“Mo Xie,” Xu Caitong called out in a daze to Liu Bugun. Liu Bugun turned around, seeing Caitong looking at him as if in a dream, he approached and took her into his arms. A gentle breeze blew, unable to smooth the furrows of worry on his brow. “Mo Xie, Mo Xie,” Liu Bugun suddenly heard a call and released Caitong, approaching the riverbank. There, a thousand-year-old turtle emerged from the water, its shell covered in moss, stretching eight feet square. The old turtle blinked at Liu Bugun. Liu Bugun bent down, and the turtle blinked again, nodding. “Are you calling me?” Liu Bugun asked. “If not the old turtle, then who? Mo Xie, climb onto my back, I’ll ferry you across the river.” The old turtle slowly crawled to the shore and lay down. Liu Bugun, overjoyed, immediately helped Caitong onto the turtle’s back, and the turtle began to swim towards the center of the river. Suddenly, a huge wave hit, causing Xu Caitong to sway and lose balance, nearly falling into the surging river. Liu Bugun quickly pulled her close, and due to the force, they both fell onto the turtle’s back. “Hey, what happened to you two?” the old turtle turned its head to ask. The old turtle, hidden within its shell, was unaware of the affairs of the world and the changes in heaven and earth. Fu Xiu had turned the land into a vast ocean, awakening the turtle from its thousand-year slumber. Seeing Mo Xie on the riverbank, the turtle knew Mo Xie was heading to Yuan Ming Mountain and volunteered to take them across. Amidst the turbulent waves, the slightest misstep could lead them into the deep sea. “Your back is all mossy, it’s slippery; you must not have bathed in a thousand years,” Liu Bugun teased. Liu Bugun helped Caitong up, but before they could steady themselves, another wave struck. Liu Bugun held Xu Caitong close, their bodies swaying with the waves like willow branches in the wind. Amidst the storm, the sea turtle carried the two riders, breaking through the waves. “A thousand years asleep?” Xu Caitong stuck out her tongue. “Haha – don’t think I’m just an old turtle; I still have my uses, like ferrying you across now, right?” the old turtle laughed. “Isn’t the Wu Su River just a small river?” Liu Bugun asked. “Fu Xiu widened the riverbed; the mountains on the banks are now Yuan Ming Mountain,” the old turtle buzzed. Corpses floated by in the river, causing Xu Caitong to cry out in horror and bury her face in Liu Bugun’s chest. The old turtle slowly but surely approached the opposite bank. Yuan Ming Mountain! Liu Bugun and his companions stepped ashore, with Yuan Ming Mountain now right at their feet. They stood at the base, looking up at the towering peak. The mountain, not as majestic as imagined, appeared desolate with its barren, brownish slopes. Liu Bugun pondered for a moment, knowing he could reach the top within an hour with his skills, but with Caitong, it would be more challenging. Without further thought, he grabbed Xu Caitong and used his advanced light-body skill to leap towards the summit. “Boom!” Thunder roared, and lightning finally tore through the sky, illuminating the heavens with a bright seam. The lightning struck the mountain peak directly, startling Xu Caitong, whose face turned pale with fright. “Bugun, put me down; go to the top by yourself,” Xu Caitong said in a trembling voice. “No. We live together, die together. I can’t leave you behind; I can’t let you be in danger,” Liu Bugun said firmly. “No, Bugun, you’ll just have an extra burden with me.” “Caitong, my love, from the beginning till now, I’ve only brought you trouble and danger.”
“My dear, once we have vanquished Fu Xiu, you and I will travel through mountains and rivers to find a utopia. We will be in a place where there is no strife, only flowers, and I will be by your side forever and ever.” “Yes, Buqun, yes,” Xu Caitong was moved to tears. She felt so blessed to have a husband who loved her so deeply, what more could she ask for in this life? “Boom!” Another bright bolt of lightning tore through the sky, striking the mountain peak right in front of them. The spot where it struck caved in, just enough for them to stand in the pit and continue their ascent to the mountain top. Liu Buqun hid Xu Caitong’s face in his embrace, not letting her see the celestial thunder. He held her close, moving slowly, step by step, climbing through the hollows created by the lightning towards the summit.
In the Heavenly Court, Fu Xiu was unleashing chaos, his dragon horns like knives, his whiskers like whips, spewing toxic fire, sending the Four Heavenly Kings into hiding and laying the Twenty-Eight Mansions to the ground. He fought his way through the Palace of Dispatching Clouds, stormed into the Bright Hall, and was causing havoc outside the Celestial Hall. The Jade Emperor could only hear the clash of weapons outside the Bright Hall, his face turning ashen with fear. This evil dragon had been malevolent long before the heavens and earth were separated. Only because of a moment of leniency, his soul was not extracted, leading to today’s calamity in the Heavenly Court.
“Li Jing, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King, and Nezha, the Third Prince, are you here?” The Jade Emperor glanced at the assembled immortals below the hall, asking in a trembling voice. “Here.” Li Jing and Nezha stepped out from the ranks of the immortals. “King Li, lead the Five Directions Revealers and the Four Duty Gods to guard the Heavenly Court.” “Yes.” Father and son, Li Jing and Nezha, took their orders and left.
The Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King and the Third Prince Nezha, commanding the Thunder Gods and their troops, armed with swords, spears, halberds, whips, maces, axes, claws, and various other weapons, set up an array outside the Lingxiao Palace. They fought fiercely, stirring up dark clouds, darkening the sky and earth…
As thunder rolled and lightning struck the mountain peaks, Liu Buqun and Xu Caitong finally reached the summit. “Have we reached the immortal mountain?” Xu Caitong asked, dazed, standing at the top of the mountain. “Yes, the immortal mountain,” Liu Buqun replied. Amidst the drifting clouds, the lightning continued to strike, creating craters as if to bear witness to this world-altering event, each crater emitting smoke. In a trance, the mountain was no longer just a mountain; before them stretched the vast expanse of ancient times, with ethereal heavens and earth. Mo Xie and Zi Yue embraced, gazing into the ancient, vast mist.
Suddenly, Xu Caitong saw Zi Yue leaning on the railing, looking into the distance, waiting for Mo Xie who had gone to open the heavens and had not returned for a long time. She yearned and prayed to the gods of all directions, hoping for Mo Xie’s safe return. A faint wisp of incense rose as Zi Yue waited, leaning on the rail. “Zi Yue.” It was Mo Xie’s voice, how much longing was conveyed in that call? Zi Yue, half surprised and half delighted, looked towards the sound, only to see a burly figure faintly visible through the murky fog within the golden halo – Mo Xie? “Mo Xie.” Zi Yue, overjoyed, stepped down from the corridor, rushed out of the Purple Star Palace, and approached the golden halo.
