Eternal Tale

In the following month, Chen Xun and the big black ox crossed the Tian Duan Plains, and they saw more and more cultivators near the gorge walls.

Some were in groups, while others were alone, with scattered Qinghun Grass around them.

They also quietly learned that the ominous wind in the Tian Duan Plains was called the God-killing Wind, and the mineral they were collecting was called God-killing Stone, which could only be found here; no other place in the cultivation world had it.

Every year, there are three times when the God-killing Wind is at its weakest; they don’t really feel it, being their own kind.

However, the highest cultivation level of the cultivators they encountered was only at the Gold Core stage. It seemed that Nascent Soul cultivators considered mining here beneath them and were more cautious about their lives.

Whenever they tried to approach others, they often scared many cultivators to the point of paralysis. They recalled once frightening a female cultivator so much that she trembled and her eyes rolled back.

Chen Xun and the big black ox had no choice but to leave and consider other plans.

Today, the God-killing Wind was much stronger. By the gorge walls, two middle-aged cultivators were mining, their spiritual senses always locked onto the Qinghun Grass.

“Brother Huang, the teleportation fees are too high. Even from the nearest large state, it costs a hundred mid-grade spirit stones.” A late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator named Dai Xinqing shook his head and sighed. “Just the Qinghun Grass alone costs more than half of one’s assets. This is truly not a place ordinary cultivators can come to.”

Clang!

Huang Shao said nothing after hearing this. He only felt the changes in the Qinghun Grass and then swung a pick-like magical tool heavily at the gorge wall.

There was an embedded God-killing Stone inside, occasionally flashing with dark light.

“Hehe, looks like another ten thousand low-grade spirit stones are coming our way.” Dai Xinqing was chatty but was still quick on his feet with work, clearly an experienced hand. “Brother Huang, we should at least make over a hundred thousand this time, right?”

“If we don’t die, we should.” Huang Shao replied coldly, “Just a pittance. Next year, we’ll buy more Qinghun Grass from the black market.”

“Brother Huang, what are you planning to do?”

“Refine God-killing Artifacts.”

“What?!” Dai Xinqing exclaimed, stopping his work. “That would require a piece as big as a small mountain, right? How intense is the God-killing Wind? Are you really daring to go?”

Huang Shao’s gaze turned cold as he looked at Dai Xinqing. “Xinqing, I’ll go alone when the time comes. You don’t need to follow me to your death.”

Dai Xinqing looked deeply at Huang Shao, silent. How could he possibly leave him behind?

Huang Shao continued mining, his gaze growing colder. He harbored a deep grudge; his entire family of two hundred had been slaughtered by someone from a certain sect.

Without the God-killing Artifact, it would be impossible to harm a Gold Core cultivator. It had to be done unexpectedly.

“Brother Huang, the asking price from the ancient sects for making God-killing Artifacts is not low. The reward needs God-killing Stones.”

“I know.” Huang Shao nodded calmly.

Dai Xinqing, upon hearing this, increased his mining speed. The methods for crafting God-kiling Artifacts were known only to the five great ancient sects and three ancient cultivation families.

Though this item had no tier restrictions, its use would harm both the attacker and the target.

God-killing Artifacts would cause permanent damage to the spiritual senses, which could only be repaired by breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage.

It was clear that Huang Shao’s enemies were likely better than him in terms of cultivation. Waiting would only widen the gap.

“Eh, two fellows, please come aboard the boat for a chat.”

Just as they were hard at work, a calm voice suddenly echoed from the darkness behind them.

Huang Shao and Dai Xinqing loosened their grips, and their tools fell to the bottom of the gorge. Their expressions were filled with confusion, fear, and terror...

What was going on?

They slowly turned their heads. In the depths of the darkness, a giant boat floated in the air, with two indistinct shadows standing on it, seemingly smiling.

But it was clear that the God-killing Wind couldn’t harm them at all!

“F-Seniors!!!”

“Don’t!!!”

Two terrifyingly miserable screams came out. They were suddenly enveloped in a golden light and forcibly flown toward the darkness.

Unable to resist, they could only watch as their bodies were uncontrollably moved. The force was clearly not magic but something they had never seen before.

It was over!

The two of them had nothing left to cling to. Tears streamed down their faces. They still had so many stones left to mine and so much lifespan unused.

Dai Xinqing’s heart began to burn with resentment, thinking why he hadn’t gone to that brothel; he had never tasted a woman’s touch before death.

Huang Shao’s eyes were vacant. He had encountered misfortune, his great revenge impossible, and the Tian Duan Plains truly lived up to its reputation.

Bang!

Bang!

The two stood firmly on the giant boat, their bodies weak, eyes fixed on the deck, with no will to resist or make threats.

“Don’t worry, young fellows. We are good people.”

“Moo~”

Chen Xun sat cross-legged on the crane’s head, and the big black ox stood at the front, looking friendly.

Huang Shao and Dai Xinqing were startled, exchanged glances, and slowly looked up with overwhelming shock.

Inside the boat, Qinghun Grass was planted everywhere—at least a thousand years old!

They finally realized why they hadn’t felt the God-killing Wind’s attack on the boat—it was because of this.

The Qinghun Grass had been cultivated by the big black ox during its idle times, unexpectedly used here.

“Seniors!”

The two bowed deeply in the direction of the voice, not daring to look up or pry, but the voice was clearly from a human.

“I have some questions for you, which are not related to your matters.” Chen Xun smiled slightly, speaking calmly, “After the questions, there will naturally be a reward for you.”

The big black ox began picking items from the storage ring.

Upon hearing this, the two felt as if they were bathed in a spring breeze, their expressions relaxing. In such a dangerous place, it seemed quite unusual, and they couldn’t imagine the power of these two beings.

They could move freely in the Tian Duan Plains and use magic without restraint.

“Please speak, Seniors. We will answer without reservation.”

“Where did you come from?”

“Forebearer, we are loose cultivators... with no sect.”

“Hmm... not asking about your origins. Did you come from the Great Li Realm?”

"To answer the senior, we come from Huoyuan Prefecture." Huang Shao spoke respectfully, not daring to hide anything. “This state is the closest to the Tian Duan Plains, saving on some teleportation costs.”

Dai Xinqing’s mental fortitude was obviously not as strong as Huang Shao’s. Cold sweat drenched his back, and the chatterbox was speechless for a while.

“I see. What is a God-killing Artifact, and can the God-killing Stone be melted?” Chen Xun, puzzled, expressed his thoughts. “If this item is damaged, the God-killing Wind will fully burst out.”

The big black ox agreed with a grunt, sharing Chen Xun’s thoughts.

Huang Shao’s heart sank. Were these Seniors not from The Great Li Realm? Their questions seemed strange.

The two were somewhat dazed, realizing what they should say.

“To be honest, the God-killing Artifact can bypass a cultivator’s magical shield and body to attack the spiritual senses, but we do not know the crafting method.” Huang Shao took a step forward with a bow, speaking neither humbly nor arrogantly. “Only the five great ancient sects and three ancient cultivation families know.”

“How much can it be sold for in The Great Li Realm?”

“A fist-sized God-killing Stone is roughly around ten thousand low-grade spirit stones.”

The two answered in unison with their heads bowed.

Suddenly! The surrounding God-killing Wind fell into silence, and the air in the boat was drawn in. An absolutely terrifying pressure flashed briefly.

The two felt as if they had fallen into an abyss, their faces turning pale. What kind of overwhelming power were these two?

“Seniors?!” Huang Shao and Dai Xinqing were panic-stricken, their internal spiritual energy and senses frozen, becoming true mortals.

After a long while.

“Oh...”

A calm, unperturbed voice came through, and the surrounding God-killing Wind returned to normal, gently blowing.

Huang Shao and Dai Xinqing swore they had never felt the God-killing Wind so friendly in their lives. They even wished it would blow more rather than like before.