"Please make way."
Chen Xun frowned and shouted, speeding past. Passersby exclaimed in surprise, "This young man is so fast!"
The big black ox was tending a fire and boiling medicine in the backyard of the blacksmith's shop. It didn't want Old Sun to die either, so it made low mooing sounds and drooped its head.
Beside the bed, Sun Kaile was already in a state of decline, sometimes lucid and sometimes forgetful, but today his complexion was quite rosy.
He called Chen Xun and Da Hei Niu into the room, slowly got up and leaned against the wall. A black bull's head poked in and looked at him with concern.
"hehe..."
Sun Kaile patted the big black ox and smiled kindly, "I'm fine, everyone has to go through this day eventually."
"Old Sun, it's alright. I asked the doctors in the city, and if I take the medicine every day, I can live for at least ten more years!"
Chen Xun laughed nonchalantly, "I'm working very hard. Business is so good every day, we're not short of money."
"I still remember the first day you came to the blacksmith shop."
Sun Kaile smiled, her face full of wrinkles, and looked at Chen Xun, "Like a country bumpkin, all loud and boisterous."
Chen Xun forced a smile but didn't reply.
"I don't have much to teach you. You've learned everything. From now on, this shop will be yours."
Sun Kaile smiled slightly, took Chen Xun's hand, and said, "Save more money, find a wife, and stop buying medicine."
"Old Sun, you underestimate me. How much could these herbs cost?"
Chen Xun waved his hand and said, "Old Sun, didn't you hear me? I wanted to..."
"Don't try to comfort me. I know my own body."
Sun Kaile coughed, interrupting Chen Xun, "I have something here for you."
After he finished speaking, he took out a secret manual from behind his pillow and said weakly, "My son read this before he went to seek immortality."
"Old Master Sun, I have no interest in cultivating immortality."
Chen Xun didn't care about the manual; "Living well is the most important thing."
"If only my son had your temperament."
Sun Kaile's eyes glazed over slightly, and she sighed softly, "I have nothing to leave you, so please accept this."
"Okay." Chen Xun nodded.
"Big Black Bull, hehe, follow Chen Xun closely."
Sun Kaile looked at the big black ox with eyes full of affection, "I have seen so many animals, but you are the most intelligent. Heaven cherishes life, and it will protect you."
Moo! Moo! The big black ox's head moved.
"Old Sun, don't say discouraging things. The doctor said that the better your mindset, the longer you will live."
Chen Xun gripped Sun Kaile's hand tightly in return. It was so cold; a chilling cold slowly seeped into Chen Xun's heart.
"Chen Xun, you brat."
"I'm here, Mr. Sun."
Thank you.
Sun Kaile smiled warmly, gazing intently at Chen Xun and Da Hei Niu, as if trying to imprint their faces deep in her mind, never to be forgotten.
"Let's go, I'll rest for a while."
"Alright, Lao Niu, let's go brew the medicine."
"Moo!"
Chen Xun and Da Hei Niu rushed out and began brewing the medicine according to the prescription outside the courtyard, somewhat flustered.
The next day, a cold wind blew, and countless yellow leaves fell from the plum tree outside the courtyard. Sun Kaile passed away peacefully in the room.
On the street, a big black ox was pulling a cart with a coffin on it, and Chen Xun was pushing it from behind, expressionless.
Pedestrians on the road frowned, feeling very unlucky, and kept their distance.
The man and the ox paid no attention to the stares of others as they slowly pulled the cart toward the edge of the city, moving carefully to avoid even the slightest bump.
Chen Xun found an auspicious burial site for Elder Sun, and the tombstone was inscribed with "Tomb of My Mentor—Sun Kaile".
A cold wind blew, scattering yellow paper everywhere, and a desolate atmosphere lingered between heaven and earth. Chen Xun offered incense and bowed, and the man and the ox slowly walked towards the city, their figures gradually disappearing.
They returned to the blacksmith's shop and stood there in a daze for a long time. The chair was empty, as if there was no longer a little old man dozing off there.
"It's alright, Lao Niu, we should be happy."
"Moo?"
"If it weren't for us, what would have happened to Old Master Sun? There wouldn't even be anyone to handle his funeral arrangements."
"Moo?"
"We've at least managed to run the blacksmith shop well these past few years, and Old Sun is living a happy life, isn't he?"
"Moo!"
"That's right, we've done a great thing! Come on, be happy, ha, ha, ha."
"Moo! Moo! Moo~~"
The man and the ox were laughing in a way that looked more like crying, and the shop gradually fell silent again. It was unclear whether Chen Xun's words were meant to comfort the big black ox or himself.
"Why!"
Chen Xun slapped his forehead, realizing that something was definitely wrong.
"Moo?" The big black ox looked puzzled. What was wrong?
"Old Niu, we've been scammed."
Chen Xun said emphatically, his eyes filled with certainty, "That doctor must have been trying to fool us by giving us false prices for the medicinal herbs because he saw we were anxious."
He was heartbroken. Why hadn't he properly learned medicine from all those martial arts skills? There were no doctors in the small mountain village, and everyone used folk remedies to treat external injuries. He never imagined that this day would come.
I miscalculated.
Big Black Ox was startled and nudged Chen Xun: Why didn't you learn medicine?
"Let's focus on making money through blacksmithing first; we still owe our neighbors quite a bit of money this year."
A burning fire ignited in Chen Xun's eyes. The medical profession was incredibly lucrative, and besides, life was full of ups and downs, so learning medical skills was essential. He had a new goal in mind.
Moo!
A glint appeared in the eyes of the big black ox as he thought to himself, "If Chen Xun learns medicine in the future, he can heal himself, and those people won't have to die from illness anymore."
Seeing the big black ox's approving look, Chen Xun smiled slightly. His earlier gloom vanished. Life is always full of unknowns and challenges, which is what makes it exciting.
"Old Niu, get to work!"
"Moo!"
The clanging and banging of hammers began to echo from the blacksmith's shop again. Chen Xun's control over his strength had now reached the point where he could strike the ant with a single finger without harming its body, but instead take its head.
The ant nest in the blacksmith's shop suffered a great disaster as a result and began to migrate en masse, leaving behind many headless corpses.
Today, Chen Xun's blacksmith shop is renowned throughout the surrounding streets for its fair prices, superior quality, and excellent reputation.
Many matchmakers came to propose marriage, and even they could hardly resist his sixteen-pack abs, their eyes sparkling with desire.
Chen Xun just smiled coldly after hearing this and said to the matchmaker, "After working as a blacksmith here for several years, my heart is as cold as the iron hammer in my hand. Women will only slow down my blacksmithing speed."
These words caused countless young women to feel heartbroken, thinking to themselves that he was indeed the man they admired, even his manner of speaking was so heroic and extraordinary.
A year later, Chen Xun finally paid off his debts and had some savings. He continued to invest his longevity points into speed.
As dawn broke, the streets were sparsely populated, with only a handful of people passing by.
They cleaned up the blacksmith's shop and brought all sorts of things, including pots, pans, and bowls, which they hung on both sides of the black ox.
"Old Niu, it's time to go."
"Moo!"
They carefully sealed off the shop, but the land deed was still theirs; as long as they didn't sell it, they could come back and take a look later.
"Let's go." Chen Xun took one last look at the surrounding streets and smiled nonchalantly.
"Moo! Moo!"
The big black ox barked happily. Chen Xun said he would take it to buy wood carvings and release wishing lanterns today. A sense of ritual in life is essential, otherwise it would be too boring.
Clang, clang, a crisp clanging sound came from the big black ox, and the two figures gradually disappeared into the distance.
As the sun rose, some people passed by Chen Xun's blacksmith shop and found it closed and the man nowhere to be seen. They all sighed inwardly, wishing they had made a few more blacksmith tools at home.
When Chen Xun's blacksmith shop closed, it made the blacksmith shops on several nearby streets extremely happy. Everyone was celebrating, and prices had to be raised! Let's see who doesn't raise prices!