The Emperor Who Scrapes By

Chapter 5 When Out and About, Safety Comes First

Half a month later, in a mountain forest—rolling peaks stretched into the distance, an endless sea of trees, and even the roars of wild beasts echoed from deep within.

Swoosh!

The felling axe cleaved through the air, and several spurts of blood burst out. A brown bear lay dead on the spot. Sparks flew, a large pot was set up, water was boiled, and the feast began.

"Old Ox, how about my unmatched axe technique?" Chen Xun flicked his axe and looked at Big Black Ox.

Moo!

Big Black Ox gave a perfunctory reply, busily scraping the ground with its hooves to cover up the bloodstains. When out and about, safety comes first.

"Truly inhuman strength," Chen Xun murmured, clenching his fist in amazement. He had gone one-on-one with a brown bear—one punch had sent it into shock, breaking several ribs.

Man and ox gathered around the pot and dug in with gusto. Wild game was just so much more flavorful—eating it was thoroughly satisfying.

"Old Ox, even though we have inhuman strength, you saw it too—d*mn it, there are immortal cultivators out there." Chen Xun said while chewing on a bear paw. "Don't act rashly when trouble comes. Some folks might look ordinary, but they could very well be old monsters in disguise."

Moo.

Big Black Ox grunted in acknowledgment—it understood, and happily kept eating.

"If we so much as kill a chicken out in the wild, we must definitely destroy all evidence and leave no trace for others."

"Moo?"

"Because it might have a whole flock of chickens behind it, and they could track us by the scent."

"Moo?"

Big Black Ox still didn't get it. A piece of meat fell from its mouth, and it quickly picked it up from the ground with its lips.

"You think a flock of chickens is nothing—just kill them all?" Chen Xun scoffed, his mouth greasy.

"Moo." Big Black Ox nodded.

"And what if that flock belongs to an immortal cultivator?"

Chen Xun said with an air of profundity. "Wouldn't they come looking for trouble with us?"

"Moo!"

"And if we beat those cultivators, wouldn't their master come after us?"

"Moo! Moo!" Big Black Ox was dumbfounded—that made perfect sense.

"In the end, a single chicken could trigger a sect war. How many people can we fight?"

Chen Xun raised an eyebrow as he tore at the bear meat. "And if we got careless and got killed, how many heifers would we miss out on?"

"Moo~!"

Big Black Ox had seen the light. Its large, bell-like eyes gazed at Chen Xun with admiration that flowed like an endless river.

"Good pupil." Chen Xun smiled approvingly—he loved seeing that expression on Big Black Ox. "So from now on, always be cautious. Not a single slip-up."

"Moo!" Big Black Ox nodded.

"Now, here's a question." Chen Xun's expression turned serious. "Suppose a heifer and an immortal cultivator are facing off over a rare spirit herb, and a battle is about to break out. What do you do?"

"Option one: heroically save the beauty—no hesitation, it's all on me."

"Option two: side with the stronger party, bully the weak, and protect yourself."

"Option three: pretend nothing happened, slip by quietly, and avoid any karmic ties."

"Option four: I am invincible—everyone dies, and the herb is mine."

"Please choose."

Chen Xun's deep gaze fixed on Big Black Ox, who broke out in a slight sweat. Such a difficult question.

The ox's eyes showed inner conflict—how could it watch a heifer fall into enemy hands? Finally, it made its decision: "Moo!"

"Option one? Wrong!" Chen Xun sneered. "How can a mere heifer contend with a cultivator? If you rush in, you'll just be another corpse."

"Moo, moo."

"Choosing two? Dead wrong." Chen Xun narrowed his eyes slightly and explained, "You already know they're fighting over a spirit herb. The more people who know, the greater the risk. After the cultivator takes out his enemy, he won't let you live."

Black Ox's pupils shrank, and cold sweat beaded up—it had just died twice. "Moo, moo, moo!"

"Haha, choosing three? Even more wrong." Chen Xun laughed boldly, a cold glint in his eyes. "In this world, there's no law. When you lack strength, you can never be sure if you'll be discovered. They'll simply kill you on the spot, thinking you're some ox trying to steal a bargain."

Black Ox went limp, trembling from Chen Xun's intimidation. A heavy snort blasted the ground. "Moo, moo, moo, moo!"

"I never expected you'd pick option four." Chen Xun slowly rose, casting a shadow over his face. Big Black Ox suddenly felt incredibly small. It was so scared it went weak—had it died again...

"Congratulations..."

"Moo?!"

Black Ox suddenly felt strength returning to its body. Its four hooves slowly lifted, hope kindling in its eyes—had it finally gotten it right? Was it about to be resurrected?!

Chen Xun's pupils slowly widened as he looked down at Big Black Ox and let out a low laugh. "You chose the most tragic death of all, Old Ox. Die!"

Moo~!!

Black Ox's pupils went blank.Thump—dust rose as it collapsed to the ground. It had gotten them all wrong...

After a moment, Black Ox thought,Wait a minute—how could all the answers be wrong?The more it thought, the more it didn't add up. It looked at Chen Xun, who was still eating the bear paw, and realized—it had been tricked!

Moooo!!!

"Holy crap..."

Chen Xun was sent flying into the air, still clutching the bear paw tightly. He felt the wind on his face... and also saw a group of people fighting in the distance.

His eyes sharpened. He landed steadily on both feet, smashing two large craters into the ground. Big Black Ox was gobbling down bear meat and slurping soup, looking determined to leave nothing for Chen Xun.

"Old Ox, pack up quickly—people are fighting over there." Chen Xun said seriously, patting the ox.

Moo!

Big Black Ox responded. Whenever Chen Xun wore that expression, he was never joking. They packed the meat, dug holes, covered up traces—quick and skillful.

Chen Xun led Big Black Ox along, looking like an ordinary farm boy, silently walking in the opposite direction without a word.

From a bird's-eye view, three figures darted through the trees with rustling sounds. Below, Chen Xun and Black Ox ambled along, eyes vacant and utterly unremarkable.

Suddenly, one of the figures stopped. His black hair streamed behind him as he narrowed his eyes at the young lad below.

"Hold it." A voice came from the treetops. Chen Xun tensed up all over. Big Black Ox's breathing gradually quieted, its hooves poised for action.

The man dropped down from the tree, sized up Chen Xun, and asked, "Did you see what happened ahead?"

Chen Xun was startled, cold sweat beading on his face. He cupped his hands and said, "Greetings, senior... what happened?"

He couldn't tell if this man was a cultivator or a martial artist, nor did he know how many people were lurking nearby. Being a coward was the safest bet.

The man glanced at Chen Xun's hands—no calluses, definitely not a martial artist. He then said, "Never mind. Leave the ox behind."

This big black ox was thick and muscular—its flesh would be a great boon for a martial artist.

"Senior... this is my family's only ox. You're clearly a martial arts master—surely you don't need to stoop to stealing an ox?"

Chen Xun's face turned sour, his fingers trembling slightly—his acting was spot on.

Shing.

The man drew his sword, his gaze sharp, and sneered, "I'm from the Bai Xuan Sect—I wouldn't stoop that low. I don't want to waste words."

"Fine, have it your way." Chen Xun let go of the ox rope, looking dejected as he stared at Big Black Ox, but inwardly he thought,So he's definitely not a cultivator.

The man took the rope and suddenly smiled. "Actually, you did see something, didn't you? This isn't a place for herding cattle."

"Your presence here is suspicious—you've just had bad luck."

The man stood with his back to Black Ox, speaking to Chen Xun. He had seen through everything—this man was most likely a spy.