Mowenjie took a deep breath, deciding to first probe Jin Tong. He found Jin Tong and casually brought up some trivial matters related to the edge of truth. Upon hearing this, Jin Tong's eyes flickered, but he feigned composure. Mowenjie sighed silently in his heart, it seems that Jin Tong is not without awareness.
Mowenjie did not want to easily reach the point of life and death combat. Therefore, he hinted at the hidden dangers in a subtle manner. Jin Tong was silent for a moment before suddenly bursting into laughter. He had already suspected something in his heart, but had always been unsure. Now that Mowenjie had come to him, he felt no fear.
The tension between the two grew increasingly tense, as if the air had frozen. Just as the swords were drawn and arrows notched, a mysterious elder suddenly appeared. The elder looked at the two of them and slowly said, "The truth you are fighting over has another way of being resolved." Mowenjie and Jin Tong were both stunned. They hadn't expected someone to intervene at this time.
As everyone was lost in thought, the elder who had been silent all this time suddenly spoke up slowly. His deep and hoarse voice echoed through the air, as if carrying a mysterious power. The elder's eyes narrowed slightly, and he spoke one word at a time, presenting a plan that startled everyone present.
The plan sounded utterly baffling, yet upon closer examination, it seemed to have a certain degree of feasibility. It could perfectly safeguard the critical secret, preventing it from leaking out, while also averting the inevitable fight to the death between Mowenjie and Jin Tong.
After hearing the plan, Mowenjie and Jin Tong exchanged glances in disbelief. Their eyes were wide with shock, and their faces displayed expressions of astonishment. For a moment, the entire room fell into a deathly silence, only their heavy breathing was audible. It took a while before they snapped out of it and began to contemplate whether to accept this unexpected turn of events that seemed to have fallen from the heavens.
Mowenjie looked at Jin Tong. The elder was right; although you were not allowed to descend to the mortal realm by Queen Mother Niwang, you could have the elder act as your substitute. You could secretly descend to the mortal realm and learn about Niulang and ZhiNu's story. If you learned the truth, then make a decision whether to still listen to Queen Mother Niwang's orders!
Jin Tong hesitated for a long time before finally biting the bullet and agreeing. Mowenjie let out a sigh of relief, as long as Jin Tong was willing to try this method. The elder stood straight, his gaze resolute, indicating his willingness to be Jin Tong's stand-in.
That night, as the guards of the celestial palace changed shifts, Jin Tong quietly followed Mowenjie to the southern gate. Mowenjie cast a spell to temporarily obscure the sight of the heavenly soldiers and officers, allowing Jin Tong to successfully descent to the mortal realm.
Upon descending to a forest in the mortal realm, Jin Tong curiously surveyed his surroundings. The place was lush with vegetation, filled with the sounds of birds and the fragrance of flowers, starkly different from the chilly atmosphere of heaven. Following the plan, Jin Tong set off towards the place where Niulang and ZhiNu were said to have met. Along the way, he witnessed scenes of ordinary men tilling the land and women weaving cloth, couples living in harmony. His doubts grew even more pronounced.
After a long and arduous journey, he finally approached the legendary mysterious place—his ultimate destination for this adventure. However, just as he was overjoyed and thought he was about to uncover the secrets of this place, he was surprised to detect a strange and powerful force of restriction permeating the area.
This restriction was like an invisible barrier that tightly encircled the entire destination. Jin Tong widened his eyes in amazement, feeling a strong curiosity and challenge within him. He took a deep breath and activated all of his internal energy, charging directly towards the restriction without hesitation, intending to break through its constraints forcefully.
But when he made contact with the restriction, a colossal rebound force erupted instantly. This force was like a raging sea, fiercely striking Jin Tong, sending him flying over sixty paces away. He landed heavily on the ground, spewing out a mouthful of fresh blood and turning pale as paper.
Struggling to his feet, Jin Tong wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and stared intently at the intact restriction. At this moment, he was filled with shock and confusion. What was this strange force? Why was it so powerful? How could he break through it?
As Jin Tong was lost in thought, a figure suddenly appeared before him. It was an elderly man dressed in a white robe with snow-white beard and eyebrows. The elder's face was benign, and his eyes were deep and wise, as if he could fathom the secrets of the universe. He smiled slightly and spoke slowly, "Young man, to break this restriction, one must be sincere." After saying that, the elder disappeared into thin air with a flick of his wrist, vanishing like he had never been there at all.
Jin Tong stood still without moving, his eyes fixed on the direction where the elder had disappeared, as if he were trying to etch that figure deeply into his retinas. Time ticked by minute by minute, yet he seemed to be as motionless as if under a spell, showing no intention of taking a step.
At this moment, the phrase that the elder had said earlier was repeating itself in Jin Tong's mind - "sincere...". Although these two simple characters contained profound meaning, they were like a thick mist, making it difficult for Jin Tong to understand at once.
He slowly lowered his head, furrowing his brow tightly, lost in deep thought. Everything around him seemed to have separated from him, and only that phrase lingered in his mind.
Time seemed to have frozen, and it was unclear how long had passed. Everything around became blurred. After this long wait, Jin Tong slowly raised his head. At this moment, there was a glint of a previously unseen light in his eyes, a color of unwavering determination that shone brightly like the brightest star in the night sky.
He took a deep breath, calming the turmoil within him, and then locked his gaze firmly on the restriction in front of him, which exuded a mysterious aura and was extraordinarily powerful. This restriction was like an insurmountable gulf before him, but he did not hesitate for a moment in his heart.
Deep in his heart, Jin Tong silently vowed: No matter how great the difficulties and obstacles, he would have to uncover the many mysteries hidden behind this restriction!
Particularly about the legend of Niulang and ZhiNu, what hidden truth lies behind it? Why do their love affairs face such stringent obstacles? These questions are like unresolved enigmas in Jin Tong's mind, driving him to keep moving forward and seeking answers.
Jin Tong clasped his hands together, closed his eyes tightly, and sincerely told the restriction about his determination to seek the truth. In an instant, the restriction began to emit a faint light, as if it was loosening up. Jin Tong's heart swelled with joy. He charged at the restriction again with even more force.
This time, he felt the rebound force was much weaker, and though he was still pushed back a few steps, he was not injured. Jin Tong adjusted his state and made his third attempt, successfully breaking through the restriction. Inside was a peaceful and tranquil place with blooming flowers and a river flowing like a galaxy in silence.
Jin Tong saw Niulang and ZhiNu standing side by side, looking content. Before he could ask anything, ZhiNu opened her lips: "We were in love against our will, Queen Mother Niwang had to stop us, only to maintain the balance of heaven and earth. Now this restriction is where we retreat to be together for the last time." Jin Tong finally understood. Behind the obstacles were hidden another reasons.
Jin Tong knew that this truth must be kept secret. He quietly turned around and left the area. When he returned to the celestial palace, he informed Mowenjie about what happened, and they decided to keep it a secret. From then on, they would put aside their disputes, and Jin Tong would also return to Queen Mother Niwang to report back.
Mowenjie's heart felt as if it were being tightly gripped by an invisible hand, and he couldn't help but worry about Jin Tong. He well knew the cold and unyielding nature of Queen Mother Niwang, who was above everyone, and once Jin Tong returned to her side, he would surely face some harassment and torment. Thinking of this, Mowenjie couldn't help but furrow his brow, pondering to himself in silence, "What a dilemma this is!"
Mowenjie imagined the many difficulties Jin Tong might face upon returning to the celestial palace. Queen Mother Niwang might scold him for various reasons, and even impose severe punishments on him. As Jin Tong was kind and innocent by nature, he might find it hard to withstand Queen Mother Niwang's authority.
Mowenjie sat by the window, his brow furrowed tightly, and his heart felt as if it was being gnawed at by a million ants. The thought of Jin Tong possibly enduring various hardships made him worry deeply. His heart tightened, as if the pain and torment were already happening to Jin Tong's frail body.
He closed his eyes, placed his hands together in front of his chest, and kept muttering, "Oh, Heavenly Father, please bless Jin Tong to go through this tribulation safely and smoothly!" Each word was a heartfelt plea from the depths of his soul, laced with endless worry and concern.
However, despite his sincere prayer, Mowenjie knew all too well that reality was often cruel. Facing unknown dangers and hardships, he felt helpless, with no clues or idea of how to help Jin Tong escape the impending crisis that was about to fall upon him……
Mowenjie suddenly opened his eyes, a glimmer of insight struck him. He remembered hearing about a kind of immortal grass called "Protective Heart Grass," which, when consumed, could ward off any harm for three days. If he could find this Protective Heart Grass and give it to Jin Tong, it might help him get through this crisis. Mowenjie immediately set out for the Lingxu Cave, where it was said to grow the Protective Heart Grass.
After a journey fraught with peril, Mowenjie finally arrived at the Lingxu Cave. The cave was enveloped in mist and a sense of mystery. He searched carefully, not missing any corner. Suddenly, there was a faint glimmer of light ahead, and Mowenjie hurried forward. Sure enough, he found the Protective Heart Grass. Just as he was about to pluck it, a guardian mythical beast appeared to block his path. Mowenjie mustered his courage to fight the beast, relying on his tenacity and skillful magic techniques, and eventually defeated the beast to obtain the Protective Heart Grass.
Mowenjie galloped back without hesitation, finding Jin Tong before Queen Mother Niwang could unleash her anger. He handed the Protective Heart Grass to Jin Tong and explained its purpose. Jin Tong was filled with gratitude, and after consuming the grass, he felt a powerful protective force spreading throughout his body. He then went to visit Queen Mother Niwang, and no matter how difficult she made it for him, he remained unscathed. Mowenjie watched from afar, finally putting his worries to rest.
