"Chen Xun, you shouldn't spend too much time forging."
Sun Kaile frowned slightly. Chen Xun was not only strong, but also had incredible stamina. "This will hurt your body. You'll end up like me when you're old."
"Old Sun, it's alright. I'm naturally strong, incredibly powerful."
Chen Xun didn't care at all. He wasn't even using his full strength; he wasn't tired at all.
He was constantly increasing his strength. Before, a little too much force might have ruined his iron, but now, with his control over strength and technique, one strike was equivalent to several strikes before, and he wouldn't break it.
To outsiders, it looked like he was just forging iron, but Chen Xun was actually constantly honing his skills. Having more skills was never a burden; he had plenty of time.
"Hehe, alright."
Sun Kaile shook his head and smiled. It seemed that Chen Xun's optimistic attitude had influenced him this past year; he felt much younger.
That night, Chen Xun and Big Black Ox returned to the courtyard.
He added the year's worth of longevity points to his speed-enhancing abilities, and the two of them huddled together furtively.
"Old Ox, dig!"
Moo!
Cloth flew, gradually revealing an earthen jar filled with copper coins and a silver coin. Chen Xun was overjoyed, sighing repeatedly; he was rich now.
"Moo! Moo!" The big black ox nudged Chen Xun, its eyes shining with hope.
"After we finish Brother Zhang's order, we'll go buy the wood carving. Don't worry, I'll remember."
"Moo~~" The big black ox jumped up happily; its joy was so simple.
Chen Xun moved to another spot and buried the jar in the ground. When traveling, one could never let down their guard.
The following month, Zhang Jiang didn't come. Chen Xun was puzzled; Brother Zhang never broke his promises before. Why wasn't he here today?
"Perhaps something delayed him."
Chen Xun didn't think much of it and continued forging. His mastery of precise control over power was still far from perfect; diligence could make up for it.
The following month, someone finally came to collect the swords, but it wasn't Zhang Jiang.
"Hey, miss, where's Brother Zhang? He said he came to collect the swords last month," Chen Xun asked casually, as the big black ox carried the longswords from behind.
"Senior Brother Zhang… died in a fight with the Hundred Mysteries Sect," the woman said softly, her voice heavy with sorrow.
"Ah?"
Chen Xun's eyes widened in surprise, but she quickly changed the subject. "I was too talkative. I'll go get the swords for you right away."
"Okay," the woman nodded.
A short while later, the woman and her followers paid and took away all one hundred longswords. Chen Xun sat in the back and sighed softly, saying to the big black ox, "Brother Zhang… is dead."
"Moo?"
The big black ox nudged Chen Xun in surprise. Brother Zhang was still so young.
"I heard he died in a fight. In the martial world, fighting and killing are normal."
Chen Xun shook his head and sighed, "Even cultivators can die if they participate in a fight."
The big black ox nodded emphatically; it was safer here.
"Our path to immortality is one of invincibility. We shouldn't offend anyone, nor should we get involved. We should help our friends within our capabilities."
Chen Xun said calmly, his gaze deep, "Nothing in this world can disturb us anymore. Keep a calm mind."
Moo!
The big black ox looked at Chen Xun with an arrogant gaze. He was truly cultured; it couldn't understand such things.
"Chen Xun, the iron ore seller heard our business is good and raised the price."
Sun Kaile rushed in anxiously from outside. He was responsible for purchasing the shop's iron ore.
"Huh?! What?!"
Chen Xun jumped to his feet, burning with rage. They'd only just made a little money. "Isn't this bullying honest people?!"
"Old Niu, grab your weapons, damn it!"
Chen Xun instantly drew two machetes from his waist, shirtless, revealing his sixteen-pack abs. "Go talk to them!"
Moo! Moo!!
The black ox, enraged, slammed its horns forward, instantly donning its tailor-made bandit gear. No one could stop it; it was specifically there to reason with people.
The iron ore market was a few streets away. Chen Xun, leading the black ox, stormed over, exuding an imposing aura, their steps light as the wind.
The iron mine owner, seeing this, was shocked and shouted, "Hero, what do you intend to do?"
"Nothing much, we just wanted to reason things out. Why did the price increase after we sold the iron ore?"
Chen Xun, gripping his double axes, roared, "This is unfair, you know?"
"Moo! Moo!"
The big black ox also bellowed twice behind him, its voice full of energy.
"Damn it."
The iron mine owner broke out in a cold sweat. This man had a fierce face, sixteen-pack abs, and a big black ox following behind him, covered in blades. And you're telling me we're here to reason things out?
"Heh, sir, don't be hasty. Are you from Sun Kaile's family?"
"That's right. Boss, give me an explanation. That blacksmith shop is also under Zhang Jiang's protection, Brother Zhang's protection."
Chen Xun said, word by word. These people, if they don't show some strength, will only be bullied. That's true in any world.
"Alright, please wait a moment, and have a seat," the iron mine owner said with a cupped-fist salute and a smile.
"Sure, we're reasonable people, not here to cause trouble."
Chen Xun's tone softened as he sat down, slamming his axe on the table, unhurried.
Not long after, the iron mine owner stepped out, beaming, and said with a cupped-fist salute, "It's this man and his ox who've come to cause trouble in the government's territory."
"Arrest them!"
A group of soldiers rushed in and instantly arrested Chen Xun, not even sparing the large black ox.
"We came to reason with them! We're innocent!"
Chen Xun shouted, struggling slightly. "I really did come to reason with them!"
"Stop talking nonsense! You're causing trouble here, disrupting the order of Panning City, who are you trying to scare!"
The soldiers shouted coldly, taking the two criminals away. Chen Xun continued to shout that he was innocent.
Five days later, Chen Xun and the black ox emerged from prison, seeing the light of day again.
However, their axes and blades had been confiscated, forcing them to be reforged.
Back at the blacksmith shop, Sun Kaile prepared a brazier, and the two, man and ox, jumped around repeatedly, laughing and joking as if nothing had happened.
However, after Chen Xun's antics, the iron ore seller actually didn't raise his prices, so he made a small profit.
...
Five years passed in the blink of an eye.
The blacksmith shop's business boomed, even stealing business from the neighboring shop. When the neighboring shop owner saw that it was Chen Xun, he was heartbroken, lamenting that he hadn't recognized a hero's talent.
He even treated Chen Xun to a meal at a restaurant, and their past grievances vanished. However, Chen Xun's appetite surprised him; he even packed up the leftovers, costing the blacksmith shop owner a hefty sum.
The two now addressed each other as brothers, and Chen Xun was absolutely adept at handling social niceties.
But today, Chen Xun sped through the streets, his speed creating a gust of wind, his eyes filled with anxiety.
Over the past five years, his control over his power has reached a level of perfection, allocating five points of longevity to speed.
Currently, Chen Xun and Da Hei Niu's longevity points are: Strength, 21; Speed, 8.
Chen Xun held several bags of herbs in his hands. Sun Kai Le's health was failing; they had been kept alive by herbs for the past year, spending all their savings.
But so what? Money was fleeting to Chen Xun; the people around him were the most important. He always cherished the present and lived life to the fullest.
Besides, humans aren't plants or trees; how could they be without feelings? He had already reached the ultimate goal of all cultivators—longevity. There was no need to rid himself of desires to pursue that so-called supreme path. This was his final bottom line as a longevity cultivator.
Chen Xun always adhered to one principle: within his ability, he would help his friends; beyond his ability, he would never overstep his bounds.