Chapter Fifty-Five: The Bonfire Competition Amidst the Turmoil of the Miao Village

After spending two days in Stone Village, He Zhixing set out again, this time formally driving along the road. He insisted that Crazy Lai accompany him to the villages in the Five Towns Mountain area to make purchases, so the journey involved two people. Unexpectedly, however, there was an uninvited guest: Lai Min, the girl. Upon hearing that He Zhixing was heading to other villages to collect items, she insisted on joining them.

Her parents were unable to dissuade her, so they instructed the two men to take care of her. Thus, the three departed together, first visiting the nearby Ao Bei Village to acquire goods. The yield was decent—not plentiful, but still fruitful.

Leaving Ao Bei Village, they returned directly to the town, bought food for the road, blankets, and other necessities, as they might need to spend the night in the car due to unforeseen circumstances. Their route would begin at the northernmost Shangyuan Village, loop back, then head northwest to Shangpu Village, and finally to the northeast Miao settlement. This circular route formed a large loop, and it took seven days by car to visit every village outside the Miao settlement, gathering a multitude of items. That very day, they sent all the antiques, ancient coins, and old banknotes they had collected to their home at the foot of Golden Rooster Ridge in the city.

He Zhixing met up with Aunt Zhang and Yufang, showing them the haul. Though they didn’t fully understand the value of these antiques, their trips to the provincial capital and elsewhere had acquainted them with the fever for such relics; they knew those with a keen eye for antiques could strike it rich, making this a lucrative endeavor.

The next day, they set out again. The reason why their last destination was the Miao settlement was Crazy Lai’s suggestion. According to him, the Miao settlement was a wild and remote place, with strange customs and tribal rituals, including altars and ceremonies presided over by priests.

It was said that these priests were skilled in martial arts, and that many in the tribe—especially the young men—were quite capable. Bonfire festivals were frequently held, especially after successful hunts, featuring martial tournaments to select the village’s altar guardians. The altar guardian could choose any woman he fancied, and even win the favor of the most beautiful Miao women.

There were also competitions such as crossing fiery mountains, battling in mud pits, and climbing stone hills—each thrilling and dangerous. For safety, He Zhixing and Crazy Lai decided to leave Lai Min with Aunt Zhang and Yufang.

Before entering the Miao settlement, they began traversing the mountain road leading into the region. The highway wound steeply through dense forests, mist curling along the slopes. The only sounds were birds chirping and the tires rolling along the road; apart from these and the hum of the car engine, all was silent. Both men remained quiet—Crazy Lai was deeply absorbed in the scenery outside the window.

He Zhixing drove steadily. This was his first time here, and he felt a sense of mystery and anticipation about the village. He turned and asked, “Brother, have you been here before?”

Crazy Lai looked at him and shook his head. “No, but someone from the village once went. He came back saying it was very mysterious, saw many beautiful Miao women, but couldn’t win the one he fancied. He didn’t have the skill and returned defeated. He swore never to go back—ridiculous, isn’t it?”

“Oh? Is there really a martial arts tournament to win a bride?”

Crazy Lai replied, “More or less. These are traditional customs of the minority groups. Honestly, I’m quite curious about it myself.”

He Zhixing asked, “Can you fight? Do you think you could best the warriors in the Miao settlement?”

Crazy Lai considered for a moment. “Logically, I should be able to. I’ve met the guy who went before, and I’m much stronger than him. I might be able to handle those warriors.”

He Zhixing laughed, “Don’t overestimate yourself. You don’t want to bite off more than you can chew.”

Crazy Lai worried, “What should I do then?”

He Zhixing smiled, “That’s easy. I’ll teach you.”

Crazy Lai shouted, “Ah… you’ll teach me?” He had never seen He Zhixing display any martial skills and was doubtful, eyeing He Zhixing’s tall frame but noting he wasn’t particularly muscular.

He Zhixing smiled, parked the car by the roadside, and said, “Come out, let me show you what I can do.”

Crazy Lai got out, closed the door, and approached skeptically. “Really? You’re that skilled? Stop bragging.”

He Zhixing walked into the roadside woods, spotted a tree as thick as a bowl, and declared, “This one will do.”

He gathered his energy, let out a shout, and struck. The tree snapped in response. Crazy Lai examined it closely—sure enough, it had been broken by a single blow. He was utterly incredulous: to snap a tree that thick with one palm—what did that even mean?

Crazy Lai exclaimed, “That’s… incredible! Let me see your hand.” He grabbed He Zhixing’s right hand, noticing the red mark left by the strike, and felt the lingering heat—now he truly believed.

“Brother, I’m convinced. Can you teach me a few moves?”

In truth, He Zhixing hadn’t been able to break such a thick tree before. But after absorbing the spiritual energy from the Blue-and-White Lady Worshipping the Moon jar a few days prior, he’d achieved a breakthrough. He experimented with thousand-year-old Lingzhi and blackwood at his home under Golden Rooster Ridge, discovering he could absorb their spiritual energy. This delighted him, hastening his cultivation. He even broke through the two major meridians, cleansing himself, and now felt revitalized—he had made some progress.

Upon Crazy Lai’s request, He Zhixing saw no reason to refuse. He planned that, in the future, trustworthy brothers or companions would assist him in his adventures to famous mountains and rivers, seeking treasures together—a most desirable prospect.

He Zhixing said, “Alright, I’ll teach you. But it’s not convenient to open your meridians here. Follow me.” He led Crazy Lai up a wooded hillside, a safe and secluded spot where they could overlook the road and their car, unseen by passersby.

Once on the hill, He Zhixing instructed Crazy Lai to sit cross-legged and began teaching him how to regulate and circulate his energy. He started by tapping and strengthening Crazy Lai’s meridians, guiding him to inhale and exhale, tracing the energy pathways throughout his body. He spoke quietly in his ear, pointing out each acupoint and explaining the flow, gradually increasing the pace.

He Zhixing imparted the mental method of the Five Elements Fist, a cultivation technique he had found in Meixian’s hidden treasures, derived from the Treatise on the Five Elements. Soon, Crazy Lai felt a surge of energy in his lower abdomen and whispered excitedly, “I can feel the energy in my dantian!”

“Very good, keep circulating it, gather it slowly in your dantian…”

He Zhixing withdrew his hands, letting Crazy Lai run his internal cycle independently. Now Crazy Lai understood and needed no further guidance. He Zhixing himself sat beside him, meditating and regulating his own breath, focusing inward, ears attuned to all directions…