Eternal Tale
chapter-4

Chen Xun had learned all kinds of wilderness survival skills during the past few years. Although he was not proficient, he knew them well enough.

"Moo~~"

Mooing anxiously, the black ox gazed longingly at their farmland. This was the result of its hard work; days and days of plowing!

"It's alright. We'll find an even bigger and better farmland in the future!"

"Moo! Moo!"

The big black ox nodded vigorously in a frenzy.

And so, Chen Xun started orchestrating his big plans, leaving the animal dazed and confused.

But then, Chen Xun stood up suddenly, a matter had sprung up to his mind. "Now, now…. A gentleman can’t leave a grudge unsettled," he said, spinning the axe in his hand a few times.

"I imagine those people are getting old by now, big ox. While they are weak, we'll take their lives and get back what's rightfully ours—the rice!"

"Moo!!"

Reminded of this incident, the big black ox was immediately furious. It stomped heavily, causing the ground to shake and pieces of rocks to spin in the air. Its horn had only grown a little now. Who knew how long it would take for it to fully grow back. Even the small cows in the village didn't pay much attention to it.

They then went ahead and gathered their belongings. They could effortlessly carry things such as pots, bowls, and utensils as if they were nothing with their current strength. As for the musical instruments, they were essential to their journey, and they loaded them all onto the big black ox.

The following day, in front of the houses of the people who had once helped them, were bags of rice. Among those were Xiao Heizi and his family, the blacksmith, the carpenter, and many others who were generous in their treatment. This small gift brought joy and gratitude to them, as they admired the kindness of the heavens.

They also gave Xiao Heizi’s family the other things they had left behind, including the fertile farmland. Xiao Heizi’s wife blossomed with smiles as she counted the rice grains. _Such a good gift!_

Inside the house, Xiao Heizi had grown into a middle-aged man; he had matured a lot. He picked up the letter Chen Xun left him and started reading. Chen Xun had taught him how to read before; so he could understand it naturally.

"Xiao Heizi, the fertile land outside the cave is now yours to take. Also, take good care of Da Heizi."

"Perhaps after today, we won't see each other again in this lifetime. But the world is magnificent and splendid, and we must explore it. Remember to always maintain an optimistic attitude. You will forever remember me as your carefree Brother Xun."

Xiao Heizi read every word carefully, and a faint haze started clouding his eyes. He had followed Brother Xun since childhood and had already regarded him as an elder brother.

Memories of Chen Xun flowed through his mind one by one; the stolen rice, the burned thatched hut, being expelled from the village while working. Although those were tough times, Brother Xun always seemed enthusiastic about life.

"Brother Xun, may you have a smooth journey…."

Xiao Heizi smiled warmly as he looked outside the window. Today, the sky was clear, and not a single cloud could be spotted; a good day to set off.

…

Three months quickly flew by. And in a pit outside the neighboring village, a man and his ox could be spotted. They were covered in dust, and the man’s attire was in a shabby condition.

The man held a large loaf of bread. He took a big bite of his own before passing it to the black ox.

"Everything is as expected. Now that we have thoroughly investigated this little village, we can commence our plans. Let’s start with Old Wang and his family!"

Chen Xun's eyes glittered with fierceness. Patience and time were things he had plenty of. He had thoroughly investigated the Wang family's ancestral graves, farmland, and all those they had trouble with.

"Big ox, it's time to act!"

Chen Xun covered his head with a cloth, leaving only his two eyes, nose, and mouth exposed. He also prepared a set of clothes for the big black ox.

They stood on a hill under the dark moon, unmoving under the fierce gusts of strong wind, displaying their banditry presence.

They walked along the mountains, with moonlight illuminating their silhouettes and a chilling wind swirling around.

Each graveyard seemed incredibly eerie, but compared to the grievances they had endured, this meant little to nothing.

"The Tomb of Wang Defa…."

A glint flashed in Chen Xun's eyes; this was the one. He said in a hushed tone, "Big ox, dig!"

"Moo!"

Excited, the big black ox let out a roar as its four hooves kicked up a storm of dirt. Chen Xun kicked the tombstone, utterly enjoying himself. He then dug out the soil, revealing a coffin.

They immediately lifted up and opened it, exposing a skeleton. After that, both the man and the ox fled, disappearing in a flash.

They then went to Old Wang’s field. The big black ox started plowing furiously, sending soil flying everywhere. Chen Xun watched it with shock as it vented its anger. This old ox held grudges even more than he did….

Shortly after, the entire field was in complete chaos, no longer resembling its former state. Chen Xun and the big black ox looked at their handiwork with satisfaction, feeling quite content.

The following day, Chen Xun rushed into Old Wang's house with the black ox.

"Who are you?" An elderly man in his fifties, leaning on a cane, asked in astonishment. The person with his head covered looked quite terrifying.

"I am your long-lost father!" Chen Xun roared angrily and immediately recognized the elderly man—Wang Tianming. He was the one who had beaten him the hardest back then. Chen Xun kicked his cane and broke it in an instant.

Taking a step forward, he controlled his strength and slapped Wang Tianming's face, knocking out the few remaining teeth he had.

"Mercy! Have mercy, Hero!"

Wang Tianming spat out blood before it dawned on him that he was being attacked by a bandit.

"You led people to steal our rice over twenty years ago. Today, I've come to collect the debt!"

"What?!"

Wang Tianming was shocked; he had almost forgotten about that incident from twenty years ago. When he saw the black ox outside the door, he started recalling the past.

"Moo!"

As a big yellow dog passed by the Wang family’s house, the black ox charged at it. With a slam, the dog was sent flying and let out a miserable cry before quickly running away.

Chen Xun didn't spare Old Wang’s family either. He shook all the eggs in their house until they were thoroughly mixed, and he chopped the earthworms on the ground into eight segments with a pickaxe.

Wang Tianming sat on the ground, wailing in pain, and quickly calling for help.

"There are bad people here!"

"Bold! How dare they come to the Wang family and cause trouble!"

Numerous men came rushing with hoes and kitchen knives from outside, their shouts ringing out in the air as they bombarded them with cussing words.

"Big ox, retreat!"

Shouting, both he and the black ox leaped over the wall. Chen Xun even pushed the ox's butt, urging it to move faster.

"Little thief, you won’t get away!"

"If you have the guts, stop and face us like a man!"

"Don't let them get away! Cowardly rats. Despicable to the extreme!"

…

Many people were alarmed in the village, and hundreds of them chased after the duo with weapons in hand; dust and smoke billowed as they pursued.

"Hahaha, hey, they can't catch up."

Chen Xun turned around and laughed loudly, running wildly with the black ox. Looking at the smoke behind them, he looked disdainful. "Is that all they've got?!"

Countless men let out low roars, accelerating their pace and chasing furiously. However, no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't catch up. They could only watch as Chen Xun and the ox ran farther and farther away.

What was most absurd was that even the big black ox ran faster than them!

"Moo! Moo!"

Suddenly, as if it had been gathering it for days, a thunderous fart erupted from the big black ox. An overwhelming stench filled the air, and a suffocating sensation spread. Chen Xun's face twisted as if someone shoved a pile of dung up his face."Ah! It stinks so bad! How disgusting!"

Gagging, the villagers chasing from behind suddenly felt weak in their legs, supporting themselves with their hands and continuously retching. Their eyes flashed with disbelief. They couldn’t accept that such a foul fart could exist in the world.

Wang Tianming rushed over from behind, infuriated. If he were twenty years younger, he would have dismembered this person a thousand times over!

"Old Wang, your ancestral grave has been dug up! Even the coffin lid has been lifted!"

"What?!"

"Old Wang, quickly go back and check your field. It looks like it has been plowed by pigs!"

"What?!"

Upon hearing the voices from behind, Wang Tianming's head spun, and he fainted on the spot.

Meanwhile, Chen Xun and the black ox had already gone far away, their figures disappearing from sight, leaving behind a tale of infamous bandits in the village.