Big Black Ox

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Big Black Ox (大黑牛)
Alias(es)	Ximen Black Ox; Old Ox; Junior Brother Ox; Guardian Old Ox; Senior Black Ox; Ox Ancestor
Species/Race	Ox Clan spirit beast; possesses the bloodline of an Ancient Immortal Ox 929 1881
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Chen Xun; Five Elements Sect; Moon Holding Pavilion; Azure Sky Array Dao Palace
Occupation/Role	Chen Xun's blood brother and companion; array master; Guardian Old Ox; Earth Character Inspector of the Azure Sky Array Dao Palace 185 656
Status	Active
First Appearance	7

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Qi Condensation cultivation	14	Began cultivating alongside Chen Xun after obtaining an Immortal Cultivation Art.
Foundation Establishment	77	Successfully established his foundation and registered with the Spirit Beast Hall.
Golden Core	107	Survived heavenly tribulation, formed a core, and gained a transformed body capable of standing on two legs and transmitting his voice through divine sense.
Nascent Soul	234 253	Identified by enemies as a Nascent Soul spirit beast; a later account records his breakthrough after twenty years of cultivation and body refinement.
Spirit Transformation, Mid Stage	313	Emerged from seclusion at Mid-Stage Spirit Transformation.
Refining Void	383	Advanced alongside Chen Xun; his physique and humanoid transformation became natural and substantially stronger.
Tribulation Transcendence	703	His body began refining Chaos Law into Chaos Five Elements Qi; he manifested seven Great Laws.
Great Vehicle	589	His Formation Dao rules fused with the Great Dao, granting exceptional suppression against rule-based techniques.
Great Vehicle, Middle Stage	666	Stabilized the realm with Chen Xun after absorbing thousands of Rules of Power from a Heavenly Origin Star.
Immortal tribulation / Great Dao stabilization	1881	At the peak of the Immortal Firmament, he fought the Immortal Realm Great Dao, gained the Great Dao Fetal Garment and Great Dao Immortal Mountains, and later stabilized his Great Dao.

Background

Big Black Ox began as Chen Xun's inseparable companion in Pan Ning City. On a New Year's Eve wishing lantern, his crooked writing expressed a wish to “Forever follow Chen,” establishing the devotion that would define their relationship. He learned writing, iron-forging, and eventually cultivation beside Chen Xun rather than remaining an ordinary work ox. 7 14

After joining the Five Elements Sect, he cultivated as a registered spirit beast and reached Foundation Establishment. He became increasingly adept with formations, storage equipment, concealment, and the pair's black-clad “Bandit Set.” 77 87 94

He defended Chen Xun alone during the latter's Golden Core tribulation, holding off waves of cultivators drawn by the disturbance while wielding the Big Black Coffin. Soon afterward, he passed his own tribulation, formed his Golden Core, and underwent a bodily transformation. 104 105 107

Appearance

Big Black Ox is ordinarily a plain black ox with an honest, simple expression. His appearance becomes far more imposing when he reveals his cultivation or assumes a humanoid stance.

• Thick black fur; after major breakthroughs, it can resemble armor. 253 383
• Heterochromatic Five Elements eyes, later described as clear and golden-lit. 383 703
• Twin horns that grow long and swordlike, wrapped in Five Elements lightning. 703
• Can stand upright on two legs; in humanoid form, he has a hulking humanlike body but retains an ox's face. 107 383
• His body carries Chaos aura and visible Five Elements Dao patterns after reaching Tribulation Transcendence. 703
• Usually communicates by mooing, gestures, writing, and divine sense rather than ordinary speech. 7 107 614

Personality

Big Black Ox is deeply loyal, trusting, and emotionally attentive to Chen Xun. He readily follows Chen Xun's plans—whether cultivating, forging, farming, scavenging, or fleeing danger—and Chen Xun understands his meaning from even a single moo. 107 614

He is simple and sociable by nature, enjoying friendships with spirit beasts and delighting in practical work such as tending herbs, gathering resources, and arranging formations. His easygoing manner conceals a stubborn streak: setbacks, especially against formations or obstacles, can provoke him into relentless escalation. 118 719 1260 1665

When Chen Xun or their companions are threatened, his demeanor changes sharply. He is protective, tactically patient, and capable of cold vengeance; this side was especially evident in his pursuit of those connected to past harm against Chen Xun. 104 756 828

Abilities & Skills

Five Elements Cultivation and Ancient Bloodline

Big Black Ox cultivates the Five Elements at an extraordinary level, with his bloodline and physical body exerting overwhelming pressure on other spirit beasts.

• Manifested Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth Element Laws while facing Chaotic Heavenly Tribulation. 702
• Possesses seven Great Laws and a body that can absorb Chaos Aura and refine it into Chaos Five Elements Qi. 703
• His breakthrough to Nascent Soul released a phantom powerful enough to suppress Little Crimson's bloodline. 253
• His Five Elements Law Power can seal and suppress surrounding space through array flags. 337

Formation Dao

Formation Dao is Big Black Ox's defining specialty. He began by stacking miniature formations and developed this unorthodox approach into mastery recognized by the Azure Sky Array Dao Palace. 87 118 656

• Cultivates spirit herbs and reinforces formations by stacking mana and array flags rather than following conventional limits. 118
• Uses formations for concealment, teleportation, battlefield suppression, resource extraction, and ambushes. 157 274 719
• Repaired and extended an incomplete Azure Sky Dao Orbit with Star Dust Stones, Star Wheel Silver, and allied support. 649
• Constructed more than thirty thousand Dao Orbits with his group over a century. 655
• Wove Five Elements, Formation, and Chaos Laws together to break the Ancient Immortal Realm's outer restriction. 837
• Created the evolving Heaven-Binding Earth-Tethering Great Array using the Ninety-Nine Ring Mountains as its foundation. 929
• His formation rules can suppress Great Vehicle rule-based methods, though unusually powerful foreign Rules of Power can disrupt an incomplete manifestation of his strength. 589 719

Physical Combat and Body Refinement

Big Black Ox's physical body is among his greatest strengths, reinforced through tribulation, body-aperture cultivation, and his Ancient Immortal Ox bloodline.

• Learned body refinement from Chen Xun's Body Refinement Booklet and fully absorbed the body-tempering power of heavenly tribulation. 253
• Fought three Nascent Soul cultivators simultaneously and held them off in the air. 234
• Defeated Late-Stage Spirit Transformation Defiled Lifespans with the Black Coffin. 337
• Uses the techniques Black Ox Charge, Black Ox Overhead, and Black Ox Coffin Lift; he rammed a rule-protected mountain tens of thousands of times until its defenses collapsed. 719
• Destroyed Burial Nether's third-grade treasure ship and shattered Jiaolong Honored One's body with a single restrained punch. 828
• Battled ancient powerhouses in Ten Thousand Tribulations Time Sand using body-aperture force capable of erupting with Heaven-and-Earth-collapsing power. 1154

Big Black Coffin

The Big Black Coffin is his Natal Supreme Treasure, personally made for him by Chen Xun and ritually refined with essence blood. 93 108

• Functions as a storage and combat treasure; his largest Storage Bag was selected specifically to carry it. 94
• Releases dense death qi and Death Qi Laws capable of forming a Black Sea across a battlefield. 335 719
• Was used with a mist array to capture Azure Pool Sect Master Qin Xianqin. 157
• Its presence and power are feared even by Defiled Lifespans and high-level cultivators. 335 337

Divine Sense and Split Souls

Big Black Ox's divine sense developed alongside his cultivation and has unusual compatibility with Defiled Lifespans, formations, and soul-based creations.

• Yin Cold Qi from slain Defiled Lifespans entered his body and transformed into divine-sense power within his Divine Apertures. 275
• Can release his Primordial Spirit in battle. 337
• Can communicate through divine sense following his Golden Core transformation, although he usually prefers mooing. 107 614
• Fragments of his split soul were placed into Chen Yanshu, granting the created Super Cultivation Lifeform independent consciousness while allowing Big Black Ox to sense and influence him. 732

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Big Black Coffin — Natal Supreme Treasure that stores possessions and channels death qi. 93 108
• Bandit Set and Bandit Mask — Concealing black attire designed around his horns; the set helps protect against sinister-wind attacks on divine sense. 94 210
• Five Elements Array Flags — Used to build, reinforce, seal, and activate large-scale formations. 337 837 929
• Formation booklet — A treasure with extensive storage space and a different formation branded on each page; later entrusted to Chen Yanshu. 732
• Earth Character ritual robes — Azure Sky Array Dao Palace robes marking his status as an Earth Character Inspector. 656
• Great Dao Fetal Garment and Great Dao Immortal Mountains — Acquired during his immortal tribulation. 1881

Relationships

• Chen Xun — Blood brother, lifelong companion, and the person Big Black Ox vowed to follow. They cultivate, travel, fight, and plan together with near-wordless understanding. 7 107 488
• Ji Kun — Fellow Five Elements Sect disciple and friend who treated Big Black Ox as “Junior Brother Ox” and was prepared to earn another Foundation Establishment Pill for him if needed. 77 1079
• Little Crimson — Younger companion protected by Big Black Ox; they cooperate in gathering resources, operating formations, and fighting Defiled Lifespans. 224 253 342
• Little Crane — Trusted companion and formation assistant; she worked with Big Black Ox on the Azure Sky Dao Orbits. 649
• Jin Yu — Nascent Soul Ancestor who guided Big Black Ox and Chen Xun at Moon Holding Pavilion; she helped explain the significance of his name. 178 185
• He Ling — Family-like companion who calls him Second Brother and attempted to stabilize his divine soul after he was injured. 1148
• Chen Ba Tian and Chen Yanshu — Super Cultivation Lifeforms created using fragments of Chen Xun's and Big Black Ox's split souls; Big Black Ox regards them as juniors and companions. 732
• Frog Daoist — An associate who respects and fears his strength, later seeking his aid after calling for him through a month of roaring. 929 1078
• Jiaolong Honored One — An enemy tied to past violence against Chen Xun; Big Black Ox later inflicted devastating retribution upon him. 828

Story Role / Major Arcs

Five Elements Sect and Early Wandering

Big Black Ox serves as Chen Xun's constant partner through their early cultivation, their years in the Five Elements Sect, and their departure after three centuries of stalled spirit-root progress. He develops from an intelligent companion into a cultivator, formation specialist, and battlefield protector. 7 77 94

Guardian and Nascent Soul Era

After Chen Xun's Golden Core tribulation, Big Black Ox defends him against over a hundred Foundation Establishment cultivators. He later forms his own core, settles with Chen Xun in reclaimed wilderness, becomes Guardian Old Ox at Moon Holding Pavilion, and advances through Nascent Soul cultivation. 105 107 185 253

Realm Battlefield

In the Black Earth Land, Big Black Ox becomes a central combatant against Defiled Lifespans. He kills enemies to strengthen his divine sense, fights Late-Stage Spirit Transformation foes with the Black Coffin, and joins Chen Xun when the battle turns into a prolonged blood-sacrifice crisis. 275 337 342

Array Dao Palace

His formation expertise becomes publicly recognized when he repairs Dao Orbits, participates in constructing tens of thousands of them, and receives the title of Earth Character Inspector from the Azure Sky Array Dao Palace. 649 655 656

Desolate Heaven Domain and Ox Ancestor

Following his Tribulation Transcendence breakthrough, Big Black Ox's Chaos Five Elements body and Ancient Immortal Ox bloodline become increasingly apparent. As Ox Ancestor, he activates the Heaven-Binding Earth-Tethering Great Array and confronts the Manifestation of Heaven's Wrath. 703 929

Immortal Ancient Forbidden Ground

To keep Chen Xun from being drawn into catastrophe, Big Black Ox enters the Immortal Ancient Forbidden Ground alone. He confronts Myriad Races Statues, experiences visions tied to the Five Elements Sect and Chen Xun's death, and ultimately battles ancient powerhouses at the Heaven-and-Earth gateway until Chen Xun comes for him. 1150 1152 1154

Immortal Realm

At the peak of the Immortal Firmament, Big Black Ox undergoes an immense immortal tribulation and stabilizes his Great Dao. He later returns as a Dao body of Chen Xun during the conflict with the Nine Tribulations Dao Venerables, subdues the Ox-Faced Mountain Clan's Old Ancestor, and continues accompanying Chen Xun in later travels. 1881 1918 1957 2330

Trivia

• Big Black Ox's first recorded wish was to follow Chen Xun forever. 7
• Chen Xun repeatedly teases him as “Big Black Ox with a Big Black Coffin,” despite the coffin being one of Big Black Ox's most treasured possessions. 93
• After reaching Foundation Establishment, he wanted Chen Xun to call him “Junior Brother Ox.” 77
• He can use divine sense to speak, but prefers his original form of communication; Chen Xun claims to understand him from a single moo. 107 614
• He loves herb cultivation, formation research, stockpiling resources, and reclaiming wilderness for planting. 107 118 719