Chapter Sixty-Two: Obstacles Upon Obstacles

The first milestone of one hundred thousand words has been reached. Thinking back, there truly were hardships and sweat; I am deeply grateful to all who have supported me. Thank you.

*****

He Zhixing and the others had waited above for quite a while before they finally saw their companions climbing up the rope. Lai Madman, upon seeing He Zhixing, walked over with excitement. “Brother, I thought you were dead! We only realized you were alive when we heard your voice from the ravine this morning. Tell us, how did you survive the fall, and how is your lightness skill so extraordinary?”

He Zhixing smiled without replying and quickly turned to the other two men, asking, “And these two gentlemen are?”

Lai Madman said, “Oh, I forgot to introduce them. These are Suqing’s cousins; they came to attend the bonfire festival and were sent by Suqing to look for you. You don’t know how much happened after you fell. Last night, that burly fellow Liu Tian took first place. He wanted to marry Suqing immediately, but Suqing refused, insisting that you were the true winner and demanding your return. She gave a deadline—if you don’t come back by noon, Liu Tian will marry her…”

He Zhixing was startled. “What? You mean Miss Suqing has fallen for me? That can’t be right.”

“Absolutely true. If you don’t believe me, ask them,” Lai Madman said, gesturing to the two Miao men beside him, who both nodded in confirmation.

One of them spoke, “Brother He, my cousin spent the whole night worrying about you after hearing you fell. Hurry back, or if you don’t return in time, Liu Tian will marry her, and that would be troublesome. You must help her, marry her yourself. If Liu Tian takes her, it will be a disaster.”

He Zhixing replied, “But I think Liu Tian seems decent. He’s a good man, and his martial arts are impressive—a courageous fellow.”

His cousin said, “You don’t know Liu Tian’s background, do you? Actually, Liu Tian is the son of Priest Liu Gong. They rely on the chief’s favor and have done many bad things in secret—bullying the good and hoarding government funds. Most villagers dare not speak out, since Liu Gong is the priest—a godlike figure in the Miao village. Everyone fears offending his family and bringing calamity upon themselves.”

“That can’t be. How could it be like this? Isn’t anyone keeping them in check?”

“Who would dare? I’ve heard people tried, but none succeeded. The priest is unfathomable, rumored to be skilled in martial arts and a bit of sorcery. Ordinary folks just keep their heads down and hope for peaceful days.”

“Alright then, let’s go back. I’ll see just how formidable he is. Let’s rescue Suqing and keep her from falling into a den of wolves.”

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They returned just in time for noon. The moment He Zhixing entered Suqing’s home, she, throwing aside all reserve, ran into his arms and wept.

He had just changed clothes and eaten when Liu Gong arrived, bringing Liu Tian and the wedding procession. The noise of gongs and suona pipes filled the air, but Suqing’s family was at a loss, unsure how to handle the situation. He Zhixing stepped forward and out the door.

Facing Liu Tian, the leader of the wedding party, he said, “Ha, your timing is impeccable. You can go back now—the true winner has returned, so your second place is void. The one Suqing should marry is me.”

Priest Liu Gong emerged from behind Liu Tian, a smile playing at his lips. “Young man, that’s bold talk. Who saw you win first place last night? You claim it yourself, but where is the proof? You’re making trouble without reason… Wouldn’t you all agree?”

Liu Gong slyly shifted the blame to He Zhixing, and most of the crowd echoed his accusation.

He Zhixing replied, “There were plenty of witnesses at the stone mountain last night, and five competitors. Aside from your son, the other three saw it too. There’s only one path up the mountain, so everyone saw me reach the summit first. Actually, I was pushed off the cliff—and the person who did it was you!”

The crowd erupted in surprise. He Zhixing’s words were shocking, but since he was confronting Liu Gong directly, he had nothing left to fear.

Liu Gong immediately denied it. “Nonsense! I never went up there last night.”

The crowd split between belief and doubt; it seemed incredible. If He Zhixing spoke the truth, then the priest had plotted during the contest—a scandalous affair.

Someone in the crowd sensed trouble and quickly sent for the chief.

Liu Gong began pressing forward, instructing his people, “Listen, if he tries to stop us, seize the bride. Our marriage complies with the village rules.”

Lai Madman rushed out to bolster their courage. “You dare!” Suqing’s two cousins joined them at the door, coming to He Zhixing’s side.

Tensions were mounting, swords about to be drawn, when the chief arrived, shouting from afar, “Stop! Stop now! Let’s talk it over—no violence!”

The chief reached them and, after clarifying the situation (he had heard most of it beforehand), considered for a moment and spoke, “Since this simultaneous marriage contest is my oversight, here’s what we’ll do. Both men claim first place, so I’ll properly assess you. Each will compete by facing fifty skilled men chosen from the village, who will attempt to block your way. Whoever can carry the five-hundred-pound stone sculpture along the mountain path to the altar by the river first will win, and marry Suqing.”

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Liu Tian pondered: this is just his advantage. Strength is his forte; carrying the stone sculpture poses no difficulty, and he fears not fifty opponents. As long as he reaches the altar before He Zhixing, he wins. The thought brought a secret smile to his lips.

He did not know, however, that He Zhixing had made a breakthrough that morning. Previously, carrying five hundred pounds would have been a struggle; now it was no trouble at all.

The chief now looked at them. Liu Tian exchanged a glance with his father and said, “Agreed, but let me choose which team of fifty I’ll face first.”

The chief turned to He Zhixing. “Young man, what do you think?”

He Zhixing saw through Liu Tian’s plan. Being locals, they knew the strengths and weaknesses of every fighter. He Zhixing didn’t care and agreed, “No problem.”

“Good. Now, I’ll begin selecting the contestants.”

Soon, the chief personally picked a hundred men, dividing them into two teams of fifty. Unexpectedly, one team included Priest Liu Gong. Liu Tian cleverly chose the team without his father.

The chief sighed inwardly: all the able fighters in the village barely made up the numbers, and even Liu Gong was included. Whether fortune favored them or not was up to their luck.

With a command, the contest began. The burly Liu Tian charged first, fierce and spirited as if made of bronze and iron, quickly breaking through the crowd. He pushed forward, fighting his way toward the river.

He Zhixing was not to be outdone, rushing toward his own group and fighting toward the river as well. The first man to confront him was knocked down with a single palm strike. Unfortunately, good luck didn’t last; Liu Gong led several powerful men in blocking his path, and He Zhixing soon found himself beset on all sides, caught in a tense struggle.