Eternal Tale

”Moo!” The big black ox bellowed to Chen Xun.

”Coming.” He shouted back and walked over.

Upon arriving, Chen Xun saw the silver coin in the man’s hand, and it caused his eyes to light up with joy. What a surprise, this was a rich customer!

He smiled at Senior Brother Yu and explained, ”Sir, my old ox hasn’t seen silver before, please don’t mind it.”

”No problem.” Senior Brother Yu only blinked his eyes in confusion and gave him the silver coin.

Chen Xun turned to the ox and gave it a meaningful glance, his brows furrowing. He then gave the man his change before going back to the pot.

Senior Brother Yu looked at the man working the pot and murmured, ”He’s an ordinary human. It seems I’ve been overly cautious.”

A second before he said this, Chen Xun’s hand, which was tossing the fried rice, paused for a moment. He felt someone probing him as a fluctuation appeared in his internal energy, but the Essence of All Things quickly masked any abnormalities.

‘There’s a cultivator in the crowd…’

His expression didn’t change, and he tried to act normal as he scanned for the culprit. He cheerfully tossed the rice into the air, yet he stayed alert. He raised his head and shouted, ”An order is ready,” with a smile while sweeping a glance over the people around.

”The little girl called the man “Senior Brother Yu.” This group is most likely…. Better not provoke them.” Chen Xun thought.

He didn’t slow down his hands and tossed just like usual. He even greeted everyone with a smile.

As time approached midnight, the shop turned quieter, and many of the residents started heading home. Chen Xun went out and prepared to close the shop for the day.

”Ladies and gentlemen, we’re closing up for the day. Could you stop ordering more food…?” Chen Xun asked in astonishment.

These people had been eating here all night. The ingredients he had prepared were almost running out.

”Boss, continue cooking. We have plenty of silver.” Junior Sister Ye said, obviously unwilling, a pout forming on her face.

”Boss, your food is really good.” Unexpectedly, Senior Brother Yu praised.

He had been skeptical at the start, but when he saw his junior sister’s admiration, he couldn’t help but try it out, and since then, he couldn’t stop eating too.

”Yes, Boss, it’s not like we’re not paying you,” the rest of the group chimed in, their eyes filled with appreciation.

”But I am almost out of ingredients….”

Their appetite had really left him shocked. How could these cultivators eat so much? He had even added some of their precious herbs as seasonings. Normal people could hardly finish a portion.

”Well then, Boss, are you here every night?” Ye asked happily. ”I haven’t had anything this delicious in a long time.”

”Not really. My stall is mobile.”

”Mobile?”

”You know, like I go with the flow. I go wherever I want and set up the stall.” Chen Xun explained that it wasn’t good to stay in one place for too long.

”How about you come to our sect and set up there?” She quickly suggested.

”Qingling!” Senior Brother Yu snapped coldly, ”If you speak out of turn again, I’ll send you back.” He glared and gave everyone a piercing look, then continued: “We are leaving.”

Junior Sister Ye apparently got her hackles up when he yelled like this. The surrounding junior brothers and sisters were also shaken seeing Senior Brother Yu get angry.

”Take care, everyone.”

Chen Xun smiled and bowed. He finally saw off this group of cultivators. He let out a sigh of relief and said, ”Old ox, let’s go.”

”Moo!”

The big black ox dashed out of the small building and came to the back, and they started pushing together. It wasn’t difficult, and before long, they stopped at an uninhabited grassy area.

”Old ox, how much did we earn today?” Chen Xun said. He wiped his sweat and grinned. ”You’ve worked hard.”

”Moo moo~”

The big black ox snorted towards Chen Xun. He was acting overly polite.

”Let’s earn more money. We need to save some. All the money we’ve earned in recent years has been used to arrange things for our friends.”

”Moo.”

The big black ox nodded. Life was good now. They didn’t need to socialize and meet anyone. Otherwise, they would often disappear.

Actually, they had many friends. The neighbors often came for a chat.

They thought the big black ox couldn’t understand their words, but it did. It felt that they treated it sincerely, and it enjoyed listening to their stories.

For some reason, it suddenly thought of their once neighbors and felt downcast.

”Old ox!” Chen Xun suddenly slapped the ox’s head hard, and it let out a ”moo moo,” in return. It gave Chen Xun a puzzled look, feeling stings of pain.

”Cheer up a bit, will you? Stop spacing-out over useless things,” Chen Xun said, pretending to be annoyed. He hadn’t seen the ox smile much this month. ”Why can’t you get over it?”

”Moo~”

The big black ox lowered its head and slowly walked over to the house before slumping on the ground. It started licking its hooves. Sadness could be seen in its eyes.

”All that we have done over the past few years was for merit. I want you to dedicate that merit to our friends in your heart. That merit will surely bring them wealth and stability in their next lives. Lives filled with happiness.” Chen Xun said in a displeased tone. He then decided to follow through with his trump card. ”I am sure both the heavens and Buddha will bless them.”

”Moo?”

A gleam of light appeared in the eyes of the big black ox. These words really resonated with it. It had a strong belief in the power of merit.

”Moo moo moo?”

”Really! I’ve already dedicated my merit to them. Otherwise, do you think I’d be like you?” Chen Xun said seriously. His words brimming with absolute confidence.

”Moo moo moo moo~”

The big black ox immediately sat up into what appeared to be the lotus position and muttering filled with ‘Moo moos’ filled the house.

Chen Xun shook his head, smiling lightly. His mindset was slowly changing. This mobile small house was the first step he had taken.

The longer they stayed in one place, the more attachments seemed to accumulate. They were not heartless individuals who had sealed off their emotions. It was depressing to settle down in the mortal cities.

”Moo!”

”Are you done?”

”Moo~”

The big black ox leaned against Chen Xun, smiling. It had already dedicated all its merit to their friends and would now begin accumulating it again.

”Hahaha...”

Chen Xun patted the big black ox sentimentally and leaned against it, gradually falling asleep.

In the days that followed, they went where the wind took them. Exploring various places, selling snacks in the evenings, and going shopping together during the day. Whenever they saw something they liked, they bought it.

One year later.

Chen Xun’s mobile small house has gained popularity in Panning City. Many people came because of its reputation. Everyone raised their thumbs and left one word: delicious!

However, one day, when they were out shopping for supplies, something unexpected had happened….

Currently, Chen Xun was carrying two bags of meat. When he neared the empty grassland, the spot where they leave their mobile house, he came to an abrupt stop, and the bags of meat slipped off his shoulder. With a _thud _they fell heavily to the ground. ”Where’s our house?!!” He yelled.

”Moo moo? Moo!!”

The big black ox anxiously cried out. It ran around the huge patch of grass, but it couldn’t find the house anywhere.

They felt their knees turn weak and they knelt on the grass, eyes devoid of light. Their home was gone...

”Damn it, damn it!” Chen Xun’s face was filled with fury, and a vein bulged on his forehead. ”How could they just come and steal such a big house?”

The ox trembled with anger. Little clouds of air came right through its nostrils onto the ground, causing blades of grass to snap and fly in the air. The animal felt hateful, no, extremely hateful!

”This must have been a large gang.” Spittle flew from Chen Xun’s mouth as he looked at the trail left on the ground by the tracks. ”Damn it, today we’re going on a rampage. Our pots, bowls, and utensils are all inside, along with the memories of so many years. They’ve followed us for so long!”

”Moo~~!!!”

The big black ox stood up, with its muscles bulging all over its body. It looked in the direction of the wheel tracks. The mobile house couldn’t have been moved quickly. Even they had to exert quite a bit of effort to move it around.

Chen Xun pulled out the bandit mask from his clothes, which he hadn’t used for quite some time, and unbuttoned his shirt, revealing his ten-pack abs. He then slowly drew two axes from his waist. The big black ox stood silently by his side.

Their eyes converged in the direction of the trail narrowing down into nothing in the distance. Chen Xun’s chest heaved.

”Old ox, let’s chase them!”

”Moo!!”

Two figures turned into a pair of hurricanes. Their eyes were bloodshot as they crazily pursued. They vowed to wreck havoc today. If they didn’t turn the world upside down and blot out the sun and moon, they would feel bent up!

The thieves who dared to steal from them… they deserved to die!

In the distance over the grassland, over a bridge, they saw it—their small house.

Chen Xun let out a roaring shout and lept into the air. His feet carried him a great distance.

Boom!

He landed firmly on the roof of their small house and it shook ever so slightly. At that moment, his disposition was especially imposing. He spoke coldly, ”What are you all doing in broad daylight?”

He slowly turned around and peered at the cluster of people standing near their make-shift food truck. He noticed something that caused his pupils to contract.

How come they were all officials of the city…?

”We are innocent!”

”Moo moo!”

And just like that, Chen Xun and the big black ox were imprisoned yet again. This time it was because their stall was too massive and occupied many positions that originally belonged to others. Many people relied on selling their goods on the street to make a living, however there weren’t enough spots for everyone in those bustling areas.

Countless vendors had reported them to the authorities, claiming that Chen Xun’s mobile house was causing problems and making it hard for them to survive.

It was only after ten days did the duo finally get released from jail in a sorry state. The days spent in the cell were miserable. They felt the air filled with liberation brush past their face and felt wonderful.

The officials were reasonable and returned their pots, bowls, and utensils to them, too. But the mobile house was too big and had to be demolished. They finally left them with a final warning and said they should refrain from repeating the same thing again.

In the end, Chen Xun felt grateful. He shed tears of joy while loudly praising the heavens and the old master. He promised that they would never inconvenience others again. This incident was their fault.