Eternal Tale

"Moo!" Brother Ox nodded vigorously.

"Take this booklet. Without opening the body’s acupoints, you won’t be able to cultivate the flower," Chen Xun said as he handed over the carefully compiled body cultivation manual from his storage ring. "Black Ox, don’t disappoint me. After all, your black ox skin is just three shades tougher than mine."

"Moo~~~" Brother Ox dropped to his knees, lifting his hooves in a gesture of respect, accepting his brother's gift with reverence.

Xiao Chi’s eyes shone with envy. He was also interested in body cultivation, but due to the limitations of his species, he could only strengthen himself gradually and couldn't learn these techniques. Additionally, his path was somewhat deviated; he lacked the resources for body cultivation and had to rely on enhancing his flameglow spiritual sense to advance. That’s why he rarely confronted other spirit beasts directly.

"Xiao Chi."

"Yes, Big Brother?"

"Take your time. There’s no rush. I, Dao Ancestor, will not neglect you. If the opportunity arises in the future, I’ll defy fate for you and transform your bloodline!"

Chen Xun clasped his hands behind his back, looking up at the sky. "Your Crane Brother was also nurtured by me alone. Anything is possible."

"Yes, Dao Ancestor!" Xiao Chi's eyes widened with excitement as he prostrated himself like Brother Ox. "This little brother will follow you to the end, without regret!"

Though he didn’t quite understand what defying fate meant, he understood what changing his bloodline implied. For spirit beasts, bloodline was both a strength and a shackle. It was a bond—both a gift and a curse.

However, Xiao Chi had already severed his ties with his kind. Now, as Dao Ancestor’s follower, he was forging his own path!

"Alright…" Chen Xun almost burst into laughter, barely keeping a straight face. "Xiao Chi, let’s go mining. Brother Ox, you can train on your own."

"Got it, Big Brother!"

"Moo moo!" Brother Ox had already begun reading through the booklet, preparing to enter seclusion for training.

Chen Xun's body radiated with five-element light as the flow of energy in the air converged again. The illusory flower of essence was drawn into his body, disappearing completely.

Xiao Chi licked his lips, becoming increasingly certain that his big brother was not of human origin, and likely had an extraordinary background. He felt incredibly lucky to have met these two elder brothers.

As Xiao Chi lost himself in thought, he was suddenly grabbed by a large hand. He yelped in surprise as Chen Xun lifted him onto his back.

Xiao Chi grinned, clinging onto Chen Xun’s shoulder, feeling a deep sense of security and warmth. Together, they headed toward the mine, ready to dig.

Clang! Clang!

Chen Xun and Xiao Chi worked seamlessly together, digging deep into the ground. The mine filled with rubble and the sound of stones flying, echoing with the clang of their efforts. ɌΆΝ∅𝐁ĘS̈

...

Twenty years later, a bolt of lightning split the island’s surface, accompanied by a powerful, resonant hum that echoed in all directions.

Brother Ox, bathed in the lightning, rose slowly. A towering, terrifying shadow emerged behind him, its form indistinct but nourished by the essence of heaven and earth, beyond even spiritual perception. The only clear feature was its massive eyes, coldly scanning the island, exuding explosive power that felt invincible.

Xiao Chi stood in the depths of the mine, staring blankly at the sky. The pressure made his blood boil uncontrollably, his bloodline suppressed.

"Brother Ox... what kind of spirit beast is he?" Xiao Chi felt weak. The pressure emanating from Brother Ox seemed even more terrifying than Chen Xun’s.

Xiao Chi had never encountered a spirit beast at the Nascent Soul stage that couldn’t speak, just like his two elder brothers—each an enigma among spirit beasts.

In a dark, deep tunnel elsewhere, a figure wielding a mountain-splitting axe chuckled softly. In an instant, he transformed into a streak of blue light, arriving at the mouth of the tunnel.

He glanced up, feeling his own body resonate with the distant vibrations in the air, his blood threatening to boil but suppressed by his internal acupoints.

"Brother Ox, you’ve outpaced me in body cultivation."

Fundamentally, Brother Ox was still a spirit beast, and his physical strength had always surpassed Chen Xun’s. It was likely that Brother Ox could progress further down this path.

Chen Xun felt genuinely happy for his brother, though he still couldn’t resist a mischievous grin, unwilling to admit it aloud.

"Moo moo~~"

A roar echoed across the island as the calm sea turned into crashing waves. Brother Ox had fully awakened, and a Rootless Essence Flower similar to Chen Xun’s manifested and was absorbed into his body.

His fur became dense, and his body appeared more imposing, emanating an overwhelming sense of power.

Brother Ox’s eyes narrowed as his aura gradually diminished. He flew toward the mine pit, where Chen Xun and Xiao Chi were.

"Brother Ox!"

"Big Brother Ox!"

Chen Xun and Brother Ox laughed heartily, while Xiao Chi’s shout was the loudest. His face was covered in soot, as was Chen Xun’s, their lips smudged black from the mining work.

Over the past twenty years, they had tirelessly excavated the mine. Xiao Chi, now accustomed to Chen Xun’s obsession with mining, no longer viewed it as mere frugality but rather a necessary practice. The idea that resources must not be wasted had taken root in his worldview.

Chen Xun often said that resources from the earth were finite and might take ages to replenish. Even if they had ample resources, they shouldn’t waste them. If they found unclaimed treasures, they were theirs; if claimed, they moved on, avoiding conflicts and unnecessary enemies.

"Moo!" Brother Ox charged toward Chen Xun, his fur retreating into his body, transforming him back into an unassuming black ox.

"How are you?!" Chen Xun asked, patting Brother Ox’s head with satisfaction. His friend’s hide had indeed grown tougher and more resilient.

"Moo moo!"

Brother Ox rubbed against Chen Xun, indicating that he had fully mastered the techniques in the booklet. The power of the tribulation had been fully harnessed, and he no longer needed to suppress it.

"Brother Ox, Big Brother and I mined all the way through and sorted the Starshifting Black Ores!" Xiao Chi proudly presented a large bag filled with storage rings. "There’s more than enough for you to build the teleportation array, haha."

"Moo~~" Brother Ox snorted in satisfaction, patting Xiao Chi before hoisting him onto his back.

Chen Xun stepped aside, looking at the expansive, devastated mine, his eyes glinting with determination. "Now that Brother Ox is back, let's comb through every inch of this place!"

"Moo!" Brother Ox responded with a roar, now feeling stronger than ever and ready to dig.

"Got it, Big Brother!"

Xiao Chi also shouted excitedly, his body glowing red as he grew larger.

"Let’s go!!!"

Chen Xun shouted, his voice echoing far and wide, stirring the leaves across the island into a frenzy. The three spread out, surveying the mine's paths. Chen Xun’s booklet contained much of his accumulated knowledge from years of experience—each collapse he’d survived was a valuable lesson.

On moonless nights, they would gather at the mine’s base, their sinister laughter echoing as they planned something in secret.

A year later.

Boom!!

The central mine on the island was completely emptied. The land was covered in tunnels, a scene of utter desolation, with not a single fragment left behind.

The three figures stood at the edge of the mine, surveying their work. Xiao Chi, perched on Brother Ox’s back, held a large bag, panting with excitement.

The hundreds of storage rings they had used were now filled to the brim with ore, enough to last for generations.

Brother Ox nudged Chen Xun, who grinned.

"Haha, we’ve struck it rich—more than with the Extinguishing Spirit Stones."

Chen Xun’s eyes sparkled like gemstones. "Cultivation is wonderful—so much to discover and gather. Haha..."

Xiao Chi let out a low growl, his heart pounding with excitement. He had never imagined they’d empty a whole mine. Who knew how many rare resources these ores could be traded for in Da Li?

As he looked at Chen Xun, Xiao Chi smiled, feeling that following him and wandering the world wasn’t so bad after all.

"Brother Ox, Xiao Chi," Chen Xun’s tone shifted, becoming colder. "Prepare for the execution plan. When we break through to the Deity Transformation Stage, that old bastard will meet his end!"

They needed to uncover who Long Guanzi truly was, and the identity of the entity behind his descent. None would escape their retribution!

"Moo~~~!"

"Understood, Big Brother."

Brother Ox and Xiao Chi nodded solemnly, their eyes turning cold. The plan was vast and had been in the works for a long time. Killing a Deity Transformation cultivator would cause an unprecedented upheaval across Da Li.

Only in large-scale wars did Deity Transformation cultivators perish. It had been ages since one had fallen outside of such conflicts; the chances of a duel ending in death were

even rarer.

"Brother Ox, let’s start preparing a large number of Five Elements Stones."

Xiao Chi looked down at Brother Ox, still a bit fearful, but resolved to fight for his two elder brothers.

"Moo~" Brother Ox’s eyes sharpened as he looked at the pit. A flash of black light later, they reappeared at the bottom.

Chen Xun, hands behind his back, stared into the depths. He had never let go of those who harbored ill will against them. If they had lacked the power to protect themselves, they would have long become pawns.

With their enemies exposed, it was time to prepare. Even if it took decades or centuries, Chen Xun would wait—killing a Deity Transformation cultivator must be foolproof.

At the pit’s bottom, a black light surged skyward. Brother Ox’s eyes gleamed coldly as the five-element formation flags settled in place, beginning to expand.

A massive formation rose, filled with Extinguishing Spirit Stones. Xiao Chi, despite the strain, maintained his concentration, using his flameglow spiritual sense to control the Extinguishing Spirit Winds. Without them, the stones would be useless.

Sweat dripped from Xiao Chi’s brow as he suppressed the winds, forcing the five-element energy into the giant stones, slowly converting them into Five Elements Stones.

As the two worked, a cold killing intent filled the mine.

"Long Guanzi of the Yu family, you better be ready."

Chen Xun’s expression darkened, his lips curling into a smile. "This place will be your... burial ground."

His voice drifted through the air, filling the island with an ominous chill, a sense of finality.

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