Chapter 27: The Exploding Furnace, Where's My Hair?

"Moo moo!" The big black bull continued to pound its shoulders; such delicate work was beyond its capabilities, so it could only handle the rough tasks. "Old cow, it's fine, I need a few days to recover my magic power." "Moo!" the big black bull replied, you can take a few years if you want. Three more days passed, and Chen Xun finally restored his depleted magic power. Today, filled with vigor, he shouted, "The auspicious time has come! I shall open the furnace to refine pills. May the celestial beings and Buddhas bless me, Chen Xun!" "Moo moo moo moo!" The alchemical furnace spiraled into the sky, and one by one, the spiritual herbs flew into the furnace. Before long, there was another pool of wasted herbal liquid, cold. 

Three more days passed, and with his magic power restored, Chen Xun sat cross-legged, veins bulging in his arms, and roared, "The auspicious time has come! I shall open the furnace to refine pills. May the celestial beings and Buddhas bless me, Chen Xun!" "Moo moo moo moo!" The alchemical furnace spiraled into the sky again, and the spiritual herbs continued to fly into the furnace. Soon, yet another pool of wasted herbal liquid appeared, cold again. 

A month later, Chen Xun's fingers trembled slightly, and the corners of his mouth quivered as he whispered, "The auspicious time has come! I shall open the furnace to refine pills. May the celestial beings and Buddhas bless me, Chen Xun…" "Moo…" The alchemical furnace spiraled into the sky, and the spiritual herbs continued to fly into the furnace. Before long, yet again, there was another pool of wasted herbal liquid, cold. 

Another month passed, the big black bull looked listless, while Chen Xun's eye sockets were deeply sunken, his hair dancing wildly. He trembled as he said, "The auspicious time has come! I shall open the furnace to refine pills. May the celestial beings and Buddhas bless me, Chen Xun, please!" "Moo~…" The alchemical furnace spiraled into the sky, and the spiritual herbs continued to fly into the furnace. This time, the fragrance of the herbs wafted through the air, and Chen Xun finally grasped the essence. The big black bull's eyes sparkled, slowly standing up, wanting to say something impressive but unable to get the words out. "Old cow, it worked! I did it, hahaha…" Chen Xun laughed maniacally, his eyes bloodshot, as if he wanted to swallow the alchemical furnace whole. So many spiritual herbs, how many spirit stones had just vanished? Indeed, in this world of cultivation, even dogs wouldn't become alchemists; those with backing from celestial sects were a different story. 

"Moo moo~~" The big black bull was extremely excited, watching the dozen or so pure white pills, constantly pounding Chen Xun's shoulders. The fragrance of the herbs filled the entire cave, it was simply marvelous. "First, let's record this; it's all experience." Chen Xun almost lost himself in the moment; this was a big deal. He began to take out a notebook to write and draw, reviewing daily; he had all the time in the world. "Old cow, let's test the effects." "Moo." They both pointed with their hands, and a pill slid smoothly into their mouths, incredibly silky. Chen Xun and the big black bull felt a jolt of energy, a pure medicinal power radiating within them. That feeling was like… drifting in the vast ocean, utterly free, bringing the utmost enjoyment. "So comfortable…" Chen Xun couldn't help but say, as the medicinal power spread, it seemed the bottleneck loosened. Another heavy feather pill entered, continuing the refinement. The big black bull let out cheerful mooing sounds, sitting cross-legged on the ground. "Impressive!!" "Moo!!" With the third pill, the bottleneck that had been stuck suddenly broke open, instantly surpassing the fifth level of Qi Refinement! Chen Xun and the big black bull jumped with joy; they didn't want to be stuck at any level. "Let's not refine pills for a month, let's stabilize our realm," Chen Xun said excitedly. "Then we'll find a river, take a bath, and open the furnace next month!" "Moo moo." The big black bull nodded vigorously; every beginning is difficult. 

In the days that followed, they lived a life of rising with the sun and resting with the moon, cultivating seeds, refining pills, and practicing. Another year rushed by, and the Ascension Conference began as scheduled, but the bull-headed bandit was no more. The Liao family was furious; their ambush had come to nothing, and they were powerless. No one knew what the bandit looked like, nor did they know its origins, as if it had evaporated from the world. In the cave, Chen Xun added longevity points to the essence of all things. In the latter half of the year, Chen Xun successfully refined three more batches; they consumed pills while solidifying their realms, remaining humble and patient. Time was the least valuable thing for Chen Xun and the big black bull. What mattered most was to take steady steps; they had now broken through to the sixth level of Qi Refinement, terrifying indeed! 

"Though the growth conditions for these spiritual herbs are extremely harsh, it seems our essence of all things can overcome everything." Chen Xun and the big black bull opened another entrance in the cave, filled with spiritual herbs, all several decades old. He had seen in the "Compendium of Spiritual Herbs" that these herbs needed to grow in spiritual soil, not just any ordinary dirt. "Moo~" The big black bull looked at their domain, beaming with joy; the spiritual energy was overwhelming, and they were now cultivating here. "But this alchemical furnace is too fragile." Chen Xun frowned, feeling that the furnace wasn't quite right. "It seems I'll need to replace it eventually." The big black bull nodded; it didn't understand much about alchemy, but it felt that the outer layer of the furnace had deteriorated. 

The following year, although Chen Xun didn't refine pills, he was incredibly busy, constantly studying the Compendium of Spiritual Herbs, reading and researching daily. The big black bull managed the spiritual herbs, picking them when they were ripe and placing them in the medicine box. Life was peaceful, without too many troubles knocking at their door. Another year passed, and the Ascension Conference brought many new faces; they were ambitious and full of aspirations, eager to ascend. Some familiar faces shook their heads in lament; those who once mocked the bull-headed bandit were now themselves bandits, with opportunities right before them, inevitably feeling discontent. They looked down on the mortal realm, preferring to die in the Nine Star Valley rather than return in disgrace, unaware of how many bones lay buried deep in the Ningshan Mountains. Those selling pamphlets were overjoyed; with more competitors, fresh blood was needed. What most people didn't know was that such Ascension Conferences were numerous; the ten celestial sects wouldn't hold them in just one place. The Liao family had completely given up, continuing their business in the Nine Star Valley; it was just a small matter, no need to let others mock them for being petty. They figured the bandit had probably been devoured by some beast, leaving no trace behind. 

In the cave, Chen Xun added longevity points to the essence of all things, began to calm his mind, and prepared to open the furnace to refine pills. The big black bull had prepared the spiritual herbs, acting as a cheerleader, rubbing Chen Xun's shoulders and back. "Now that my magic power has greatly increased, I wish to open the furnace to refine pills. May the celestial beings and Buddhas bless me, Chen Xun, please!" Chen Xun's gaze sharpened, his robe billowing without wind, his black hair floating behind him, the sense of ritual at its peak. "Moo~~" The big black bull let out a long howl. 

Chen Xun skillfully placed the spiritual herbs into the furnace, proceeding smoothly. Initially, it took three days to refine a batch of pills, but now it only took two. Time flew by, and after half a year, a loud bang suddenly echoed through the cave—the alchemical furnace exploded… 

Chen Xun's face was blackened, dazed, as he coughed out thick black smoke, sporting a Mediterranean hairstyle, the middle section completely blown away. "Moo!!" The big black bull was wide-eyed with panic, exhaling heavily, rushing forward to check; thankfully, Chen Xun was unharmed. In an instant, its legs went weak, its eyes crescent-shaped, taking a slight step back, its belly twitching, suppressed snorts escaping continuously. "It actually exploded," Chen Xun frowned slightly, not yet realizing the severity of the problem. "It seems this magical tool also has wear and tear." 

"Why does my head feel a bit chilly?" Chen Xun sensed something was wrong, touched his head, and then touched it again; his features gradually twisted. "Where's my hair?!!" A roar echoed through the cave like a lion's, shaking loose stones from above. "Gah gah…" The big black bull was nearly at its wit's end, making strange noises; it had never seen Chen Xun like this. Chen Xun silently put on the bandit's headscarf, his blood-red eyes glaring at the big black bull: "Old cow, you're dead!" "Moo~~!!" A horrifying scream erupted from the cave, akin to the sound of a cow being slaughtered during the New Year.