Mor Wenjie widened his eyes and stared directly at the towering and mysterious statue in front of him, feeling somewhat dazed. He could not believe that there would be such a statue in a place claimed to be the fifth heaven.
This statue was over ten zhang tall, carved entirely from a nameless black stone, exuding a chilling aura. The face of the statue was indistinct, but its outline and posture suggested an endless dignity and power. It stood silently there, like an insurmountable mountain, exerting a strong sense of oppression on all around.
Mor Wenjie involuntarily swallowed his saliva and pondered to himself, "Why would this appear here? Could there be some unknown secret hidden here?" A myriad of questions surged into his mind, making him feel that this realm was filled with mystery and the unknown. He suddenly slapped his forehead, thinking to himself, "How stupid of me, my brain!"
Huang Ling'er watched as her husband fixed his gaze on the statue, his expression unexplainable. She couldn't help but feel curious and confused in her heart. Without hesitation, she hurried up to him, grabbed his sleeve, and cooed, "Husband, who is this mysterious statue? Why are you looking at him so intently? Are you familiar with him?" After speaking, she didn't blink her beautiful eyes and eagerly awaited an answer from him.
Jiang Yuru's beautiful eyes stared fixedly at Mor Wenjie, her eyes twinkling with curiosity as if eager to know the answer; beside her, Xiao Yawen slightly raised his head, watching him with a look of expectation, his hands unconsciously clenching his cuffs; while Ding Yan bit her lips, never taking her eyes off Mor Wenjie, wondering silently what kind of answer this mysterious man would give.
Tuo Baoying blinked her lively large eyes, her face revealing a playful smile as if she had already guessed some clues, but still wanting to hear Mor Wenjie's words; Qin Xiaodie stood quietly there, like a pure and extraordinary lily, yet beneath her calm exterior lay a similar longing for the answer; and finally, there was Cao Chunling, who stood with her hands crossed in front of her chest, looking at Mor Wenjie with a serious expression, as if waiting for an answer that would satisfy everyone. At this moment, the gazes of these women were all focused on Mor Wenjie, making the scene particularly tense and silent.
Mor Wenjie looked at the seven people and smiled, nodding his head. It's not just me who knows who he is, but also my three teachers. As long as they are those who have ascended, they all know him.
Huang Ling'er and Jiang Yuru's faces were filled with astonishment and confusion upon hearing this, as if their brains had suddenly shut down. They looked at each other, their eyes filled with doubt and confusion. They silently pondered in their hearts: "Who is this person? Why does he seem so mysterious, refusing to reveal even a single word?"
Unable to contain her curiosity any longer, Huang Ling'er spoke up first, saying, "Oh come on, don't keep teasing us! Just tell us who this person is already! I'm so anxious, it's like my heart is being scratched by a cat!" Jiang Yuru also quickly agreed, "Yes yes, if you don't tell us soon, we'll just have to make wild guesses!"
Mor Wenjie stared silently at the solemn statue in front of him, his lips unconsciously lifting into a smile as he nodded slightly. The figure carved on the statue was none other than the legendary Niulang, whose love story with Zhinü had captivated countless hearts in the mortal realm.
According to legend, Niulang was originally a poor commoner who made a living by herding cattle. However, the gears of fate began to turn quietly one day. By chance, Niulang met Zhinü, a beautiful and kind-hearted woman. They fell in love at first sight and quickly plunged into deep passion. Despite the great difference in their social status, their genuine affection crossed all sorts of obstacles and grew deeper and stronger.
However, the heavenly realm had strict rules, and a relationship between a celestial being and a mortal was not accepted by society. In the end, the Queen Mother cruelly recalled Zhinü to the palace of heaven and drew a Milky Way across their path, separating them and making them unable to see each other again.
But Niulang's deep love for Zhinü did not diminish in the slightest. Every Qixi Festival night, countless magpies would spontaneously gather to form a bridge, allowing Niulang to cross the magpie bridge and reunite with Zhinü. This moving love story, enduring the vicissitudes of time, still exists in the world today, touching generation after generation of people.
Huang Ling'er and Jiang Yuru, after hearing what Mor Wenjie said, all widened their eyes, with their mouths slightly open and expressions of disbelief on their faces. They seemed to be under a spell of petrification, standing there dumbfounded and motionless. It took them quite a while to regain their senses, exchanging glances with each other and seeing the same astonishment in each other's eyes. They really hadn't expected Niulang and Zhinü to be so devoted!
At this moment, Mor Wenjie slowly spoke again, "Actually, this statue is not just a monument to Niulang's deep affection." Upon hearing this, the group once more cast their puzzled looks towards him. Mor Wenjie moved closer to the statue and gently stroked its rough stone surface, "This statue also seals away a powerful force, which originates from Niulang's unwavering love for Zhinü."
The women all looked shocked. Xiao Yawen couldn't help asking, "What is the use of this force?" Mor Wenjie turned to face them and said, "If one can understand the true meaning of this love, they can receive the enhancement of their cultivation. However, to date, no one has been successful in doing so."
Huang Ling'er's eyes lit up, "Then we can try it." Mor Wenjie shook his head with a bitter smile, "It's not that simple. This is incredibly dangerous, and one wrong move could lead to being countered by this powerful force."
After hearing this, the group couldn't help feeling discouraged. But Mor Wenjie continued, "However, we can still sense a bit here, which might be beneficial for our future cultivation." So the group sat around the statue, closed their eyes, and quietly felt the faint but heartfelt love in the air, hoping to draw some strength or wisdom from it.
After a while, the statue suddenly emitted a faint glow. Mor Wenjie was startled and quickly reminded everyone to be careful. Suddenly, the glow transformed into threads that began to wrap around the group. Huang Ling'er was afraid, but she tried to remain calm. When the threads touched everyone, they didn't bring harm but instead transmitted a faint warmth into their hearts.
Mor Wenjie felt a vivid scene of Niulang and Zhinü loving each other and enduring hardships manifesting in his mind, deepening his understanding of love. The others were also immersed in it, with Jiang Yuru feeling that love is the steadfastness in the face of difficulties. As their understanding deepened, a faint halo appeared around everyone.
At this moment, a rumble of thunder echoed in the sky. Mor Wenjie realized that this was a test coming, and if they couldn't bear it, all their previous efforts might be wasted. The group held hands tightly with each other, relying on their shared beliefs to resist. The lightning kept striking, each bolt seeming to destroy their will. But recalling the love story of Niulang and Zhinü, they remained as steadfast as ever.
Finally, the deafening and earth-shattering thunder slowly subsided, as if it had been suppressed by some mysterious force. At this moment, the statue suddenly emitted an eye-catching light, brighter than the sun, illuminating the entire space in an instant.
Mor Wenjie's heart was on a tightrope as he watched everything unfold in disbelief. He was thrilled to find that after a thrilling test, everyone had successfully withstood the external pressures and dangers! Even more exciting was that they seemed to have drawn some powerful energy from the mysterious statue.
As this force continuously flowed into their bodies, the group could clearly feel their cultivation rising at an astonishing pace. It felt like the earth in a long drought finally receiving much-needed rain, greedily absorbing moisture and bursting with vitality.
When they all came back to their senses and looked at each other, joy of surviving a calamity was written on every face. It was a sense of relief and contentment after enduring trials, also a pride and self-satisfaction in overcoming difficulties together with their companions. At this moment, words were unnecessary. A look, a smile was enough to convey the indescribable excitement and joy deep in their hearts.
Mor Wenjie sat silently by the window, his gaze stretching towards the vast azure sky beyond. His mind was filled with a thousand thoughts. Surrounding him were Huang Ling'er, Jiang Yurou, Xiao Yawen, Ding Yan, Tuo Baoying, Qin Xiaodie, and Cao Chunling. They were either sitting or standing, each of their faces glowing with an unspoken radiance.
For this experience, everyone felt deeply touched. Looking back at the times they had shared together, there were both laughter and tears, but it was these tiny details that had accumulated to form the deep understanding within their hearts at this moment.
What is the essence of love? This question had been swirling in their minds countless times. But after going through all these events, the answer seemed to gradually become clear. Love is not just the romantic vows under the moonlight and flowers, but also the mutual support when facing storms and hardships together. It is not a momentary passion or impulse, but rather a silent company and care throughout long years. It can be as gentle as a spring breeze, as fiery as the summer sun, as profound as autumn leaves, and as pure as winter snow.
When one truly understands the essence of love, the wonderful feeling is like being immersed in a dreamlike world, where everything seems so beautiful and filled with hope.
Mor Wenjie felt the warmth and love brought by these women around him, filling his heart with happiness and satisfaction. He knew that this love would accompany him through every journey of life, becoming the most precious wealth in his life.
However, the peaceful days did not last long. One day, suddenly a huge black cloud gathered in the sky, covering the sun and blocking out the sky. Mor Wenjie felt an ominous premonition. Shortly after, a black-robed envoy descended. It turned out that their attempt to draw power from the statue had disturbed the upper echelons of Tianhe. The court thought that although they had not upset the balance, it was still an unauthorized use of divine power. The envoy came to inform them that they needed to accept a special task to counteract this matter. The task was to go to the border of hell and protect a spirit vein that was about to collapse. It was filled with demonic energy and dangerous everywhere. Mor Wenjie accepted the task without hesitation, and so did all the women. When they arrived at the border of hell, they set up an array to resist demonic energy. During this period, they faced multiple attacks by demon cultivators but managed to avoid disaster thanks to their enhanced cultivation and mutual understanding and coordination. In their long time guarding the spirit vein, their understanding of love further deepened. Love was not just cherishing those around them but also being responsible for justice when necessary. Eventually, after repairing and stabilizing the spirit vein, the black-robed envoy appeared again and said that Tianhe approved of Mor Wenjie and his companions from now on could continue practicing peace of mind in this world with everyone's company and enjoying their time together.
