Chapter 23: The First Pot of Gold in the Cultivation World

Another year passed in the blink of an eye. Chen Xun and the big black ox lived a life of eating in the wind and sleeping under the stars on the outskirts of the Ningyun Mountain Range, no longer daring to collect human bones. Their cultivation had only improved slightly, still stuck at the third level of Qi Refining. They had allocated their longevity points to the Essence of All Things and managed to cultivate a hundred-year-old medicinal herb. Every day, they searched the mountain outskirts for spiritual herbs, but not even a shadow of one appeared. They dared not venture into the depths of the mountain range, where not only ferocious beasts roamed but also small sects were stationed, making it perilously dangerous.

Another year brought another Ascension Gathering. Chen Xun and the big black ox arrived as promised, their eyes carrying a hint of swagger. They could now comment on the items at the stalls with some authority. They brought their hundred-year-old medicinal herb to sell, only to be ruthlessly humiliated and scolded for being foolish enough to try cultivation. 

"Damn it! Why look down on people? Don't you have mortals in your family? Or is your whole family dead?" 

"Moo!" The big black ox spat a mouthful of saliva in agreement. 

Chen Xun and the big black ox walked through the valley, grumbling incessantly, still sporting their same old look and carrying the same old vibe. Three days passed in a flash, and the grand posturing of the ten great sects began once again. Chen Xun and the big black ox stood in the valley, full of anticipation. The key difference was that others' posturing was genuinely impressive. 

The valley was filled with countless exclamations and cheers. This time, Chen Xun joined in the shouting, at least managing to call out the names of the sects. Over the next seven days, Chen Xun and the big black ox continued scribbling in their little booklet, with the ox occasionally adding notes. When the valley closure time arrived, Chen Xun and the big black ox were the first to rush out, faster even than the ten great sects, so swift that no one noticed they had already fled. In the face of absolute speed, even schemes and plots seemed a step too slow. 

... 

Time in the mountains passed unnoticed, and five years flew by. The beasts of the Ningyun Mountain Range suffered a calamity, as Chen Xun and the big black ox devoured them one by one, calling each beast "little friend." Every day, some unfortunate beast fell victim to them. They finally ground their cultivation to the fourth level of Qi Refining, allocating all their longevity points to the Essence of All Things, hoping that one day, while relieving themselves, they might step on a spiritual herb. 

Their current longevity points: 

Strength: 21 

Speed: 21 

Essence of All Things: 15 

This year's Ascension Gathering arrived, and Chen Xun and the big black ox showed up as promised—again, and again, and again. They were radiant, as if returning home. Besides the pots and pans hanging from the sides of the big black ox, they had printed a large number of booklets in the city. 

During the gathering, Chen Xun gained fame, earning the nickname "Ascension Squatter." Dirt poor, he had nothing but a big black ox. No one knew his face or name; he was shrouded in mystery. However, it was widely acknowledged that his brain didn't work quite right. He always wore a black headscarf and harbored delusions of becoming a bandit in the cultivation world. 

Rumor had it that stall owners needed to be wary of him, as he often lingered around their stalls without producing a single spirit stone, likely scouting for something. But these were merely idle gossip among scattered cultivators, and no one paid much attention to Chen Xun, dismissing him as a fool. 

Every year, newcomers arrived and old faces departed, all driven by their fervent desire to ascend. 

Nine Star Valley. 

"Big brother, this is the culmination of my years of painstaking effort—a masterpiece! It contains the checkpoints and key details of all the major sects." Chen Xun bent over, smiling as he tirelessly promoted his booklet. "I guarantee it will greatly increase your chances of joining a sect!" 

"Oh?" A few scattered cultivators stopped in their tracks, their eyes lighting up with interest. "May we take a look?" 

But upon seeing Chen Xun's bandit-like headscarf, their hearts trembled. This man was clearly no ordinary character! 

"Of course. If you're satisfied, then pay." Chen Xun smiled. These people looked unfamiliar, clearly newcomers to the Ascension Gathering, which greatly increased the likelihood of a sale. 

"Brother Zhang, this actually looks pretty good," one cultivator said, his eyes bright as he showed the booklet to the two companions beside him. "It even details what kind of disciples the ten great sects are looking for." 

"Indeed. The question is whether it's genuine," the two companions nodded. If it was real, it would be invaluable. 

"Rest assured, big brother. I'm here every year. If there's any problem, you can come straight to me." Chen Xun patted his chest solemnly. "One lower-grade spirit stone is all it takes. You won't lose out, you won't be cheated. Even if it only increases your chances by ten percent, isn't that still worth it?" 

"Alright!" The man shouted, his eyes still glued to the booklet. "This fellow cultivator is clearly straightforward. I'll buy it!" 

"Big brother has sharp eyes. This year, you're sure to succeed in joining a sect." Chen Xun grinned, joyfully accepting the lower-grade spirit stone, his heart brimming with delight. 

"Alright, I'll take your word for it." The man laughed. This guy really knew how to talk; the spirit stone was well spent. 

"Take care, big brothers!" 

"Moo!" 

Chen Xun and the big black ox called out after them, their faces beaming with joy. They had finally earned their first pot of gold. 

"Old Ox, let's go!" 

"Moo moo!!" 

Chen Xun was brimming with ambition. No stealing, no robbing—this spirit stone was earned cleanly and honestly. The big black ox was so moved it nearly shed tears, rubbing against Chen Xun repeatedly. No one knew how much effort they had poured into this. 

"This big brother looks heroic and extraordinary, with exceptional talent. If I'm not mistaken, you're here to join one of the ten great sects, aren't you?" 

"Hm? Fellow cultivator, what do you want?" A young man paused in his steps, his expression surprised. Was his excellence already so obvious? Damn it... someone had seen through him. 

Chen Xun squinted slightly, sizing him up. "But big brother might be missing something crucial." 

The young man also scrutinized Chen Xun. Though he wore a headscarf, his sharp, intelligent eyes betrayed him. Coupled with the big black ox behind him, laden with pots and pans, this only added to his aura of wisdom. This man... was extraordinary. 

"Please, fellow cultivator, speak directly." The young man was quite polite. 

Chen Xun pulled out three booklets from behind him, spreading them out with one hand. "If you wish to ascend, first read this booklet!" 

"What?!" The young man was shocked, quickly taking the booklet. "Could this be... the legendary..." 

"Heh, the checkpoints of the ten great sects are all detailed here. It's up to you to recognize its value." Chen Xun said coolly, standing with his hands behind his back. Over the years, his eye for people had become sharp. He could tell at a glance who had spirit stones and who didn't. 

The young man wiped his cold sweat. The booklet's contents were all solid information, far better than the hearsay floating around. 

"Fellow cultivator, this must cost quite a few spirit stones." 

"One lower-grade spirit stone will do." 

"No, that's far too cheap." The young man shook his head firmly, surprising Chen Xun. Had he misjudged this person? 

"I think it's worth at least two!" The young man said seriously, pulling out spirit stones from his storage pouch. 

"Big brother, there's no need. It's a fixed price," Chen Xun frowned. He didn't like raising prices arbitrarily. "Just one!" 

"Two." 

"One." 

"Are you refusing to give me face?" The young man's expression suddenly turned fierce, as if he had transformed into a different person. 

Chen Xun was startled and quickly changed his tune. "Alright, two it is. Big brother is clearly no ordinary person." 

The young man immediately smiled, his demeanor shifting again. "Fellow cultivator, you're no ordinary person either. I like this booklet very much. I'll take it." 

"Take care, big brother." Chen Xun called out, still shaken. In that brief moment, the man's immense spiritual power had been several times his own. Moreover, he possessed the legendary storage pouch, suggesting he had a significant background. Such people were best avoided. 

"Moo~" The big black ox nudged Chen Xun. Why was he standing still? 

"It's nothing, Old Ox. Let's keep selling booklets." 

"Moo!" 

The man and the ox continued bowing and smiling as they promoted their booklets. Some people dismissed them as fakes and walked away with a sneer, but Chen Xun didn't get angry. That was normal. 

By the end of the day, their harvest was quite impressive—they had sold fifty booklets and now held fifty-one lower-grade spirit stones in their hands.