Eternal Tale

Chapter 284: From Battlefield to Market Stall

The armies of two nations surged forward, pushing from the rear with relentless force. The piercing cries, frenzied slaughter, and blazing fires intensified the rage of the soldiers on both sides, making the battle grow ever more fierce.

Countless figures struggled and sank into the sea of blood, their arms like grass, heads like reeds, resembling a crimson grassland battered by a furious storm.

Chen Xun, gripping his Mountain Splitting Axe, veins bulging on his forehead, rode atop Black Ox like a force of nature, charging through the battlefield unchallenged, slaughtering his way through the enemies—seven charges in, seven charges out.

With over a million soldiers clashing, the battlefield had turned into a true meat grinder…

The pounding of hooves was like rain, the shouts like thunder, and the pouring blood like a deluge.

The white hair of mothers, the longing gaze of women waiting in vain, the cries of infants in the night, farewells under the willow trees back home, the fierce eyes of generals roaring in battle, and the abandoned battle flags amidst chaos—

All of these scenes, accompanied by one wave of dust after another, drifted far away.

Chen Xun and Black Ox’s nation emerged victorious. Many noticed their valor and fearlessness on the battlefield; they were truly born for war, brave and unstoppable!

However, they never reached the pinnacle of glory—there was no grand appointment as a general protecting the nation, no marriage to a noble princess. With no backing and no means for advancement, even their hard-earned military merits were siphoned away by the corrupt.

Chen Xun could only serve as a frontline soldier, narrowly avoiding exile to the borderlands as punishment. In the end, it wasn’t the worst outcome.

The war lasted three years, with their nation emerging triumphant. The generals sang songs of victory, the entire country celebrated, and a general amnesty was declared.

Chen Xun and Black Ox, meanwhile, stayed dutifully on the border, collecting corpses from the battlefield—piles of bones accumulated around them.

Eventually, they regained their freedom, returned to being civilians, and managed to "find" some money on the battlefield, giving them a small start.

At over thirty years old, Chen Xun was now a middle-aged man with a small black beard. Having been through the war, he carried a fierce and intimidating aura, an unyielding presence that was hard to miss.

They wandered the land, finally settling in a new city, setting up a small stall. They no longer dared to do anything illegal, fearing the justice of the local authorities.

At night, in the western city, at the stall "Xun’s Tasty Bites."

Chen Xun laughed heartily as he heated oil in the pan, surrounded by a constant stream of customers.

“Old Ox, hurry up and fetch the copper coins for the patrons—don’t keep them waiting!”

“Moo moo!”

Black Ox, covered in sweat, widened its eyes as it counted the copper coins. Although some people mocked it, they immediately quieted down after Chen Xun shouted at them, not daring to say another word.

Two more years passed.

They saved up a decent amount of money and even enjoyed a big feast at a restaurant. The night market stall was eventually closed, and Chen Xun opened a clothing store.

Black Ox continued to manage the money, counting with Chen Xun every day, both of them sweating profusely as they worked.

However, their business prospered, earning them much more than the stall had. Chen Xun became quite ambitious, talking about buying a piece of land and building a large estate for their retirement.

Black Ox fully believed him; Chen Xun was incredibly clever, truly a “great brain.”

Five years passed swiftly, but...

Fate was cruel. The cultivation world erupted into war, with immortals clashing, nearly reducing the city to ruins and causing countless casualties!

Chen Xun and Black Ox fled with the other citizens, abandoning all their belongings. The immortals moved through the air, their power immeasurable—no mortal could withstand them!

While fleeing.

“Old Ox, run! The immortals are battling!”

“Moo moo~”

Chen Xun pulled Black Ox along as they fled, all their beautiful dreams shattered. No immortal would ever fight for the common people.

Those who stood above would never know that a casual attack could destroy another’s entire hope and future.

One year later.

Chen Xun’s face, now weathered by hardship, bore the marks of their journey, his hair disheveled. In the end, they were penniless, save for some dried meat they had left.

With calloused hands, he pulled out a piece of dried meat from his bag: “Old Ox, you eat first.”

Black Ox nudged Chen Xun, its eyes still filled with joy. Despite all the hardships, they had never been separated—they had always been together.

It bit half of the meat and left the rest for Chen Xun. The two of them sat on a small hill, exchanging glances and laughing heartily.

No matter what they had been through, Chen Xun always remained optimistic, never anxious about the past or the future.

“Moo moo~~”

Black Ox snorted cheerfully. It was still strong and felt that returning to the countryside to farm was a viable option.

“Old Ox, let’s go back to the village!”

“Moo!”

Chen Xun stood up, embracing Black Ox’s head. The two figures walked into the sunset, their shadows growing longer and longer…

The evening breeze swept over the hill, lifting the robes of the tall man, exuding a carefree aura.

In the days that followed, they returned to the village. Many of the elders in the village were surprised—after all this time away, how had Chen Xun returned in such a state?

Chen Xun and Black Ox felt embarrassed, offering some herbs they had gathered during their journey to appease the villagers. They truly had not made a name for themselves.

They built a thatched hut beneath an ancient Crane Spirit Tree. Chen Xun sometimes taught the village children martial arts, with Xiao Hei being the most promising.

As his first disciple, Chen Xun and Black Ox placed great expectations on Xiao Hei.

Days passed, and the village’s young men began to respectfully call him Master Chen. His dual axes swung with a fierce vigor.

Black Ox was full of energy, plowing the fields daily. No one in the village ever questioned its long lifespan; it simply seemed natural for Black Ox to live this long.

It never questioned its longevity either, believing that it was simply born this way. Being with Chen Xun was enough.

Time left no mark, yet it etched one line after another on Chen Xun’s face. He had grown old...

Black Ox took on all the heavy work at home, ensuring Chen Xun didn’t get injured. It believed this way, Chen Xun would never die and could remain as vigorous as it was.

In its eyes, it was certain that only those who were killed or fell ill died. Chen Xun had never fallen sick.

Yet, Chen Xun’s body grew weaker with each passing day, his back hunching, and his movements slowing. His eyes often carried a distant, reflective look, as he sat quietly, lost in thought.

Black Ox climbed the mountains daily, searching for herbs for Chen Xun. It occasionally fought wild beasts, even breaking one of its horns.

Another five years passed.

Today, the weather turned cold, with no hint of warmth.

Rustle, rustle.

The ancient Crane Spirit Tree outside the thatched hut shed its yellow leaves, exuding a sense of decay and desolation.

Chen Xun had reached the five declines of nature, the signs of death. The wrinkles on his face obscured any trace of his youthful spirit; he lay on the bed, barely hanging on.

When Black Ox returned from the mountain and saw Chen Xun’s state, the herbs it carried dropped heavily to the ground, the sound echoing like the earth itself was about to crack.

Chen Xun’s eyes remained gentle. He coughed violently and spoke weakly: “Old Ox, life and death are natural; I won’t be able to walk the road ahead with you.”

“Moo~~ Moo~~”

Black Ox’s eyes trembled as it snorted heavily, stepping closer to the bedside. Panic filled its eyes—what was it supposed to do?

Chen Xun gently stroked Black Ox’s head, pulling out a small plate from beside the bed with dried meat—the last meal he had prepared for Black Ox.

With a warm smile, he spoke weakly:

“Old Ox... you eat first.”

“Moo~”

Black Ox stood frozen, its whole body trembling. For the first time, it refused Chen Xun’s command; it didn’t obey.

Its eyes turned bloodshot, and it suddenly bolted out of the hut, ignoring Chen Xun’s calls.