Chapter 8

Liu Guanshi said, "But he has to eat."

Liu Hu replied, "Who doesn't have to eat?"

As the saying goes, the older one gets, the wiser one becomes. Village Chief Li wasn't yet confused; his eyes lit up. "What do you mean?"

"He has to work if he wants to eat. Who in this village can afford to hire him? If he works under me, won't he be at our mercy?"

Liu Guanshi, seeing the admiring looks of Village Chief Li and his son, felt a surge of pride. Food is the heaven of the people; it doesn't fall from the sky but grows from the ground. Controlling the land is like controlling the lifeline of the common people. If someone doesn't eat for three days, even a hero becomes a weak shrimp.

Liu Guanshi had already thought of a strategy. There was no need to completely destroy him; just a bit of pressure to see his attitude. If he could be useful, that would be even better.

Li Qingshan woke up from his dream, unaware of these machinations. He saw a roe deer lying in the yard and chuckled. Without thanking the green ox, he skillfully skinned and butchered the deer. This time, he had salt ready to preserve the meat, so it wouldn't go to waste.

After making these preparations, he went to the stream for a quick wash and began his daily practice.

For several days, he would wake up before dawn and not go to bed until it was pitch dark. He hardly left his home, completely cutting off contact with the outside world. He practiced until he was exhausted every day but didn't find it tedious or tiring.

He was working hard for his dreams. Every step forward, every bit of progress, seemed to open up a new world before him.

After about ten days, Li Qingshan had just finished eating the roe deer, and Village Chief Li couldn't take it anymore. He hadn't slept well for days, needing his two sons to guard his bed every night to get a bit of rest. At his age, he couldn't handle this and was about to fall ill, so he hurried to discuss the matter with Liu Guanshi.

Liu Guanshi was also anxious, sending his servants to watch Li Qingshan's thatched cottage every day. The first servant reported that Li Qingshan was drinking and eating meat every day and even practicing martial arts. He didn't believe it at first, but after several servants said the same thing, no one dared to go and watch anymore.

The idea of a shaman being possessed by a demon resurfaced in their minds. Li Qingshan's yard was shrouded in a mysterious and terrifying atmosphere. To some, his diligent martial arts practice was seen as preparation for revenge.

Seeing Village Chief Li on the verge of tears, Liu Guanshi frowned and made up his mind. "Invite him to a banquet. If he dares to come, he's a real man. If he doesn't, he's just a coward."

An invitation was sent to Li Qingshan. He played with the red invitation, finding it novel in such a small village where most invitations were delivered by word of mouth.

He pondered for a moment. This was no ordinary banquet. If he went, he might be walking into a trap. His skills had only been practiced for ten days, and although he had made some progress, he was still at a disadvantage against multiple opponents.

But if he didn't go, the reputation he had worked hard to build would be ruined. People would say that Li Qingshan was too afraid to attend a banquet, tarnishing his name.

Showing weakness now would invite endless trouble. Liu Guanshi's plan was deep and cunning, putting him in a difficult position.

The green ox asked, "Go or not?"

"Since I have no food left, and someone is inviting me, why not go? Guan Yu attended a banquet with a single sword; am I afraid of a village feast?" Li Qingshan laughed, his heart filled with valor.

"Who is Guan Yu?"

"He is a hero I've heard of." Li Qingshan stood up, his arms full of strength, and performed a move called "Bull Demon Horn Thrust," simultaneously exhaling a deep breath. A faint "moo" sound came from his lungs, as if a large water buffalo was preparing to fight with its horns.

The green ox nodded in satisfaction. Li Qingshan's "Bull Demon Great Strength Fist" had made rapid progress. If he encountered danger, he should be cautious, but it wouldn't be beneficial for his practice.

"Besides, I still have some unresolved grievances. This is a good opportunity." Since resolving his grievances with the Lis, Li Qingshan's "Bull Demon Great Strength Fist" had indeed improved, proving his intuition was correct.

Summer was almost over, and the sun was still bright. In Liu Guanshi's courtyard, under the shade of several elm trees, tables were already set up.

A group of strong men filled several square tables, eyeing the food and drink, their mouths watering. Only Liu Guanshi's house could afford such a feast! However, they knew this wasn't a free meal; Liu Guanshi had already given them instructions.

What... what about breaking the cup as a signal? They didn't quite understand, but they knew that when Liu Guanshi's face changed, they had to start fighting.

Although they were reluctant to fight Li Qingshan, they were all long-term workers on Liu Guanshi's land and couldn't afford to offend their breadwinner. After all, Li Qingshan was only fifteen, how could he stand against so many? So, all the workers who could come did, filling several tables.

Even if they felt a bit guilty, they would just go easy on him, make him kneel and apologize to Liu Guanshi, and he would suffer less.

The cicadas chirped weakly overhead, and everyone was getting impatient, unable to eat the delicious food before them. The chatter drowned out the cicadas:

"The time is almost here. He's afraid and won't come. Let's eat quickly!"

"If it were you, you wouldn't be afraid either. The one who comes is the fool."

Liu Guanshi seemed not to hear, smiling slightly. He thought, "Good to know he's afraid. After all, he's just a half-grown boy."

"Here he comes!" A young worker, drenched in sweat, ran into the courtyard: "Li Qingshan is here!"

The people in the courtyard were suddenly silenced. The cicadas seemed to chirp louder.

Li Qingshan stood at the gate of Liu Guanshi's courtyard, equally nervous. Everything is easier said than done. This courtyard of blue bricks and white walls was like a small dragon's lair. If he wasn't careful, he might lose his life.

He hesitated, thinking of the saying, "A gentleman avenges a wrong in ten years." With his current rate of progress, if he had time, in a year, no, in half a year, or even three months, he could make the "Great Strength Bull Demon Fist" formidable enough to fear no one in the courtyard.

Suddenly, his spirit lifted. He asked himself, "Li Qingshan, are the words you spoke just empty talk? Are you only brave against those weaker than you? Even if you achieve great power, you'll still be a coward at heart."

These thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant. Li Qingshan took a deep breath, clenched his fists, and his eyes became resolute. He stepped into the courtyard with determination.