Kunlun Mountain, in front of an unnamed cave.
With Qin Yao's constant encouragement, Chenxiang held his head high and stepped into the cave with the half-open stone door.
At the same time, the Snow God became curious about Qin Yao and asked, "Outside the door, don't you want to try it? This is the Axe of Creation, the most powerful weapon in the world."
Qin Yao said frankly: "My heart (is dirty), I can't pass your three levels."
The Snow God was silenced by what he said.
This guy is really honest...
Or rather, it is sincere, so sincere that it is irrefutable.
Inside the cave.
Chenxiang stepped on the thick white snow and came to a snowman sitting cross-legged on a high platform. He said loudly: "Please show yourself, Snow God."
"It doesn't make any sense whether you meet me or not. Boy, listen carefully, if you can melt the snow in my cave, you will pass this level of mine." said the Snow God.
"Isn't this easy?"
Chenxiang didn't find anything strange about the snow, so he immediately sat cross-legged, practicing his mysterious skills. With his palms raised to the sky, his body suddenly emitted light and heat like a furnace, illuminating the cave.
"Easy? Haha..." The Snow God smiled and did not comment.
After a long time, due to the presence of agarwood, the temperature in the cave had become very high, but the snow did not change at all.
Chenxiang saw all this, thinking that dripping water wears away a stone, and persisted silently.
Until he discovered that as the temperature in the cave got higher and higher, there seemed to be more snow in the cave.
"Snow God, are you fighting with me?" Chenxiang asked.
The Snow God sighed, "This snow was not created by my magic, but by your selfish thoughts."
"Private thoughts?" Chenxiang was stunned.
"That's right. I saw a corner of your heart. Although you have a kind heart, you have no sense of justice. You came to borrow the divine axe just to save your mother. You and your father did so many things, trying to modify the heavenly rules, just to rescue your mother. You only have small love, not great love, and you don't deserve to possess the divine axe of creation, even if it's only for a short time." said the Snow God.
"I have a sense of justice in my heart." Chenxiang said.
"Don't quibble, you didn't." The Snow God said, "I can see clearly that you are only selfish, not righteous."
Chen Xiang shook his head and raised his hands in the direction of the snowman, "I won't explain, but please take a good look at my heart, not just one corner of it. When I was little, my father taught me that the greatest hero is to serve his country and his people, and my goal has always been to become a hero."
The Snow God was silent for a moment, then said, "Your father said you have a pure heart. Well, then let's see if he's lying!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Chenxiang's vision went dark and he quickly lost his will.
After an unknown amount of time, Chenxiang woke up slowly, only to find himself lying on the bed with a very beautiful woman lying next to him. He was so startled that he quickly sat up.
"Brother Jing, what's wrong with you?" The noise also woke up the beautiful woman. She slowly opened her eyes with a confused look on her face.
"Brother Jing?" Chenxiang's eyes suddenly widened, and then he suddenly understood something: "I am Guo Jing?"
"What nonsense are you talking about late at night? If you are not Guo Jing, who are you?" the beautiful woman laughed.
Chenxiang didn't understand why he appeared here. Some key memories seemed to be sealed, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't remember the cause.
But the strange thing is that this story I heard from my father is so clear.
"General, General." Just as he was still in a daze, a voice suddenly shouted from outside the room: "The city has been breached. The Mongolian army has been attacking the city all night. The south gate has been lost. General, please leave immediately."
The beautiful woman's face changed, and she quickly put on her clothes and said to Chenxiang, "Brother Jing, let's go quickly. As long as there are green mountains, there will be no worries about lack of firewood. Xiangyang has been destroyed, and we can't stay here to be buried with you."
Chenxiang subconsciously asked, "What about the soldiers in Xiangyang?"
The beautiful woman paused slightly.
Both of them are highly skilled in martial arts and can escape during the chaos, but what about the Xiangyang army?
Chenxiang took a deep breath and said, "Madam, take the child and go. I will go and stop the Mongolian army."
The beautiful woman's heart trembled. "That's an army of tens of thousands. How can you stop them? Do you really think you can defeat ten thousand alone?"
Chen Xiang then discovered that his own magical power had also been sealed by an inexplicable force...
"Husband, let's go. As long as we are alive, there is hope for the Southern Song Dynasty." The beautiful woman advised again.
Chenxiang's eyes gradually became determined. "You can escape with the soldiers. I have lived in Mongolia for many years. Perhaps I can use various methods to delay them."
"What's the point?" The beautiful woman burst into tears and held his arms tightly with both hands.
Chenxiang took her hand and walked out of the room step by step. "Madam, those soldiers are also living people, they are not just a string of cold numbers. If they need to cover their rear, it should be me, the general, who should cover their rear, not them covering mine. If one of me dies, even if it means saving a thousand or a hundred people, I am willing to do it."
After saying that, he suddenly opened the door, but what rushed towards him was a ball of dazzling white light...
Chenxiang was blinded by the white light. After a long time, when he could see the scene clearly again, he found that he was still in the cave, and the snow in the cave had turned into a trickle of water.
"This is a good story. You have a good father." Snow God said with emotion.
Chen Xiang was silent for a long time before he finally pulled himself out of his complicated emotions: "Is this an illusion?"
"It's an illusion, but to you, it's reality. I sealed your memory, making you forget you're being tested. Therefore, the decision you make is your true inner thoughts.
This is why I say you have a good father. He said he didn't even dare to test his own heart, but he raised a son with a noble heart, willing to sacrifice himself for his country and his people. "Xue Shen said.
Looking down at the water marks under his feet, Chen Xiang let out a long breath: "When he said it was his heart, it wasn't because he really had a heart, but because sometimes gaining means losing.
For example, a person may suffer a lot and gain a strong heart, but he will also lose his innocence.
A person who lives in a life of intrigue and deception, becomes more mature through his own efforts, and becomes able to cope with the life of intrigue and deception with ease, then he will lose his innocence.
I have my father's protection, which is why I have a kind, loving heart, and even a sense of justice. But my father didn't have that. If he hadn't become 'dirty', neither of us would be alive today."
The Snow God was silent.
Then he commented: "I am superficial."
Chen Xiang smiled and said, "I'm not saying this to win you over in a debate, but to say that from a father's perspective, he did an impeccable job."
The Snow God sighed and said, "Keep going inside. The Power God is waiting for you at the second level."
Chenxiang nodded, thanked the Snow God, and strode forward.
Behind him, a murmur echoed from the melting snow cave: "The greatest heroes serve their country and their people - what a wonderful story."
A moment later.
Chenxiang gradually moved from light to darkness, and all the colors around him gradually disappeared.
Suddenly, a white light fell from the sky and hit him directly, stopping him in his tracks.
"Boy, congratulations on passing the first level." A voice sounded from the darkness.
Chenxiang: "Hello, how can I pass the second level?"
"What is your purpose in passing the second level?" asked the God of Power.
Chenxiang: "To split the mountain to save my mother, and to benefit the three realms."
"Which is more important to you, splitting the mountain to save your mother or benefiting the three realms?" asked the God of Power.
Chen Xiang was silent, and finally said: "They are all important."
God of Power: "After all, there must be someone more important, right?"
"What's the point of worrying about this issue?" Chenxiang was puzzled.
The God of Power smiled and said, "Isn't the main purpose of you taking the Axe of the Sky God to save your mother? What if I can help you rescue your mother?"
Chenxiang's eyes widened: "Can you help me rescue my mother?"
God of Power: "Yes, but you need to agree to two conditions."
"What conditions?"
God of Power: "First, leave immediately and stop thinking about obtaining the Axe of Creation. Second, convince Guanyin and Queen Mother to cancel the bet and stop modifying the Heavenly Law."
Chenxiang: "Why do you want to uphold the heavenly rules set by the Queen Mother?"
"Because I think the Heavenly Rules she established make a lot of sense." The God of Power said, "If there are no restrictions on the gods, if a god who is above love appears, it may cause a disaster in the three realms."
Chen Xiang was in a dilemma and asked, "Can you really help me rescue my mother?"
"Of course, if I lie to you, I will be condemned by both gods and humans." said Quan Shendao.
Chenxiang fell silent.
This was only the second level, and he wasn't sure if he could pass the third level.
But now the God of Power can guarantee that he can help him rescue his mother.
Isn't this the goal that they, father and son, have been working so hard for?
The God of Power said again: "What are you still hesitating about?"
Chen Xiang closed his eyes. At this moment, he suddenly remembered the responsibilities and duties his father had always taught him when he was growing up. He finally opened his eyes and said, "I can't agree to these two conditions of yours."
"Why?" asked the God of Power.
Chen Xiang said seriously, "Since I was little, my father taught me that I cannot evade responsibility, and I cannot be irresponsible. If a man does not even have responsibility and responsibility, then he is not worthy of being born as a human being.
"Now, with the help of countless people, my father and I have finally reached this point. If I give up modifying the Heavenly Law to save my mother, how can I be worthy of those who helped us?"
"You think too much." Quan Shen said: "Maybe they don't care at all."
"I care," Chenxiang said firmly. "I care about everyone who has helped us, because my father once said, 'A drop of water in kindness should be repaid with a spring of water.'"
God of Power: “…”
Father, father, father…he talks about father all the time.
Are you the one who is breaking through the barriers, or is your father?
Quan Shen was in a very complicated mood, but Chen Xiang became more and more determined: "Quan Shen, please start the second level of the test."
"You've passed the second test," the God of Power said slowly. "My other name is the God of Temptation, because power is often linked to temptation. You have no desire for power, and your only obsession hasn't given you a reason to give up. So, you've passed this test. Keep going, for Death awaits you..."
Chen Xiang didn't expect to pass the test so easily. After a moment of silence, he said loudly: "Thank you, God Quan."
However, the God of Power did not give him any response...
In this situation, Chenxiang had no choice but to move forward, and soon he saw countless candles, which illuminated a stone platform full of skulls.
"Congratulations on coming here." A hoarse voice sounded in the void.
Chen Xiang asked, "Hello, what is the test for the third level?"
Death: "Are you in a hurry?"
Chen Xiang scratched his head: "It's not really urgent, I just feel there's no need to say all that nonsense."
grim Reaper:"……"
After a long silence, the voice finally rang out again: "Well, I'll be frank. Chenxiang, are you afraid of death?"
Chenxiang: "I'm scared."
"You keep saying that you want to save your mother and benefit the three realms. Then I ask you, are these two goals more important, or is your life more important?" asked the God of Death.
"Ah?" Chen Xiang was puzzled: "Is this a conflict?"
"No conflict, but I'm very interested in your lifespan." The Death God smiled and said, "If you are willing to give me your own lifespan, I will let you pass me."
"Are you trying to scare me?" Chenxiang said.
Death laughed: "Why would I scare you? Even if I could scare you, what good would it do me?"
Chenxiang: "But, I gave you my life, how can I save my mother?"
Death: "Don't you still have your father? He's standing outside right now. Give me your life span, and I'll give him the Axe of Creation."
Chenxiang: “…”
Seeing him remain silent, the God of Death smiled and said, "It seems that compared to saving your mother and benefiting the three realms, your own life is more important."
Chen Xiang was silent for a long time, then said, "Can I call my father?"
"Of course." Death said, and countless fire points suddenly flew out from the candle and condensed into a fire mirror. The scene outside the cave quickly flashed in the mirror.
"Dad." Chenxiang called.
Outside the cave, Qin Yao was stunned for a moment, then asked, "Chenxiang?"
"It's me, Dad." Chen Xiang said with a smile, "I've reached the third level."
Qin Yao exhaled softly: "Son, believe in yourself, just as your father believes in you, you can do it."
"Dad, what scene do you most want to see?" Chenxiang asked.
Qin Yao thought for a moment and said, "Marry Xiaoyu and have a child."
Chenxiang: "Isn't it to rescue mother?"
Qin Yao suddenly felt a little embarrassed.
I accidentally forgot Liu Yanchang's identity.
In fact, he and San Shengmu were husband and wife in name only, not in reality. He and Chenxiang had no blood relationship, but were in reality father and son.
It was indeed he who raised Chenxiang, and the father-son love of more than 20 years could not be faked.
Because of this, the status of the Third Holy Mother in his heart is really not as high as that of this adopted son.
But the fact is that he can't say that. He can only say: "For parents, their children are always more important than themselves. For their children, parents can make any sacrifice."
"Sacrifice?" Chenxiang asked.
Qin Yao nodded. "Yes, sacrifice. Your mother was clearly holding the Precious Lotus Lantern, but she was still suppressed under Mount Hua because she let the Precious Lotus Lantern escort my father and me to leave. For this, she had to endure the pain of imprisonment and the pain of separation from her husband and son. So in our thoughts, you are more important than anyone else."
