"Chen Xun, the forging time should not be too long."
Sun Kaile frowned slightly. Chen Xun was not only strong, but also had great stamina. "This will hurt your body. When you get old, you'll end up like me."
"Old Sun, it's alright. I'm naturally strong and incredibly powerful."
Chen Xun didn't care at all; he hadn't used his full strength at all and wasn't even that tired.
He now controls his strength more and more. In the past, he might have broken the weapon if he used too much force, but now, with his control over strength and method, one blow is equivalent to several blows before, and he still won't break the weapon.
To outsiders, he may appear to be forging iron, but Chen Xun is actually constantly honing his skills. Having many skills is never a burden, and time is the one thing he has in abundance.
"Hehe, okay."
Sun Kaile shook his head and smiled, seemingly influenced by Chen Xun's optimistic attitude this year, and felt that he had become much younger.
At night, Chen Xun and Da Hei Niu returned to the courtyard.
He added the remaining points from the year's growth to speed, and the two of them, one human and one ox, huddled together furtively.
"Old ox, dig!"
Moo!
As the clods of earth swirled, a clay pot was gradually revealed, filled with copper coins and a piece of silver. Chen Xun was filled with emotion, sighing repeatedly, "We're rich now!"
"Moo! Moo!" The big black ox nudged Chen Xun, its eyes filled with hope.
"After we finish Zhang Ge's order, we'll go buy the wood carvings. Don't worry, I'll remember."
"Moo~~" The big black ox jumped up happily; its happiness was so simple.
Chen Xun moved to another spot and buried the earthen pot in the ground. When traveling, one must never let down one's guard.
The following month, Zhang Jiang did not come. Chen Xun was puzzled. Zhang Jiang had never broken his promise before, so why didn't he come today?
"Perhaps something came up that delayed him."
Chen Xun didn't think much of it and continued forging. He was still far from mastering the art of controlling power, but diligence could make up for his shortcomings.
The following month, someone finally came to collect the knife, but it wasn't Zhang Jiang.
"Hey, girl, where's Brother Zhang? He said he came to pick up the knife last month," Chen Xun asked casually, while Big Black Ox carried the long knife from behind.
"Senior Brother Zhang... died in the fight against the Hundred Mysteries Sect," the woman said softly, her voice heavy with sorrow.
"ah?"
Chen Xun's eyes widened in surprise, but he quickly changed the subject, "I was too talkative. I'll go get you the knife right now."
"Okay." The woman nodded.
A short while later, the woman and her followers paid and took away all one hundred long swords. Chen Xun, sitting in the back, sighed softly and said to the big black ox, "Brother Zhang is dead."
"Moo?"
Big Black Bull nudged Chen Xun with surprise and doubt. "Brother Zhang is still so young."
"I heard he died in a fight. In the martial arts world, it's normal for people to fight and kill each other."
Chen Xun shook his head and sighed, "Even cultivators can die if they participate in a fight."
Big Black Bull nodded emphatically, "It's still safer here."
"Our path to immortality is one of invincibility. We should not offend or interfere with others. Within our capabilities, we can simply help our friends."
Chen Xun said calmly, his gaze deep, "Nothing in this world can disturb us anymore, so calm your mind."
Moo!
The big black ox looked at Chen Xun with an arrogant gaze, thinking, "He's really cultured," but it couldn't say anything.
"Chen Xun, the iron ore seller heard that our business is good, so he raised the price."
Sun Kaile rushed in from outside, as he had always been in charge of purchasing the iron ore for the shop.
"Huh?! What?!"
Chen Xun stood up abruptly, burning with rage. They had only just started making some money. "Isn't this bullying honest people?!"
"Old Niu, grab your weapons, damn it."
Chen Xun instantly drew two machetes from his waist, shirtless, revealing his sixteen-pack abs. "Go and reason with them!"
Moo! Moo!
When the big black bull got angry, it slammed its horns, and its tailor-made bandit gear instantly covered its entire body. No one could do anything to it; it was all about reasoning with people.
The place selling iron ore was a few streets away. Chen Xun led Big Black Bull there in a whirlwind, his imposing presence and swift movements making him seem to fly.
The iron mine owner was shocked when he saw this and shouted, "Hero, what do you intend to do?"
"It's nothing, we just wanted to reason things out. Why did the price of the iron ore increase when we sold it to them?"
Chen Xun gripped his double axes and roared, "This isn't fair, you know?"
Moo! Moo!
The big black ox also bellowed twice from behind, its voice full of energy.
Holy crap.
The iron mine owner had a slight sweat on his brow. He had a fierce look, sixteen-pack abs, and a big black bull following behind him. He was covered in razor blades. You're telling me this is a place to reason with people?
"Hehe, sir, don't be in such a hurry. Are you from Sun Kaile's family?"
"That's right, boss, give us an explanation. That blacksmith shop is also under Zhang Jiang's protection."
Chen Xun said, word by word, "If these people don't put on some airs, they'll just be bullied because they're kind. That's true in every world."
"Alright, please wait a moment and have a seat." The iron mine owner cupped his hands and smiled.
"Okay, we're reasonable people, we're not here to cause trouble."
Chen Xun softened his tone, sat down, slammed the axe on the table, and showed no sign of urgency.
Not long after, the iron mine owner stepped out, beaming and bowing, saying, "It's this man and this ox who's causing trouble in the government's territory."
"Arrested!"
A group of soldiers rushed over and arrested Chen Xun in an instant, not even sparing Da Hei Niu.
"We came here to reason with them! We've been wronged!"
Chen Xun shouted, struggling slightly, "I really am trying to be reasonable!"
"Stop talking nonsense! You're causing trouble and disrupting the order of Panning City, who are you trying to scare!"
With a cold shout, the officers took the two criminals away, while Chen Xun kept shouting that he was innocent.
Five days later, Chen Xun and Da Hei Niu walked out of the prison and saw the light of day again.
However, their axes and blades were confiscated, so they had to go back and have them remade.
Back in the blacksmith's shop, Sun Kaile prepared a brazier, and the man and the ox jumped around repeatedly, laughing and joking as if nothing had happened.
However, after Chen Xun's outburst, the iron ore seller actually didn't raise the price, so he made a small profit.
...
Five years have passed in the blink of an eye.
The blacksmith shop was doing very well, even taking away a lot of business from the blacksmith shop next door. When the owner of the neighboring shop saw that it was Chen Xun, he was heartbroken and lamented that he had failed to recognize a hero.
He also treated Chen Xun to a meal at a restaurant, and the two's grudges were forgotten. However, Chen Xun's appetite shocked him. After finishing the meal, he even packed up the leftovers, causing the blacksmith shop owner to suffer a huge financial loss.
The two now address each other as brothers, and Chen Xun's understanding of human relationships is absolutely impeccable.
But today, Chen Xun sped down the street, his speed creating a gust of wind, his eyes filled with anxiety.
Over the past five years, he has mastered the control of his power to perfection, and has allocated five points of longevity to speed.
Chen Xun and Da Hei Niu's current growth points are: Strength, 21; Speed, 8.
Chen Xun held several bags of herbs in his hand. Sun Kaile's health was failing, and he had been kept alive by herbs for the past year, which had exhausted all their savings.
But so what? Money is fleeting in Chen Xun's eyes; the people around him are the most important. He should always cherish the present and live a wonderful life.
Moreover, humans are not plants or trees, how can they be without feelings? He has already reached the ultimate goal of all cultivators—immortality. There is no need for him to rid himself of desires in pursuit of the so-called supreme path. This is his bottom line as an immortal.
Chen Xun always adhered to one principle: help his friends to the best of his ability, and never overstep his bounds beyond what he could do.