Eternal Tale
Chapter 267: Majestic military might

The big black ox glanced at the still-busy Little Red, then walked over to Chen Xun and nudged him, its eyes filled with hope.

When they left Chan Yin Temple, it had asked Chen Xun if the monk was the reincarnation of Brother Le Feng. That possibility had filled it with real hope.

But Chen Xun remained silent, and after a long while, he only said, "Let me think about it."

Over the years, the ox had asked him the same question annually, yet Chen Xun never gave it a direct answer. Still, it waited patiently.

"Old Ox, have we finally repaid the karma we owed?"

"Moo!"

The ox’s gaze burned with anticipation as it made a floating ledger of merits appear in mid-air.

According to the monk, they carried no karma, so the idea of karmic reincarnation should’ve been irrelevant. Yet, ironically, the very person claiming to have reincarnated through their karma was none other than Brother Le Feng himself! The ox was unwavering in its belief.

"Heh, that guy hasn’t lived nearly as long as we have. How dare he boast of such things before us, old monsters!" Chen Xun turned away with a wave of his sleeve and a cold snort. "Old Ox, remember what I’ve always said: hearsay is unreliable. No one should shake our faith. Trust only what you see and feel."

"Moooo~~~" The ox nudged Chen Xun hard, sensing he was finally going to reveal the truth.

"Who says what we’ve done doesn’t accumulate merit? When we perform rituals for others, we also cultivate ourselves. Without seeking fame or profit, we naturally gain karma. We stand under the watch of gods, immortals, Buddhas, and the heavens themselves. They’ve opened their eyes and seen our sincerity."

"Old Ox!"

"Moo moo!"

"Karmic reincarnation definitely exists. That monk is indeed Brother Le Feng’s reincarnation! Back then, we missed mentioning one thing about his Nascent Soul. Look at Baili Fengyao—stuck in the Golden Core stage, isn’t he?!"

"Moo!!"

"Old Ox, the evidence is right before us. What matters now is to live with hope. We’ll meet our old companions again in future cycles, one by one. Hahaha…"

"Moooo~~~" The big black ox was moved to tears, rising on its hind legs and placing its front hooves on Chen Xun’s shoulders. "Moo moo~~"

Chen Xun’s words were true! Everything they had done along the way had meaning. Those villagers and townsfolk would surely be born into wealth in the next life, and Brother Ji and the others would reunite with them in their next reincarnation!

The ox looked at Chen Xun, mooing with emotion and tears streaming down. It now had many rare spiritual herbs, and with Chen Xun’s alchemy skills, no one would have to die anymore—not in front of them.

"Damn it, get lost and get back to work."

Thud!

Chen Xun kicked the ox away and brushed himself off, annoyed at the tears that had splattered on him. "Old Ox, how old are you now?! Crying like a child!"

From a distance, Little Red giggled while carrying two jars of concentrated sea beast blood, meant for Chen Xun’s practice.

"Brother Ox, hahaha, what happened?!"

"Moo~"

The ox instantly dried its tears and glared at the cheeky little lion in the distance. With a cunning glint in its eyes, it turned into a black whirlwind.

A black hoof suddenly emerged from the whirlwind and smacked Little Red, who let out a tragic scream as his joy turned to misery, spiraling into the air.

One incense stick’s time later, both the ox and Little Red had calmed down. Running around indoors, they resumed chatting and laughing together.

The ox, in particular, seemed different—more open-minded and relaxed, with no more inner turmoil clouding its eyes.

Chen Xun watched them, sat on a stone, and fell silent, his expression unusually calm.

Even if the monk was Brother Le Feng’s reincarnation, Baili Fengyao was no longer the same person. He now had his own family, brothers, mission, and path to walk.

That sense of familiarity could only be felt by them. Everything else was just a beautiful wish. But those who live forever must keep moving forward—they cannot dwell in the past.

"Reincarnation… does it really exist? Are they still the same people?"

A trace of melancholy flickered in Chen Xun’s eyes, but before long, a faint smile tugged at his lips. "How could a mere Nascent Soul cultivator fathom the secrets of reincarnation? Let time reveal the answers."

"But finally, the path ahead is opening. So, the ancient cultivators of Qian Nation left in haste because of the ancient realm war." Chen Xun murmured to himself, looking up at the sky. "No wonder I always felt their departure was abrupt. It seems something truly changed there, and even the monk didn’t know much."

According to him, the Corrupted Longevity had existed since the dawn of heaven and earth. In ancient times, even cultivators with five-element spiritual roots could reach the Nascent Soul stage, showcasing their immense strength.

With the resources available back then, there might have even been divine treasures capable of advancing spiritual consciousness. Otherwise, such a grand primordial array could never have been created, nor could it have resisted the Corrupted Longevity’s invasion.

That revolting entity—something even he, as an immortal, found perverse—could sever lifespans and frighten people to death outright.

"Wait… how did the Ji family even get here?! Did all ancient cultivators really join the battle? Or did some flee like him? Could all cultivators truly possess such righteousness?!"

Chen Xun’s eyes widened slightly. Back then, he was so moved by the monk’s aura that he failed to consider this point. "The path beside the Heavenly River exists in the cracks of realms. How did they even know about it? Even now, it’s still being defended. How could they have explored it?"

Damn…

He swallowed hard. That ancient text he found gave him far more knowledge—and deeper thoughts—than others.

The Ji family branch came from a truly magnificent age. There must have been a path back then, perhaps even connected to that side. The Filthy Longevity couldn’t possibly have originated at the dawn of creation.

"The realm barrier... It’s likely that during the ancient era, the path near the Heavenly River was sealed off, creating the realm boundary. This may be the true source of the Corrupted Longevity, forcing all living beings to participate in the war."

Chen Xun pulled out a small notebook and analyzed the situation. Could the grand primordial array have been created by Divine Transformation cultivators? He found it hard to believe. Even the power of the five elements striking it had no effect.

"If a realm wall truly exists, preparations must be made in advance. Xiao He, Giant Boat, it’ll be up to you to ram through it. Then you’ll officially become a Boundary-Breaking Boat, hahaha."

As he thought about it, he laughed. He’d considered this idea long ago but had never named the Giant Boat. "Ah, living so long is quite amusing."

Chen Xun couldn’t help but feel a growing sense of anticipation. He wasn’t afraid of the Filthy Longevity—they were its natural bane!

…

A month later, the skies darkened as the sound of thunderous booms echoed behind the western coastline.

The world was filled with a heavy, oppressive atmosphere. Countless cultivators felt their hearts skip a beat, their eyes wide with shock as they turned toward the horizon.

The earth fell silent. The skies fell silent. All the noise of the world seemed to pause.

The cultivators in the cities near the coast looked up in astonishment.

In an inconspicuous shop, three figures stood in the courtyard, also gazing skyward.

The western coastline was so still it felt as if time itself had stopped. Any motion seemed capable of shattering this fragile calm.

Buzz~~~ Buzz~~~

Suddenly, the sky beyond the western coast reverberated with a grand, earth-shaking sound. Clouds were torn apart, revealing massive, mountain-like war artifacts—War Boundary Boats!

Onboard stood elite tiger warriors clad in golden armor. Their aura was fierce, their presence towering like mountains, exuding an overwhelming killing intent. Their robust blood energy was entirely different from that of ordinary cultivators—this was a true army of immortal warriors!

The immense military might weighed like a mountain on everyone’s hearts, suffocating them with its oppressive force, laced with the chill of death and despair.

Dozens of boats…

Gradually, over a hundred War Boundary Boats emerged, piercing through the clouds and filling the skies, casting shadows over the stunned faces of cultivators below.

No protective arrays surrounded the boats. From the ground, one could see blood-stained battle flags fluttering fiercely in the wind.

The setting sun on the horizon seemed to suddenly break and vanish into the earth, leaving behind only a blood-red glow.

At that moment, the drums of war erupted from the War Boundary Boats, their sound like roaring thunder, sharp and rapid, as if the heavens themselves were howling in rage.

The deafening drumbeats echoed in waves, growing louder and closer, shaking the heavens and earth.

Endless iron-blooded killing intent swept across the sky like a tide, vast and overwhelming, capable of annihilating everything in its path.

As the crimson sunset painted the heavens, thick blood-colored clouds filled the sky, making the blood-red hue even more intense and chilling, as though the entire world had turned scarlet.

"Roar…"

Boom!!!

In the distant sky, the blood-colored haze stretched endlessly.

The sheer pressure and aura almost solidified, as if plunging one into the depths of the ocean. A mortal would likely be crushed to death instantly.

The army aboard the War Boundary Boats—each warrior’s cultivation was at least at the Golden Core stage!