The golden-scaled calf — about the size of a small tank — stood atop the broken slope, staring at Chu Xuanfeng with tense, wary eyes.
It had instinctively sensed danger.
This human in front of it… was different from the others.
He was strong — terrifyingly strong — even stronger than many ancient creatures it knew of from bloodline memory.
The calf snorted violently, twin jets of white smoke blasting from its nostrils as golden light pulsed beneath its hooves.
It had to fight seriously.
If not, it might truly die here.
Facing this beast, Chu Xuanfeng cracked his neck lazily, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"Yo, little golden cow," he said, hands in his pockets.
"How about this? You follow me, huh? I'll be an envoy of the Eternal God, and you'll be my first little brother!"
The golden calf narrowed its bright eyes in disdain.
Follow him?
Just a half-baked human who had only recently started absorbing heaven and earth essence?
Ridiculous!
It stomped once, lowering its horns threateningly.
A clear rejection.
Chu Xuanfeng chuckled.
"Okay, okay, you want it the hard way."
Without any warning, he launched forward like a thunderbolt!
The golden calf reacted instantly, spewing a deep white mist — Breath Technique — its innate ability to augment its strength.
Boom!
A collision shook the earth.
However…
The calf's reinforced strike was completely overpowered.
With a thundering BANG, Chu Xuanfeng's bare fist crashed into the calf's forehead, sending it flying backward like a broken kite.
CRASH!
The creature smashed through several thick trees before landing hard against a boulder, cracks spiderwebbing outward from the impact.
The calf groaned miserably, blood leaking from its nostrils.
Its legs trembled.
Impossible!
How could its Breath Technique be crushed so easily!?
It tried to get up — but Chu Xuanfeng was already there, fist raised again.
"Moo! MOO!!"
The golden calf desperately bleated, attempting to surrender.
But the human didn't stop.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
Blow after blow rained down like meteors, beating the proud beast into a miserable ball of bruises.
All its previous arrogance evaporated like mist.
"Forgive me!" it wanted to scream.
"I'm sorry I ever looked down on you!"
But sadly, it couldn't speak human language — only pitiful mooing escaped.
Chu Xuanfeng finally halted, breathing evenly.
He wiped his knuckles and looked down at the twitching beast.
"You done?"
The calf barely managed a weak blink.
Chu grinned.
"Good. If you surrender, blink once. If not…" — a massive fireball the size of a basin ignited in his palm — "…I'll turn you into roast beef."
The golden calf's eyes nearly popped out of its head.
Instant surrender!
It blinked rapidly like a broken signal lamp.
Chu Xuanfeng nodded in satisfaction.
"That's the spirit. You might be a little dumb, but you're not suicidal."
He casually tossed the fireball behind him.
BOOM!
An earthshaking explosion sounded — and a black panther the size of a small truck, which had been sneaking toward them through the forest, was vaporized into dust.
Not even ashes remained.
The golden calf shuddered violently.
It stared blankly at the scorched crater, truly understanding now just how monstrous this human was.
That black panther… its aura had been only slightly weaker than its own.
Yet it had been annihilated like an ant!
Chu Xuanfeng saw the fear in the calf's eyes and clapped its shoulder cheerfully.
"Haha! Don't worry. Join us, and you'll be able to learn divine arts too."
The calf hesitated.
But ultimately, its survival instinct won out.
It lowered its bruised head in submission, its golden tail drooping limply.
"Moo..."
"Whatever it takes to survive. One day... I'll flip the tables!" it swore silently.
Of course, Chu Xuanfeng wasn't naïve either.
He snickered internally.
"Heh, wait till I offer a sacrifice. Once I get access to two-star divine arts, I'll bind you with a contract spell. Rebel? Dream on!"
To show "good faith," Chu Xuanfeng generously offered a vibrant fruit to the calf.
The calf sniffed suspiciously — and immediately rejected it.
Instead, it carefully peeled off a few leaves to chew.
Chu narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Ah… smart little guy.
The Eternal God warned us — fruits are poisonous, but leaves are safe in small quantities."
This little calf clearly had good instincts.
It was a true, high-level alien beast.
Half an hour later.
The calf's minor injuries healed under Chu Xuanfeng's spiritual guidance.
It snorted proudly again, its golden hide gleaming under the strange new sun.
Chu Xuanfeng chuckled and slapped its thick neck.
"Alright, little brother! From today onward, we'll dominate Taihang Mountain together."
"First, sweep the beasts.
Second, gather materials.
Third, build my altar.
And lastly… look for some good sacrifices."
He stretched lazily, eyes gleaming.
"And don't worry. I won't sacrifice you. I'm not that kind of person."
For now, he added silently.
The calf: "..."
(Why does that feel more threatening than reassuring?)
Taihang Mountain — Later That Day
Slaughter.
Absolute, unstoppable slaughter.
The duo — a grinning madman and his grumpy golden calf — rampaged through the forests.
Weak beasts were crushed.
Dangerous monsters were vaporized by Chu's divine magic.
By sunset, the mountain air was thick with the rich metallic scent of blood and scorched fur.
During the breaks, Chu Xuanfeng practiced absorbing the new pollen floating everywhere.
Unlike normal humans, whose bodies would rupture from overdosing on ambient energy, Chu devoured it like candy.
In just one afternoon, he absorbed the pollen of ten different mutated plants.
Each time, his muscles and bones resonated, his cells vibrating in joy.
He felt himself growing stronger — faster — tougher — every second.
Meanwhile, the golden calf was stunned into silence.
It had only dared absorb three wisps of pollen.
Any more, and it would've exploded like an overripe watermelon.
"What the hell is this human…?!"
"Why can he absorb so much?!"
"Is he a monster!?"