Eternal Tale
chapter-58

Chen Xun and the black ox also took all the spirit medicines they had gathered from their storage bag out without any reservations.

"There's no need to be discouraged even if you haven't obtained the three main spirit medicines. You can accumulate for the next time, and the sect will also recognize your contributions."

With one hand behind his back, Wei Shan calmly scanned everyone. He didn’t seem to plan on making things difficult for them by doing an investigation. "I will record everything. Don’t worry, the sect won't let you down."

The statement that the sect wouldn't let them down renewed hope in many people's eyes. This time they had gained valuable experience, and in the next twenty years, they would have another chance.

But Chen Xun and the black ox trembled slightly. While Wei Shan had verbally promised not to investigate, he had just used his spiritual sense to thoroughly scan them, and fortunately, no one dared to conceal anything. Everyone was being honest.

It went without saying that Chen Xun and the black ox were the most honest of the bunch, and had made the most contributions, as well.

The other people onboard didn’t seem to have revealed that they had been probed by Wei Shan and were too absorbed with his honeyed words.

"Please take out your Contribution Tokens."

Wei Shan said lightly before using his spiritual energy to collect all the spirit medicines from the ground and into his storage ring.

"After the sect's confirmation, the values on your tonkens will naturally be converted into real points."

"Yes," everyone replied, taking out their Contribution Tokens.

Wei Shan had already estimated the values based on the types and ages of the spirit medicines.

Over a hundred people found a virtual number appear on their Contribution Tokens. Chen Xun and black ox were astonished to see that theirs recorded 6666!

Unfortunately, most of the spirit medicines they had collected fell under the three-hundred-year mark; otherwise, they could have had even more.

[Ding, you can now add points.]

Chen Xun suddenly heard the voice of the system.

He didn’t wait for them to arrive at the sect and started allocating the new point into their spiritual power stat.

With a high-pitched cry, the eagles accelerated into the distance and towards the Five Elements Sect.

…

Half a month passed.

The exhausted group had safely made it back to the sect. The people who had their nerves completely on edge throughout the journey finally started to relax.

It felt like a completely different world.

Chen Xun held the black ox and looked at the towering mountains below with a hint of joy in his eyes. _They had finally returned…_

In front of the main hall of the sect, the same few people were waiting, their eyes filled with anticipation.

After a few moments filled with honeyed words of encouragement, the group was led into the main hall by Wei Shan and others.

However, after that, there was not much attention paid to them.

Everyone felt a bit empty, a little insignificant, even. These elders didn’t seem to put them in their eyes at all. They were like that one cold senior brother who led you down the mountain, he knew the way, he knew to get you down safely, but he didn't want to hear you speak.

Chen Xun and the black ox walked the furthest from the back. They took in the familiar scenery with leisure. Unlike the rest, their attention was completely absorbed by their surroundings.

Strangely, Ji Kun had clearly undergone a significant change in personality after his return, and he kept distancing himself from Chen Xun. However, in the end, the latter didn't bother him. Everyone had their own path to walk, after all.

After descending the mountain, everyone started flying on their swords to their respective residences. No one had time to chit-chat.

"Old ox, let's go," Chen Xun said with a smile, taking out his Immortal Sword from the storage bag and carrying the black ox towards the Medicine Valley.

…

In the Medicine Valley, the graceful and exquisite figure of a young girl could be seen carefully taking care of the spirit medicines. She seemed about sixteen or seventeen years old. She wore a blue dress and her lips carried a lovely, cheerful curve to them.

She was named Liu Yuan, a disciple of the Pill Refining Pavilion, and had been brought into the Five Elements Sect since she was little. She was responsible for the cultivation of spirit medicines, and she was at the seventh stage of Qi Refinement.

"Sister Liu Yuan, we're back! Haha..."

A loud laugh echoed, and Liu Yuan's expression lit up. She quickly turned around and called out, "Senior Brother Chen Xun, Big Ox, you're back!"

Chen Xun and the black ox looked up, their faces beaming with smiles, before walking towards the girl slowly.

"Sister Liu Yuan, you've worked hard these past six months. Like I said, thirty low-grade spirit stones it will be." Chen Xun spoke seriously.

Liu Yuan was someone who they had met two years ago while inspecting the number of spirit medicines in the Medicine Valley. She had profound knowledge of spirit medicines and had taken care of the valley exceptionally well.

They didn't want to give up this place, and it was convenient to have Liu Yuan look after it. Besides, judging by the growth of these spirit medicines, they hadn't been disappointed.

"Senior Brother, you've managed the Medicine Valley so well that I hardly had to do anything. Ten... ten low-grade spirit stones will be enough."

Liu Yuan's petite face turned red when she heard the sum Chen Xun mentioned. She couldn't dare to ask for so much and thought that Chen Xun had just mentioned it casually.

"Moo~" The big black ox walked up to her and nudged her hand, indicating that she should accept it.

"Sister, time passes quickly, and 30 low-grade spirit stones in half a year is a fair deal," Chen Xun said earnestly, then took out thirty low-grade spirit stones from his storage bag.

Liu Yuan was nervous, her small fists clenched tightly. She came to check on the spirit medicines every day and practiced the Flowing Water Technique, but she couldn't handle receiving such a huge sum. The foundation laid by these two was already quite good.

"Senior Brother..."

"If we leave again next time, you can come back. Consider this as a token of gratitude, please accept it."

"Alright." Liu Yuan nodded heavily and decided not to discuss spirit stones with Senior Brother Chen Xun in the future.

"Sister, you can go about your business; we'll tidy up here," Chen Xun said with a smile, looking towards the Medicine Valley, feeling relieved.

"Sure, Senior Brother, I'm going." Liu Yuan waved to Chen Xun and the Big black ox, her voice like tinkling bells.

"Ah, now we're safe," Chen Xun sighed with his hands behind his back, finally feeling a sense of relaxation. "Ox, let's start working."

"Moo, moo~~~"

The black ox happily replied. They hadn't submitted this year's contribution from the Medicine Valley yet. Chen Xun had once said that every little bit counts, so even with a contribution of 6,000, they couldn't afford to waste it.

**_Swoosh!_**

**_Swoosh!_**

Chen Xun flew on his sword, and as he arrived in the center of the waterfall, the rushing torrent continued to pound, but it was deflected by the protective barrier cast by his spiritual power.

"It's so ferocious," Chen Xun looked up and saw the water pouring down with a force akin to a thousand pounds, depleting his spiritual power.

**_Clang!_**

**_Clang!_**

Chen Xun took an ax from his waist and began to rhythmically chop the rocks. However, the black ox, who was far away, couldn't hear the sound due to the roaring waterfall.

At this moment, it continued to run around the cave and began to check the spirit medicines inside. It started to prepare the quota to be submitted this year, and then, it set up the traps around the spiritual herbs.

After five days, the virtual points on Chen Xun's Contribution Token finally turned tangible, with a real value of 6666.

He immediately went to the sect's main hall to submit the spirit medicines and received another 200 contributions in return.

"Ox, I can't chop that place at all; both my mountain-splitting axes are chipped."

Chen Xun's face looked quite unsightly, as using his hands to break through wouldn't work, he needed a tool. He had no master to teach him, either. He could only look at the refining manuals and teach himself. He hoped he wouldn't waste the materials.

"Moo? Moo, moo?"

The big black ox nodded and nudged Chen Xun. They had plenty of time for learning. The main concern was whether there was anything to learn.

Chen Xun smiled slightly and said, "Ox, if I ruin the materials, we'll be using all our contributions. Don't blame me."

The black ox looked at Chen Xun disdainfully. _What was there to be afraid of?_

Walking side by side, they headed to the sect's Contribution Hall. When they went in, they were smiling, considering they had nearly 7000 contributions, which seemed like a fortune.

However, when they left, their smiles had long vanished.

They finally realized that happiness doesn’t actually disappear; it is only transferred, transferred to the Foundation Building Senior Disciples….

‘Oh, you're right, our Junior Brother is indeed remarkable, a full three thousand contributions.’

‘Wow, truly impressive! Five thousand contributions! Haha…’

Now, Chen Xun's head was buzzing with the words of praise uttered by his senior brothers. He had exchanged his points for a lot of items.

The big black ox exhaled heavily twice. This Chen Xun, couldn't he be a little restrained? He really spent like a nouveau riche. If it weren't for its firm nudge, he might have spent everything!