Eternal Tale - Ch. 262
“Moo moo~” The big black ox pointed to an island on the sea, where faint teleportation fluctuations could be sensed.
“Yu family’s!” Little Red exclaimed. “Brother Xun, Brother Ox, the humans are trying to catch us!”
“Obviously.” Chen Xun, standing on the crane’s head, glanced at the island. “They’re well-prepared, but do you think we don’t have our own tricks?”
“Moo!” The big black ox nudged Chen Xun. They had already broken through the Yu family’s blockade and were safe.
“Ha, it’s all thanks to Brother Ox.” Little Red spat toward the island. “If it were me, I’d probably have been caught.”
“Don’t underestimate the Great Li Realm’s ancient factions. Those capable of reaching the Soul Transformation stage always have deeper schemes,” Chen Xun sneered coldly. “This level of blockade is nothing—just Golden Core cultivators, with the occasional Nascent Soul showing up.”
He had crossed paths with Long Guanzi before, even escaping under his watchful gaze. Did these cultivators really think they could detect him?
“Moo?”
“Brother Xun?”
“It might be bait, but we’ll steer clear for now. Let’s put the Yu family matter aside. Once I ascend to Soul Transformation, everything will fall into place,” Chen Xun said, narrowing his eyes slightly. “I’ve been a Nascent Soul ancestor in the Qian Nation for too long, but this world values strength above all else.”
The big black ox nodded firmly. When the strength was equal, then they could truly “talk reason.”
“Soul Transformation…” Little Red licked its lips. It hadn’t believed it before, but now it did wholeheartedly, feeling a surge of excitement.
the Great Li Realm’s Soul Transformation cultivators could live up to 4,000 years, surely it could live at least 6,000!
The higher a cultivator’s realm, the more time-consuming their progress became—long seclusions, artifact refinement, and mastery of great techniques left little time to truly live.
If it could really live that long, it would be akin to immortality. It wouldn’t even need to cultivate—just wander with its two brothers and savor every day.
Such a life would be worth 60,000 years compared to others! That was the true path to eternal life!
Little Red, lost in thought, let out a low growl, even drooling with excitement—until a black hoof smacked it back to reality.
“Moo?” The big black ox tilted its head in confusion. What kind of fantasies was Little Red having?
“Heh heh… nothing, just dreaming,” Little Red laughed nervously, scratching its head, unwilling to share.
Chen Xun glanced at the big black ox. “Old Ox, I’ll leave the teleportation array to you. A wise rabbit always has multiple burrows.”
“Moo~” The big black ox nodded. They had done the same back in the Ningyun Mountains and understood the importance.
In the days that followed, they roamed various deserted islands, causing chaos wherever they went.
One day, a low-stage Golden Core Golden Jade-green Crow was hunting on an island. Its sharp eyes scanned for prey.
Unbeknownst to it, three figures clad in bandit garb had been lying in ambush for half a month, silently watching it.
Slash!
A streak of blood flashed as the Crow captured a Foundation Establishment Sea Bear, pinning it down with its Golden Core power and preparing to fly away with its prey.
“Ke ke ke, brothers, attack!”
“Moo moo!”
“Little Crow, in front of my brother, surrender now!”
Three loud shouts erupted from three directions. The figures were cocky and wild, with one even wielding a crooked silver battle axe, shedding rust as he ran.
The Crow’s eyes widened as a massive formation rose around it, locking onto its body, Golden Core, and divine sense. The oppressive force crushed it, preventing it from taking flight.
It was over. It had fallen into a trap!
Screech! Screech!
The Crow called desperately for its companions, but the formation, long prepared, muffled all sound. Yet, the worst was still to come.
These three figures were no mere Golden Core cultivators, they radiated the power of Nascent Souls!
The Golden Core Jade-green Crow’s eyes widened in despair. How had it offended three Nascent Soul cultivators to deserve such a trap?
Cold sweat drenched its feathers as it stumbled backward, surrounded by their bloodthirsty grins. It gave up all hope, trembling in fear.
“Brother Xun, how do we deal with it?” Little Red asked, excited. They had finally caught it—this crow was notoriously cautious and nearly impossible to capture.
“In the vast Western Sea, finding their lairs was futile. Lying in wait was the only option.”
“Youth, just two drops of your essence blood in exchange for a great opportunity!” Chen Xun laughed, resting the rusty battle axe on his shoulder. “Little Red, Old Ox, go communicate with it—it may not understand.”
“Moo moo~”
“Roar!”
The big black ox and Little Red pounced, their massive hoof and claw slamming down with a resounding boom. The Crow collapsed to the ground, its golden feathers dimmed and its screams pitiful.
Exchanging glances, the duo approached the crow and began to “negotiate.” The Crow trembled, its expressions shifting rapidly—from terror to pleading, then respect, and finally realization.
Out of options, it willingly extracted two drops of essence blood, handing them to the big black ox, who generously offered two thousand-year-old spiritual herbs in return.
“Chirp?!” The Crow froze, dumbfounded. Genuine thousand-year-old herbs? For two drops of blood? It would’ve given twenty!
Suddenly emboldened, it began bargaining, asking if more essence blood could earn more herbs. It had plenty left and could easily recover.
“Roar!” Little Red frowned and growled, silencing it. “Don’t push your luck.”
The Crow retreated a few steps, smiling awkwardly but still bowing respectfully to the trio. With the herbs and its prey in tow, it prepared to return to its nest.
The big black ox waved its hoof, dissipating the formation. The Crow flapped its wings, gratitude evident in its gaze. It chirped loudly and soared skyward, disappearing quickly.
“Moo~~” The big black ox watched its departure with satisfaction. Another essence blood acquired for their collection.
“Brother Xun, it’s done,” Little Red reported.
“Let’s go enjoy the sea.” Chen Xun waved, humming a tune. “Take the small boat this time to avoid attention—it’ll save us trouble.”
“Moo!” The big black ox nodded. They had recently built a plain fishing boat for such purposes.
“Alright, Brother Xun, but it’ll cost us some spirit stones.” Little Red shook, producing a storage ring from its fur. “No worries, though—we’ve got plenty.”
The trio chuckled as they strolled through the island’s forest, the crunch of dry branches underfoot. Spirit beasts nearby froze in awe, their eyes filled with fear.
At the shore, the sea shimmered with countless hues, from pale white to deep emerald, rippling in layers.
The big black ox retrieved a small boat from its storage ring as Chen Xun donned a battered straw hat, nearly a conical cap.
With a light step, they boarded the boat. Beneath the bright sun, they drifted across the waves, carefree and at peace, as the small boat vanished into the vast expanse of the sea.