Where did the story begin...

It has been too long, I don't remember anymore.

In the pitch-black room, a dim green light was lit by a small oil lamp, casting a gloomy atmosphere.

A withered hand flicked the lamp wick absentmindedly.

I only remember, at the beginning, there was a poor boy who lived by the Luo River. His parents had already passed away, and he had to go and tend to the cows every day, the cows...

Right, the cows.

He grinned, finally remembering.

He still had a cow.

...............

His parents died early, and his older brother and sister-in-law inherited the house, leaving him with a room and a cow.

There was nothing to complain about.

He went out early every day, tending to the cows, grazing and plowing the fields. Although he wasn't wealthy, he lived a leisurely life.

The poor boy felt that this was enough.

It was a common and ordinary life, getting married, having children. But the story took a turn when he met that woman. He had never seen anyone like her before. He never imagined that there could be someone so beautiful in the world. Just seeing her once, he was enchanted, unable to sleep at night and lost in thought during the day.

He thought about her while eating, even in his dreams.

He thought and hoped for the day when he could see that woman again, even if it was just a glimpse.

As long as he could see her once, he would be satisfied.

While leading the yellow cow to the river, sitting on a stone and brushing the cow's back, the poor boy used to whistle and enjoy the work. But now, it had become dull. He caressed the cow's shiny fur and sighed, "Cow, cow, when will I be able to see that girl again?"

It was a rhetorical question, but the yellow cow spoke, saying, "It's a simple matter."

He looked at the dumbfounded poor boy, shook his head, and said, "As long as you cut me a bundle of fresh and tender wheat seedlings, lay a soft bed of weeds for me, and feed me soybeans and eggs tomorrow morning, I can make you see her."

It was a ridiculous thing, but the poor boy did as he was told.

He cut the wheat seedlings from his own field and found the softest grass in the entire village.

The next day, the yellow cow ran fast, crossing the Luo River and the tall mountains. In the middle of a wilderness and a city, the poor boy really saw that beautiful girl. After returning home, he treated the yellow cow even better, almost like a friend.

But after seeing that girl, the poor boy missed her even more.

He thought about her black hair, her fair complexion, and her unattainable temperament.

One day, unable to resist, while brushing the cow's fur, the poor boy couldn't help but sigh and say, "Ah, yellow cow, yellow cow, you are my best friend. Can you tell me how I can talk to that beautiful girl more? She is like the moon in the sky. I just want to talk to her, so that I have no regrets."

The yellow cow shook its head and said, "This is a bit difficult, but not impossible."

"If you prepare a bed made of silk and satin for me, cook dishes made of meat and wine, and tie a red cloth to my horns tomorrow morning, lie on my back without opening your eyes, then I can take you to find her."

"Then tell her that if she doesn't want to be discovered by the human Taoist priests, she needs to take off her belt and feathered robe and put on human clothes. That way, you can become friends."

Silk and satin, good meat and fine wine were not things the poor boy could obtain, but he still found a way to do it.

The next day, the yellow cow revealed its fangs, ate meat and drank wine, and generously acted like a mountain bandit. After eating and drinking his fill, the poor boy tied a red cloth to its horns. Then the yellow cow ran with him, even faster this time. The poor boy felt the wind blowing on his face, causing a slight pain, but he still kept his eyes tightly shut.

A quick look at "pawread.com" will leave you more fulfilled.

He really saw that girl again, although he was nervous and stuttered, he managed to say what the yellow cow had taught him. The girl was surprised and politely thanked him. The poor boy felt satisfied, as he had no regrets. After returning home, he ate and slept with the yellow cow, their bond deepening like brothers.

The girl became his friend and occasionally visited. Instead of taking off her belt, she turned it into a small exquisite wooden box that she carried with her. He had seen it twice.

Time passed slowly, and the beautiful girl remained polite and courteous to him.

But slowly, other thoughts began to grow in the poor boy's heart. These thoughts were like a tangle of weeds, filling his mind. He supported the cow's back and said, "Big brother, big brother, you and I are like brothers. Tell me, how can I live with that girl forever? This is my only wish. Even if I have to die, I have no regrets."

This time, the yellow cow shook its head and said:

"I consider you as my brother, so I will tell you the truth. It's impossible. She is not a mortal, but a celestial being from the mountains. She has never come down to the human world before, so she is curious. But curiosity will pass, and the human world will never be what she imagines. One day, she will return to the mountains."

"Unless you use the skin of a monster to wrap her belt, she won't be able to find it. Without the belt, she won't be able to fly back to the mountains. And if you use the flesh and blood of a monster to defile her feathered robe and bury it at the doorstep, she won't be able to leave the threshold. She won't be able to fly or walk, and can only stay in the human world. But how is that possible?"

The poor boy sighed, seemingly giving up on this unrealistic idea.

In the evening, he invited his big brother, the yellow cow, to come out and drink and eat meat. The table was filled with various delicacies and large jars of wine. The poor boy toasted the yellow cow and said, "Drink more, big brother, wake me up so that I don't fall into a lifelong obsession. Come, let's drink."

The yellow cow seemed very happy and ate meat and drank wine just like before.

It ate half a pig's meat and drank three jars of wine, then passed out drunk.

Then the poor boy used a large axe for chopping trees, one by one, he chopped off the yellow cow's head. He used a sawing tool for cutting trees to peel off the cow's skin. The blood was dripping, still warm, and carried the scent of wine. The poor boy wiped his sweat and looked at the yellow cow, saying, "The skin of a monster, isn't it right here?""Big brother, you and I are like brothers, please help me one more time."

He said there was new beef to eat and invited the girl to be his guest. Then he suggested that he wanted to see the box, and when the girl was not paying attention, he wrapped the wooden box with blood-stained cowhide and buried it underground. In this way, the heavenly maiden, who should have been on the mountain, was left in this mortal world.

At first, he said he would help find it with a heavy heart, and let the girl stay in the attic of his house. He went to his brother's place for a few days, but how could he find it? Days passed, months passed, and he still couldn't find it. The poor boy gradually revealed his true nature.

He even tried to make an impolite move, but the girl sternly refused. The poor boy was not even close to the girl when he was struck by an invisible force and thrown to the ground. Enraged, he roared, locked the door, wrapped the feathered robe with the bones and flesh of a demon cow, and buried it at the entrance, preventing the girl from leaving.

He thought that as time passed, she would change her mind.

But the girl just looked at the sky, not saying a word.

No matter how angry, abusive, pleading, or tearful he was, she still ignored him, just looking at the sky. The flames of desire almost turned him into a paranoid madman. He opened a restaurant here, only setting tables outside and on the first floor. The girl neither ate nor drank, nor spoke. When people asked, the poor boy said she was his wife.

He even adopted two children, claiming they were his and his wife's offspring.

But he still couldn't get close to the girl. Time passed, and he grew older and older. Finally, one day he died of old age right there, while the girl remained as she was. He fell to the ground, looking at the cold gaze that had never fallen on him. Desire and obsession burned his heart and lungs, and he finally went mad with rage.

"You are my wife, you are mine!"

"Even if I die, even if I die, I will never leave you, never!"

………………

The blue candlelight flickered, and the surroundings were gloomy.

The man in the Taoist robe exclaimed:

"An interesting story, the prototype of the heavenly maiden and mortal story. But there's one more question."

He looked at the man half-hidden in the darkness and said:

"Why have the poor boy's brother and sister-in-law never appeared? It's as if they disappeared."

"The second time, where did he get the valuable silk and satin overnight? And where did he get the wine and meat that could feed the demons? Was that meat really just pork, or was it... heh, just a guess, after all, the demons ate it so happily."

The Taoist paused, looked at the man, and said playfully:

"Also, did you really ever have a cow?"

"Was the meat used in the ritual really from a yellow cow?"

The man in the shadows stared at the Taoist, the atmosphere was somewhat oppressive, and after a long silence, he slowly muttered:

"It's just a story."

He looked at the mountain outside the window and said, "A story that will end in two days."

………………

On the mountain surrounded by the dead and evil aura of the Luo River, there was an ancient and elegant pavilion.

In the pavilion, there was a girl in white, a different kind of pure aura that was desperately resisting the changes outside, but it was already slowly failing, slowly shrinking. When she completely failed, this ghost realm would be fully formed.

The girl's expression was calm.

She had been asleep for too long, and her power had been depleted terribly.

And this era was no longer the era of gods and spirits.

She had saved the last bit of her strength, at least enough to die with the ghosts. At this moment, a ripple appeared in the void, as if a stone had fallen into the night, causing ripples. The girl's face showed a slight surprise, and she reached out her finger to touch the ripple.

【Search for Gods】

The message represented by the ancient mark slowly spread.

"Si Li Xiaowei Wei, please meet the heavenly maiden."

"The ancient Crouching Tiger...?!"