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"Longevity is truly as lonely as snow."
A young man lay on a small hillside, a blade of grass between his lips, gazing into the distance as a gentle breeze rustled the trees.
Yet, despite his words, his tone carried not sorrow, but a quiet sense of joy.
Moo~ Moo~
Beside him sat a black bull with a broken horn—yes, sat, not stood—its massive frame upright on its haunches like a loyal guardian.
The young man's name was Chen Xun, and he had transmigrated to this world a year ago—a world vast and boundless, filled with cultivators who could move mountains, part seas, and dwell above the clouds, gazing down upon the mortal realm.
When he arrived, he had a system. At that moment, Chen Xun was elated—images of countless protagonist tales flashing through his mind.
But—
His system wasn't the typical overpowered cheat. No invincible physique. No god-tier techniques.
Instead, he was granted immortality.
The laws of nature could no longer claim his life—but he could only add one attribute point per year.
Strength. Speed. Defense. Mana. Essence of all things.
Strength, speed, defense, mana—those made sense. But the last one? Chen Xun had no clue what that meant, so he wisely ignored it. Survival came first.
The system was, at least, considerate enough to gift him an immortal spirit beast to accompany him on his endless journey.
Though it couldn't speak, it understood him. And he could enhance its stats each year without sacrificing his own.
> "We may be immortal, but we're not invincible. Let's play it safe."
Chen Xun sighed. Half a year ago, he and the black bull had planted a rice field in a nearby mountain village and raised dozens of chicks. But one dark, windy night, Old Wang from the neighboring village led a group of thugs and stole everything.
Chen Xun was furious. Was there no justice left in the world? No law?
He sharpened his knife, grabbed an axe, and stormed toward the neighboring village with the black bull in tow, demanding an explanation.
They were outnumbered.
Chen Xun got beaten up, and one of the bull's horns was snapped. They fled back, nursing their wounds in shame for several days.
Moo!
The black bull snorted heavily, its eyes burning with resentment.
That incident left a deep psychological scar on Chen Xun.
---
[Ding! The host can now allocate attribute points.]
Chen Xun grinned. A new year had come.
Add to Strength.
Last time, he was beaten up because he couldn't break free. Never again.
> "Holy crap…"
A surge of power coursed through him. His muscles bulged, veins popping. He punched the ground—startling the bull into jumping upright.
> "My fate is mine to decide!"
Bang—
Equal force. Equal reaction.
He broke his hand. Again. He and the bull spent days recuperating.
He added a strength point to the bull too—no visible changes, but it flexed and found the upgrade quite satisfying.
---
They lived simply in a thatched hut in a quiet village. Yet, even here, the hierarchy was clear:
Mortals must bow to cultivators. Never offend them.
Even in this remote corner of the world, the rule was understood.
> "Xun-ge!"
A young voice called outside. It was Little Blackie—named for his dark skin, a crude village habit.
> "What is it, Little Blackie?"
Chen Xun opened the door slowly, still recovering.
> "The village chief sent some rice," the boy said cheerfully, holding out a bag.
> "Please thank the chief for me."
Chen Xun was moved. He and the bull had been surviving on wild greens for days.
For an immortal to nearly starve—that was comedy bordering on tragedy.
> A gentleman takes revenge, even if it takes a hundred years… Your ancestors' graves—just wait.
> "Xun-ge, I'm heading home. Mom's calling for dinner!"
> "Alright. Be careful."
Chen Xun smiled, gazing at the rice in his hands. Tears of gratitude welled up. There were still good people in this world.
Moo!
The bull cried out impatiently from inside. It was done with grass. It wanted rice too.
Fragrant steam rose. Rice was cooked.
A man and a bull sat under the stars, devouring their meal with dreams glimmering in their eyes.
> "Old Bull, let's live smart. No more rushing in headfirst."
Chen Xun swallowed a mouthful of rice.
> "When we get rich, I'll find you some old cows."
Moo! Gurgle.
The bull's eyes narrowed in disdain. Weren't you the one who charged into the village with an axe?
> "They had the numbers. We need tactics."
The bull leaned in, intrigued.
> "When they're old and weak—we'll smash their teeth and dig up their ancestors! Who dares provoke an immortal?!"
Chen Xun's eyes sparkled with fiery resolve.
Moo! Moo!
The bull nodded furiously. That's more like it!
> "Wait… What's that smell?"
Chen Xun sniffed, alarm growing.
> "The thatched hut!!"
Moo—!
The bull cried in shock.
> "It's on fire!"
"Chen Xun's house is on fire! Quick, get water!"
---
An hour later, the fire was out. The hut was gone.
Chen Xun and the bull knelt before the ashes, faces blank. All was lost.
Villagers came to console him. Orphaned, beaten, robbed, now homeless—he was the village's tragic figure.
> "It's over… I don't even know how to build a house…"
Life was bleak. Yet when one door closes, another opens.
The bull had saved enough rice in its stomach through rumination to last a few days.
> "Old Bull, I saw some caves east of the hill. Let's move there."
The bull didn't care. Home was wherever Chen Xun went.
---
They carried dry grass and firewood to the cave. It became their shelter.
Over the next year, Chen Xun apprenticed under the village carpenter, while the bull helped with labor. Villagers praised the bull's intelligence and urged Chen Xun not to eat it.
Chen Xun sneered at the thought.
> "I, Chen Xun, would rather starve, would rather jump off a cliff, than betray a friend."
> "So fragrant…"
Chen Xun devoured beef heartily. At year's end, the village slaughtered a few cows for a feast. Naturally, he wouldn't miss it.
The bull, however, watched with trembling pupils, hesitating even to eat the pieces Chen Xun gave it.
After the banquet, nothing was wasted. They packed up leftovers, living carefully as always.
Back in the cave, the bull finally ate with gusto.
Chen Xun, meanwhile, devoured the rest.
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Let me know if you'd like a shorter summary version or if you'd like to keep polishing future chapters in this tone!