The boy was dressed in tattered clothes, wearing a thin, frail body with a simple and honest face. He wore a pair of worn-out straw sandals, and his small body shivered from the wind and snow.

"Moo~"

The blue ox bellowed, as if in response to the boy.

"Old Niu, you also think I'll find an immortal, right?"

The boy happily stretched out his purple, frozen hands, breathed warm air on them, and then gently stroked the old ox's head.

"Immortals, do immortals really exist in this world?"

"Immortals, is it really possible to live without dying?"

The boy's gaze pierced through the layers of cedar forest and landed on the giant peak that resembled a tortoise in the far distance.

Over the past six months, he has trekked through mountains and rivers, covering thousands of miles, and this is the 127th mountain he has found.

People say that immortals live on mountains.

So, he came.

"roar"

Just as the boy was stunned, a huge roar of a beast reverberated through the cedar forest.

Suddenly, a huge snow leopard, over three meters long, leaped out from the depths of the pine forest, its fangs bared, and lunged at the boy.

In its eyes, the boy was its lunch for the day.

"ah........."

The boy was so frightened by the sight of such a large monster that he collapsed to the ground, his eyes filled with terror.

"Moo~"

At the critical moment, the old ox beside the boy charged forward, using its hard horns to butt the snow leopard.

Unfortunately, this snow leopard was no ordinary wild animal.

It extended its snow-white claws, which were wreathed in crimson demonic power. Then, with a "crack," one of the ox's horns was severed by the claws.

"Moo~"

The blue ox cried out in pain, but still used all its strength to knock the snow leopard away, before staggering and falling to the ground.

"Old Niu, Old Niu, are you alright?"

After his initial shock, the boy quickly got up, grabbed the bull's head, and shouted.

"roar"

The snow leopard, which had been knocked away by the blue ox, attacked again.

The boy suddenly turned around, drew his machete from his waist, and stood firmly in front of the blue ox.

"Ahhh... you monster, you're not allowed to hurt Old Bull!"

The boy's voice trembled, his legs shook, but his gaze remained firm.

"roar"

The snow leopard swatted the woodcutter's knife away from the boy's hand with a single paw, its scarlet eyes filled with savagery.

Just as it was about to bite the boy's neck, a dazzling sword light shot from a great distance, instantly piercing the snow leopard's demonic body.

The enormous impact dragged it backward for dozens of meters, pinning it to a sturdy ancient pine tree.

Just then,

The Qin beast arrived through the wind and snow, standing quietly in front of the boy.

His robes fluttered, making him appear like an immortal.

"Are you... are you an immortal?"

The boy looked up in astonishment.

"Perhaps."

Qin Shou smiled nonchalantly, and with a gentle wave of his hand, the Lingxu Sword flew back from afar on its own.

Then, a list of subtitles appeared:

Cao Aniu was an ordinary villager in Changshou Village, three thousand miles away in the wilderness. When he was three years old, his father fell off a cliff and died while collecting herbs in the mountains. When he was five years old, his mother died of tuberculosis. When he was seven years old, his brother was beaten to death by a group of thugs while protecting him and his sister. After that, he and his sister depended on each other for survival.

When he was ten years old, a plague broke out in the village. All the residents of the longevity village died, including his younger sister. He was the only one left in the entire village with a blue ox.

Having witnessed the passing of many loved ones since childhood, Ah Niu harbors a deep longing for immortality.

He had heard from a village elder thatched cottage that there were immortals in the north, so guided by his heart, he traveled over mountains and rivers to get here.

"Immortal, may you accept me as your disciple?"

Cao Aniu knelt down on the ground, his eyes full of sincerity.

"Sigh, what a pitiful child."

Qin Shou sighed.

For some reason, looking at Ah Niu now, Qin Shou felt as if he were seeing himself from a long time ago, when he first met his master.

The same light shone in their eyes.

They wanted to cultivate immortality and attain eternal life.

Ah Niu wants to become your apprentice. You have two options:

[First, take him as your disciple, guide him on the path of cultivation, and reward him with a top-grade magic weapon.]

[Second, reject him, sever all ties, and send him back to where he came from. Reward him with a magic artifact and one hundred low-grade spirit stones.]

Why do you want to cultivate immortality?

I want to live forever.

Immortality!

What a familiar longing!

Qin Shou did not immediately agree to A Niu's request.

Taking on disciples signifies cause and effect.

For Qin Shou, all he wanted was to cultivate in a low-key manner, quietly seeking the path to immortality, and not wanting to get involved in the troubles of the cultivation world.

He feared that after Ah Niu completed his studies, he would not be able to endure the loneliness of decades of arduous cultivation and would leave the mountain, thus inviting all sorts of karmic troubles upon himself.

However, the depths of the Great Wilderness are teeming with demonic beasts, and it is currently covered in ice and snow. If this child is driven away, he will likely find it difficult to survive in this desolate wilderness.

"Alas, he was ultimately a pitiful child."

The Qin beast was moved with compassion.

He did not immediately accept the child as his apprentice, but instead took him back to the mountain, intending to test him before making a decision.

......

Time flies.

Two years have passed in the blink of an eye.

On this day, Qin Beast finally cultivated all 10 spiritual roots to the sixth level of Foundation Establishment.

Click! Click!

The sound of chopping wood could be heard from time to time in the courtyard.

In the past two years, Qin Shou has neither taught A Niu cultivation techniques nor accepted him as a disciple.

He was simply asked to chop wood, carry water, water the vegetables, and cook every day.

Day after day, year after year.

And Ah Niu never complained.

He was convinced that this must be a test given to him by an immortal.

As the master in the thatched cottage once said, immortals never easily accept people as disciples. They usually set up many difficulties to test mortals, and only those with firm will can successfully become immortals.

"Niu Niu"

Qin Shou pushed open the door and went out, looking at the boy with bare arms and sweating profusely under the sun.

"Here I am"

Ah Niu stopped chopping wood and responded.

"Moo~"

Under the mulberry tree, a dozing blue ox heard the call, opened its large, bell-like eyes, and ran towards the Qin beast.

I didn't call you.

Qin Shou waved his hand, and a tornado appeared, pulling the green ox back under the mulberry tree.

"Moo~"

The blue ox responded with a sound and then lay down to pretend to sleep again.

"Immortal, did you call me?"

Ah Niu walked up to Qin Shou and stood respectfully.

"Ah Niu, I have three questions."

"May I ask, Immortal?"

"First question: Why cultivate immortality?"

I want to live forever.

"Second question: Why do you want to live forever?"

I'm afraid of dying.

"very good"

Qin Shou was satisfied with his second question, which was similar to his own.

After all, in Qin Shou's mind, what the hell is the point of cultivating immortality if you're not afraid of death!

"My third question is, once you have achieved mastery in your cultivation, will you descend the mountain for fame, fortune, and the pleasures of beautiful women?"

Qin Shou stared intently at the boy.

"No, Ah Niu only wants to cultivate the path to immortality and never die."

Ah Niu's gaze was sincere.

Qin Shou nodded with satisfaction.

"Ah Niu, you should know, there are many tigresses down the mountain; they eat people without spitting out the bones."

"Therefore, from now on you must cultivate diligently on the mountain. You may only descend the mountain once you become the best in the world, understand?"

Qin Shou patiently taught him.

Ah Niu nodded, seemingly understanding, "I understand, Immortal. I will never descend the mountain unless I become the best in the world, because I don't want to die."

"Good, very good, excellent! You are truly a promising student!"

Qin Shou applauded with great appreciation.

"Aniu, from this day forward, you will be my eldest disciple, Qin Shou."