Chapter 6

"Really foolish!" The women nodded in agreement, many of them showing disdain. "Dahu Tou is our first warrior in the Northwest Household, extremely fierce and powerful. Their foolish son hasn't even reached adulthood yet. How can he possibly defeat Dahu Tou?"

Some pretended to be sympathetic: "I heard that Lahu Tou's challenge is set for the day after tomorrow at dusk. This Huiniang is truly pitiful. By then, she will be all alone. But it's for the best; she won't have to bear the burden and can become a 'birth mother,' sparing her from looking down on us poor people."

Huiniang gritted her teeth and brought down the laundry stick with a heavy thud. A determined look flashed in her eyes: "Let you all say what you will. When my son Hutou defeats Dahu Tou, we'll see what you have to say then!"

However, Huiniang's actions only made the gossipy women think she was heartbroken and miserable, which made them even more excited in their talk. Some even approached her with a show of concern: "Huiniang, don't be sad. In the Northwest Household, the only thing we lack is not a three-legged man. With your beauty, many will come for you. When the time comes, you can have as many children as you want."

At that moment, Huiniang really wanted to strike the woman, who already had a face like a pig's kidney, and turn it into a shoe puller's face. But she held back; she didn't want to cause trouble at this critical moment. After all, in the Zenu gathering place, private brawls were a serious offense, punishable by whipping to death. Besides, she believed in her son, who would regain their honor in a few days.

Although Lu Kang and Huiniang were in different places and doing different things, their experiences were almost the same, facing the cold eyes and ridicule of other Zenu.

Lu Kang wasn't afraid of being ridiculed. When fate brought him to such a low point, he had already endured it, and his heart was already strong enough. However, he was afraid of hearing others say that his son Hutou was a fool, a fool who didn't know his own limits.

But Lu Kang didn't lose his temper. He continued to repair the broken protective barriers around the gathering place, tightly binding the deer antler frames. The tree vines cut his palms until they bled, but he still felt unsatisfied.

As if knowing that his parents were being ridiculed, Lu Qi trained even harder. When he was hungry, he chewed large pieces of black deer meat. When he was thirsty, he drank the prepared cold spring water. When he was tired... he didn't even feel tired. It was rare to have such abundant food for training, and Lu Qi felt full of energy.

Of course, Lu Qi didn't neglect his basic sleep. When the time finally came, as set by the old household head Xitu, the large piece of black deer meat that Da Kang had stolen had already disappeared. He had eaten about ten pounds of dried meat per meal, a stomach capacity that left people speechless. Even the appetite of the Northwest Household's Dahu Tou seemed no better.

If strength were measured by food intake, then it seemed that Lu Qi and Anze were about the same. However, no one used such a standard to measure strength. Moreover, no one knew that Lu Qi had really finished that large piece of black deer meat so quickly. To the more than a thousand Zenu in the Northwest Household, Hutou's behavior of eating a full meal before his death was truly foolish.

Therefore, when Lu Qi, accompanied by Lu Kang and Huiniang, arrived at the highest point of the Northwest Household gathering place, the eastern hill, the Zenu watching him looked at him as if he were already dead, with a hint of mockery, because Lu Qi was still alive.

The eastern hill was the most open place in the Northwest Household village, known as the East Entrance. Although it was spacious, few people came there regularly because it was the place where the Northwest Household executed criminals. The ground was stained with brown spots from the blood that had been spilled over the years, and in some rocky corners, clusters of bright red flowers bloomed.

"Hutou, you actually came on time, and you look quite good. I must say, I'm impressed!" Anze was dressed more formally today, even more so than usual, in a nearly new black robe. If it weren't for the nose ring and his dark skin, he might have looked like someone from a noble family.

Anze's words were immediately echoed by Dagǔ, his loyal follower: "To come to your death so straightforwardly, it seems you've already prepared your last words. Dahu Tou, don't hold back; give him a quick end!"

Anze gave Dagǔ a cold look and then turned his gaze to Lu Qi: "Dahu Tou Anze, are you regressing? Why do you need such a scoundrel to teach you?"

Anze's face changed slightly. He hadn't expected Lu Qi's words to be so sharp. To maintain his authority, he couldn't let Lu Qi's words stand. He glared at Dagǔ: "Dagǔ, shut up. This is between Hutou and me. I don't need you to teach me how to handle it."

Dagǔ, with a mixed expression, quickly bowed: "Yes, Dahu Tou, as you wish, as you wish..."

"Finally, no more noise!" Lu Qi pinched his nose and looked at Xitu, who was standing in a prominent position: "Old Household Head, today I challenge Dahu Tou Anze. I hope you will witness it."

Xitu nodded, showing no emotion: "As the old household head of the Northwest Household, I am well-versed in the rules set by the main household. Rest assured, if you can defeat Dahu Tou Anze, your father Dakuang's crimes will be erased. When the main household's manager comes, this matter will be reported, and you may become the new Dahu Tou, be given a name, and be taught the strength technique."

The crowd was stirred by the mention of "being given a name" and "strength technique." As a slave, the most desired things were freedom and human rights, but these goals were almost unattainable. Even having a proper name was a luxury. If there was anything that could give slaves hope, it was the strength technique.

In the Guojian Forest, the position of Dahu Tou was envied not because of the sufficient food or the proper name, but because of the ability to practice the strength technique. The strength technique, a method for physical cultivation, could change a slave's fate.

Everyone knew that the main household had a rule: if a slave could cultivate to the middle-grade Bone Resonance realm before the age of thirty, they would be given a surname by the main household, freeing them from slavery and allowing them to return to a village, town, county, or even a state, living as a free person, thus breaking the cycle of slavery for generations.

Dahu Tou Anze had such an opportunity. He didn't look young, but he was only twenty-seven, with three years left. There was still some chance, though not a great one, as breaking through from the lower-grade Brave Strength realm to the middle-grade Bone Resonance realm was not easy.

Old Household Head Xitu, at the age of twenty-seven or twenty-eight, had the same lower-grade Brave Strength realm strength. However, by the time he was in his forties, he only had Brave Strength realm eighth level, and as his body aged, his strength declined. Now, he probably only had Brave Strength realm fifth level strength.

"But if you fail, both you and your father will face dire consequences!" Xitu's eyes suddenly shone with a sharp light: "Hutou, you are still young and haven't reached the age of labor. If you repent now and bow to Dahu Tou Anze, I can spare your life. I believe Dahu Tou is magnanimous and won't hold it against you."

Anze nodded: "Hutou, since the old household head has spoken, I will agree. If you bow to me and make your mother a 'birth mother' of the Northwest Household, today we will only pursue your father Dakuang's theft of the food warehouse..."

"Anze, when did you become so talkative?" Lu Qi sneered: "Perhaps, the one who will bow and apologize today will be you, not me!"

"Ha ha..." Anze laughed in anger: "Hutou, your ignorance has made me see a great joke..."

His laughter suddenly stopped, and his voice became as low and deep as a wild beast's, his entire body radiating a bloody aura: "Everyone, step back. Don't let the blood splatter on your faces!"

The slaves moved, retreating quickly. Those who had seen Anze kill people and beasts retreated even faster. In a moment, the eastern hill, which was several hundred square meters, was cleared.

As Lu Kang and Huiniang were shocked by Anze's aura, Lu Qi remained calm and said to them: "Father, Mother, you should also step back. I will be fine."

"Hutou, be careful!" Lu Kang and Huiniang looked at Lu Qi with concern and then, accompanied by Xitu, stepped back.

At that moment, Anze's body moved, and he charged forward like a giant bear. With his massive strides, the hill trembled slightly.

"Be careful!" Lu Kang shouted, having just stepped back, because Anze's fist, as large as a sand pot, was about to hit Lu Qi, yet Lu Qi still looked calm.

"Look at the Lu family's foolish son; he must be scared stiff," many of the slaves thought, gloating.

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