Eternal Tale

The next day, the sun shattered the dark blue sky like a blazing wheel of fire, suddenly breaking through the horizon.

Chen Xun and the big black ox stretched lazily and looked towards the morning glow.

"Old Ox, you're fully in charge of driving the giant ship," Chen Xun's eyes narrowed slightly. "The Five Elements Array flags and the Five Elements techniques are under my control."

"Moo." The big black ox gave him a reassuring look; it already had a plan in mind.

Since there were no Five Elements spirit stones, it decided to modify the Spirit Gathering Array into a Five Elements Gathering Array, using the array to absorb the Five Elements energy from the heavens and earth to power the ship.

"Head to Flower Rain Valley. I need to study all the techniques in the pavilion," Chen Xun smiled slightly. "Our defenses can now withstand the pain of chaotic meridians, so we can start creating new techniques."

"Moo~~" The big black ox descended from the rocking chair, nudged Chen Xun, then transformed into a flash of light and disappeared instantly.

Chen Xun took a deep breath, stored the chair in his storage ring, and walked into the Fengdu Pavilion.

Time flowed like a river as Chen Xun and the big black ox became fully engrossed in their work. A Crane Spirit Five Elements tree quietly grew from the stern of the giant ship.

It rooted itself within the ship, no longer absorbing the world's spiritual energy, but instead began to absorb the Five Elements energy of the heavens and earth.

Due to its young age, it looked similar to the original Crane Spirit tree. Chen Xun continued to observe its changes daily.

Every month, the three young disciples would leave Snow Listening Valley, and the four of them, along with the ox, would gather for a joyous reunion.

Ten years later, in Flower Rain Valley.

Chen Xun and the big black ox took to the air and stared in astonishment at the massive flying ship that occupied half the valley.

"Old Ox, what is this thing?"

"Moo?"

They were dumbfounded, their gaze fixed on the stern.

An eighty-thousand-year-old Crane Spirit Five Elements tree stood proudly at the stern. The dense leaves clustered together, rustling with the breeze, making a "shua-la" sound.

The tree's twisted roots and towering trunk reached high into the sky, nearly extending beyond the valley.

Half of the giant ship's hull was now concealed by the tree, but...

The leaves of this Crane Spirit tree were no longer green but had turned an extraordinarily mystical black-and-white color!

"Whoa... damn," Chen Xun slowly turned to look at the big black ox, feeling a bit panicked. What kind of species was this?

"Moo~~~!" The big black ox was equally bewildered, snorting heavily.

"Old Ox, our giant ship must be made from this wood. A true Five Elements flying ship. The original Crane Spirit tree was too closely tied to spiritual energy," Chen Xun squinted slightly as a pitch-black axe appeared in his hand. "This way, your array will definitely work!"

"Moo!" The big black ox was startled; the boss was right.

When it tried to set up the Five Elements Gathering Array, there was always a sense of repulsion from the giant ship, making it quite incompatible.

"Let's do it!"

"Moo!!"

At that moment, they donned their bandit gear and charged fiercely towards the giant ship.

Boom! Boom!

The entire valley echoed with thunderous sounds as the giant ship was blasted to pieces, and the Crane Spirit Five Elements tree collapsed, cracking the earth beneath it.

Chen Xun and the big black ox grinned bloodthirstily, using the Five Elements energy to completely disintegrate the spiritual objects, returning them to the heavens and earth.

...

Another forty years passed, and chaos finally began to stir in the cultivation world.

In the Qian Nation, incidents of ambushes on disciples of the Top Ten Sects became frequent. People killed and robbed to strengthen themselves, showing no fear.

Meanwhile, the Top Ten Sects no longer seemed as united as before; they began seeking new allies as if preparing for a reshuffling of power.

The Five Elements Sect completely sealed its mountain gates, stopped recruiting new disciples, and remained relatively quiet, even rarely interacting with the Purple Cloud Sect.

Rumors were spreading outside that the Five Elements Sect was not to be provoked for the next few centuries. With their mountain gates sealed, any attempt to challenge them would likely lead to a sect-wide war.

The eastern regions of the Qian Nation and its neighboring countries were in the greatest turmoil. The Northward Expedition of Moyu Pavilion ended in disaster, leading to its complete collapse, and fading into history.

The Moon Tower and the Four Symbols Alliance were struggling to hold on, waiting for the next Nascent Soul ancestor to emerge.

Several major cities at the foot of Nine Palaces Mountain were already in chaos, but then, a dozen Golden Core masters suddenly descended from Nine Palaces Mountain to quell the unrest.

The power of over a dozen Golden Core masters was a terrifying force in these troubled times.

Not only were outside cultivators shocked, but even the members of the Four Symbols Alliance were stunned. They couldn't believe Moon Tower had hidden its strength so well! Jiang Xuechen also issued a statement, refusing to meet any guests and sealing off the mountain!

Within Nine Palaces Mountain, in Flower Rain Valley, an enormous and mystical flying ship had taken shape. It was 150 zhang long, with pavilions built upon it. At the bow, there was a statue of a celestial crane looking towards the sky, wings poised as if ready to soar.

The pavilions housed various rooms for cultivation, including seclusion chambers, alchemy rooms, spirit beast chambers, and array rooms, all fully equipped.

At the very front of the ship’s deck, there was an observation pavilion for tea drinking or meditation.

Beneath the deck, there were areas for cultivating spiritual herbs, complete with artificial hills and small lakes, all well-lit and lined with crystals.

The big black ox had intricately carved the ship’s body with arrays, its mysterious runes densely covering every corner, leaving Chen Xun amazed.

At the stern, a Crane Spirit Five Elements tree swayed in the wind, its black-and-white leaves emitting a faint, mysterious glow.

Silently, the Five Elements energy of heaven and earth continually flowed through the ship, which appeared to be absorbing and exhaling it. However, cultivators couldn’t sense any spiritual energy from the ship, making its origins impossible to discern.

Two figures stood on the giant ship, their gazes calm and profound as they stood with their hands behind their backs, looking out into the distance.

"Old Ox..."

"Moo..."

They exchanged a deep, knowing glance and finally began to smile. Every part of this ship was crafted by their own hands, using up all the cultivation knowledge they had accumulated over millennia.

Every small detail was their labor of love, every carefully designed structure a testament to their experience.

Chen Xun took a deep breath, and the big black ox did the same.

"This is our Nation! This is our home!!"

"Moo!! Moo!!!"

They suddenly threw their heads back and roared, their mighty shouts echoing through the valley, reverberating in all directions, reaching far into the distance, and even to the resting places of their old friends...

Just then, a gentle breeze arose, carrying with it a fragrant scent. Where the wind blew, flower petals began to dance through the valley, drifting gracefully.

"Hahaha... The wind rises from my heart!" Chen Xun laughed heartily, watching the sea of petals in the sky. "The wind never stops, and neither do we. We walk with the wind, heading into the distance!"

"Moo~~~!" The big black ox pressed closely against Chen Xun, who was already embracing its head.

It had been so long since they had felt such exhilaration—so long they could no longer remember whether it had been decades or centuries.

"Old Ox, make the final preparations!" Chen Xun’s chest heaved with excitement. Only one final step remained. "With the Five Elements energy as our power source, Old Ox, it’s all up to you!"