HPDBC Chapter 18 – The person has passed away, and the living are like this
Chapter 18 – The person has passed away, and the living are like this
In the backyard, Chen Xun and Black Bull widened their eyes as they gazed at the century-old ginseng before them. All those nights spent draining its essence seemed insignificant now.
"Bull, we've struck it rich."
Chen Xun's eyes gleamed with excitement. He and Black Bull had nurtured this ginseng with all their might using the green liquid. "It's worth its weight in gold, no doubt."
"Moo!!" Black Bull was thrilled, having never seen gold before.
"With its age, it's definitely a coveted treasure among the wealthy families in the cities, a life-saving rarity."
Chen Xun swallowed hard. Most medicinal books had records of such treasures, akin to divine objects of the mortal realm. "Bull, should we sell it?"
"Moo? Moo."
Black Bull hesitated before shaking his head. They weren't in need of money; they had enough for their daily expenses. This was their treasure.
"Alright, we'll keep it for emergencies," Chen Xun nodded, feeling it would be a pity to sell it, not to mention a disservice to the essence spent over countless nights.
"Bull, let's cultivate other herbs. A few decades should suffice. Otherwise, it's too eye-catching and bound to cause trouble someday."
"Moo!"
Black Bull nodded vigorously. Chen Xun had told him many tales of the perils of possessing treasures, and he understood.
Over the years in the Cloud Mountains, they had only harvested ordinary herbs and had never encountered the legendary spiritual herbs. After all, who could be so lucky in their lifetime?
However, following the great battle of cultivators in the sky, the locals and nobles of Panning City grew restless, their desire for immortality intensifying. Droves of people headed to the Cloud Mountains.
Among them, many charlatans swindled others out of their fortunes, and bandits committed murder and robbery. The coffin business, however, began to boom.
The various sects couldn't stand being left out either. Disciples rejected by immortal sects, I'll take them! Matters ignored by immortal sects, I'll handle them!
Thus, tales of chivalry in the jianghu began to spread, and the wild men of the Cloud Mountains were gradually forgotten.
Time, it seems, can heal all.
...
Years passed in a blink, and five more had gone by.
In these five years, Chen Xun had invested all his longevity points into the World Soul, and he and Black Bull had finally advanced to the third level of the Qi cultivation phase.
Those who had once been close as brothers were now either aged or gone. Chen Xun and Black Bull took on many funerals, busying themselves for the families of the deceased.
One of the girls laughed, her voice as crisp as a spring, "Staying in the sect to cultivate only lets you play with the spiritual beasts in the mountains."
"Junior Sister Ye, you're mistaken. Let me say a few words."
A stern-looking man shook his head slightly. "You haven't seen the cities of cultivators. Panning City is but a drop in the ocean. The vastness of the world is beyond your imagination."
"Ah... Senior Brother Yu, really... really?" Junior Sister Ye's face flushed with excitement. "Have you been there?"
Senior Brother Yu's expression turned solemn, his stern face becoming even more so as he spoke earnestly, "I haven't been there."
The group's faces twitched: "..."
"Hey, what's that?"
Junior Sister Ye suddenly spotted something intriguing and hurried over, with the rest reluctantly following. But upon seeing it, they were all taken aback.
It was a small 'house' with four iron wheels underneath. A signboard on the little house read 'Xun's Delicacies'.
It looked like a shop, yet it resembled a vendor's stall, occupying a large space and surrounded by a bustling crowd, bursting with popularity.
The owner was drenched in sweat, holding a large pot over roaring flames, occasionally adding unexpected seasonings that delighted the customers.
There was also a window in the small house, from which a black bull's head extended... collecting copper coins with its hooves and even giving change.
Outside, various skewers were on display, their aroma wafting for miles, enticing the group, who couldn't help but feel their stomachs rumble with hunger.
Such a popular stall naturally drew envy from competitors, but the owner, wrapped in three Mountain-axing axes and inadvertently revealing his sixteen-pack abs when bending over, made everyone feel like brothers.
"Owner, I want this!"
Junior Sister Ye exclaimed joyfully, wanting to try everything. "And that, and that."
"Young lady, there's a queue, right? Go pay first."
The owner spoke bluntly, much to the satisfaction of the waiting customers. Eating here felt just right.
"Senior Brother Yu, come pay!" Junior Sister Ye hopped excitedly, her nose enchanted by the delicious scent.
Senior Brother Yu felt out of place as he made his way through the crowd to the window, pulling out a silver coin and locking eyes with the large black bull, a millennia in a glance.
Senior Brother Yu was stunned, his mouth agape. Why was there a bull?
Black Bull was also perplexed, exhaling heavily. Why so much? It couldn't count that fast.