Eternal Tale

"Does the young master practice cultivation?"

"Not really, but I've encountered it before."

Chen Xun shook his head and said lightly, "Do you two ladies think I'm immortal? You've got the wrong impression."

"But young master's aura is extraordinary, not like that of an ordinary person, we..."

"I don't have much time left; please let me be alone."

Chen Xun's eyes suddenly showed a trace of sorrow, and an aura of old age slowly emanated from him, a sign of approaching death!

Even the big black ox widened its eyes slightly, almost believing it.

"Huh?" The two women's lips parted in shock, realizing they had been mistaken.

"Then we won't disturb the young master."

"Goodbye."

The two women quickened their pace, a hint of helplessness in their eyes. They thought they had encountered some senior figures in this dangerous place, like the Imperial City.

If they could make acquaintances with seniors, being maidservants would be an opportunity. This was the helplessness of wandering cultivators. They hadn't expected to meet someone who saw through life and death.

Chen Xun sighed as he watched their figures disappear, "Such a dampener, can't even enjoy the sight of the city walls."

"Moo~" Even the big black ox nodded in agreement.

Chen Xun's demeanor changed again, filled with the aura of the common folk. He led the big black ox into the city. The Qian Nation had no curfew, and the Imperial City was a bustling place that never slept.

After entering the city, their eyes widened. It was so lively—a scene of prosperity.

Stores lined both sides of the streets, and the cool moonlight gently spread over the red brick and green tile roofs or the brightly colored pavilions and eaves.

It added a touch of mistiness and poetic charm to the bustling Imperial City.

Chen Xun strolled with the big black ox on the bustling streets, his steps light, blending into the constant stream of pedestrians and the myriad of lights...

They visited numerous ancient-style buildings and even the palace. Sometimes they stood by street vendors, eating noodles and laughing as they watched the hurried passersby.

When Chen Xun and the big black ox grew tired, they rested under a bridge, drinking health-preserving tea and watching the swift-flowing river, casually skimming stones on its surface.

Finally, Chen Xun fulfilled his promise and had a set of gray linen clothes custom-made for himself and the big black ox, matching outfits for brothers.

The tailor's skill made Chen Xun admit that professional matters should be left to professionals.

But the shopkeeper was astonished to see him making clothes for a cow, it was truly unprecedented. However, as long as the money was there, making ten sets was no problem.

Everyone was busy, with no time or inclination to delve deeper into matters.

Chen Xun then led the big black ox out of the Imperial City. They stopped outside the Imperial Capital, looking in all directions, as if bidding farewell.

It was as if this man and ox had stopped and lingered in countless landscapes, yet left no trace anywhere, like drifting in the mist and rain.

No one knew what they were bidding farewell to or what they had experienced.

"Where is the 'ox' heading? Amongst the thousand peaks under the setting sun."

The two figures gradually disappeared from the mortal world of the Qian Nation, needing no one to remember or worry about them; they were free...

...

Six months later, winter.

The most magnificent and renowned cultivation city in the Qian Nation - Yuxu City- was located in the west, adjacent to the Tian Duan Great Plains, covering an area of unknown size.

This city was jointly established by the ten major sects, a true super city for cultivators, whose silhouette could be seen even from afar.

Outside the colossal city, various lights shimmered, with cultivators flying in the sky using magical tools. There were even flying spirit beasts shuttling back and forth, emitting cries in the sky.

This city accommodated all cultivators from all corners and prohibited private battles within its jurisdiction. Violators would be jointly executed by the ten major sects.

The spiritual energy here was abundant, as the city was built upon a spiritual vein!

Occasionally, huge boats traversed the sky, with designated stops outside the city. Everything was orderly. Nowadays, the cultivation world of the Qian Nation is booming, and who dared not to give face?!

As the winter sun rose warmly, casting a bright light on the earth, adding a touch of color to the cold and plain winter, a figure riding a cow gradually appeared on the horizon. They were dressed in linen clothes, with a slight smile on their lips and an endless calmness in their eyes, displaying an air of superiority.

They fixed their gaze on the distant and blurry outline of the colossal city. After taking a deep breath, they finally couldn't contain their excitement.

"Old ox! Holy cow!!!"

"Moo! Moo moo!!"

The scene shattered, and the man and the ox exclaimed in shock and excitement. Their faces flushed, as if they were always enthusiastic about new things.

Their cultivation was just at the Foundation Establishment stage, and no one could tell that this man and this spiritual beast were actually great cultivators at the Golden Core stage...

"Old ox, charge!" Chen Xun knelt down, gripping the ox's horns with both hands, excitement gleaming in his eyes as he looked ahead.

"Moo~~~!" The big black ox let out an excited roar and thundered forward.

The cultivator's grand city, they saw it for the first time, having long yearned for it in their hearts.

From this moment on, it seemed they were truly entering the world of cultivation. The ground trembled slightly wherever the big black ox ran.

Just like when they ran into Panning City under the setting sun at the beginning, it was already a different path in life. Time flew by; everything seemed like yesterday, yet they couldn't turn back.

The cultivators around them were astonished. Qi refining stage cultivators made way respectfully, while Foundation Establishment cultivators just chuckled.

Some spiritual beasts also noticed this black ox spiritual beast, their eyes widening in surprise—Foundation Establishment seniors!

Yuxu City had eight gates towering ten zhang (a unit of length equivalent to 3.333 meters) high, guarded by Foundation Establishment cultivators, and sixteen smaller gates, guarded by Qi refining disciples of the ten major sects.

But there was no entrance fee. Chen Xun and the big black ox leaped around outside the city gates, marveling at everything while feeling the walls.

Under the city gates, cultivators conversed everywhere. However, no one blocked their path, and some were even trading right at the gates.

Chen Xun and the big black ox finally entered the grand city through one of the smaller gates. As they stopped to take a look, they were astonished, completely awestruck...

Yuxu City was completely different from mundane cities. The buildings here exuded an immortal aura, both ancient and elegant yet quite towering. The air in the city was filled with a refreshing fragrance.

The streets were even wider than before, devoid of vendors' shouts. Instead, there were rows of shops on both sides, and many people rode variously shaped spirit beasts.

Looking up, one couldn't see the end at a glance. There were even several towering black towers standing, their outlines visible only at the city gates, exuding a magnificent and imposing aura.

"Awesome..." Chen Xun sighed inwardly, glancing at the big black ox.

"Moo~" The big black ox murmured softly, as if even speaking too loudly here was not allowed.

Surrounded by cultivators, they moved in and out of various shops. There were wanderers, foreigners, and many disciples of sects.

And now wasn't even the peak gathering. When that time came, it would be truly astonishing, with cultivators from all over the world converging.

"Elder!" Suddenly, a Qi refining stage man shouted to them.

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**Author’s note:**

Today, I'll ramble a bit, and I hope readers won't mind.

This book is my first attempt, and I never expected to receive such tremendous support from all of you. I must express my heartfelt thanks here.

Because the story is long and everyone has different perspectives, it's impossible to satisfy everyone with one book. I hope everyone can be understanding.

Also, I hope everyone can remain calm. This is my first time writing a serial novel, and I'm offering it for free to bring some joy to everyone. I've never asked for gifts from anyone, so just enjoying it is enough for me.

Ah, lately I've read some comments that left me feeling a bit melancholic, as if some readers didn't quite understand what I'm writing. Perhaps I haven't made things clear enough.

The outline of this book is already set, and I'll continue writing. I'm grateful for everyone's companionship along the way.

Chen Xun's mentality will definitely change as he experiences more. He's a normal person, and I don't think it's fair to say he's indecisive. He hasn't influenced anyone and has been minding his own business.

To a certain reader, please don't go too far with your words. Your opinions are your own, so why bring other readers into it? Do you have the authority to speak for them?

Playing tricks with concepts is quite clever of you, but I'm too lazy to engage in a debate with you. However, that doesn't mean you're right. How many stars you give is your own business and won't affect me in any way.

Alright, back to the original topic.

Chen Xun and the old cow are officially embarking on their journey into the world of cultivation. The first part of the main text of this book is also beginning, and for now, we'll leave the mortal realm behind, marking a pause.

As they've journeyed from the mortal realm, everyone can feel that Chen Xun and the old cow are reluctant to part ways with anyone. It's always hard.

Immortality isn't just about suffering. They don't want to suffer for the sake of sadness. Exploring the future, learning new things, that's their true happiness and the real meaning of 'immortality' as they understand it.

The pace will certainly be slower because Chen Xun enjoys the process rather than the outcome. If their cultivation hits a snag, there's nothing they can do about it, but if there's a 'safe' opportunity, they'll definitely strive for it.

However, it's not about killing and plundering treasures or resorting to any means to advance in cultivation. That's the original intention behind writing this story of immortality, and that core won't change.

Of course, the main text of this book has not yet begun, and what I personally find exciting is still to come. The world view has not been officially unveiled, so I won't spoil anything.

Regarding updates, I'm currently organizing the outline, so it might be slower. It's not a matter of writing whatever comes to mind; there's logic behind it, which I hope will make it more enjoyable for everyone to read.

The drawing took five hours, stroke by stroke, and I didn't ask anyone for help. Even if it's quite rough, it's a small token of my sincerity and goodwill towards everyone.

I'll stop rambling here for today; I couldn't hold it in any longer. I hope all readers will bless me and give me face, so I can... Haha.

"