Chapter 3: The Passing of Twenty Springs and Autumns

"Let's just live a good life and stay out of all that fighting and killing," Chen Xun said earnestly, patting the big black ox. The ox nodded in agreement, and why wouldn't it? Life was nothing short of idyllic for them now. "Old Ox, let's head into the village and see if there's any work to be done. In this world, if you don't master a craft or two, how can you make your way?" Chen Xun stood up with a grin, tucking his mountain-splitting axe into his belt. They had rice now and no longer needed to rely on others for food, avoiding the risk of being chased away. 

Moo~ 

Man and ox began wandering the village, seeking masters to teach them skills. From funeral services to playing the suona horn, they threw themselves into learning with gusto. The big black ox even turned out to be better at carrying coffins than Chen Xun. Villagers who saw them couldn't help but give a thumbs-up. Nowadays, whether it was a wedding or a funeral, people from the surrounding villages would personally come to invite Chen Xun to help. Two words: absolute professionalism. 

Chen Xun was naturally an optimistic person, and he believed that having more skills never hurt. Thanks to his immortality, he was filled with hope for the future and lived each day to the fullest. Ten years passed in the blink of an eye, and a trace of time's passage began to show in Chen Xun's eyes. The village, too, had seen the arrival of many newborns. 

"Invincibility is such loneliness," Chen Xun said with a grin as he stood in his mountain cave, striking a boxing pose. Before him stood a massive boulder. 

Boom! 

With a single punch, the boulder shattered into countless fragments, scattering in all directions. His hand remained unscathed. 

The big black ox, sitting nearby, looked at Chen Xun with an expression that could only be described as awe. Not even a broken bone—how terrifying. 

"Well, Old Ox, what do you think?" 

"Moo!" 

"Hahaha..." Chen Xun laughed heartily, his hands clasped behind his back, his eyes gleaming with a sense of dominance over the world. "This is but a mere tenth of my strength." 

The big black ox actually believed him, its awe growing even deeper, much to Chen Xun's delight. 

Over the past decade, Chen Xun had allocated all his longevity points to strength. Lifting nine cauldrons was now child's play for him; his strength had far surpassed that of ordinary mortals. Even the village's Little Hei couldn't match him in an arm-wrestling contest—Chen Xun could pin him down with just three fingers. 

"Chen Xun!" 

"Chen Xun!" 

Urgent shouts echoed from outside the cave. The big black ox jolted to attention—work had come! It quickly used its horns to nudge its gear into place, lifting its head slightly with an air of pride. It was now the village's sacred ox; even the village's yellow dog had to call it "Brother Ox" when they crossed paths—or so it liked to think. 

"What's going on, folks?" Chen Xun stepped out of the cave to find dozens of villagers gathered. "Is it a wedding or a funeral? I need to know how to dress." 

"The old village chief... has passed," one of the villagers said sorrowfully. 

"What?" Chen Xun was taken aback. The old village chief had always been kind to him and the ox. A sudden emptiness filled his heart. "Let's go!" 

Outside the village's mourning hall, villagers gathered in droves. Chen Xun played the suona horn, its mournful notes carried by the autumn wind, leaves swirling in the air. His eyes held a trace of melancholy. Mortals could never escape the cycle of life and death; a mere century passed in the blink of an eye. 

The big black ox, adorned with bells that jingled softly, accompanied Chen Xun's suona playing. Together, they created a requiem of autumn, sending the old village chief on his final journey. 

On the rural path outside the village, Chen Xun walked expressionlessly, personally carrying the coffin. A long procession followed behind him, yellow paper fluttering in the air like a golden rain. 

"Lower the coffin~~" 

Chen Xun and a few others carefully placed the coffin into the ground. Standing to the side, he watched as the villagers paid their final respects. Some prayed for blessings, some for wealth, and some for immortality... 

When everyone had left, Chen Xun bowed three times in silence, murmuring with a faint smile, "Old Village Chief, thank you for your kindness. May you have a smooth journey." 

Moo~ 

The big black ox, visibly downcast, also bowed its head three times, imitating Chen Xun. 

Back in the village, Little Hei had grown into a strapping young man. Seeing Chen Xun, he grinned and said, "Brother Xun, you still look so young—not a day older." 

"It's all about the mindset," Chen Xun replied with a laugh, patting Little Hei on the shoulder. "You're looking good yourself—strong as an ox. You've got about thirty percent of my strength from back in the day." 

"Hehe," Little Hei chuckled sheepishly. "My dad once dug up some stuff in the mountains and gave me a good boost." 

"Be careful when hunting in the mountains. Your parents are getting on in years." 

"I know, Brother Xun. Why don't you come over for dinner?" 

"No need, I've got things to do," Chen Xun quickly declined. His appetite these days could easily bankrupt Little Hei's family. 

"Alright then, Brother Xun, I'll be off." Little Hei, holding a wild chicken in his hand, waved goodbye to Chen Xun. 

"Alright," Chen Xun replied with a smile. Smoke curled from chimneys as families prepared their evening meals. Man and ox walked through the glow of a thousand hearths, heading back to their mountain cave. All that remained were their solitary silhouettes and the cold gleam of the axe at Chen Xun's waist. 

Spring turned to autumn, and another decade slipped by. Little Hei now had two children, one of whom Chen Xun named Da Hei. Chen Xun often teased the boy to tears, much to the amusement of the big black ox, whose laughter echoed in mooing guffaws. 

By now, Chen Xun was a figure of considerable renown in the village. Yet his unchanging appearance had begun to draw strange looks. Rumors started to spread, some even suggesting that his bachelorhood was due to impotence. 

When Chen Xun heard this, he was furious. A seven-foot-tall man, strong and vigorous, accused of being impotent? Outrageous! He confronted Aunt Wang, the village gossip, engaging in a heated debate. Words flew, faces turned red, and Chen Xun nearly resorted to revealing his "treasure" to prove his point. In the end, however, he lost the argument, thanks to the big black ox's poor debating skills. 

Back in the cave, Chen Xun fumed, still ranting at the big black ox. The ox had stood behind him, utterly useless, unable to utter a single word in his defense. 

"Forget it. They outnumbered us," Chen Xun sighed deeply, feeling the sting of humiliation and the weight of an unjust accusation. "Old Ox, it's not your fault. It's just that we've lived too long." 

Moo! 

The big black ox nodded vigorously. It had even shown off its "treasure" during the argument, only to be mocked and ridiculed by the village women. 

"Why does my strength cap out at 20 points?" Chen Xun wondered aloud, as if stuck at a bottleneck. The big black ox seemed to agree. There was no discernible difference between 21 and 20 points. Left with no choice, Chen Xun began allocating his longevity points to speed, giving the ox a point as well. 

Their current stats: Strength, 21. Speed, 1. 

They immediately noticed a significant increase in their walking speed, their steps light and swift. It was the perfect skill for making a quick getaway. After adjusting his stats, Chen Xun had an epiphany. 

"Old Ox, it's time for us to leave," Chen Xun said with a sigh, his eyes tinged with reluctance. "This village can no longer accommodate us." 

Aside from Little Hei's family, more and more familiar faces were disappearing. To mortals, his ageless appearance was too unsettling. After all, this world had no skincare products or hormone treatments to explain such a phenomenon. 

The big black ox, too, had become a target of suspicion. Its extraordinary nature had not gone unnoticed, and some villagers were already plotting to capture and slaughter it to "nourish" their children.