Time gradually passed, and Li Xuan sat in place, contemplating the words of the Heavenly Dao Brush for five full days.
However, no matter how much Li Xuan pondered, he still couldn't find a solution. During this time, the Heavenly Dao Brush tentatively flew forward, but was still repelled back. In the end, the Heavenly Dao Brush, too lazy to test, returned to the Zhen Prison.
On this day, a jingling sound echoed. Li Xuan looked towards the sound and saw a green ox appearing in the distance. And on the ox's back, there was a girl of about fourteen or fifteen years old.
"Miss, please don't come in!" Li Xuan hurriedly called out as the girl on the ox rode directly towards him. But as soon as the words left his mouth, the girl on the ox had already arrived before him.
"What did you say?" The girl reined in the green ox beneath her and looked at Li Xuan with her large, fluttering eyes.
Li Xuan smiled wryly and then explained the situation of being able to enter but not leave.
"Can enter but not leave? That's not right." After hearing Li Xuan's words, the girl curiously tugged at the green ox and then turned to walk back the way she came. Li Xuan, seeing this, initially wanted to stop her, but thought it would be better to let the girl hit a wall.
But in the next moment, Li Xuan was stunned. The girl, riding the green ox, actually walked out!
"Big brother, look, I can come out." The girl rode the green ox back in, looking at Li Xuan with an innocent expression.
Li Xuan was also surprised. Had the heavenly restriction disappeared? With this thought, Li Xuan also walked forward.
Bang!
In the next moment, Li Xuan was repelled back again.
"Huh? What's going on?" The girl's eyes flashed with a playful glint as she saw this. She then dismounted the green ox and walked to where Li Xuan had been repelled, reaching out towards the front. However, her arm passed through without any obstruction.
Li Xuan was bewildered. Why did this heavenly restriction only affect him?
"Big brother, are you trapped in here?" the girl asked curiously, withdrawing her hand and looking at Li Xuan.
Li Xuan nodded with a bitter smile. At this moment, Li Xuan finally understood that this girl completely ignored the heavenly restriction.
"Little master, quickly let this girl take you out." The Heavenly Dao Brush's voice sounded urgently in Li Xuan's mind. This was a golden opportunity, arguably Li Xuan's only chance to get out.
"Big brother, do you want me to take you out?" the girl asked, blinking her eyes.
Li Xuan nodded quickly. If he didn't get out soon, he would be doomed when the time was up.
Seeing this, the girl tilted her head and thought for a moment before saying, "Big brother, are you a bad person? Grandpa said that some bad people get trapped in certain places and can't get out."
Li Xuan was stunned. Was he a bad person?
"Little girl, I am not a bad person. This is my first time here, and then I got trapped," Li Xuan said with a wry smile.
The girl nodded slightly and then pondered, "That's true. I didn't see you here last time I brought Little Qing. Alright, I'll take you out."
Li Xuan was overjoyed and quickly said, "Thank you."
The girl smiled and shook her head. Then, mounting the green ox, she looked at Li Xuan and said, "Big brother, get on."
Li Xuan looked at the green ox and then moved his body onto its back.
"Little Qing, let's go back." The girl said, leaning down to gently pat the green ox's neck.
Moo.
The green ox let out a cry, and then, under the girl's guidance, turned back the way they came.
Strangely, Li Xuan, sitting on the green ox's back with a nervous heart, looked forward. This time, however, he was not repelled at all. In a daze, Li Xuan had left the heavenly restriction.
"Big brother, look, you're out," the girl said, pulling the green ox to a stop and turning back with a smile.
Li Xuan's mind was in a whirl. He had actually gotten out.
"Little girl, thank you," Li Xuan said sincerely. If it weren't for the girl's appearance, Li Xuan would likely still be trapped in the heavenly restriction. Although Li Xuan didn't know how the girl managed it, he had indeed escaped the heavenly restriction.
"Little master, this little girl seems somewhat unusual," the Heavenly Dao Brush's voice sounded in Li Xuan's mind.
Li Xuan nodded slightly. By his divine sense, the girl was merely an ordinary mortal. Even the green ox beneath her was just a common beast. Yet such beings could freely enter and exit the heavenly restriction.
"Big brother, shall I take you to see my grandpa?" the girl continued to ask.
Li Xuan nodded. "Okay, little girl, I still don't know how to address you."
The girl immediately said, "My name is Xiao Bai, and this is Little Qing. Big brother, what's your name?"
"Little Bai sister, my name is Li Xuan," Li Xuan said, nodding and smiling.
"Big brother, hold on tight," Xiao Bai said, nodding. She then gently patted the green ox and headed up the mountain.
Ten minutes later, a thatched cottage appeared before Li Xuan's eyes. To Li Xuan's surprise, an elderly man in his seventies was chopping firewood in front of the cottage.
"Grandpa, I'm back." Xiao Bai stopped the green ox and ran joyfully towards the old man.
The old man stopped upon hearing the sound and turned to look at Xiao Bai with a kind expression. But soon, the old man noticed Li Xuan.
"Elder, I am Li Xuan. I unintentionally trespassed into a dangerous place, and it was thanks to Little Bai sister that I was able to get out. I apologize for any offense," Li Xuan said, bowing.
The old man looked at Xiao Bai, then at Li Xuan, and said, "So that's how it is. But in this deep mountain forest, why would a young man like you be here?"
Li Xuan gave a wry smile. "I was in a hurry on my journey and didn't pay attention, so I wandered in."
The old man nodded slightly and said, "You look tired. Rest here for a while. When I finish chopping this pile of firewood, I'll cook. I'll call you when the meal is ready."
Li Xuan intended to leave, but hearing the old man's words, he could only agree. Led by Xiao Bai, Li Xuan entered an empty room and sat down.
"Little Bai sister, is it just you and Grandpa in this mountain?" Li Xuan asked, looking at the simple furnishings in the room.
Xiao Bai poured Li Xuan a cup of water and nodded. "Ever since I can remember, I've lived here with Grandpa. No, there's Little Qing too."
Li Xuan nodded, his curiosity about Xiao Bai and the old man growing stronger. How could such an ordinary old man and young girl survive in these deep mountains and old forests?
"Big brother, you rest. I'll go cook," Xiao Bai said, turning to leave.
Li Xuan picked up the teacup and took a sip. Then, with a thought, he communicated with the Heavenly Dao Brush in his mind: "Heavenly Dao Brush, can you discern anything unusual about this old man and young girl?"
The Heavenly Dao Brush replied, "Aren't they just a very ordinary old man and young girl?"
Li Xuan fell silent. If even the Heavenly Dao Brush couldn't discern the origin of this old man and young girl, were they truly ordinary people?