Chapter 3 (Part 2) Cave

  "Hey, old brother, don't just stand there stupidly, run quickly!" A monster hastily passed by my side and shouted to me. His whole body was covered with snow-white fur, his two long ears stood up high, exactly like a rabbit!

  I stared at his pink three-lobed mouth and curiously asked: "Are you a rabbit demon?"

  He stopped in his tracks and said seriously, "What you just said is incorrect. I am a rabbit, but not a monster. Perhaps after another few hundred years of cultivation, I will become a rabbit monster, but for now, I am just a rabbit."

  I shook my head: "Rabbits can't talk? You're obviously a monster."

  "You're wrong again, who says rabbits can't talk? Are talking rabbits monsters? In the Mortal Realm, there's a poisonous grass that can talk, is it also a monster? Humans can talk too, are they monsters as well? There are many talking rabbits in my hometown, are they all monsters? It seems you don't even understand what a monster is and yet you're spouting nonsense. Alright, I'll sacrifice some time to discuss the origin of monsters with you." He spoke non-stop, I listened until my head was spinning and said: "Alright, let's assume you're not a monster. I'm busy, no time for idle chatter, goodbye!"

  He hastily pulled me: "Your words are wrong again, what do you mean by saying that even if I'm not a monster? Your meaning is still clearly saying that I am a monster! Old brother, it's okay to say the wrong thing, but you must correct it in time, and can't deny it until death. You said there's no kung fu to chat with me, actually it's avoiding the truth, afraid to face it. You said you're my old man, am I your son? Then I want to ask carefully, what does my mother look like?"

  I've had enough! I'm not going to tolerate this anymore, so I raised my fist and sent him flying. Just as I climbed up a step, this guy followed me again, chattering nonstop with his three-inch mouth, continuing to nag me.

  I'm so angry, I burst out cursing: "You damn turtle egg, are you done yet?"

  He stared at him: "How can you talk nonsense again? I am a rabbit, how can I be the son of a turtle? Just now you called yourself my old father, are you a turtle? How can turtles give birth to rabbits? You must have used magic. Please tell me, I'm very curious about this magic."

  I wanted to cry but had no tears, encountering such a nagging and unyielding idiot. It's really frustrating. The incense stick in my hand has already burned one-third of its length. My heart skipped a beat, how strange! Why did the incense burn so fast just now? Is it because when I'm talking nonsense with this guy, the incense burns especially quickly? I immediately became vigilant.

  "He continued: 'And another thing, how can you casually hit me? A gentleman uses his mouth, a petty person uses his hands. It's clear that you're a petty person, and if you were a turtle, you'd be a small one.'"

  I took a deep breath, made up my mind, and ignored him, focusing on running forward. He followed me, constantly scolding me, spitting saliva that splashed onto my face. I endured it, remaining silent and refusing to respond.

  "Why aren't you speaking? Do you know you're in the wrong? Since you understand that you were wrong, just admit it frankly and I'll forgive you. You've been silent all along, others will think you're mute. But you're clearly not mute, why are you pretending to be one? Is there some ulterior motive? Being mute isn't bad, it's just inconvenient in many ways... For example... Ah yes, do you know what 'mute' means?"

  I shook my head, suppressing the annoyance in my heart and treating his words as nonsense. The sandalwood in my hand was indeed burning slower, and after a while, my ears suddenly cleared up. I took a look, and he had already turned into a stone statue, with his mouth still wide open, looking very ridiculous.

  I felt a weight lift off my shoulders, finally getting rid of that guy. At this time, the people and demons running ahead let out cries of despair, tumbling down one after another, rolling down the stone steps, and turning into stone statues. My heart skipped a beat as I saw a huge iron axe suspended in mid-air above the stone steps, its cold light flashing back and forth at an astonishing speed, blocking our path. The humans and demons tried to take advantage of the gap when the giant axe swung to the side, but none of them succeeded, all being chopped down by the axe.

  I stood on the stone steps, hesitating to move forward. The giant axe was swinging too fast, making it dizzy and impossible to see its real position. It was really difficult to seize that brief moment of emptiness and rush past.

  Sandalwood burned rapidly, in the blink of an eye, only half was left. I couldn't delay any longer, I rushed to the giant axe, "Whoosh", the wind generated by the swinging axe almost suffocated me. I hesitated again.

  "Get out of the way!" A small, thin monster with red and black ring-shaped markings like a centipede screeched as it darted past me. The centipede monster arched its back and sprang forward in a flash, charging towards the giant axe. The axe flashed by, and a pained cry sounded out as the centipede monster was sent flying, crashing to the ground at my feet before instantly turning into stone. I was shocked and terrified - if even this fast and agile creature couldn't get past, then what chance did I have?

  The sandalwood continued to burn, and time was running out. I suddenly remembered the promise that Sanzaru made to me, saying he would never hurt me. Even if I were chopped in half by the giant axe and turned into a stone statue, Sanzaru would surely bring me back to life. Alright, Sanzaru, I'll trust you this once. I focused my mind, stared at the giant axe, mustered up my courage, and charged forward with all my might.

  My luck seemed to be good, the giant axe just swung to the other side, but before I could rejoice, a chill came, and with a swift swing, the axe chopped down beside me, its sharp blade seemingly about to cut through my skin.

  It's over! Can't hide anymore! In a moment of desperation, I struck a charming dance pose, my body arched, relying solely on the strength of my waist to propel myself forward.

  A giant axe grazed past my back.

  I finally made it through! I had just let out a sigh of relief and hadn't yet steadied myself when a cold glint flashed at the corner of my eye, and a massive axe came chopping down from the right side with lightning speed.

  What's going on? I had clearly rushed past already! I was scared out of my wits, flipped over, leaned back, and kicked both legs out to execute a charming dance move, rapidly retreating backwards. With a "thud", I landed on my butt. The cold blade flashed before my eyes, my forehead felt cool, and a strand of hair was chopped off by the giant axe, gently floating down.

  Damn it! I crawled up, staring at the giant axe swaying in front of me. Zhang Er and the monk were bewildered. Just now, I had clearly rushed past, but why was the giant axe still in front of me?

  Does it have spirituality and follow me to move? If so, even if my speed is faster and the charm of dance is more magical, I will not be able to rush through the giant axe. Looking at the rapidly burning sandalwood, my heart is anxious like a fire.

  People and demons gathered around, staring at the giant axe, shrinking back. Until now, no one has crossed this level of stone steps. Seeing the fear and anxiety on their faces, I feel that they are living flesh and blood, rather than some kind of illusion.

  This cave is too strange!

  I'm calming down, if I can't light the lamp, I'll definitely be looked down upon by that woman Gan Ningzhen. This time, I must argue back.

  "It's not the strength of the demon power that ignites the lamp, but rather your heart. I suddenly remembered Sanzou's words. Indeed, relying on my demon power probably wouldn't be enough to overcome the giant axe. But what is this 'heart'? The scenes from entering the mountain cave flashed through my mind one after another."

  If those beauties and treasures are the lust and greed in one's heart, and the rabbit demon's chatter is the contentious heart of winning or losing, then what does this giant axe mean? I silently pondered, the swaying giant axe wove a dense light and shadow in front of my eyes, the thunderous sound, the cold edge of the axe, naturally evoking fear. The more I wanted to dodge, the more I couldn't dodge. The more I feared being chopped by the giant axe, the more I would be chopped! Even if I rushed forward, the giant axe would still follow me and move, forever blocking my way.

  Next to him, a burly man with a long beard suddenly ran in front of the giant axe, hesitated for half a day, his legs trembling with fear, and didn't dare to rush over. "I'll definitely be chopped to death!" He suddenly shouted in fear, turned around and retreated backwards, one step, two steps, and when he reached the third step, his majestic body slowly turned into a stone statue.

  As I watched the giant turn into a stone statue, a gleam of insight flashed through my mind. All of us, including myself, were afraid of being split by the giant axe! The giant axe was the terror in our hearts! Suddenly, I realized that as long as there was fear in our minds, this giant axe would forever be suspended before us, impossible to pass through!

  Taking a deep breath, I slowly stood up straight, step by step, and walked towards the giant axe.

  No fear, no thought of any consequences, my mind is a blank and quiet, like the surface of a lake without ripples.

  All distracting thoughts recede like the tide.

  A gleaming giant axe hung in front of it, swaying back and forth, casting a terrifying shadow.

  Everyone stared at me in shock, taking such slow steps as if they wanted to rush past, but it was more like looking for their own death.

  I lifted my head and smiled slightly, taking a step forward.

  Like in the twilight of sunset, stepping on a piece of soft fallen leaves, the giant axe is just a wisp of breeze brushing past the body.

  I charge forward. The chilling light flashes at the corner of my eye, and a giant axe comes crashing down!

  No dodging, no panic, I still maintain the original speed, calm as water, slowly, take a step forward.

  A giant axe chopped through me, but I didn't feel any pain. The axe was like condensed air, insubstantial and silent, passing through my body and swaying to the other side. When I turned back, the axe was already behind me. This time, it didn't follow me.

  I succeeded! I clenched my fists in excitement, and also understood that when there is no fear in one's heart, the giant axe is just an illusion. At the same time, with a loud "boom", the giant axe turned into fine powder, scattering everywhere, and the people around me let out a shout, cheering and rushing forward from beside me. As I watched the figures rushing past, a sense of pride suddenly welled up in my heart.

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