Chapter 285: The Relentless Journey of the Black Ox

Three days later.

In the small mountain village, the sound of suona horns filled the air, yellow paper fluttered everywhere. Master Chen had passed away, and a group carrying his coffin trudged along the rugged mountain path. Xiao Hei, his eyes filled with tears, carried an expression of determination mixed with profound sorrow.

Chen Xun had left quietly, on a bright and breezy autumn afternoon.

Black Ox stood on a small hill, below which lay several caves. Its body was covered in wounds, blood still dripping, and it clenched a medicinal herb in its mouth.

It watched the funeral procession from afar, unblinking, refusing to believe that Chen Xun was truly gone.

Its eyes grew increasingly bloodshot. It knew immortals existed in this world, and it was determined to find a way to bring Chen Xun back to life. It vowed to seek out the path of immortals to resurrect him.

The next night, under a moonless, windy sky.

Black Ox dug up Chen Xun’s grave. It flung aside the coffin lid, lifted Chen Xun’s body, and fled into the endless darkness.

Years passed.

Black Ox personally crafted a new coffin for Chen Xun and placed him inside. It roamed among the celestial mountains, begging immortals to take it as a disciple.

It faced pursuit from beasts and humans alike, narrowly escaping death countless times.

Enduring humiliation, Black Ox became the guardian beast of a certain sect, officially starting its path of cultivation. It trained harder than anyone else, all in the hope of reviving Chen Xun.

As the years went by and seas changed into mulberry fields, a thousand years passed. Even the sect it guarded became dilapidated.

Yet, Black Ox remained alive. Its eyes grew colder, its demeanor more silent. It lifted the coffin and left, holding no affection for anyone—it saw them all as tools.

With the coffin on its back, Black Ox wandered the world, ruthless and relentless in its pursuit of opportunities. A terrifying legend began to spread throughout the cultivation world—an ancient beast had emerged!

This beast, carrying a coffin and surrounded by an aura of misfortune, was one to be avoided at all costs. Encountering it meant veering far off the path.

Black Ox continued its undying journey, still bearing the three chipped Mountain Splitting Axes. It wandered through countless cultivation realms, dedicating itself to cultivation.

It felt like an eternity—whether a thousand or ten thousand years, it no longer knew its own strength.

Its eyes were hollow, like a soulless puppet. It had found no way to bring someone back to life, and no traces of reincarnation. It had never encountered anyone like Chen Xun, not even a similar figure.

One day, it found itself standing on a small hill again. The gentle breeze swept through, and the trees bent, bringing back memories of long ago.

“Moo moo~”

Black Ox stared blankly into the distance. The black coffin, its long-time companion, no longer held any meaning. It had lost its reason to continue living.

A sense of desolation enveloped it. Clutching the coffin tightly, Black Ox thought of Chen Xun. It longed to be with him again, even if it meant returning to farming, even if they were poor and struggling…

“Moo~~”

Black Ox’s eyes grew cloudy, and Chen Xun’s image slowly appeared before it. Was its big brother coming to take it away...?

“Moo moo~~”

The mournful cries of Black Ox echoed through the heavens and earth. It had no way out; it had truly tried its best!

The deceased could not be resurrected, and reincarnation did not exist. Chen Xun was truly gone; no trace of him remained in this world.

Its body grew weaker, its Dao heart crumbling inch by inch. The world around it was filled with a sense of desolation. It was truly tired; longevity had lost all meaning...

Reincarnation... there was no such thing in this world...

Black Ox slowly closed its eyes. Reincarnation was a lie, a grand deception of the cultivation world, a fraud of the heavens!

The greatest sorrow comes when the heart dies.

Suddenly!

Its eyes snapped open, and an overwhelming aura surged forth. A powerful jolt struck deep within its heart—why was it thinking of reincarnation?! Wasn’t it originally seeking to resurrect Chen Xun?!

The sense of desolation instantly vanished into thin air.

Black Ox snorted heavily, its eyes clearing. In that instant, why did it think of its big brother? Who was its big brother?! It had always been thinking of Chen Xun!

“Moo!!”

Its head throbbed, and a strong wave of emotions surged within its heart, as if it had touched upon something terrifying.

“Old Ox, reincarnation exists in this world, but one should cherish the present. Our present lives are the reincarnation of countless others. A long dream spanning a thousand years—only we remain, the true and singular selves!”

“No matter what you faced in the heart-devil illusion, your big brother is here waiting. The road ahead is long.”

The words struck like a bolt of lightning, and its heart rumbled like thunder. No, this Chen Xun was not its big brother!

“Moo!!”

Black Ox’s entire body trembled. Its eyes gradually cleared as it roared in rage: “Moo!!!”

Bang!

The coffin beside it shattered, and ‘Chen Xun’ awoke, resurrected. He looked horrified—why had the true Chen Xun revived when it had reached the final step?!

Black Ox’s eyes were filled with cold fury, colder than the frost of December. Its aura surged to the extreme, the real Black Ox had completely awakened, regaining its true self.

This Chen Xun was a fake. After all these years together, he had never scolded it even once!

Fear surged within its heart—such a terrifying heart-devil tribulation. Luckily, it wasn’t its own experience; it felt as if it was watching someone else’s past memories.

“After all you’ve experienced... do you still believe in reincarnation?!”

“Moo!”

Black Ox’s eyes shone with determination. If its big brother said it existed, then it must exist. This heart demon sought to shatter its Dao heart, to make it fall into the tribulation and face eternal destruction.

‘Chen Xun’ turned into a purple shadow, its voice piercing and shrill: “Impossible! The heart demon was planted when you established your foundation. Chen Xun and reincarnation are your greatest obsessions—there’s no mistake!!”

The heart demon screamed in agony, as if it had been deceived.

Black Ox’s lips curled into a mocking smile. The heart demon might understand it well, but it would never truly comprehend the real Chen Xun.

Realizing this, its anger grew. How could a mere heart demon replicate the essence of its big brother?! Its roar echoed, shaking the heavens and earth: “Moo!!!”

Boom!

The world shattered, the sun and moon fell, and chaos ensued. A blinding golden path appeared in the sky.

Black Ox took a deep breath—its true big brother was on the other side.

Its third and fourth brothers were also there waiting. With a determined look, it leaped into the sky. All the hardships were worth it.

…

In the War Realm, above the black soil lands.

The tribulation had passed, and the radiant light had faded. Five days had passed since Black Ox’s tribulation. It lay there, filled with the aura of desolation, as if it would never awaken.

“Brother Xun, Brother Ox...”

“It’s alright. We’ll wait here for it. A mere heart-devil tribulation—I’ve calculated every possibility; the heart demon won’t escape my foresight.”

Chen Xun’s fingers trembled slightly, but he laughed loudly as he looked at Xiao Chi. “Don’t underestimate your Brother Ox!”

“Hmm…”

Xiao Chi gazed deeply at his elder brother. It was the first time he’d seen a drop of cold sweat trickle down his forehead; the heart-devil tribulation was clearly no simple matter.

Chen Xun watched Black Ox from afar, his gaze calm and profound, his mind emptied completely.

At that moment, a sudden change occurred.

A terrifying aura surged through the heavens and earth; the desolation vanished, replaced by the power of a Deity Transformation expert!

“Moo!”

A powerful roar reverberated in all directions, shaking souls. The figure hovering in mid-air slowly opened its eyes, cold and resolute.

“Old Ox!!!”

“Brother Ox!!!”

“Moo!!!”

Black Ox’s cold and resolute expression softened instantly upon hearing those voices.

It let out an excited cry, immediately spotting its big brother and fourth brother. In a flash of black light, they embraced, laughing heartily.

Their laughter echoed for thousands of miles, causing the cursed beings hiding nearby to tremble. The source of heavenly power had appeared, and there was something foul!

Black Ox nudged against Chen Xun excitedly. In its excitement, it accidentally let slip some details about the heart-devil tribulation.

Suddenly.

A strong feeling of resentment filled the cursed being's heart, and a thunderous voice erupted again:

“Old Ox, you dug up my grave?!”

“And even flung aside the coffin lid?!”

Chen Xun’s terrifying low laughter resounded as a shadow enveloped Black Ox. “Heh heh…”

Black Ox’s eyes twitched with fear. It felt an ominous sensation spreading through its body, and it secretly channeled its power to its hooves, retreating step by step, drenched in cold sweat—something terrible was about to happen.

“Black Ox, prepare to die!!”

Chen Xun’s veins bulged as an enormous hand descended from above, pressing down with overwhelming force. A fierce blast sent Black Ox flying far into the distance.

“Moo!!!~~”

Black Ox let out a panicked cry, quickly becoming a small black dot disappearing into the dark sky.

Xiao Chi’s fur stood on end, eyes wide in shock, not daring to move an inch—he wanted to run so badly.