Safety Comes First When Away from Home

Half a Month later, in a mountain forest, peaks rose and fell, the woodland stretched vast and boundless, and from its depths came the roars of wild beasts.

Splat!

With one slash of the Mountain-Splitting Axe, several sprays of blood burst forth. A Brown Bear lay dead on the spot. Sparks flew, a large pot was set up, and once the water boiled, the feast began at once.

"Old Ox, what do you think of my Unrivaled Axe Technique?" Chen Xun flicked the axe in his hand and looked at Big Black Ox.

"Moo!"

Big Black Ox gave a perfunctory moo. It was currently using its hooves to scrape up dirt and bury the bloodstains. When away from home, safety came first.

"Such inhuman strength."

Chen Xun clenched his fists and kept marveling. In a one-on-one fight with the Brown Bear, he had knocked it into shock with a single punch, breaking several of its ribs.

One man and one ox gathered around the pot and feasted heartily. Wild meat really was fragrant, and eating it was invigorating.

"Old Ox, although we have inhuman strength, you saw it too—damn it, there are immortals cultivating out there."

Chen Xun chewed on a bear paw and clicked his tongue. "Don't be rash when trouble comes. Those people who seem unremarkable might very well be some Old Monster."

"Moo."

Big Black Ox responded. It understood and continued eating with great relish.

"Even if we kill a chicken in the wilderness, we must destroy the corpse and erase all traces. We can't leave evidence behind for others."

"Moo?"

"Because there might be a flock of chickens behind it. When the time comes, they'll track us down by scent."

"Moo?"

Big Black Ox still did not understand. A piece of meat fell from its mouth, and it hurriedly picked it up from the ground with its mouth.

"You think a flock of chickens is nothing? Just kill them?" Chen Xun sneered, his mouth glistening with oil.

"Moo." Big Black Ox nodded.

"What if that flock of chickens belongs to immortal cultivators?"

Chen Xun said mysteriously, "Wouldn't they come looking to cause us trouble?"

"Moo!"

"And if we beat that group of immortal cultivators too, wouldn't their master come looking to cause us trouble?"

"Moo! Moo!" Big Black Ox froze. It made so much sense.

"In the end, a sect war might erupt over one chicken. How many people can we fight?"

Chen Xun raised a brow as he tore at the bear meat. "If we accidentally get beaten to death, how many Little She-Oxes would we be losing out on?"

"Moo!~~"

Big Black Ox understood. Its huge, bell-like eyes shone brightly as it looked at Chen Xun, the admiration in them like the surging river, rolling on without end.

"You can be taught."

Chen Xun praised it with a smile. He loved seeing Big Black Ox make that expression. "So from now on, be careful in everything you do. There can't be the slightest carelessness."

"Moo!" Big Black Ox nodded.

"Now then, here is the question."

Chen Xun's expression turned solemn. "If a Little She-Ox confronts an immortal cultivator over a spiritual herb, and a great battle is on the verge of breaking out, what should you do?"

"Answer one: saving the beauty is a hero's duty. Who else but me?"

"Answer two: stand with the stronger side, bully the weak, and seek self-preservation."

"Answer three: pretend nothing happened, quietly pass by, and avoid karmic ties."

"Answer four: with me, none can stand against me. They all die, and the spiritual herb is mine."

"Please answer."

Chen Xun's deep eyes watched Big Black Ox. Fine sweat emerged all over its body. This question was so difficult.

Struggle filled Black Ox's eyes. How could it stand by and watch a Little She-Ox fall into the enemy's hands? It made its decision. "Moo!"

"Answer one? Wrong!"

Chen Xun gave a cold laugh. "How could a Little She-Ox contend with an immortal cultivator? If you charge forward, there'll only be one more corpse."

"Moo, moo."

"You actually chose two. Completely wrong."

Chen Xun narrowed his eyes slightly and explained, "You already know they are fighting over a spiritual herb. Every extra person who knows means an extra risk. Once the immortal cultivator gets rid of their enemy, they won't spare you."

Black Ox's pupils contracted, and cold sweat poured down even harder. It had already died twice. "Moo, moo, moo!"

"Hahaha, you actually chose three. That is even more outrageously wrong."

Chen Xun laughed wildly, his eyes icy. "There are no laws in this world. Without strength, you can never be sure whether you have been discovered. They'll only kill you too, thinking you're an ox trying to reap where others have sown."

Black Ox went limp all over, trembling from Chen Xun's words. It snorted heavily onto the ground. "Moo, moo, moo, moo!"

"I never expected you to choose answer four."

Chen Xun slowly rose to his feet. A shadow enveloped his face, and Big Black Ox suddenly felt incomparably small. It collapsed in fright. Could it be that I've died again...

"Congratulations..."

"Moo?!"

After hearing that, strength suddenly began to return to Big Black Ox's body. Its four legs gradually lifted, and hope ignited in its eyes. Had it finally answered correctly? Was it going to be revived?

Chen Xun's pupils slowly opened wide as he looked down at Big Black Ox and laughed deeply. "You chose the most miserable way to die, Old Ox. Die!"

"Moo~~!!"

Big Black Ox's eyes went vacant. Boom! Amid a cloud of dust, it collapsed onto the ground. It had gotten every answer wrong...

After a while, Black Ox thought something was off. How could every answer be wrong? The more it thought about it, the more wrong it seemed. Looking at Chen Xun, who was still eating bear paw, it realized it had been tricked!

"Moo!!!"

"Wocao..."

Chen Xun was instantly sent flying into the sky, still gripping the bear paw tightly in his hand. He felt the breath of the wind and even... saw a group of people fighting in the distance.

His eyes sharpened, and he landed firmly on both feet, smashing two deep pits into the ground. Big Black Ox was gulping down bear meat and soup, clearly not intending to leave Chen Xun even a morsel.

"Old Ox, clean up quickly. People are fighting in the distance." Chen Xun spoke seriously and patted it.

"Moo!"

Big Black Ox answered. Whenever Chen Xun wore that expression, he never joked around. They packed up the meat, scraped out a pit, and quickly buried the traces, their movements practiced and skilled.

Chen Xun led Big Black Ox by the rope, walking silently in the opposite direction like a farm boy, without saying a word.

Viewed from the sky, Three Figures passed through the treetops, making soft rustling sounds. Beneath the trees, Chen Xun and Black Ox strolled along with vacant eyes, utterly inconspicuous.

One figure suddenly stopped. His black hair flowed behind him as he narrowed his eyes slightly at the young man.

"Wait."

A voice came from the trees. Chen Xun's entire body tensed, while even Big Black Ox's breathing slowly quieted, its hooves already poised to strike.

The Man leaped down from the tree and looked Chen Xun up and down. "Did you see what happened ahead?"

Chen Xun was startled, cold sweat covering his face as he gave a Cupped Fist Salute. "Greetings, senior. What happened...?"

He could not tell whether this person was an immortal cultivator or one of the Martial Arts Experts, much less how many people were nearby. Cowardice was the best strategy.

The Man glanced at Chen Xun's hands. There were no calluses, so he was certainly not a martial artist. He then said, "I understand. Leave the ox behind."

This Big Black Ox was broad and thickly built. Its flesh would greatly benefit martial artists.

"Senior... my family only has this one ox. You look like one of the Martial Arts Experts. There's no need to come specifically to rob an ox, is there?"

Chen Xun's face looked terrible, his fingers trembling faintly. His expression and movements were absolutely perfect.

Shing.

The Man drew his sword. His gaze was sharp as he sneered. "Our Hundred Mysteries Sect has not fallen so low. I don't wish to waste any more words."

"Ah, fine." Chen Xun let go of the ox rope and looked at Big Black Ox in despair. As expected, he isn't an immortal cultivator.

The Man took the rope, then suddenly smiled. "You saw it, didn't you? This is no place for herding oxen."

"Your behavior is suspicious, so you can only blame your bad luck."

With his back to Black Ox, the Man spoke to Chen Xun. He had seen through everything. This person was very likely a spy.