Ah...
Tianhua seemed to hear the sound of his own bones being crushed. He thought about being killed for no apparent reason, and fear welled up in his heart—a fear he had never experienced before. When he saw the scenes in those eyes, the fear became chilling!
Ah...
Tianhua called out again, but this time he opened his eyes. He saw a faint candlelight that grew brighter. When he could see clearly, he realized the candlelight was strangely familiar. He looked around and noticed he was lying on a bed. He raised his head slightly, saw the window in the dark night, and then understood: he had just had a dream!
Thinking about the dream, it felt so real. Tianhua felt beads of sweat on his forehead, and he seemed a bit tired. His body had a slight soreness, as if the fight in the dream had drained his strength.
Tianhua sighed, looked out of the window, and saw only a vast expanse. Suppressing his thoughts, he lay back on the bed, closed his eyes, and gradually fell asleep.
Outside the small house, the Eagle King and the Dragon of Heaven stood together, both silent, seemingly gazing into the distance.
"Did you find Tianhua in his dream?" the Dragon of Heaven suddenly asked.
"Yes," the Eagle King replied.
"What did you learn from him?" the Dragon of Heaven inquired.
"Well... I didn't say much to him. I just gave him a beating!" the Eagle King chuckled.
"Haha... I didn't expect the Eagle King to be interested in playing with children. He must have been defenseless!" the Dragon of Heaven laughed.
"It's not like that!" the Eagle King said.
"Oh... did the Eagle King face a strong counterattack?" the Dragon of Heaven asked with a smile.
"Haha... that's for sure. Tianhua, that kid, is quite strong. He even managed to throw me out!" the Eagle King laughed.
"Haha... getting praise from the Eagle King, I'll be sure to compliment him when we go back!" the Dragon of Heaven said, and both of them laughed heartily.
Time passed quickly, and dawn began to break. The sun rose slowly, heralding the start of a new day.
"Let's go, Eagle King. Let's rest!" the Dragon of Heaven said.
After speaking, the Dragon of Heaven walked towards a large tree outside, while the Eagle King headed towards the small house.
As the sun shone on Tianhua's bed outside the window, he slowly opened his eyes. Looking at the sunlight through the window, Tianhua became excited. He quickly jumped up and stuck his head out of the window, shouting enthusiastically: the sun is out, the sun is shining!
Although the sun appeared every day in winter, its appearance was not clear. It seemed to be covered by something, looking hazy, like viewing a candle through a paper window—only the outline was visible!
When the sun's appearance became clear, it meant winter was ending, and spring was on its way! However, looking at the sun, Tianhua felt puzzled. This year, the sun seemed to be rising much earlier than usual.
Tianhua put on his clothes and went outside. He saw his mother preparing breakfast. Tianhua said, "Mom, the sun seems to be out much earlier today!"
"Yes, I wonder why this year?" Qinlan said.
After breakfast, Tianhua left home and came outside. The sunlight felt comfortable on his body. The warm sunlight was pleasant, but what made Tianhua even happier was that spring was coming. When the snow melted, the entire mountain village would come back to life.
In the past, Tianhua loved winter because it brought him a lot of joy. However, as he learned more, he wanted to explore and understand those questions. Time was always running out, and winter quickly arrived. The joy that ice and snow brought him in the past now had a different meaning. It seemed to envelop the entire mountain village, hiding many things deliberately!
Now that the sun was out, he would continue his exploration when the time came!
Tianhua wanted to find Ilan and the others now. He was so happy today!
Walking on the road, Tianhua heard everyone discussing: Why did the sun appear so early this year?
Tianhua was initially curious, but now he didn't want to know anymore. He hoped the sun would come out early, and as for the reasons, he would explore them slowly in the future!
Tianhua arrived at Ilan's doorstep and called out loudly, "Ilan, are you there?"
"Tianhua, come in!" Ilan, inside the house, heard Tianhua's shout and quickly responded.
Tianhua went in and saw Ilan reading a book in her room. He asked her, "Ilan, what are you reading?"
"Oh, this is my dad's book about barriers!" Ilan said, shaking the book's cover in front of Tianhua.
"Tianhua, what brings you to me?" Ilan asked.
"Oh, I saw the sun come out today, and the weather is good, so I thought of coming to you to play," Tianhua said.
"Yeah, it's true. Why did the sun come out so early this year?" Ilan wondered.
"How could we know! This is not something we humans can perceive and control," Tianhua said.
"Yeah, that's true. Let's go, let's go out!" Ilan put down the book and said.
Tianhua and Ilan going out together was indeed much more convenient than the four of them going out. At least, as Tianhua said, they didn't have to think about where to go and how to play. They just walked around the village, talked about irrelevant things, looked at the snow-covered areas, and speculated about the beautiful scenery in that area after the snow melted.
Everything was so simple and joyful!
At night, Tianhua lay on his bed, thinking about the way to the outside world.
It didn't snow today, and the sun came out clearly again. When winter ended, I would embark on a journey in spring. Tianhua was pondering in his mind!
Inside the small house, fifteen people sat there with serious expressions.
"Tianlong, what's going on? Why did the sun appear today? And no snow?" a voice questioned.
"During the day, I found a small crack in the barrier when checking. Tonight, we can repair it!" Tianlong said.
"A crack? What happened?" the voice asked.
"Some unknown force affected the barrier, causing a small crack in that place! We were resting during the day, so we didn't notice it in time!" Tianlong explained.
"Unknown force?! Where did that force come from?" the voice asked in confusion.
"Unfortunately, when we just sensed that force, it unexpectedly disappeared. Until now, we haven't sensed that force again!" Tianlong said.
"So, it means we don't know when that force will appear again?" the voice asked.
"I think so, but tonight we plan to set up an additional barrier above the original one. This way, if there's any abnormal influence on the barrier again, we can detect it quickly!" Tianlong said.
"What kind of force can affect the barrier?" the voice seemed to be asking itself.
Then the voice seemed to be contemplating. After a while, he said, "Well, nothing's wrong. You all can go now!"
After saying this, the bright light in the center of the table disappeared, and Tianlong and the others left the table and went outside. They had a lot to do tonight.
Outside, the Eagle King was standing there, looking in the direction of Tianhua's residence. When Tianlong saw him coming out, he said, "Eagle King, are you planning to go into Tianhua's dream again tonight?"
"You guessed it!" the Eagle King laughed heartily.
"Hehe... it's been a long time since I've seen the Eagle King so interested!" Tianlong laughed.
"Tianhua is quite special. That night, he actually threw me out. At such a young age, to have such strength, he's not simple at all! It reminds me of you back in the day!" The Eagle King expressed with a hint of emotion.
Tianlong fell silent, gazing into the distance with intense concentration, seemingly lost in thought.
"But war is too cruel!" Tianlong suddenly sighed.
The Eagle King nodded. The two stood side by side, both looking into the distance, occasionally revealing a trace of contentment on their faces.
"Well, I need to go check on the barrier!" Tianlong said, breaking the silence.
"I think I should go see Tianhua!" the Eagle King said, heading towards Tianhua's residence.
As the night deepened, Tianhua entered the realm of dreams.
In his dream, Tianhua seemed to see that stone statue again. It slowly approached him, initially blurry but becoming clearer with each step—indeed, the same figure from his previous dream.
"Why do I dream of you again?" Tianhua asked in surprise.
"Haha... if you don't dismiss that thought, I believe you'll keep dreaming of me!" the stone statue laughed.
Tianhua looked at him in confusion. Could this statue really enter people's dreams?
"What thought? What are you talking about?" Tianhua asked, puzzled.
"The thought of going to the outside world!" the stone statue said, looking at him seriously.
"Why do you want to stop me? We don't even know each other!" Tianhua became even more puzzled.
"Whether we know each other or not is not important. What matters is protecting the people in the village—that's my duty!" the stone statue replied.
Tianhua found himself in deep confusion. He didn't know who this stone statue was, and his connection to the village intrigued him. Throughout his life, he had never heard of a stone statue protecting the village.
"Who are you? Where do you come from? What's your connection to this village? I've never heard of you!" Tianhua asked.
"Who I am, where I come from, and my connection to this village—I can't reveal the answers to these three questions for now. You're still young, and there are many things I can't tell you at the moment," the stone statue explained.
"You always say we're young. That's what I hate the most! We are not young anymore! From childhood until now, whenever we face something and ask you, you always use this as an excuse to evade our questions!" Tianhua suddenly became agitated.
"Haha... it's not evasion, just a matter of timing!" the stone statue said.
Tianhua stared at the statue, deciding to stop asking. He said calmly, "If you think it's not the right time to tell us, then so be it. Since you won't tell me, I'll find the answers myself. If you want to use force like last time, go ahead! I won't easily change my mind!"
The Eagle King observed Tianhua without speaking, smiling and nodding approvingly.
Seeing no intention of a physical confrontation from the Eagle King, Tianhua continued, "If you don't want to use force, please leave my dream. I want to get a good night's sleep!"
The Eagle King burst into laughter, saying, "So similar! So similar! Just like him when he was young!"
Tianhua, not surprised by the Eagle King's incomprehensible words, felt that the appearance of this stone statue itself was already an incredible phenomenon. Therefore, he didn't find the words he couldn't understand surprising anymore.
Tianhua remained silent, just staring at the statue.
"Don't you have any questions for me?" the stone statue asked.
"I do, but I don't want to ask," Tianhua replied.
"Oh?" the stone statue inquired.
"Because I'm still young!" Tianhua said seriously.
Haha...
"Well, let's call it a night for tonight! But before I go, let me tell you one thing. Although you're young, I think I can tell you this much: the path to the outside world is guarded by me. If you want to go out, the condition is that you must defeat me. So, let's make a deal: the next time I come, if you can defeat me, I'll let you go to the outside world. If you lose, you'll have to stay in the village and wait to grow up. How about that?" the stone statue proposed with a smile.
At that moment, Tianhua's mind went blank. He didn't know what this meant, and the suddenness of it left him bewildered.
"Even if you don't speak, I think you'll agree. I'll give you three days to think about it. Tell me your decision then—whether you accept the deal or choose to find answers on your own!" The stone statue finished speaking and slowly disappeared.
Tianhua stood alone, feeling a bit stunned. He was contemplating, feeling a mix of excitement and unreality. He seemed to have forgotten that he was in his own dream.
Time passed, and another deep night went by. When the sun rose, a few snowflakes began to fall.
Tianhua woke up from the dream, staring out the window, lost in thought. He didn't pay attention to the changes in the sun or the falling snow; his mind was consumed by the events of the previous night. He wasn't sure if it was a dream or reality, but it felt real. The appearance of the stone statue gave him a genuine feeling, and he had entered his dream twice. Moreover, the scenes in its eyes seemed to imply the dangers and chaos of the outside world.
However, he also doubted its reality. Perhaps he was too focused on the idea of the path to the outside world. Seeing the stone statue on the mountain and the scenes in its eyes might have triggered such a dream.
"Tianhua, are you awake?" Qinlan's voice from outside interrupted Tianhua's thoughts.
Tianhua snapped back to reality, realizing that the sun outside had become hazy again. He was surprised, wondering what had happened.
"Mom, why is it snowing again? The weather is so strange!" Tianhua came out of the room and said.
"Yeah, I wonder what's going on. This has never happened before!" Qinlan said.
After breakfast, Tianhua went outside alone, looking at the slowly falling snowflakes. He felt a sense of disappointment. Yesterday, the sun came out, and he thought spring was approaching rapidly. But today, it started snowing again, and he felt like he had lost something.
Suddenly, an idea flashed in Tianhua's mind. He thought he could go up the mountain to see the stone statue.
He arrived at the spot where the stone statue had been, only to find nothing there. It was just an empty snowy field. Tianhua ran towards it, looking around, convinced that this was the place where he saw the stone statue. But why had it disappeared? He was at a loss for what had happened and how to interpret these events. He felt like he had lost something important, but he didn't know what it was.
Tianhua stood there for a long time, staring at the snow-covered ground. His mind was blank. Gradually, his body was covered by snow, making him look like a statue from a distance.
A gentle breeze blew, and Tianhua seemed to be listening to the wind's whispers. Suddenly, he moved, walking towards the road down the mountain without shaking off the snow. He didn't care about the snow; his mind was preoccupied.
Qinlan, inside the house, saw a snowman approaching. Confused, she stared at it. The snowman came closer, revealing Tianhua beneath the snow. Qinlan was surprised and asked, "Who are you?"
"Hehe... Mom, it's me!" Tianhua said, brushing off the snow.
Watching the snow falling off him, slowly revealing Tianhua, Qinlan was amazed. "What happened? How did you end up like this?"
"Hehe... I didn't do anything outside. I just stood there for a while!" Tianhua chuckled.
Qinlan also laughed. However, she knew Tianhua was lying. From his vacant eyes earlier, she guessed that something had happened to him. But since Tianhua had said it was nothing, she didn't press him further.
Night arrived, and Tianlong, outside the little house, looked at the Eagle King with surprise. The Eagle King smiled, looking at Tianlong.
"Did you really say that?" Tianlong was somewhat incredulous.
"Yeah, that's exactly what I said!" the Eagle King said proudly.
"What are you planning to do?" Tianlong asked.
"Oh, that depends on Tianhua's decision. If he accepts the challenge, I'll abide by the agreement. If he refuses, I'll find time to talk to him!" the Eagle King replied with a smile.
"Tianhua, don't you think this is a bit impulsive?" Tianlong asked.
"I don't think so. I just feel that kid is exactly like you when you were young. The determined look in his eyes that nobody can stop reminded me of you back in the day. So, at that moment, I made that agreement with him!" the Eagle King continued to smile.
Tianlong, looking at the Eagle King's confident eyes, refrained from speaking. He gazed into the distance, lost in thought.
Three days quickly passed, and Tianhua spent the time in solitude. He hadn't gone anywhere in the village; it felt like there was no place for him there. In his mind, there was only the world outside.
As night fell, slowly and silently, Tianhua lay on his bed, looking at the candle on the table. The flickering flame cast shadows around the room, and the silence was so profound that he could hear his own heartbeat.
Tianhua felt his eyelids getting heavy, and he closed his eyes.
In the dimness, a figure was slowly approaching him. Tianhua's heart raced; he knew it was the stone statue. His mind was in turmoil, unsure of how to talk to it. Although he had prepared himself, at the critical moment, he found himself at a loss. He felt conflicted—wanting to agree, but fearing what would happen if he couldn't win. If he refused, he would have to find the way out himself, but who knew how long that would take?
The stone statue drew nearer, and Tianhua grew more nervous.
"So, have you thought about it? Will you accept or not?" the stone statue asked the moment it appeared.
"I've made up my mind!" Tianhua declared firmly.
At that moment, Tianhua felt a surge of determination. If a person truly wanted to do something, they should pursue it without hesitation, regardless of difficulties or pain. Resolute in his heart, he believed that as long as he clung to his convictions, everything else would fall into place.
"I accept the challenge and swear to defeat you with all my might!" Tianhua shouted.
"Aren't you afraid of losing? If you lose, you'll have to stay here patiently and wait to grow up!" the stone statue warned with a smile.
"I only know that my goal is to give my all to defeat you and then leave this place to see the world I've imagined!" Tianhua said.
"Aren't you afraid that the outside world might be completely different from what you imagine? You might not even be able to return, and then it'll be too late for regrets!" the stone statue cautioned.
"How the outside world is different from what I imagine, and what awaits me out there—I need to find those answers myself. I don't need you to tell me!" Tianhua declared.
The stone statue smiled, looking at him. Then, loudly, it declared, "In the name of the Eagle King, I accept your challenge. If you win, I will fulfill my promise: to let you go to the outside world!"
The two faced each other. After a moment, the stone statue proclaimed, "Let the challenge begin!"
Ah...
Tianhua seemed to hear the sound of his own bones being crushed. He thought about being killed for no apparent reason, and fear welled up in his heart—a fear he had never experienced before. When he saw the scenes in those eyes, the fear became chilling!
Ah...
Tianhua called out again, but this time he opened his eyes. He saw a faint candlelight that grew brighter. When he could see clearly, he realized the candlelight was strangely familiar. He looked around and noticed he was lying on a bed. He raised his head slightly, saw the window in the dark night, and then understood: he had just had a dream!
Thinking about the dream, it felt so real. Tianhua felt beads of sweat on his forehead, and he seemed a bit tired. His body had a slight soreness, as if the fight in the dream had drained his strength.
Tianhua sighed, looked out of the window, and saw only a vast expanse. Suppressing his thoughts, he lay back on the bed, closed his eyes, and gradually fell asleep.
Outside the small house, the Eagle King and the Dragon of Heaven stood together, both silent, seemingly gazing into the distance.
"Did you find Tianhua in his dream?" the Dragon of Heaven suddenly asked.
"Yes," the Eagle King replied.
"What did you learn from him?" the Dragon of Heaven inquired.
"Well... I didn't say much to him. I just gave him a beating!" the Eagle King chuckled.
"Haha... I didn't expect the Eagle King to be interested in playing with children. He must have been defenseless!" the Dragon of Heaven laughed.
"It's not like that!" the Eagle King said.
"Oh... did the Eagle King face a strong counterattack?" the Dragon of Heaven asked with a smile.
"Haha... that's for sure. Tianhua, that kid, is quite strong. He even managed to throw me out!" the Eagle King laughed.
"Haha... getting praise from the Eagle King, I'll be sure to compliment him when we go back!" the Dragon of Heaven said, and both of them laughed heartily.
Time passed quickly, and dawn began to break. The sun rose slowly, heralding the start of a new day.
"Let's go, Eagle King. Let's rest!" the Dragon of Heaven said.
After speaking, the Dragon of Heaven walked towards a large tree outside, while the Eagle King headed towards the small house.
As the sun shone on Tianhua's bed outside the window, he slowly opened his eyes. Looking at the sunlight through the window, Tianhua became excited. He quickly jumped up and stuck his head out of the window, shouting enthusiastically: the sun is out, the sun is shining!
Although the sun appeared every day in winter, its appearance was not clear. It seemed to be covered by something, looking hazy, like viewing a candle through a paper window—only the outline was visible!
When the sun's appearance became clear, it meant winter was ending, and spring was on its way! However, looking at the sun, Tianhua felt puzzled. This year, the sun seemed to be rising much earlier than usual.
Tianhua put on his clothes and went outside. He saw his mother preparing breakfast. Tianhua said, "Mom, the sun seems to be out much earlier today!"
"Yes, I wonder why this year?" Qinlan said.
After breakfast, Tianhua left home and came outside. The sunlight felt comfortable on his body. The warm sunlight was pleasant, but what made Tianhua even happier was that spring was coming. When the snow melted, the entire mountain village would come back to life.
In the past, Tianhua loved winter because it brought him a lot of joy. However, as he learned more, he wanted to explore and understand those questions. Time was always running out, and winter quickly arrived. The joy that ice and snow brought him in the past now had a different meaning. It seemed to envelop the entire mountain village, hiding many things deliberately!
Now that the sun was out, he would continue his exploration when the time came!
Tianhua wanted to find Ilan and the others now. He was so happy today!
Walking on the road, Tianhua heard everyone discussing: Why did the sun appear so early this year?
Tianhua was initially curious, but now he didn't want to know anymore. He hoped the sun would come out early, and as for the reasons, he would explore them slowly in the future!
Tianhua arrived at Ilan's doorstep and called out loudly, "Ilan, are you there?"
"Tianhua, come in!" Ilan, inside the house, heard Tianhua's shout and quickly responded.
Tianhua went in and saw Ilan reading a book in her room. He asked her, "Ilan, what are you reading?"
"Oh, this is my dad's book about barriers!" Ilan said, shaking the book's cover in front of Tianhua.
"Tianhua, what brings you to me?" Ilan asked.
"Oh, I saw the sun come out today, and the weather is good, so I thought of coming to you to play," Tianhua said.
"Yeah, it's true. Why did the sun come out so early this year?" Ilan wondered.
"How could we know! This is not something we humans can perceive and control," Tianhua said.
"Yeah, that's true. Let's go, let's go out!" Ilan put down the book and said.
Tianhua and Ilan going out together was indeed much more convenient than the four of them going out. At least, as Tianhua said, they didn't have to think about where to go and how to play. They just walked around the village, talked about irrelevant things, looked at the snow-covered areas, and speculated about the beautiful scenery in that area after the snow melted.
Everything was so simple and joyful!
At night, Tianhua lay on his bed, thinking about the way to the outside world.
It didn't snow today, and the sun came out clearly again. When winter ended, I would embark on a journey in spring. Tianhua was pondering in his mind!
Inside the small house, fifteen people sat there with serious expressions.
"Tianlong, what's going on? Why did the sun appear today? And no snow?" a voice questioned.
"During the day, I found a small crack in the barrier when checking. Tonight, we can repair it!" Tianlong said.
"A crack? What happened?" the voice asked.
"Some unknown force affected the barrier, causing a small crack in that place! We were resting during the day, so we didn't notice it in time!" Tianlong explained.
"Unknown force?! Where did that force come from?" the voice asked in confusion.
"Unfortunately, when we just sensed that force, it unexpectedly disappeared. Until now, we haven't sensed that force again!" Tianlong said.
"So, it means we don't know when that force will appear again?" the voice asked.
"I think so, but tonight we plan to set up an additional barrier above the original one. This way, if there's any abnormal influence on the barrier again, we can detect it quickly!" Tianlong said.
"What kind of force can affect the barrier?" the voice seemed to be asking itself.
Then the voice seemed to be contemplating. After a while, he said, "Well, nothing's wrong. You all can go now!"
After saying this, the bright light in the center of the table disappeared, and Tianlong and the others left the table and went outside. They had a lot to do tonight.
Outside, the Eagle King was standing there, looking in the direction of Tianhua's residence. When Tianlong saw him coming out, he said, "Eagle King, are you planning to go into Tianhua's dream again tonight?"
"You guessed it!" the Eagle King laughed heartily.
"Hehe... it's been a long time since I've seen the Eagle King so interested!" Tianlong laughed.
"Tianhua is quite special. That night, he actually threw me out. At such a young age, to have such strength, he's not simple at all! It reminds me of you back in the day!" The Eagle King expressed with a hint of emotion.
Tianlong fell silent, gazing into the distance with intense concentration, seemingly lost in thought.
"But war is too cruel!" Tianlong suddenly sighed.
The Eagle King nodded. The two stood side by side, both looking into the distance, occasionally revealing a trace of contentment on their faces.
"Well, I need to go check on the barrier!" Tianlong said, breaking the silence.
"I think I should go see Tianhua!" the Eagle King said, heading towards Tianhua's residence.
As the night deepened, Tianhua entered the realm of dreams.
In his dream, Tianhua seemed to see that stone statue again. It slowly approached him, initially blurry but becoming clearer with each step—indeed, the same figure from his previous dream.
"Why do I dream of you again?" Tianhua asked in surprise.
"Haha... if you don't dismiss that thought, I believe you'll keep dreaming of me!" the stone statue laughed.
Tianhua looked at him in confusion. Could this statue really enter people's dreams?
"What thought? What are you talking about?" Tianhua asked, puzzled.
"The thought of going to the outside world!" the stone statue said, looking at him seriously.
"Why do you want to stop me? We don't even know each other!" Tianhua became even more puzzled.
"Whether we know each other or not is not important. What matters is protecting the people in the village—that's my duty!" the stone statue replied.
Tianhua found himself in deep confusion. He didn't know who this stone statue was, and his connection to the village intrigued him. Throughout his life, he had never heard of a stone statue protecting the village.
"Who are you? Where do you come from? What's your connection to this village? I've never heard of you!" Tianhua asked.
"Who I am, where I come from, and my connection to this village—I can't reveal the answers to these three questions for now. You're still young, and there are many things I can't tell you at the moment," the stone statue explained.
"You always say we're young. That's what I hate the most! We are not young anymore! From childhood until now, whenever we face something and ask you, you always use this as an excuse to evade our questions!" Tianhua suddenly became agitated.
"Haha... it's not evasion, just a matter of timing!" the stone statue said.
Tianhua stared at the statue, deciding to stop asking. He said calmly, "If you think it's not the right time to tell us, then so be it. Since you won't tell me, I'll find the answers myself. If you want to use force like last time, go ahead! I won't easily change my mind!"
The Eagle King observed Tianhua without speaking, smiling and nodding approvingly.
Seeing no intention of a physical confrontation from the Eagle King, Tianhua continued, "If you don't want to use force, please leave my dream. I want to get a good night's sleep!"
The Eagle King burst into laughter, saying, "So similar! So similar! Just like him when he was young!"
Tianhua, not surprised by the Eagle King's incomprehensible words, felt that the appearance of this stone statue itself was already an incredible phenomenon. Therefore, he didn't find the words he couldn't understand surprising anymore.
Tianhua remained silent, just staring at the statue.
"Don't you have any questions for me?" the stone statue asked.
"I do, but I don't want to ask," Tianhua replied.
"Oh?" the stone statue inquired.
"Because I'm still young!" Tianhua said seriously.
Haha...
"Well, let's call it a night for tonight! But before I go, let me tell you one thing. Although you're young, I think I can tell you this much: the path to the outside world is guarded by me. If you want to go out, the condition is that you must defeat me. So, let's make a deal: the next time I come, if you can defeat me, I'll let you go to the outside world. If you lose, you'll have to stay in the village and wait to grow up. How about that?" the stone statue proposed with a smile.
At that moment, Tianhua's mind went blank. He didn't know what this meant, and the suddenness of it left him bewildered.
"Even if you don't speak, I think you'll agree. I'll give you three days to think about it. Tell me your decision then—whether you accept the deal or choose to find answers on your own!" The stone statue finished speaking and slowly disappeared.
Tianhua stood alone, feeling a bit stunned. He was contemplating, feeling a mix of excitement and unreality. He seemed to have forgotten that he was in his own dream.
Time passed, and another deep night went by. When the sun rose, a few snowflakes began to fall.
Tianhua woke up from the dream, staring out the window, lost in thought. He didn't pay attention to the changes in the sun or the falling snow; his mind was consumed by the events of the previous night. He wasn't sure if it was a dream or reality, but it felt real. The appearance of the stone statue gave him a genuine feeling, and he had entered his dream twice. Moreover, the scenes in its eyes seemed to imply the dangers and chaos of the outside world.
However, he also doubted its reality. Perhaps he was too focused on the idea of the path to the outside world. Seeing the stone statue on the mountain and the scenes in its eyes might have triggered such a dream.
"Tianhua, are you awake?" Qinlan's voice from outside interrupted Tianhua's thoughts.
Tianhua snapped back to reality, realizing that the sun outside had become hazy again. He was surprised, wondering what had happened.
"Mom, why is it snowing again? The weather is so strange!" Tianhua came out of the room and said.
"Yeah, I wonder what's going on. This has never happened before!" Qinlan said.
After breakfast, Tianhua went outside alone, looking at the slowly falling snowflakes. He felt a sense of disappointment. Yesterday, the sun came out, and he thought spring was approaching rapidly. But today, it started snowing again, and he felt like he had lost something.
Suddenly, an idea flashed in Tianhua's mind. He thought he could go up the mountain to see the stone statue.
He arrived at the spot where the stone statue had been, only to find nothing there. It was just an empty snowy field. Tianhua ran towards it, looking around, convinced that this was the place where he saw the stone statue. But why had it disappeared? He was at a loss for what had happened and how to interpret these events. He felt like he had lost something important, but he didn't know what it was.
Tianhua stood there for a long time, staring at the snow-covered ground. His mind was blank. Gradually, his body was covered by snow, making him look like a statue from a distance.
A gentle breeze blew, and Tianhua seemed to be listening to the wind's whispers. Suddenly, he moved, walking towards the road down the mountain without shaking off the snow. He didn't care about the snow; his mind was preoccupied.
Qinlan, inside the house, saw a snowman approaching. Confused, she stared at it. The snowman came closer, revealing Tianhua beneath the snow. Qinlan was surprised and asked, "Who are you?"
"Hehe... Mom, it's me!" Tianhua said, brushing off the snow.
Watching the snow falling off him, slowly revealing Tianhua, Qinlan was amazed. "What happened? How did you end up like this?"
"Hehe... I didn't do anything outside. I just stood there for a while!" Tianhua chuckled.
Qinlan also laughed. However, she knew Tianhua was lying. From his vacant eyes earlier, she guessed that something had happened to him. But since Tianhua had said it was nothing, she didn't press him further.
Night arrived, and Tianlong, outside the little house, looked at the Eagle King with surprise. The Eagle King smiled, looking at Tianlong.
"Did you really say that?" Tianlong was somewhat incredulous.
"Yeah, that's exactly what I said!" the Eagle King said proudly.
"What are you planning to do?" Tianlong asked.
"Oh, that depends on Tianhua's decision. If he accepts the challenge, I'll abide by the agreement. If he refuses, I'll find time to talk to him!" the Eagle King replied with a smile.
"Tianhua, don't you think this is a bit impulsive?" Tianlong asked.
"I don't think so. I just feel that kid is exactly like you when you were young. The determined look in his eyes that nobody can stop reminded me of you back in the day. So, at that moment, I made that agreement with him!" the Eagle King continued to smile.
Tianlong, looking at the Eagle King's confident eyes, refrained from speaking. He gazed into the distance, lost in thought.
Three days quickly passed, and Tianhua spent the time in solitude. He hadn't gone anywhere in the village; it felt like there was no place for him there. In his mind, there was only the world outside.
As night fell, slowly and silently, Tianhua lay on his bed, looking at the candle on the table. The flickering flame cast shadows around the room, and the silence was so profound that he could hear his own heartbeat.
Tianhua felt his eyelids getting heavy, and he closed his eyes.
In the dimness, a figure was slowly approaching him. Tianhua's heart raced; he knew it was the stone statue. His mind was in turmoil, unsure of how to talk to it. Although he had prepared himself, at the critical moment, he found himself at a loss. He felt conflicted—wanting to agree, but fearing what would happen if he couldn't win. If he refused, he would have to find the way out himself, but who knew how long that would take?
The stone statue drew nearer, and Tianhua grew more nervous.
"So, have you thought about it? Will you accept or not?" the stone statue asked the moment it appeared.
"I've made up my mind!" Tianhua declared firmly.
At that moment, Tianhua felt a surge of determination. If a person truly wanted to do something, they should pursue it without hesitation, regardless of difficulties or pain. Resolute in his heart, he believed that as long as he clung to his convictions, everything else would fall into place.
"I accept the challenge and swear to defeat you with all my might!" Tianhua shouted.
"Aren't you afraid of losing? If you lose, you'll have to stay here patiently and wait to grow up!" the stone statue warned with a smile.
"I only know that my goal is to give my all to defeat you and then leave this place to see the world I've imagined!" Tianhua said.
"Aren't you afraid that the outside world might be completely different from what you imagine? You might not even be able to return, and then it'll be too late for regrets!" the stone statue cautioned.
"How the outside world is different from what I imagine, and what awaits me out there—I need to find those answers myself. I don't need you to tell me!" Tianhua declared.
The stone statue smiled, looking at him. Then, loudly, it declared, "In the name of the Eagle King, I accept your challenge. If you win, I will fulfill my promise: to let you go to the outside world!"
The two faced each other. After a moment, the stone statue proclaimed, "Let the challenge begin!"
