"Stop your nonsense!"

Boom!

Chen Xun threw a punch, but not directly at Ji Kun; instead, it struck the wall behind Ji Kun, creating a terrifying hole in the wall, and the snowy wind blew through.

Ji Kun's whole body was covered in cold sweat. He finally calmed down. The cold wind that had blown behind him sent chills throughout his body, and he had experienced a sudden, chilling feeling of death.

Chen Xun raised his fist slowly and halted the violent surge of power toward Ji Kun. The formidable force seemed ready to end Ji Kun's life with a single blow.

Ji Kun remained composed. He gazed at Chen Xun directly and calmly said, "Chen Xun, release your hand."

Chen Xun took a step back and let his hand drop. He still wore a cold expression.

"I will go to the Southern Dipper Mountain secret realm," Ji Kun said.

"I know," replied Chen Xun.

"In those days, many things happened in the Southern Dipper Mountain secret realm. I don't want to involve you."

"Have you resolved the matter?"

"Yes, but I cannot continue serving as an outer sect disciple."

Ji Kun's expression was calm, and he showed signs of aging. His gaze toward Chen Xun changed at last. He spoke with relief, saying, "I didn't expect you to remember me. Congratulations on reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, Master. Please sit."

Whoo! Whoo! Whoo!

The hole in the wall still allowed cold drafts inside. However, both of them sat opposite each other at a wooden table. The big black ox dared to stick its head inside but was startled by Chen Xun earlier.

Suddenly, the two began to converse, as if nothing had happened.

It turned out that when Ji Kun left with his junior sister, he found the person who fled the battle and gave him the Lingcao. However, a conflict ensued between them. They even fought fiercely, and Ji Kun's junior sister sided with the other person. They killed him in the Southern Dipper Mountain.

People who could join their group were not naturally weak. They were also colleagues from the outer sect, and one of them was a distant relative of a senior elder. When Ji Kun returned, his junior sister had suddenly betrayed him, saying that Ji Kun had harmed their fellow disciples.

She twisted the facts, saying that the Lingcao they picked together had been seized by Ji Kun. To ensure her survival, she reluctantly made a deal with Ji Kun, using her body to gain his trust.

Ji Kun had indeed acted carelessly, not as cautiously as Chen Xun, and he took quite a few of the other person's possessions. Thankfully, he insisted that it was an outsider who killed the person, preventing the situation from escalating further.

Although the Five Elements Sect and other major sects strictly prohibited fighting among fellow disciples, they couldn't just take her word for it.

With the help of the senior elder, Ji Kun managed to get back his status and contributions. He had a tough time during those years, but with the protection of the sect, he managed to get by.

The defamation of harming fellow disciples was something Ji Kun had to bear. His former friends distanced themselves from him, and even finding a simple task within the sect proved difficult.

Given these circumstances, Ji Kun did not dare to approach Chen Xun. He didn't want to bring shame to his once innocent junior brother, who was always cheerful while accompanying his black ox.

He bore humiliation and suffered in silence for the sake of the next journey to the Southern Dipper Mountain in twenty years, preparing for a final gamble.

"Ji Senior Brother, if you can return from the Southern Dipper Mountain, you will still be my senior brother."

"Master, this..."

"First, listen to me."

Chen Xun interrupted Ji Kun and spoke with great solemnity. He took out a small manual and a magic tool from his storage bag. "This is a yellow-grade top-tier magic tool with a value of two thousand contributions. The manual contains some of my insights from my time in the Southern Dipper Mountain. It will help you obtain those three main spirit herbs."

Ji Kun was greatly shocked, and he stood up suddenly, shouting, "This can't be! Chen Xun, you don't owe me anything!"

"These two thousand contributions are the debt you owe me. If you can return after obtaining the Foundation Establishment Spirit Herbs, I'll be waiting for you at the foot of the mountain. I'll personally deliver the Foundation Establishment Pills to you."

Chen Xun said it word for word, raising his head to look at Ji Kun. Suddenly, he smiled, "We both come from the Nine Stars Valley; naturally, we have to take care of each other."

This familiar phrase unexpectedly popped into Ji Kun's mind. Wasn't this the very thing he said to Chen Xun when they first arrived at the Five Elements Sect? He didn't expect Chen Xun to remember it after all these years.

It seemed that Ji Kun could no longer hold back. He shivered intensely, having experienced the ups and downs of life. In the end, he realized who his true friend was. He lowered his head, his eyes welling up with tears, and the corners of his mouth quivered.

In the grand and fascinating world of cultivation, no one is destined to be alone. Among the turbulent currents of life, there are always people who share your path.

For some reason, a passage from an ancient text surfaced in Ji Kun's mind, and he suddenly felt his scalp tingling. He slowly looked at Chen Xun, and the two locked eyes. Ji Kun nodded heavily without being sentimental any longer.

"What's that woman's name?"

"Su Yetong."

"If Senior Brother Ji can't return, I will help you deal with her. When you disappear from the mortal world, the sect won't be able to trace any traces back to her."

"You..."

"Senior Brother Ji doesn't think I'm such a good person, do you?"

Chen Xun stood up slowly, revealing a cold and sinister expression that Ji Kun had never seen before. "If Senior Brother Ji returns, I won't intervene in the matters between you and her."

Ji Kun took a deep breath. Today, he seemed to have reacquainted himself with Chen Xun. "I understand."

Sometimes, the bonds between men do not need many words.

Chen Xun nodded slightly and then turned to leave. However, when he reached the door, he stopped and said, "Senior Brother Ji, I'll wait for you at the foot of that mountain."

"I won't let you down," Ji Kun suddenly developed an intense determination, and his eyes turned sharp. He felt an indescribable power surge throughout his body.

"Hehe, this is the Senior Brother Ji I know."

A light muttering sound echoed as Chen Xun walked away, leading the big black ox. They vanished on the horizon. "Senior Brother Ji, I'll come back later to help you repair the wooden house. I'm going to chop wood with the old ox."

"Moo!"

Two voices were heard in the distance, and two figures strode powerfully amid the snowstorm.

Ji Kun clenched his fists tightly, his gaze fixed on the distance. The veins on his arms bulged as he realized that, after all the ups and downs in life, he had finally seen who his true friends were. He took a deep breath and looked in Chen Xun's direction.

As time passed by, May came again, and the Five Elements Sect echoed with bell chimes while five powerful and imposing Green Cliff Eagles appeared in the sky.

They circled freely in the sky, their eyes gleaming with a cold light as they stared intently at the ground, heading towards the main peak.

The once-every-twenty-year journey to the Southern Dipper Mountain had finally begun. Chen Xun stood at the foot of the mountain with the big black ox, looking up at the sky with a calm expression.

"Old ox, let's go."

"Moo~"

They were heading to a market near the sect, where they would meet someone important.

At various locations within the Five Elements Sect, Qi Condensation disciples stood and looked up at the sky, discussing the upcoming journey to the Southern Dipper Mountain. Unbeknown to them, an uncle and a black ox were passing by.