Chapter 15: A Step That Washed Away Ten Years of Merit
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Chapter 15: A Step That Washed Away Ten Years of Merit
They continued collecting herbs and studying in the following year. At night, they would practice the Qi Cultivation Technique.
Every time they practiced, Chen Xun would feel enriched and exclaim, Ai. Life is truly wonderful
He had always thought of how cultivating immortality would feel. Perhaps, it would be about staying detached from the world and watching it change from above. Witnessing the rise and fall of dynasties, and the shifting of history. One would leave their loved ones behind and press on in their path. And years later, come back to a graveyard filled with the tombs of loved ones.
But now, he decided to forget about this entirely. Thinking, This stuff is too profound. I am still very inexperienced to be thinking about the lives of immortals..
..
After a bout of continuous rainy days, the holes the duo had dug were filled with mud and slowly fell apart. However, it was okay since the ox had managed to save their cooking utensils and their other belongings. They quickly found a new spot, a cave this time.
"Old ox, hahaha!" Chen Xun was thoroughly soaked, but he laughed heartily. He didnt seem to care about losing their home. He playfully hammered the big black ox. "You are really something, old ox! Since I first laid my eyes on you, I knew you had it in you."
"Moo moo moo!" The big black ox happily lept. At that critical moment when Chen Xun was clearing the entrance of the cave, it had saved all their belongings.
"Lets put a point in The Essence of All Things and see what it's all about." Chen Xun grinned. He started a fire and watched the heavy rainfall outside the cave, soaking the earthen soil. The sound of the rains pitter-patter on the ground filled him with comfort.
"Moo!"
The big black ox responded and lent a hand. From time to time, it would run outside to get wet in the rain and then shake the rainwater on Chen Xun.
This made the man furious, and he used his strength to lift the animal high into the air, causing it to flail its legs around like a subdued chicken.
They had their fun before sitting down by the fire and enjoying its heat.
With a thought, Chen Xun directed this years point into the Essence of All Things stat. In an instant, his face changed dramatically, and a burst of green light surged from his body.
"Moo moo moo!!" The ox jumped to its feet, frightened. It circled around Chen Xun and let out a few cries of worry.
"I'm fine." Chen Xun took a deep breath and hugged the big black ox, saying, "It's the Essence of All Things. I added a point to it."
"Moo~" The big black ox mooed faintly, still scared. If something were to happen to Chen Xun, it wouldnt want to live anymore.
"Lets see." Chen Xun's expression turned serious, and he opened his hands. His body emitted a fluctuating green light that burst out, turning into rays that shot to his hands, condensing a drop of green liquid in his palm. The drop shone like a gem, emitting a dazzling green light.
He suddenly felt weak all over and started sweating profusely. He felt as though he had been training for hours. He shakly said, This thing. This thing cant be sucking my essence dry, right?"
"Moo?"
"Old ox, you try it."
"Moo."
He added a point to the ox, and after a while, a drop of green liquid also condensed on the ox's hoof. They both fell to the ground, gasping for breath.
The ox finally understood what Chen Xun meant. It started hallucinating. It saw a bunch of little cows shaking their hoofs at him and giggling.
We have been tricked, Chen Xun blurted, breathless. He was a man known for his chiseled abs and great stamina, and yet here he was, banting for breath like a dog.
It was said that this man would often appear deep in the woods of the mountains. He was accompanied by a scary wild ox who enjoyed feasting on human bones.
During the night, there would be eerie sounds of suona echoing in the mountains, accompanied by strange ringing of bells. The sounds sent shivers down ones spine. It felt as though the Grim Reaper was on patrol that night.
If you encountered this man, you better dig a hole and bury yourself to get it over with.
Just the thought of encountering this man got people drenched in cold sweat. Many didn't dare venture into the depths of the Ningyun Mountains anymore. But how could they continue living this way?
Nowadays, the people who entered the mountains went in groups. They carried weapons and remained vigilant, keeping their eyes out for any sneak attacks from the man. If they managed to get his head, they could claim a hefty bounty from the authorities. So, many bounty hunters secretly joined in, mixing in with the groups.
At the foot of a mountain peak, Chen Xun and the big black ox were picking up human bones.
"Old ox, although we don't know these people, our profession has its rules, right?" Chen Xun said.
He picked up another human bone from the pile in the grass and continued, "We should give them a burial mound; it could be considered accumulating merit. It wasnt easy for them, these people."
"Moo moo~!" The big black ox nodded continuously. By now, they had done quite a good amount of good deeds and should have accumulated their fair share of merits. The heavens should be blessing them, according to what Old Sun had said.
"Hey, I think you just lost ten years worth of merits.
"Moo moo moo!!!" The ox felt a crunch under its feet. Startled, it raised one of its hoofs, yelling. It had accidentally stepped on some bones! It looked at Chen Xun with pleading eyes.
"Alright, here's the deal. Today, I'll eat the meat, and youll have the broth. This way, Buddha would surely forgive you."
"Moo! Moo~" The big black ox struggled with its decision, but for the sake of merit, it eventually nodded. It could give up a days worth of meat.
They then found a nearby pit, buried the skeletal remains, and proceeded to perform Buddhist rituals.
The big black ox put all its effort into it, ringing the bell vigorously. It had accidentally stepped on the bones of the deceased, so it wanted to make amends.
During this year, they finally understood the function of the Essence of All Things. And turns out, they could only condense one drop per day. When the stat was only at 1 it could only accelerate the growth of the plant by a single month. Now, they had raised it to 2, and as expected, one drop could accelerate growth by two months.
They were delighted because this meant they could cultivate many valuable medicinal herbs.
They had also made progress with the Qi Cultivation Technique, reaching the second level. Their senses were now sharper, and the world appeared much more distinct to them.
Chen Xun could now feel a type of magical power, or energy of sorts, inside him. However, he couldnt tap into it and use it. It was simply useless at this point in time. He might need to learn a skill or a technique in order to drive this power.
He stopped thinking about this and chuckled, beckoning the ox. He cleared his mind and enjoyed their post-meal stroll.
"Moo moo~" The big black ox nudged Chen Xun, hoping some of his merits might rub off on it.
They walked side-by-side, heading to their cave.
On the way, they passed by a patch of tall grass, and suddenly, their ears twitched. They both instantly dove to the side, dodging.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
Three arrows were shot through their original spots, whistling in the air. They curved down and got impaled half into the ground. They carried immense force. If these were to have touched their bodies, they would have been pierced through without a doubt.
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Chapter 15: A Step That Washed Away Ten Years of Merit
They continued collecting herbs and studying in the following year. At night, they would practice the Qi Cultivation Technique.
Every time they practiced, Chen Xun would feel enriched and exclaim, Ai. Life is truly wonderful
He had always thought of how cultivating immortality would feel. Perhaps, it would be about staying detached from the world and watching it change from above. Witnessing the rise and fall of dynasties, and the shifting of history. One would leave their loved ones behind and press on in their path. And years later, come back to a graveyard filled with the tombs of loved ones.
But now, he decided to forget about this entirely. Thinking, This stuff is too profound. I am still very inexperienced to be thinking about the lives of immortals..
..
After a bout of continuous rainy days, the holes the duo had dug were filled with mud and slowly fell apart. However, it was okay since the ox had managed to save their cooking utensils and their other belongings. They quickly found a new spot, a cave this time.
"Old ox, hahaha!" Chen Xun was thoroughly soaked, but he laughed heartily. He didnt seem to care about losing their home. He playfully hammered the big black ox. "You are really something, old ox! Since I first laid my eyes on you, I knew you had it in you."
"Moo moo moo!" The big black ox happily lept. At that critical moment when Chen Xun was clearing the entrance of the cave, it had saved all their belongings.
"Lets put a point in The Essence of All Things and see what it's all about." Chen Xun grinned. He started a fire and watched the heavy rainfall outside the cave, soaking the earthen soil. The sound of the rains pitter-patter on the ground filled him with comfort.
"Moo!"
The big black ox responded and lent a hand. From time to time, it would run outside to get wet in the rain and then shake the rainwater on Chen Xun.
This made the man furious, and he used his strength to lift the animal high into the air, causing it to flail its legs around like a subdued chicken.
They had their fun before sitting down by the fire and enjoying its heat.
With a thought, Chen Xun directed this years point into the Essence of All Things stat. In an instant, his face changed dramatically, and a burst of green light surged from his body.
"Moo moo moo!!" The ox jumped to its feet, frightened. It circled around Chen Xun and let out a few cries of worry.
"I'm fine." Chen Xun took a deep breath and hugged the big black ox, saying, "It's the Essence of All Things. I added a point to it."
"Moo~" The big black ox mooed faintly, still scared. If something were to happen to Chen Xun, it wouldnt want to live anymore.
"Lets see." Chen Xun's expression turned serious, and he opened his hands. His body emitted a fluctuating green light that burst out, turning into rays that shot to his hands, condensing a drop of green liquid in his palm. The drop shone like a gem, emitting a dazzling green light.
He suddenly felt weak all over and started sweating profusely. He felt as though he had been training for hours. He shakly said, This thing. This thing cant be sucking my essence dry, right?"
"Moo?"
"Old ox, you try it."
"Moo."
He added a point to the ox, and after a while, a drop of green liquid also condensed on the ox's hoof. They both fell to the ground, gasping for breath.
The ox finally understood what Chen Xun meant. It started hallucinating. It saw a bunch of little cows shaking their hoofs at him and giggling.
We have been tricked, Chen Xun blurted, breathless. He was a man known for his chiseled abs and great stamina, and yet here he was, banting for breath like a dog.
It was said that this man would often appear deep in the woods of the mountains. He was accompanied by a scary wild ox who enjoyed feasting on human bones.
During the night, there would be eerie sounds of suona echoing in the mountains, accompanied by strange ringing of bells. The sounds sent shivers down ones spine. It felt as though the Grim Reaper was on patrol that night.
If you encountered this man, you better dig a hole and bury yourself to get it over with.
Just the thought of encountering this man got people drenched in cold sweat. Many didn't dare venture into the depths of the Ningyun Mountains anymore. But how could they continue living this way?
Nowadays, the people who entered the mountains went in groups. They carried weapons and remained vigilant, keeping their eyes out for any sneak attacks from the man. If they managed to get his head, they could claim a hefty bounty from the authorities. So, many bounty hunters secretly joined in, mixing in with the groups.
At the foot of a mountain peak, Chen Xun and the big black ox were picking up human bones.
"Old ox, although we don't know these people, our profession has its rules, right?" Chen Xun said.
He picked up another human bone from the pile in the grass and continued, "We should give them a burial mound; it could be considered accumulating merit. It wasnt easy for them, these people."
"Moo moo~!" The big black ox nodded continuously. By now, they had done quite a good amount of good deeds and should have accumulated their fair share of merits. The heavens should be blessing them, according to what Old Sun had said.
"Hey, I think you just lost ten years worth of merits.
"Moo moo moo!!!" The ox felt a crunch under its feet. Startled, it raised one of its hoofs, yelling. It had accidentally stepped on some bones! It looked at Chen Xun with pleading eyes.
"Alright, here's the deal. Today, I'll eat the meat, and youll have the broth. This way, Buddha would surely forgive you."
"Moo! Moo~" The big black ox struggled with its decision, but for the sake of merit, it eventually nodded. It could give up a days worth of meat.
They then found a nearby pit, buried the skeletal remains, and proceeded to perform Buddhist rituals.
The big black ox put all its effort into it, ringing the bell vigorously. It had accidentally stepped on the bones of the deceased, so it wanted to make amends.
During this year, they finally understood the function of the Essence of All Things. And turns out, they could only condense one drop per day. When the stat was only at 1 it could only accelerate the growth of the plant by a single month. Now, they had raised it to 2, and as expected, one drop could accelerate growth by two months.
They were delighted because this meant they could cultivate many valuable medicinal herbs.
They had also made progress with the Qi Cultivation Technique, reaching the second level. Their senses were now sharper, and the world appeared much more distinct to them.
Chen Xun could now feel a type of magical power, or energy of sorts, inside him. However, he couldnt tap into it and use it. It was simply useless at this point in time. He might need to learn a skill or a technique in order to drive this power.
He stopped thinking about this and chuckled, beckoning the ox. He cleared his mind and enjoyed their post-meal stroll.
"Moo moo~" The big black ox nudged Chen Xun, hoping some of his merits might rub off on it.
They walked side-by-side, heading to their cave.
On the way, they passed by a patch of tall grass, and suddenly, their ears twitched. They both instantly dove to the side, dodging.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
Three arrows were shot through their original spots, whistling in the air. They curved down and got impaled half into the ground. They carried immense force. If these were to have touched their bodies, they would have been pierced through without a doubt.
Chapter 15: A Step That Washed Away Ten Years of MeritThey continued collecting herbs and studying in the following year. At night, they would practice the Qi Cultivation Technique.Every time they practiced, Chen Xun would feel enriched and exclaim, Ai. Life is truly wonderfulHe had always thought of how cultivating immortality would feel. Perhaps, it would be about staying detached from the world and watching it change from above. Witnessing the rise and fall of dynasties, and the shifting of history. One would leave their loved ones behind and press on in their path. And years later, come back to a graveyard filled with the tombs of loved ones.But now, he decided to forget about this entirely. Thinking, This stuff is too profound. I am still very inexperienced to be thinking about the lives of immortals....After a bout of continuous rainy days, the holes the duo had dug were filled with mud and slowly fell apart. However, it was okay since the ox had managed to save their cooking utensils and their other belongings. They quickly found a new spot, a cave this time."Old ox, hahaha!" Chen Xun was thoroughly soaked, but he laughed heartily. He didnt seem to care about losing their home. He playfully hammered the big black ox. "You are really something, old ox! Since I first laid my eyes on you, I knew you had it in you.""Moo moo moo!" The big black ox happily lept. At that critical moment when Chen Xun was clearing the entrance of the cave, it had saved all their belongings."Lets put a point in The Essence of All Things and see what it's all about." Chen Xun grinned. He started a fire and watched the heavy rainfall outside the cave, soaking the earthen soil. The sound of the rains pitter-patter on the ground filled him with comfort."Moo!"The big black ox responded and lent a hand. From time to time, it would run outside to get wet in the rain and then shake the rainwater on Chen Xun.This made the man furious, and he used his strength to lift the animal high into the air, causing it to flail its legs around like a subdued chicken.They had their fun before sitting down by the fire and enjoying its heat.With a thought, Chen Xun directed this years point into the Essence of All Things stat. In an instant, his face changed dramatically, and a burst of green light surged from his body."Moo moo moo!!" The ox jumped to its feet, frightened. It circled around Chen Xun and let out a few cries of worry."I'm fine." Chen Xun took a deep breath and hugged the big black ox, saying, "It's the Essence of All Things. I added a point to it.""Moo~" The big black ox mooed faintly, still scared. If something were to happen to Chen Xun, it wouldnt want to live anymore."Lets see." Chen Xun's expression turned serious, and he opened his hands. His body emitted a fluctuating green light that burst out, turning into rays that shot to his hands, condensing a drop of green liquid in his palm. The drop shone like a gem, emitting a dazzling green light.He suddenly felt weak all over and started sweating profusely. He felt as though he had been training for hours. He shakly said, This thing. This thing cant be sucking my essence dry, right?""Moo?""Old ox, you try it.""Moo."He added a point to the ox, and after a while, a drop of green liquid also condensed on the ox's hoof. They both fell to the ground, gasping for breath.The ox finally understood what Chen Xun meant. It started hallucinating. It saw a bunch of little cows shaking their hoofs at him and giggling.We have been tricked, Chen Xun blurted, breathless. He was a man known for his chiseled abs and great stamina, and yet here he was, banting for breath like a dog.It was said that this man would often appear deep in the woods of the mountains. He was accompanied by a scary wild ox who enjoyed feasting on human bones.During the night, there would be eerie sounds of suona echoing in the mountains, accompanied by strange ringing of bells. The sounds sent shivers down ones spine. It felt as though the Grim Reaper was on patrol that night.If you encountered this man, you better dig a hole and bury yourself to get it over with.Just the thought of encountering this man got people drenched in cold sweat. Many didn't dare venture into the depths of the Ningyun Mountains anymore. But how could they continue living this way?Nowadays, the people who entered the mountains went in groups. They carried weapons and remained vigilant, keeping their eyes out for any sneak attacks from the man. If they managed to get his head, they could claim a hefty bounty from the authorities. So, many bounty hunters secretly joined in, mixing in with the groups.At the foot of a mountain peak, Chen Xun and the big black ox were picking up human bones."Old ox, although we don't know these people, our profession has its rules, right?" Chen Xun said.He picked up another human bone from the pile in the grass and continued, "We should give them a burial mound; it could be considered accumulating merit. It wasnt easy for them, these people.""Moo moo~!" The big black ox nodded continuously. By now, they had done quite a good amount of good deeds and should have accumulated their fair share of merits. The heavens should be blessing them, according to what Old Sun had said."Hey, I think you just lost ten years worth of merits."Moo moo moo!!!" The ox felt a crunch under its feet. Startled, it raised one of its hoofs, yelling. It had accidentally stepped on some bones! It looked at Chen Xun with pleading eyes."Alright, here's the deal. Today, I'll eat the meat, and youll have the broth. This way, Buddha would surely forgive you.""Moo! Moo~" The big black ox struggled with its decision, but for the sake of merit, it eventually nodded. It could give up a days worth of meat.They then found a nearby pit, buried the skeletal remains, and proceeded to perform Buddhist rituals.The big black ox put all its effort into it, ringing the bell vigorously. It had accidentally stepped on the bones of the deceased, so it wanted to make amends.During this year, they finally understood the function of the Essence of All Things. And turns out, they could only condense one drop per day. When the stat was only at 1 it could only accelerate the growth of the plant by a single month. Now, they had raised it to 2, and as expected, one drop could accelerate growth by two months.They were delighted because this meant they could cultivate many valuable medicinal herbs.They had also made progress with the Qi Cultivation Technique, reaching the second level. Their senses were now sharper, and the world appeared much more distinct to them.Chen Xun could now feel a type of magical power, or energy of sorts, inside him. However, he couldnt tap into it and use it. It was simply useless at this point in time. He might need to learn a skill or a technique in order to drive this power.He stopped thinking about this and chuckled, beckoning the ox. He cleared his mind and enjoyed their post-meal stroll."Moo moo~" The big black ox nudged Chen Xun, hoping some of his merits might rub off on it.They walked side-by-side, heading to their cave.On the way, they passed by a patch of tall grass, and suddenly, their ears twitched. They both instantly dove to the side, dodging.Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!Three arrows were shot through their original spots, whistling in the air. They curved down and got impaled half into the ground. They carried immense force. If these were to have touched their bodies, they would have been pierced through without a doubt.
