Chapter 31 - Chapter 31: An Unexpected Encounter on the Mountain Path - Wishing My Fellow Daoist All the Best

"Moo? Moo moo moo?" The big black bull stared in disbelief at its own 'masterpiece,' suddenly yanked away by Chen Xun, still unable to process what had just happened. An hour later, the great fire was finally extinguished, and Chen Xun looked grimy, his shorts nearly burned away, his hair a chaotic mess, worse off than the fleeing commoners. They returned to the cave and sat across from each other. "Old Bull, I understand now; it turns out this magical power isn't the power within us." Chen Xun swallowed hard, let out a loud belch, and puffed out a cloud of black smoke. "This magical power is an enhancement to our spells." "Moo~" The big black bull understood too, its eyes wide with shock. "Incredible! The key is that the consumption of magical power is minimal." Chen Xun gaped; the consumption of his fireball technique was now less than half of what it used to be. "So that's the crux of it." "Moo?" "Old Bull, step aside a bit." Chen Xun narrowed his eyes slightly, palm open. "Let me try the Dan Fire." "Moo!" The big black bull quickly scampered away, hiding in the cave where they grew spiritual herbs, peeking out with half its head. "So pure." A small flame slowly appeared in Chen Xun's palm, and he continuously controlled the magical power within him to enhance it, making the flame grow larger. He stopped only when it matched the original Dan Fire. "Just as I thought." Chen Xun smiled slightly, continuously controlling the Dan Fire, the depletion of magical power within him remarkably slow. "If this continues, I can master the Dan Fire intricately." "Moo~" The big black bull slowly approached, watching the Dan Fire. Although it looked the same as before, it felt even more lively. Chen Xun clenched his palm, and the Dan Fire returned to his body. He looked at the big black bull: "Old Bull, we need to start refining our magical power again." "Moo?" "Because I don't want to be left with just my shorts." Chen Xun said irritably, "Got it?!" "Moo moo!" The big black bull grinned, understanding. In the days that followed, they continuously adapted to the magical power within them and finally found the trick, able to control it freely. During this time, Chen Xun also refined several batches of pills, significantly increasing the success rate and reducing the consumption of magical power. Many alchemists had fallen at the hurdle of Dan Fire, as any fluctuation in magical power could ruin an entire batch of pills, leading them to choose the more stable earth vein fire. The man and the bull exchanged crooked smiles in the cave, their shadows flickering in the candlelight, casting a terrifying aura around them. … The heavens can be mended, the seas can be filled, and the southern mountains can be moved. The sun and moon pass, never to be chased again; five years slipped by in the blink of an eye. The borders of the Qian Kingdom faced a great war, the crown prince officially ascended the throne, and the court was engulfed in bloodshed, with the common people wailing in despair. The Wu Kingdom was ambitious, its army pressing in, while the Qian Kingdom was in turmoil, and the ten great sects began to intervene in the national conflict. Naturally, the Wu Kingdom's sects would not yield, and a new round of strife began, with dark currents surging everywhere; under the grand tide of the world, no one could remain unscathed. Prosperity brings suffering to the people, and demise brings suffering to the people. On the outskirts of the Ningyun Mountain Range, a figure wearing a bandit mask was leading a big black bull slowly deeper into the mountains. As they passed through a forest, a dozen bandits sprang from the trees, licking their lips, their eyes glinting as they gazed at the figure below, their large knives gleaming coldly. This person was leading a bull, clearly not a significant figure; even bandits had their discernment, knowing not everyone was worth robbing. "Attack!" "Heh heh, leave the bull!" "Die for me, hahaha!!" … A dozen bandits leaped into the air, their eyes flashing with bloodlust; killing was a joyous affair, especially the final desperate screams of the prey. Yet the person leading the bull seemed oblivious, continuing to walk forward. The bandits grew even more excited; what a fool. Suddenly, a shocking change occurred. A gust of wind swept through, and from the bull-leader as the center, countless stones soared into the air, shooting towards the bandits like arrows. They moved with such speed and ferocity that they surpassed the limits of the naked eye. "Ah!!!" Cries of horror echoed through the forest, startling countless birds into flight. The dozen bandits fell helplessly to the ground, their heads pierced by stones, gaping holes opening up, blood flowing freely. "Moo." The big black bull let out a soft call, and flames ignited in the forest, leaving the bandits' remains utterly incinerated, yet not even singeing the surrounding grass. The man and the bull continued walking forward, their eyes calm and unperturbed, not a ripple stirring in their hearts. "Old Bull, this world is becoming increasingly unstable." Chen Xun said calmly, gazing ahead. "The Ningyun Mountain Range is a mix of fish and dragons; we need to prepare to leave." "Moo!" The big black bull replied heavily, a hint of killing intent in its eyes. They had experienced too much over these five years and seen too much. This world seemed never to be as beautiful as they had imagined… There were those fleeing who resorted to eating their companions' flesh, families migrating only to end up with a single survivor, who was then killed by bandits. Some sought immortals only to die at the hands of beasts, while others harbored ill intentions, repaying kindness with malice, ultimately meeting a ruthless end. After all they had been through, a hint of indifference finally appeared in Chen Xun and the big black bull's eyes. "Just a bunch of passersby whose names we don't even know." Chen Xun's lips curled slightly. "Old Bull, don't let them affect your state of mind; our world is still vast." "Moo moo~" The big black bull nuzzled Chen Xun, grinning widely. The man and the bull continued on their way, and the longevity points they had accumulated over the five years had all been poured into their magical power, their skills reaching an extraordinary level, resulting in a qualitative change. They no longer dared to unleash their full power; even a simple object manipulation spell had become terrifying, truly capable of taking an enemy's head from a thousand miles away as easily as reaching into a pocket. Standing on the ground, as long as it was within their line of sight, they could even knock down low-flying birds, and the fireball technique was even more fearsome… Moreover, the pills they refined now carried an indescribable quality, feeling much stronger than before, though their alchemy furnace had been rendered useless. However, with the large number of pills consumed, they had now broken through to the tenth level of the Qi Refining stage! The Rejuvenation Pill and Vitality Pill could no longer enhance their cultivation. A thin, almost imperceptible membrane now blocked their internal energy, solidifying their dantian like a steel wall, impossible to break through. Today, the sun blazed fiercely; although the north wind blew, there was still a warmth in the air. As they entered the depths of the Ningyun Mountain Range, an unknown floral fragrance wafted through the air. Walking along the rugged mountain path, they encountered a group of people descending the mountain. "Oh." The young woman in the lead paused, staring at Chen Xun for a long time. "It's you." Chen Xun and the big black bull were taken aback; who was this? Was she trying to pull a fast one? Even the people beside the young woman looked puzzled; how could she recognize someone wearing a mask? "It's been almost ten years, hasn't it? I didn't expect you to come again." The young woman suddenly smiled, a faint fragrance emanating from her. "I remember your mask and the bull." Chen Xun frowned; as she smiled, it seemed to merge with the image of a girl he had once frightened long ago. Her voice had matured significantly, and her appearance was no longer that of a youthful maiden; her eyes held many stories and a sense of composure. "Haha, it's you." Chen Xun recalled and asked, "Isn't the Immortal Ascension Conference starting? Aren't you selling spiritual herbs anymore?" "Not selling anymore; my aptitude for cultivation is limited, and I'm preparing to go home." The young woman replied with a smile, her mask still looking comical. "My family has arranged a marriage." "Congratulations! I actually have experience with both weddings and funerals." Chen Xun said earnestly, even cupping his hands in salute. "I see from your features that you are a blessed person; everything will surely go smoothly for you in the future." "Then I'll borrow your good words, fellow Daoist." The young woman nodded slightly, casting a deep glance toward the direction of the Immortal Ascension Conference. "I also wish you a successful ascension and all the best." "Fellow Daoist, safe travels." Chen Xun stepped aside, leading the big black bull. The young woman turned, looking back at Chen Xun with that sweet smile from before, and left with her companions. Chen Xun continued on his way, the two groups passing each other, heading toward different futures. He suddenly stopped and turned back, watching the group below. A mountain breeze swept by, setting off a sea of flowers, the young woman's hair dancing in the wind. Chen Xun smiled faintly and turned to leave.