"It's okay, Old Ox. When we're rich someday, I'll buy you a wooden carving of a lady cow," Chen Xun said with a grin.
Moo~ Moo~
The ox's mood lifted instantly, letting out two happy bellows.
It was New Year's Eve. Along the riverbank, countless lanterns—similar to sky lanterns—drifted upward, carrying the townsfolk's wishes for the coming year. The entire Pan Ning City was bathed in their warm, glowing light.
This was a local custom, and the people called them Wishing Lanterns.
Chen Xun looked up at the sky, a soft smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"Old Ox, wanna set one off? Let's splurge for once!"
Moo! Moo!
The ox's eyes sparkled with excitement. Only a fool would say no—it had so many wishes to make.
The riverbank was packed with people, and Chen Xun suspected some of them might be cultivators. He bought two lanterns and led the ox to a quiet corner, avoiding the crowds.
"Old Ox, what's your wish? We can write it down—they say it makes it more likely to come true," Chen Xun said, holding up a piece of charcoal. He glanced at the ox. "Just hold the charcoal in your mouth and scribble it out. Didn't I teach you how to write?"
Moo!
The ox snatched the charcoal from his hand in one swift move, its eyes narrowing in concentration as it began to scratch words onto the lantern.
"Hehe, don't tell me it's about lady cows or something," Chen Xun snickered, leaning in to peek. If that wish was about lady cows, it'd be like a lady cow riding a wishing lantern—total awesomeness.
"Forever… what?" Chen Xun frowned, squinting at the ox's messy handwriting. "Forever with… Chen?"
His heart skipped a beat. He stared at the ox, his eyes softening with emotion. The two lanterns rose slowly into the night sky, blending into the sea of glowing lights until they vanished from sight.
Moo? The ox nudged him, curious.
"If you say your wish out loud, it won't come true. Got it?" Chen Xun said, feigning a mysterious tone. The ox's eyes widened in realization, and it stopped nudging him, thoroughly convinced.
Man and ox wandered through Pan Ning City for the rest of the night. Chen Xun took the opportunity to scout for jobs—after all, he was a jack-of-all-trades now.
Having tasted the benefits of increased Speed, Chen Xun poured this year's Immortality Point into Speed once again, and gave an extra point to the ox too.
The next day, Chen Xun marched into a blacksmith shop in the city, strutting in with a cocky air that left the owner dumbfounded, thinking he was here to pick a fight.
"Young man, we don't buy cattle here," the owner said cautiously.
"I'm born with super strength. I think your shop's missing something without me around," Chen Xun declared.
"What do you mean?"
"Boss, are you hiring?" Chen Xun's face suddenly broke into a wide, ingratiating smile. He rolled up his sleeve to show off his arm. "I'm worth two men, and I've got my family heirloom black ox to help out. Guaranteed to make your business boom!"
Boom!
Chen Xun was tossed out of the shop in an instant. The owner spat on the ground. "Do you think I'll hire some random stranger with a shady background?"
Moo!
The ox flew into a rage—how dare the boss insult them! It spat back at the owner in retaliation.
Chen Xun quickly pulled the ox back, his voice cold. "If this place doesn't want us, there are plenty of others that will."
The owner crossed his arms over his chest. Several blacksmiths emerged from the back of the shop, rolling up their sleeves, ready to throw hands if Chen Xun dared to say another word.
Chen Xun silently grabbed the ox rope, said nothing more, and dragged the ox away as fast as he could.
"Hmph!" The men scoffed and waved them off before heading back to their work.
On the way, the ox nudged Chen Xun, trying to cheer him up.
"It's fine. I heard there's another blacksmith shop on the next street—business isn't doing too well, I'm told. Let's give that one a shot," Chen Xun said.
Moo! The ox nodded eagerly.
When they arrived at the second shop, Chen Xun was stunned—it looked like it was on the verge of closing down. An old man was dozing in a chair in the corner.
"Old sir?" Chen Xun called out, leading the ox inside. Not a single customer was in sight.
"Huh?"
The old man shot up from his chair, his eyes cloudy with age. "Young man, what are you looking to buy?"
"Hehe, I'm born with super strength. Are you hiring?" Chen Xun asked with a smile.
"Haha… hiring? Yes, yes!" The old man nodded vigorously. "All my blacksmiths have left. I just don't have much money to pay wages."
"That's okay, boss. Just give us a place to stay, and we'll be happy," Chen Xun said.
"Done!" The old man beamed. "You can stay in the backyard—make yourselves at home."
It was a perfect match. Chen Xun and the ox immediately got to work unpacking their pots and pans. The ox wandered around, looking for a good spot to hide their rice.
"The world is so big," Chen Xun sighed. The shop was spacious enough for the ox to move around freely.
An hour later, the sound of hammering echoed through the shop as Chen Xun and the ox began working together. The old man watched them, his eyes widening in shock at their sheer strength.
"Young man, you've worked as a blacksmith before?" the old man asked, his eyes lighting up as he stroked his beard. He stood with his hands behind his back, observing Chen Xun's movements. "Though your technique is a bit rough around the edges."
"Of course, old sir! I've got five years of experience," Chen Xun boasted. He actually enjoyed blacksmithing—it was a great way to master control over his strength, though he still hadn't quite gotten the hang of the finer details.
"You can't forge iron like this," the old man shook his head. "You're wasting too much strength. Let me show you how it's done."
Whoa—a master! Chen Xun watched in awe as the old man demonstrated his forging technique, which was completely different from the blacksmiths back in his village. But after only a few minutes, the old man was gasping for breath, exhausted.
"Getting old, getting old. You take over," the old man waved him off, his gaze falling on the ox. "That's a mighty intelligent ox you've got there."
"Got it!"
Chen Xun tried imitating the old man's technique—and surprisingly, it worked! He could feel himself gaining better control over his strength with every strike of the hammer.
Over the next year, Chen Xun and the ox forged iron every single day, with the old man guiding them from the sidelines. He even gave the ox a few pointers now and then.
Whether they were cultivators or mortals, everyone had their own unique strengths and wisdom to share. Chen Xun learned more than he could have ever imagined at this humble little blacksmith shop.
"Old Master Sun, business is getting better and better!" Chen Xun said, grinning as he worked shirtless. The shop was finally turning a profit, and he and the ox had even saved up a bit of money—hidden safely in a hole in the backyard by the ox, of course.
The old man's name was Sun Kaile. He'd once had a son who'd gone to the Ningyun Mountains to seek immortality, only to die tragically. He'd been living alone ever since.
"Hehe, that it is," Sun Kaile smiled. Ever since Chen Xun had arrived, the old man had been smiling more and more.
Chen Xun's forging was faster and higher-quality than any other shop in the city. Word spread quickly, and soon customers were flocking to the shop to custom-order ironware, leaving satisfied every time.
"Chen Xun!"
A loud shout rang out from the street. A burly man strode over with two followers, a long sword hanging at his waist.
"Brother Zhang! What brings you here?" Chen Xun greeted him with a big smile, not stopping his hammering. "What can I make for you today? I'll get it done right away."
The man's name was Zhang Jiang, the senior brother of a martial arts sect. He was a bold and generous man, a regular customer at the shop who'd even recommended it to all his fellow disciples.
Zhang Jiang stepped into the shop, his voice booming. "A hundred broadswords. Can you handle it?"
A huge order! Chen Xun's eyes lit up. "You bet I can! When do you need them, Brother Zhang?"
"Within two months. If you can get them done in one, I'll pay you extra," Zhang Jiang grinned.
"Extra money? Brother Zhang, you're too polite!" Chen Xun shot him a mock-glare. "We're brothers, aren't we? I'll have them ready for you in a month—you can count on it!"
"Now that's what I'm talking about! See that? This is how you do business!" Zhang Jiang roared, clapping Chen Xun on the shoulder. He turned to his followers, who nodded in agreement—martial artists like them loved Chen Xun's straightforward style.
"Brother Chen Xun, whatever you do, don't eat that black ox of yours! Intelligent oxen like that are hard to come by these days," Zhang Jiang said earnestly.
"He's a family heirloom—would never lay a finger on him!" Chen Xun waved his hands in alarm.
"Good, good. I'll be off then. If anyone dares to cause trouble here, just send me a word," Zhang Jiang laughed heartily. He glanced at the ox in the back. "Black Ox, I'm leaving! See you later!"
Moo! The ox turned its head and let out a loud moo in response.
"Hahaha…"
Zhang Jiang left with his followers, with Chen Xun waving them off from the shop doorway until their figures disappeared down the street.