Outside Fengdu Pavilion, by the cliff.
Over these five years, Chen Xun and the big black ox continued to allocate immortal points towards defense.
They still sat on their rocking chairs, always holding a book in their hands, and there were very few female disciples passing by.
After all, only those at the Golden Core stage were qualified to come here, and they all respectfully addressed them as Pavilion Guardians.
"Old Ox, with the Nurture Pills we have, reaching mid-stage Nascent Soul is smooth sailing." Chen Xun rested one hand behind his head, looking into the distance. "After listening to Daoist Jin Yu, I have an idea."
"Moo?" The big black ox slightly tilted its head towards Chen Xun, its eyes showing contentment.
"If we use Supreme Pure Ancient Pills, could they enhance our mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivation?" Chen Xun squinted slightly, smiling softly. "After all, we've never tried pills that enhance early-stage cultivation."
The phenomenon produced by the Nurture Pills only occurred after the first pill was made. Subsequent pills didn’t show the same phenomenon, which Chen Xun didn't mind.
"Moo~~~" The big black ox exhaled a relaxing breath. Whatever the big brother said, it wasn't skilled in alchemy.
At this moment, a breeze seemed to blow from the sky, carrying the coolness of the cold moon, the stars, and the moisture of the Milky Way.
The cool and damp air made any sentient being feel at ease, increasing their sense of contentment, and they fell silent.
Chen Xun's gaze was distant, recalling the Five Elements Sect. Over the years, he wondered how it fared, being one of the Top Ten Sects of the Qian Nation and a subordinate of the Purple Cloud Sect.
If Ji Kun, Liu Yuan, and Shi Jing had descendants, he planned to bring them over for personal guidance, although he wasn't yet at the level to take disciples.
"Senior." At this moment, a figure flew over in a beam of light. She was all in white, elegant, and otherworldly, exuding an ethereal aura.
"Xuechen."
"Moo~"
Chen Xun and the big black ox looked towards the mountains. It was Jiang Xuechen, an old acquaintance of theirs over the past few years.
She slowly landed on the cliff, brushed her hair behind her ear, and bowed her head respectfully, "There is news about the flying boat."
"Oh?" Chen Xun's eyes lit up as he got up and walked forward. "I wonder if they are willing to assist me. The reward will certainly satisfy them."
The matter of the giant flying boat was beyond his expertise, including the framework and other details, a considerable project. Those major sects usually pooled their entire sect’s resources, collecting materials and refining tools—quite different from ordinary magical artifacts.
Jiang Xuechen looked at Chen Xun closely and smiled, "They said it would be their honor to assist you, Senior."
Her voice was like pearls falling on a jade plate—soft and clear, extremely pleasant to hear.
"Moo~~!" The big black ox stood up excitedly, its eyes wide open.
"Haha, I wonder when they will be available. We should visit them personally." Chen Xun clapped his hands and laughed, very pleased. "The required materials will not trouble Moon Tower; we will exchange them ourselves."
"A month from now, they will be waiting for you at Huayu Valley on Qionghua Peak." Jiang Xuechen bowed from a distance, not daring to approach. "I will lead you there then."
"Good, good." Chen Xun nodded repeatedly, placing a hand on the ox's head.
"Moo~" The big black ox lifted its head.
Chen Xun's eyes sparkled. These matters were the secrets of other factions and were impossible to find out by asking around.
"If there are no other instructions, Senior, I will take my leave." Jiang Xuechen saluted from a distance, her face radiating a gentle and serene light.
"Wait!" Chen Xun suddenly stopped Jiang Xuechen.
"Senior?"
A hint of surprise flashed in Jiang Xuechen's eyes. Over the years, this was the first time he had asked her to stay.
"Xuechen, there's something wrong with the spiritual energy in your body." Chen Xun narrowed his eyes slightly and said calmly, "Have you been stuck in the mid-stage Golden Core for a long time? I heard from Daoist Jin Yu that you have heavenly spiritual roots."
"Moo?!" The big black ox was taken aback. When did the big brother start observing other people's spiritual energy?
"Yes..." Jiang Xuechen's eyes filled with sorrow, her long, silky black hair cascading like a waterfall in the wind.
"And why is that?" Chen Xun asked matter-of-factly.
Jiang Xuechen was speechless. The big black ox was also silent.
Chen Xun looked at their expressions and raised an eyebrow. Had he said something wrong? If you don't understand, just ask; don't act like a senior.
The big black ox showed a trace of inexplicable mockery and shook its tail.
"Senior, you may not know, but my Jiang family is a family of diviners. We likely did something that angered the heavens, causing our immortal path to be cut off."
"Moo?!"
Before Chen Xun could speak, the big black ox exclaimed in surprise. It was shocking that they dared to anger the heavens; even they wouldn't dare.
Chen Xun's eyes showed deep thought. With his hands slowly clasped behind his back, he remained silent, projecting the image of a high-level cultivator.
Jiang Xuechen's eyes dimmed. Even the patriarchs had no solution to this problem, unable to find the root cause.
Silence suddenly enveloped the cliffside.
The big black ox and Jiang Xuechen both looked at the contemplative Chen Xun, as if expecting something. Then he suddenly burst out:
"Nonsense."
"Moo?!!"
"Senior?"
Jiang Xuechen was shocked, her composure instantly shattering with the crude remark.
Chen Xun looked devoutly towards the sky and bowed, "The heavens are incredibly generous. How could they target us mortals? Don’t blame everything on them."
"Moo moo moo~~" The big black ox waved a hoof, agreeing enthusiastically. The big brother was right!
"I think, Xuechen, your family's divination technique has a problem. I just checked your spiritual energy flow. It's going in the wrong direction. Isn't that a precursor to going astray?" Chen Xun snorted. In terms of understanding spiritual energy, no one in the cultivation world could rival him. "Your family's technique might be incomplete, or it was flawed from the start."
"Ah?!" Jiang Xuechen was stunned, speechless for a long time. What kind of divine logic was this?
"Divination is just one of many possibilities; it can't be perfect. Your family’s technique should be supplementary, not the main focus." Chen Xun's words became increasingly impressive; even his demeanor changed. "Use it as a secondary practice, but don't follow it blindly."
"Moo!" The big black ox nodded vigorously. If predicting the future were truly possible, they could do it too.
By analyzing everything happening around them, based on their experience, they could predict future events accurately. For example, their meticulous planning was always well-founded, without relying on divination.
"Senior..." Jiang Xuechen's eyes widened, and her breathing quickened.
Her family and several patriarchs had discussed this issue, but none had considered that the technique might be flawed. They never thought the method itself could be the problem.
"I've said my piece. I don't know much about this matter, so these are just my suggestions." Chen Xun waved his hand, smiling. "I don't mean for you to abandon it, just to consider it from a different perspective."
When he talked with Daoist Jin Yu, she mentioned that this girl was the last hope of the Jiang family.