Eternal Tale

Night fell over Panning City.

This grand city seemed to have been refurbished again, with no trace of wear on its walls.

The city gates were bustling with people and goods, a scene of prosperity and liveliness.

The soldiers on either side, full of vigor, watched the travelers with eyes as sharp as eagles. If they spotted a wanted criminal, they would immediately take them to see the great magistrate!

The Kingdom Qian had been free of war for years, and the mortal realm was under the jurisdiction of the world of immortals, not daring to stir up any trouble, focusing instead on developing the people’’s livelihood.

The lives of the locals were improving, and smiles were often seen on their faces.

Three figures gradually appeared outside the city, their eyes filled with an overwhelming sense of unfamiliarity.

”Xun, they’’re all just mortals.”

Little Chi stood on Black Bull, observing the passersby, ”It seems this isn’’t a city of cultivators.”

Having gained some insight, Little Chi noted that Panning City couldn’’t compare to any city in Da Li; it was rather small.The locals glanced at them, shaking their heads with a light laugh. What a strange sight—a mutated big dog sitting on a black bull.

”Little Chi, this is a giant city, right, Bull?”

”Moo moo~~”

Black Bull snorted, raising a few wisps of dust, its eyes fixed on the distant city walls.

Chen Xun walked slowly, with Black Bull following behind. They no longer ran or felt excited, only calm and indifferent.

Little Chi rolled its eyes, not daring to say more. Perhaps this place was the Tian Duan Plains in the hearts of Xun and Brother Bull.

Upon entering the city, the streets seemed wider, filled with the clamor of vendors and new sights.

The surroundings were brightly lit, with pavilions and towers everywhere, lanterns hanging high, and the faint sound of poets and beauties exchanging verses.

Chen Xun wore a faint smile. Everything seemed familiar, yet everything was strange, a truly peculiar feeling.

Black Bull extended its divine sense, covering the entire Panning City, wanting to see some performances, nudging Chen Xun: ”Moo?”

”What’’s up, Bull?”

Chen Xun raised an eyebrow, patting it, ”Want to buy candied hawthorn?”

”Moo moo!!” Black Bull nudged Chen Xun, thinking Panning City’’s were the best.

Little Chi’’s eyes widened, looking around with excitement, ”Xun, what’’s candied hawthorn? I want to buy some too, I have money now.”

”Let’’s go, I’’ll take you to buy some. Candied hawthorn, how should I put it...”

Chen Xun walked with Black Bull’’s head in his arms, deep in thought, suddenly exclaiming, ”Anyway, Bull and I... love it!”

Little Chi was dumbfounded, not reacting for a while, and was led away.

As they walked down the street, there seemed to be no craftsmen selling wood carvings, but they bought some materials and made three Wishing Lanterns.

On the street.

Chen Xun held two sticks of candied hawthorn, eating one himself and feeding the other to Black Bull, whose eyes squinted in enjoyment, savoring the taste.

Little Chi held a stick of candied hawthorn with its paws, licking it lightly, finding it somewhat tasteless, not as delicious as expected.

But this scene made some locals laugh uproariously, pointing and whispering behind them, angering Little Chi to bark loudly from Black Bull’’s back.

A few women covered their mouths, giggling, teasing ’’Old Ancestor Chen Xun’’ a few times, to which he responded with a crooked smile, ”Are you ladies trying to catch my attention?”

At this, the women’’s expressions changed slightly, muttering about his impropriety, and quickly ran away.

Little Chi took it seriously, barking and spitting a big mouthful of saliva back at them, causing the women to scream, while Chen Xun and Black Bull’’s expressions changed drastically, fleeing in panic!

”Damn you, Little Chi, a gentleman uses his words, not his hands!”

Chen Xun was furious, grabbing Little Chi, ”This city has the great magistrate in charge, do you think it’’s the world of immortals?!”

”Moo moo moo!!” Black Bull cried out in alarm, a cold sweat forming on its forehead, nodding repeatedly.

”Ah, Xun?! I didn’’t use my hands!!”

Little Chi was terrified, realizing that the invincible person who once suppressed the two brothers was here, ”Xun, Bull, I was wrong!!”

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

In a dark alley, mana fluctuations stirred, lifting fallen leaves.

A nearby beggar turned in his sleep, scratching at his lice, drowsily muttering, ”What ghostly thing disturbs my dreams, my beloveds... I’’m coming.”

By a small river, sparsely populated, not the end of the year.

Chen Xun and the others found a feng shui treasure spot, a place once too crowded with locals for him and Black Bull to enter.

”Little Chi, write your wish on it, then release the Wishing Lantern, and it will surely come true!”

”Moo moo~~”

Black Bull had already started writing with a pen, giving Little Chi a reassuring nod, as Chen Xun never lied.

”Bull, what are you writing?” Little Chi sneakily peeked over.

”Moo?” Black Bull frowned, flicking its tail!

”Ah~~!” Little Chi screamed, spiraling into the air.

”Little Chi, wishes can’’t be shown to others or spoken aloud, or they won’’t come true.”

Chen Xun sat cross-legged, writing stroke by stroke, ”You’’re disrupting Bull’’s state of mind, rules can’’t be broken.”

”I see.” Little Chi lay on the ground, deep in thought, ”I must think carefully.”

Die of old age!

Little Chi’’s eyes lit up, about to write, but hesitated, silent for a long time.

Then it gently wrote on the Wishing Lantern, ”Always follow Xun, Bull, and Crane...”

Black Bull mooed softly, writing the same line as before, ”Always follow Chen Xun.”

Chen Xun’’s writing was small and dense, almost turning the red Wishing Lantern black, secretly writing countless wishes.

The night wind blew, and the three Wishing Lanterns slowly rose by the river.

Chen Xun stood with one hand behind his back, gazing at the sky, with Black Bull closely at his side, also looking up.

For the first time, Little Chi felt a different emotion in its heart, just staring at the three Wishing Lanterns.

Boom!

The entire sky suddenly lit up, with mana fireworks exploding in the sky, colorful and illuminating the entire city, extraordinarily magnificent.

Panning City was filled with silhouettes, and many locals rushed out with pots and pans, amazed by the spectacular scene.

”Wow! Mom, Dad, come out and see, such big fireworks!!”

”Oh my god!!”

”Is this the work of immortals?!”

...

Countless locals emerged from their homes, some even kneeling in excitement, muttering prayers, while many children ran and shouted excitedly in the streets.

Whether in taverns or on the rooftops of pavilions, people held their wine cups, looking up at the sky, some even inspired to recite poetry.

Some cultivators in the city had their eyelids twitching wildly; this was a fluctuation of mana... such a grand display, but... truly beautiful.

At this moment.

The great magistrate stood in the backyard with one hand behind his back, gazing deeply at the sky, thinking, who dares disrupt the city’’s peace, better not let him catch them!

Boom! Boom!

The night sky grew more and more splendid, with fireworks exploding everywhere, many locals smiling, quietly watching the scene.

The three small Wishing Lanterns completely merged into the thousands of fireworks, into the myriad lights, disappearing entirely.

Throughout the streets, there was endless chatter and exclamations from the locals, while three figures silently passed by them at the edge, without making a sound.