Eternal Tale

"Moo~~~!" The big black ox let out a loud bellow, its eyes wide open, nodding vigorously.

"I'll make you the Five Elements Flag, using the Crane Spirit Five Elements Tree." Chen Xun grinned, patting the big black ox. "Old Ox, I won't hide it from you—my artifact refinement skills have now surpassed your imagination."

"Moo~" The big black ox nodded repeatedly, fully believing him. This, it truly believed.

The framework of this massive boat was crafted by the elder brother's hand, which had left it completely dumbfounded, as he could handle five tasks at once.

"Heh heh." Chen Xun's eyes gleamed with pride as he sat down, still stroking the deck.

The materials for this boat were made from the wood of a 99,000-year-old Crane Spirit Five Elements Tree. They had even once cultivated a tree that was 100,000 years old.

That was an unforgettable night.

The 100,000-year-old Crane Spirit Five Elements Tree no longer emitted a dead aura but instead gave off a different kind of energy. The wood became very fragile at times and extremely hard at others.

It seemed like the energy had become very unstable, and they naturally didn't dare use such wood.

They could only transplant it onto the boat, slowly increasing its age because Chen Xun had a feeling that the changes in this tree might be related to the Five Elements Immortal Path.

If they later nurtured this tree to become sentient, it wouldn't be impossible for it to become their third brother—after all, they were all troublemakers.

This home wouldn't be complete without it; so many high-aged spiritual herbs needed to be stored in special containers, and ordinary-aged Crane Spirit Trees were no longer effective.

"Old Ox, let's refine this boat together as our life-bound treasure." A gleam flashed in Chen Xun's eyes. "Our immortal paths are interconnected. With our blood essence nourishing it, its age will gradually increase, and we can nurture it infinitely!"

"Moo!!" The big black ox snorted, understanding Chen Xun's meaning.

Once a wood-attribute artifact is refined into a life-bound treasure, it will essentially retain its original characteristics and begin to infinitely increase its capabilities.

Chen Xun cast a deep look around. "Old Ox, if we infinitely nurture this boat, is there a possibility?"

"Moo?"

"That the barrier at the edge of the Milky Way could be shattered, breaking through to another realm!"

"Moo?!!"

The big black ox's eyes widened, even stepping back a few steps. Its pupils trembled—what kind of wild idea was this, how did the elder brother come up with it?

Chen Xun chuckled deeply. "This is interesting, very exciting."

The big black ox felt its body go weak, lying sideways on the mountain of the boat, its four legs stretched out, breaking out in a cold sweat. It had read Brother Ji's ancient texts.

"Let's get to work!"

"Moo!"

The big black ox leapt up, its eyes full of enthusiasm, its mind beginning to wander. The knowledge of the immortal world no longer applied to them.

The two of them sat cross-legged on the boat, their divine consciousness spreading in all directions, with ten Five Elements Nascent Souls seated atop, drawing the Five Elements Qi from the heavens and earth into the valley.

From that day on, terrifying humming sounds could be heard daily from the Flower Rain Valley, like a giant beast breathing deeply from the depths of the earth—extremely terrifying.

The area within a hundred-mile radius outside the valley had become a forbidden zone, guarded by disciples of the Moon Tower.

Anyone who trespassed would at best be sent to the back mountain to reflect in isolation, forbidden from cultivating. At worst, they would be sent to the Snow Listening Valley to be lectured by Master Jiang.

...

The passage of time was like withered leaves falling, and the fading time indicated that hope was gradually diminishing while regret was slowly growing.

Unknowingly, fifty years had passed in the blink of an eye, and three resolute figures in the Snow Listening Valley had packed their belongings.

They solemnly bid farewell to Jiang Xuechen, their eyes looking westward—that was the direction of Qian Nation, where their roots were.

This was the result of the teachings of the two ancestors. Cultivating immortality without roots would ultimately lead to loneliness, with no one to send you off when you die in a foreign land.

Their auras were restrained, and their external cultivation level was only at the early Foundation Establishment stage, but their true cultivation was already at the early Golden Core stage.

Even Jiang Xuechen couldn't see through the reality of their cultivation and didn't know what kind of concealment techniques they were practicing.

Liu Han and Shi Wujun had reached the early Golden Core stage long ago and were starting to refine their life-bound treasures while waiting for Ji Zhao.

Ji Zhao, too, had broken through to the Golden Core stage with the accumulation of a large amount of resources. The three of them were calm, as everything had come naturally.

As long as they hadn't reached the level of the most powerful beings who could shake a region, they couldn't afford to be anxious. Heaven would not protect such people!

On the way down the mountain.

The three of them were quite spread out, and the female cultivators they passed by were surprised, unable to discern their relationship.

But they all had kind smiles and were approachable, not judging heroes by their cultivation level.

The three began to communicate quietly.

"Liu Han, will the two ancestors come?"

"Wujun, it's not for us to speculate on the intentions of the ancestors."

"I know, I just wanted to see the two ancestors and say goodbye."

"Liu Han, Wujun, the ancestors will surely be watching over us from somewhere, there's no need to worry."

As Ji Zhao walked down the mountain path, his expression was solemn. "Do we have a confirmed plan and route? The journey back to the Five Elements Sect is long, and the immortal world is quite unsettled right now."

Just as the three of them were exchanging thoughts, there was a sudden stillness around them.

Liu Han's eyes suddenly brightened, Shi Wujun's mouth opened wide in joy, and Ji Zhao's eyes widened, his hand trembling.

Two figures stood ahead of them, looking completely ordinary, yet possessing an aura that seemed untouched by the world. They were none other than the two ancestors!

"Greetings to the two ancestors!" The three stood in a line, exclaiming in surprise.

They had thought the ancestors were in seclusion and had forgotten their departure.

"I said I would come to see you off."

"Moo~"

Chen Xun and the big black ox smiled, looking at these three juniors with a sense of nostalgia.

"Come closer, get a little closer." Chen Xun waved them over, taking out three storage bags. "These need to be bound with your blood. If you die, the bags will be destroyed—these were prepared for you by the Ox Ancestor."

"Thank you, Ox Ancestor." The three bowed in respect.

"Moo moo~~"

The big black ox grinned and nudged each of them.

Ji Zhao suddenly took a deep breath and knelt with a thud: "Thank you, Ox Ancestor, for the teachings!"

He had the worst aptitude, and the Ox Ancestor had spent the most time on him, explaining various cultivation difficulties.

"Moo~~" The big black ox snorted blankly, lifting him with a raise of its hoof.

Chen Xun, with one hand behind his back, looked at the three of them. "This journey is only to temper your hearts. Don't worry about your cultivation level; observe more, think more, and record more."

"Yes, Ancestor."

"When you break through to the Nascent Soul stage, there will be a great heart-refining tribulation. The more impatient you are, the harder it will be to break through."

Chen Xun explained calmly, "Go down the mountain and see the mortal world, see the immortal world—you will naturally gain insights. Struggles are merely for opportunities."

The three respectfully cupped their hands. Given the Ancestor's style, the three storage bags might contain resources that could lead them straight to the Nascent Soul stage.

"But no matter what you encounter, remember, cultivation is only one part of your strength—always hold respect for all things."

"We will remember the Ancestor's teachings."

Outside the Nine Palaces Mountain, at the mountain gate, the three young cultivators respectfully cupped their hands towards the man and the ox.

"Take your time on your way back, no need to rush." With his hands behind his back, Chen Xun looked out at the rolling yellow sand outside the mountain gate, feeling a bit desolate. "Go on, and don't come looking for us in the future. If there's fate, we'll meet again."