The First Venerable of the Prosperous Age

Just as the iron bar was about to fall, Wen Ying immediately covered her eyes and shrank under Lu Xiaosan, unable to bear watching any longer.

She pouted in Lu Xiaosan's arms and said, "Why...does someone have to die?"

Lu Xiaosan patted her on the back, "This is a promise made between men, and it can't be broken..."

With a loud thud, Yuan He was thrown several feet away and lay motionless in a pool of blood.

A gentle breeze carried with it the stench of blood.

Below the house, He Lai stared at Yuan He's corpse, sighing, "So much blood was shed tonight, all to stop me from winning the Kaiyuan Martial Arts Tournament? Sigh..."

"It seems so. After all, too many people's interests are involved. Your whereabouts were probably revealed to them by those people," Ning Konglou said calmly from above.

Having witnessed the scene, Lu Xiaosan was now convinced that what the old man had said earlier was probably about 80% true. He felt a greater respect for the fisherman before him.

"Alas, I shall go and bury Brother Yuan."

"Wait, Brother Yuan and I have known each other for a while, let me go instead," Lu Xiaosan called out.

Lu Xiaosan went because the Buddhist beads in his arms were still pointing at Yuan He and shining. He was curious whether this person was a demon or not, and whether he was dead or not. He wanted to find out the truth.

Ning Konglou, however, was oblivious to all this. He rolled his eyes at him from a distance, saying with a mocking tone, "You? Can you even move him?"

Wen Ying grabbed Lu Xiaosan's arm, "I...I'll go with you, just in case..."

Lu Xiaosan put down her hand and said softly, "I'm afraid that shadow brat will come again, but he can't kill me first. So it's better if I go alone. Don't worry, I'll be right back."

"Well... alright then..." Wen Ying said with some disappointment.

"Don't worry, I won't leave you for a second after I come back." Lu Xiaosan said this and jumped off the roof, leaving Wen Ying, whose face turned red instantly, standing there stunned.

On a dark and windy night, Lu Xiaosan carried an iron hoe in one hand and dragged Yuan He's corpse with the other to a deserted spot behind the village.

He took out Buddhist prayer beads from his pocket and tested them on Yuanhe.

Whether it was because the prayer beads were too hot or something else, Yuan He suddenly woke up with a start, "Ah!"

"It's risen from the dead! It really is a demon!" Lu Xiaosan pointed at Yuan He and cursed, "Monster, what method did you use to prevent my prayer beads from capturing you..."

"Huff huff huff huff..." Yuan He gasped for breath, blood still flowing from his body. "It's...it's you...ha...ha...ha."

"I'm asking you a question, what are you laughing at?"

Yuan He's face was deathly pale, her voice barely audible. "Anyway... I... also... huff... anyway... the monster... isn't... me... it's... the hoe in my hand..."

"A hoe!" Lu Xiaosan suddenly realized, "That's right, this hoe can absorb the energy of a top-tier expert and also be used by him. It's really strange."

"This... hoe has followed me... hoeing... half of the Tang Dynasty's land, and has long since... gathered... the spiritual energy of heaven and earth... to become... ah."

"Alright, alright, stop talking. I misunderstood you before. I apologize to you..." Lu Xiaosan said this because he respected him as a man.

"Before... hehe... do you remember... what you promised me before?"

"I've already delivered the letter for you. Sigh, I wish I hadn't delivered it," Lu Xiaosan said.

Yuan He's expression tightened, and she said urgently, "No...it's not...this..."

Lu Xiaosan thought for a moment before saying, "Could it be that you mean... I should never waste food again in my life..."

Yuan He was overjoyed and patted Lu Xiaosan's shoulder with all her might, "Yes... I understand... If you... had walked this path... like me, you would understand..."

Yuan He closed his eyes contentedly, his life hanging by a thread. "Alright...you can go now...don't forget our promise..."

"Will I bury you here?" Lu Xiaosan asked.

Yuan He slowly opened his eyes, and with great difficulty squeezed out some words: "If I could... the farmland... right now... my mind is filled... with the smell... and the soil there..."

"Okay!" Lu Xiaosan picked it up on his back, with an iron hoe in his mouth, and ran towards the farmland behind the village.

Upon arriving at their destination, Lu Xiaosan carefully placed the rice seedlings into the field, clapped his hands while panting, and said, "We're here. Are you satisfied now?"

Yuan He did not answer.

"Hey! Are you dead...?"

Under the moonlight, Lu Xiaosan saw the bloodstains along the way and finally confirmed his suspicions.

He picked up the hoe and said, “Since he used you to hoe half of the Tang Dynasty’s land and benefit countless people, then you are naturally without merit or fault. Well, I, the Dharma King, have decided to spare your life and grant you permission to stay in this farmland with your master.”

The iron hoe lay silently in Lu Xiaosan's hand, its surface covered in rust and the tip stained with years of dirt. It was hard to imagine that it was once a powerful weapon used to defeat even the world's top masters.

Lu Xiaosan joked, "No need to thank me!" After saying that, he put the hoe next to Yuan He, clasped his hands and said, "Brother Yuan, I'll take my leave now..." After saying that, he strode towards the village.

Upon arriving at the residence, they saw Wen Ying waiting anxiously at the gate.

Lu Xiaosan quietly walked up to her, put his arm around her, and teased, "Waiting for me?"

Wen Ying's face suddenly flushed red, and she hesitated as if she was very unwilling.

Lu Xiaosan wondered, "She's never this shy when I hug her normally, what's wrong with her now?"

Just as I was wondering, I suddenly heard Helai's voice coming from the courtyard, "You're back, little brother."

Lu Xiaosan then abruptly let go, and said to He Lai with an embarrassed smile, "So someone was watching..."

He didn't care about being branded a lecher, but to protect Wen Ying's reputation, he had no choice but to force an explanation: "I just got back... and I was so excited to see that she was alright that I accidentally offended her, hehehe."

He Lai was gesturing thoughtfully, presumably recalling the battle just now. Hearing him say this, he laughed loudly, "Two little kids, why are you so concerned about formalities? Since you're interested in her, then go for it!"

"Ah, that's right." Seeing Wen Ying's flushed face, Lu Xiaosan quickly changed the subject. He pulled Wen Ying forward and said, "Um, Master Hero, when... will that kid who plays with shadows come again?"

Hearing this, He Lai couldn't help but worry, "That kid, it could be tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow, next month, or next year. Of course, it could also be now... who knows, he might be hiding somewhere watching you."

Lu Xiaosan and Wen Ying exchanged a glance, both reading deep unease and worry in each other's eyes.

Lu Xiaosan pressed on, "Then...wasn't your original target? Why did he just break your arm and then leave it at that?"

"I'm afraid he's like those other people; his original intention was to weaken my strength, prevent me from winning the Kaiyuan Martial Arts Tournament, so that those gamblers could profit and have a chance to humiliate me."

"So the Kaiyuan Martial Arts Tournament really exists. I thought it was just that old man..." Lu Xiaosan and Wen Ying exclaimed at the same time.

He Lai then said with a smug look, "That's right, the Kaiyuan Martial Arts Tournament is held every three years in the Tang Dynasty. Four of the strongest people from each city are selected to participate, and the winning team receives a generous reward."

"Of course, the people selected by each city are not necessarily citizens of that city. It all depends on how the city selects its people. Of course, those with great ability can also choose their own city's team. All of this is permitted."

He Lai added, "But I think that if you serve a city, you should be loyal to that city."

He Lai paused for a moment and then said, "The Kaiyuan Martial Arts Tournament aims to encourage the entire nation to value martial arts and physical fitness. After all, our Great Tang is the strongest country, and we can't just focus on cultivating bookworms every day."

Lu Xiaosan laughed and said, "Not bad, it sounds quite interesting."

He Lai's smile froze slightly, and he sighed, "It was indeed quite interesting at first, but as the martial arts tournament has developed to where it is today, some people have resorted to any means to seek their own interests!"

"How to say?"

"For example, the fact that Red Shadow Lone Demon and Moon-Picking Divine Farmer were able to appear in such a remote village with me at the same time is because someone leaked my whereabouts to them beforehand. They came to cause trouble for me with their own purposes, and whether the result was that I was injured or killed, it would be considered a success for them..."

"Most of the time it went smoothly, the only unpleasant thing is that you, little brother, have been targeted by that Red Shadow Lonely Fiend. Sigh... I really feel bad about it."

"Hey, how can you blame yourself? I offended him during the day. Besides..."

Lu Xiaosan sneered again, "Besides, if he dares to come, let him die." He deliberately raised his voice so that Anan, who was nearby, could hear him.

He Lai patted Lu Xiaosan on the shoulder and said confidently, "Don't worry, little brother. Now that we've met here, I'll make sure you get back to Luocheng safely. But your safety after that depends on yourselves."

“I understand, Hero Hero can’t stay with us forever,” Lu Xiaosan said.

Finally, Wen Ying couldn't help but ask, "Um... Hero He, I want to know, are the things that grandpa told you during the day true? Did you find him to tell those children on purpose?"

Upon hearing this, He Lai became somewhat embarrassed and said awkwardly, "Let's save these things for the game..."

After saying that, He Lai limped back into the house. It was unclear whether he was being overly modest or too shy.