. Absolutely impossible." Chen Xun gripped the tree trunk so tightly that bark continuously peeled away.

Big Black Ox kept Shook Head as well. What was going on?

The three knew when to stop and did not get greedy. They only picked a few herbs before immediately leaving. At a glance, they were seasoned veterans, retreating with exceptional decisiveness.

Suddenly, a strange change erupted!

Teams of sect disciples rushed out from the forests on both sides. Judging from their clothing, they seemed to belong together. Several Roared commands rang out, and the two sides immediately fell into fierce battle.

"I'll be damned, Sixth Junior Brother."

Chen Xun's eyes Opened Wide. So this was where the danger lay. "Old Ox, did you see that? The danger isn't demon beasts—it's people instead."

"Moo?" Big Black Ox did not understand. There were still so many spirit herbs by the lake. Why risk their lives to steal from others?

"This is the treachery of the human heart." Chen Xun clicked his tongue and sighed. "Weren't we also inexplicably ambushed by those three people back then?"

"Moo!"

Big Black Ox's pupils contracted. It understood, it understood. It had been with Chen Xun for so many years and had truly encountered quite a few absurd things.

Suddenly, another strange change erupted!

Countless bubbles Emerged from the lake. Chen Xun and Big Black Ox stretched their necks out again, their eyes fixed rigidly on the lake surface. Was the legendary water monster finally coming?!

One huge black fish after another flipped out of the water as though playing, then returned beneath the surface not long after.

Chen Xun and Big Black Ox exchanged a glance, anger in both their eyes. They could only watch the distant battle, utterly uninterested.

Suddenly, yet another strange change erupted!

Just beneath their tree, a roar rose up. Gale-force wind swept past, making their Ghillie Suits flap violently and stuffing their mouths with plenty of dust.

A red shadow darted out at high speed. It resembled a Red-skinned Lion, with long fangs protruding from its mouth, razor-sharp.

Its body was over ten feet long, and its front claws glowed red as it crazily pounced at those fighting people.

"A Qi Condensation Tenth Layer demon beast. It's somewhat formidable." Chen Xun calmly adjusted his Ghillie Suit and spoke lightly.

"Moo!" Big Black Ox was eager to try, battle intent Flashed through its eyes.

Angry Shouts constantly rang out in the distance. The Red-skinned Lion refused to let them go, relentlessly casting spells at the disciples who had picked the spirit herbs. Everything descended into utter chaos.

Blood splashed faintly. They could only helplessly abandon the spirit herbs, tossing them into the air before quickly fleeing into the distance in every direction.

"Old Ox, shall we go? I'll take a few spirit herbs. Leave it to you."

"Moo!"

Two figures gently descended from the tree, calm as clouds and light as wind at the corners of their mouths. In a Flash, they raced toward the lake.

Roar!

The Red-skinned Lion was enraged. More intruders had entered its territory—two things covered from head to toe in leaves. A Trace of confusion appeared in its eyes. What Ghostly Things were these? It had never seen them before.