Eternal Tale

Three days later.

A small mountain village was filled with the sound of suona horns, yellow paper scattered across the sky. Chief Chen passed away. A group of pallbearers carried the coffin along a rugged mountain path. Little Hei sobbed, tears streaming down his face, his resolute eyes filled with sorrowful despair.

Chen Xun passed quietly on a crisp and sunny autumn afternoon.

On a nearby hill stood a great big black ox, blood dripping from its scar-covered body. In its mouth, it held a medicinal herb.

From afar, the big black ox fixed its gaze on the funeral procession, its eyes unwavering. It couldn’t believe it. It wouldn’t believe that Chen Xun had truly died!

The big black ox’s eyes grew increasingly bloodshot. It knew immortals existed in this world. Chen Xun could be brought back to life! It would seek the immortals and demand his resurrection!

The next night, under the cover of a moonless sky, the big black ox dug up Chen Xun’s grave. Even the coffin lid was tossed aside. Hoisting Chen Xun’s body onto its back, it disappeared into the endless darkness.

Years later.

The big black ox personally crafted a coffin and placed Chen Xun inside. It roamed the sacred mountains, begging immortals to accept it as a disciple.

It was hunted by demonic beasts and pursued by humans, yet each time it narrowly escaped with its life.

The big black ox endured humiliation, eventually becoming the guardian beast of a sect. It began its path of cultivation, training harder than anyone else, all to resurrect Chen Xun.

Time passed. Eras changed. A thousand years had gone by, and even the sect had fallen into decay.

The big black ox remained alive, its eyes cold and silent. Carrying the coffin on its back, it wandered the world, devoid of emotion, using others merely as tools.

It journeyed with the coffin, leaving a trail of carnage. Ruthless and relentless, it sought opportunities and resources. Over time, a terrifying legend spread through the cultivation world:

A great demon had emerged, carrying a coffin and emanating misfortune. It was not to be provoked. If encountered, one should flee!

Yet the big black ox endured, its body surrounded by three chipped axes. It traveled between realms, devoted to cultivation.

Ages passed like fleeting dreams. It no longer knew how strong it had become.

The big black ox’s eyes were hollow, like a puppet devoid of soul. It had failed to discover a way to bring someone back to life. There was no reincarnation in this world. It had never met anyone like Chen Xun, not even remotely similar.

One day, it arrived at a small hill. The breeze swept by, and the trees bowed, reminiscent of that long-ago day.

“Moo~”

The big black ox stared blankly into the distance. Beside it, the black coffin lay quietly, its purpose long forgotten. It no longer had a reason to live.

The aura of annihilation surrounded it. Clutching the coffin tightly, it longed for Chen Xun. Even toiling in the fields together, even in poverty, anything would have sufficed...

“Moo~~”

The big black ox’s eyes grew misty, Chen Xun’s face gradually appearing in its vision. Was it its elder brother coming to fetch it...

“Moo~~ Moo~~”

The big black ox’s mournful cries echoed across the heavens. It had tried. It had truly tried!

The deceased could not be resurrected. Reincarnation did not exist. Chen Xun was gone, leaving no trace behind.

Its body grew weaker, its dao heart crumbling inch by inch. The aura of annihilation filled the air. It was exhausted. Immortality was meaningless...

Reincarnation... Reincarnation was nothing but a lie...

The big black ox slowly closed its eyes. Reincarnation was a deception—a grand fraud of the cultivation world, a cosmic deceit!

Despair weighed heavier than death itself.

Suddenly!

Its eyes snapped open, a surge of overwhelming energy erupting. A powerful tremor surged from its heart. Why had it thought of reincarnation? Hadn’t it wanted to resurrect Chen Xun?

The annihilating aura in the air dissipated in an instant.

The big black ox snorted heavily, its clouded eyes regaining clarity. Why had it thought of its elder brother at that moment? Who was this elder brother?! Wasn’t it always thinking of Chen Xun?

“Moo! Moo!!”

Its head throbbed painfully. A profound tremor stirred in its heart, as though brushing against something terrifying.

“Old Ox, reincarnation exists, but the present is more vital. Our present is the culmination of countless cycles. A great dream spanning millennia, and only we endure, our true selves intact!”

“No matter what illusions you faced in the heart-devil trial, I’m here waiting for you. The road ahead is still long.”

The voice struck like a thunderclap, reverberating within its mind. This Chen Xun—this wasn’t its elder brother!

“Moo! Moo!!”

The big black ox’s body trembled violently. Its eyes turned sharper, and it suddenly let out an earth-shaking roar:

“Moo!!!”

Boom!

The coffin beside him exploded, and ”Chen Xun” abruptly awakened; he had come back to life, or so it seemed. His face was full of terror. How could his true form resurrect itself? It was supposed to have reached the final step!

The great big black ox stood, its eyes icy cold, colder than the frost of December. Its aura surged to an unprecedented height. The true big black ox had fully awakened, reclaiming its original self.

This ”Chen Xun” was a fraud. In all their years together, he had never once scolded the big black ox!

A chill ran through the big black ox’s heart. What a terrifying tribulation of the inner demon. Thankfully, it hadn’t truly experienced those events—it felt more like watching someone else’s memories unfold.

”You’ve endured so much... and you still believe in reincarnation?!”

”Moo!”

The big black ox’s gaze was unshakable. If the elder brother said reincarnation existed, then it must. This wretch sought to shatter its dao heart and plunge it into oblivion within the tribulation of the inner demon.

The ”Chen Xun” dissolved into a purple shadow, its voice sharp and piercing. ”Impossible! The seed of your inner demon was planted when you built your foundation. Chen Xun and reincarnation are your deepest obsessions; they cannot be wrong!!”

The inner demon howled in agony, as if it had been deceived.

The big black ox sneered, its expression laced with scorn. The inner demon might know it well, but it could never understand the real Chen Xun.

Thinking of this, its anger grew. How could a mere inner demon replicate the true demeanor of its elder brother? Finally, it let out a heaven-shaking roar:

”Moo!!!”

Boom!

Heaven and earth collapsed, the sun and moon fell, and chaos reigned. A brilliant golden path appeared in the sky.

The big black ox took a deep breath. The real Chen Xun was on the other side.

Its third and fourth brothers were there, waiting for it. Determination shone in its eyes. It stepped into the void, knowing all its suffering had been worth it.

On the battlefield of the realm, 

The heavenly tribulation had passed, and the radiance had faded. Five days had passed since the big black ox endured its tribulation. It lay motionless, its body emanating a suffocating aura of annihilation, as if it would never awaken.

”Brother Xun, Brother Ox...”

”No matter. We’ll wait here. It’s just an inner demon tribulation—I’ve already calculated every possibility. The inner demon will be outmaneuvered.”

Chen Xun’s fingers trembled slightly, but he laughed heartily as he looked at Little Red. ”Don’t underestimate your Brother Ox!”

”...Alright.”

Little Red cast a deep look at his elder brother. It was the first time he had seen Chen Xun sweat—a single drop beading on his brow. The tribulation of the inner demon was far from as simple as Chen Xun made it sound.

Chen Xun watched the big black ox from a distance, his gaze calm and profound, his mind empty.

Then, without warning, a shocking change erupted.

A terrifying aura surged into existence, dispersing the annihilating energy. It was transforming into the overwhelming aura of a nascent soul cultivator!

”Moo!”

A resounding bellow reverberated across the heavens. It was so mighty it shook the soul. In the sky, the big black ox’s figure slowly opened its eyes, cold and resolute.

”Old Ox!!!”

”Brother Ox!!!”

”Moo!!!”

The big black ox’s icy demeanor melted the instant it heard those voices.

With an ecstatic roar, it saw its elder brother and fourth brother. In a flash of black light, it dashed toward them, and they embraced tightly.

Laughter echoed for miles, startling a hidden creature, Hui Shou. From its hiding place, its scalp tingled with dread—this was where heavenly wrath had descended, a place of filth and danger!

The big black ox nudged Chen Xun excitedly, its enthusiasm causing it to accidentally blurt out parts of its inner demon tribulation.

Suddenly.

A surge of intense rage erupted in Hui Shou’s heart. A deafening roar filled the air once more:

”Old Ox, you scoundrel—you dug up my grave?!”

”And you even tore off the coffin lid?!!”

Chen Xun’s voice carried a terrifying undertone as he loomed over the big black ox, a shadow darkening its form. ”Heh...”

The big black ox’s eyes widened in panic. A chilling fear spread through its body, but it had already channeled its magic into its hooves, sweat pouring as it carefully backed away. Things were about to go terribly wrong.

”Ximen Black Ox, prepare to die!!!”

Chen Xun’s veins bulged as an enormous hand stretched across the sky, slamming down with unstoppable force. A violent shockwave hurled the big black ox far into the distance.

”Moo!!!~~”

The big black ox let out a miserable cry, shrinking into a tiny black dot before vanishing into the dark horizon.

Little Red’s fur bristled as he stood frozen, wide-eyed, and speechless, too scared to move. All he wanted to do was flee.

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