Chapter 655

Chapter 655 Fierce Battle

The art of climbing the mountain of blades, revered as sacred by all members of the Miao tribe, was traditionally performed only by the solemn and mysterious Shaman. Yet today, to their great astonishment, Ah Lin Ge, who had never trained in this skill, moved with ease on the mountain of blades, leaving everyone utterly dumbfounded.

Upon closer observation, there were subtle differences between the movements of Lin Wanrong and Zhaguo. The Leader, having trained specifically, wielded and stood with the blade with great proficiency. His ascent was swift, resembling a well-practiced Miao village Shaman. However, his spirit was in turmoil due to Lin Wanrong, his breath uneven and his heart racing uncontrollably. The more he tried to calm himself, the faster his heart beat, with uneven intervals and fluctuating speed.

As Lin Wanrong began his climb, his movements were initially awkward and slow, still in a phase of cautious exploration. After ascending a few blades, he gradually mastered the technique. His breathing became steady, and his limbs more agile. Although he seemed slower than Zhaguo, his movement was consistent, neither too fast nor too slow, showing greater endurance than his counterpart.

The gleaming blades, under the slanting sun, flashed a chilling light. The two men chased each other up the mountain, their speed increasing, climbing higher and higher, each step bringing more danger.

“Ah Lin Ge, hurry–”

“Ah Lin Ge, you can do it!”

This tense and thrilling scene held the Miao people spellbound. They clapped vigorously, cheering for their hero. Ah Lin Ge, hailing from Yingyue Hamlet and of the Red Miao, naturally received more adoration. The cheers and encouragements were mostly for him.

Zhaguo, though leading, dared not slacken. After every two steps, he would look down to check his opponent’s position, only to see Lin Wanrong steadily following behind. The Leader was distracted and uneasy, especially with the overwhelming cheers for Ah Lin Ge. Despite his lead, the pressure was mounting, his limbs growing heavier.

“Roar–” All the Miao people erupted in excitement, clapping loudly. “Ah Lin Ge, faster, faster!”

As soon as chief elder Hannong finished speaking, Lin Wanrong, who had been silent, suddenly quickened his pace with a burst of energy, closing half a blade’s distance in a single step. Only one step now separated the two.

From initially trailing by more than three blades, he had narrowed the gap to mere inches within thirteen steps. Ah Lin Ge’s feat was nothing short of miraculous! The Miao people watched in thrilled suspense, yet couldn’t help but cheer jubilantly, showering applause on the Ah Lin Ge of the Red Miao.

Zhaguo’s already tense spirit intensified. He wouldn’t easily concede his leading position. Clenching his teeth, he too accelerated his pace. The speed of both men increased simultaneously, making the chase even more fierce. The atmosphere on the grassland instantly boiled over, everyone watching with flushed faces and continuous cheers.

“Quick, look! Ah Lin Ge is only half a step behind now!” On a large rock not far away, the entire Yingyue Hamlet’s mi duo and mi cai stood closely together, watching the towering mountain of blades without daring to breathe. Zitong’s exclamation heightened everyone’s tension, their eyes frozen in place, not daring to blink.

“Slow down–Ah Lin Ge–be careful–” A Miao girl, hiding behind everyone, watched the figure leaping swiftly up the mountain, her emotions a mix of tears and laughter, her fingers tensely intertwined, almost crushing each other.

“Ouch!” Zitong cried out in pain, hastily withdrawing her hand from the girl’s grip. She scoffed, “Little sister, that heartless man, his life or death is none of our concern. Why worry about him?!”

Yilian’s eyes suddenly reddened, she murmured, “Don’t insult him. Ah Lin Ge isn’t a bad person!”

“He may not be bad, but he’s the one who always bullies us!” The surrounding mi cai murmured, seeing her tearful appearance, they dared not speak further.

Zitong, patting the girl’s shoulder, said helplessly, “To be honest, Yilian has the best taste in the entire Miao village! This Ah Lin Ge may have a somewhat questionable conscience, but his skills are top-notch. No wonder Yilian took a liking to him at first sight!”

“Good skills don’t equate to good character,” everyone nodded in agreement, their feelings complex as they watched the figure on the mountain of blades. Yilian blushed, murmuring and lowering her head, “Nonsense, I didn’t take a liking to him at first sight!”

“Then was it at the second glance?” a mi cai giggled. Looking at her tightly clenched palm, she suddenly realized, “Oh! Did your heart flutter when he gave you that chipped jade pendant? Tsk, this Hua lad really knows his way!”

Yilian, unable to hide her embarrassment, was surrounded by the laughing mi cai, momentarily forgetting her worries.

“Twenty blades!” Elder Hannong’s loud voice suddenly focused everyone’s attention.

Yilian looked up, a glance enough to widen her pupils and fracture her spirit. “Ah Lin Ge!” she cried out in despair, rushing madly into the crowd.

Lin Wanrong, closely trailing Zhaguo, had reduced the distance to half a step. The two, one after the other, inseparable.

Under the immense pressure, Zhaguo was completely led by Lin Wanrong, his rhythm thrown into disarray. Already at his limit with only over twenty blades climbed, he was strategically defeated today. Exhaustion doubled, he was now panting heavily, his strength nearing its end, each step heavier than a thousand pounds, his speed significantly reduced.

“Twenty blades!” Elder Hannong suddenly announced. Zhaguo, already physically spent, trembled upon hearing this, his legs weakening, nearly collapsing.

Lin Wanrong, calm and composed, had been waiting for this moment. Seeing Zhaguo’s sweat-soaked back, he suddenly roared lowly, his reserved strength bursting forth. His fingers like clamps, gripping the blade edge, his feet angled against the blade, pushed lightly, his body accelerating suddenly. With a swift motion, he overtook Zhaguo.

This move, quick and agile, was exceedingly sharp. Before the onlookers could blink, he had miraculously surpassed the Leader, leading by more than half a step. Not only were the elders on the platform stunned, but even the Holy Maiden uttered a surprised exclamation.

“Ah Lin Ge, Ah Lin Ge!” All the people of the Miao tribe were ecstatic, clapping in unison and rhythmically calling out his name.

“Ah Lin Ge–”

“Zhaguo, you cur–”

It was the first time Lin Wanrong had taken the lead. Before he could even savor the dizzying thrill of it, he heard piercing cries from both ahead and behind him, voices all too familiar. A slender figure was rushing towards him, it was a little sister from Yingyue Hamlet. Another cry came from above the platform. Sister An suddenly stood up, her delicate hand flicking, and a streak of lightning, a silver needle, shot out.

Their eyes wide with shock and fear, Lin Wanrong had not yet fully realized what was happening when he felt the mountain of blades beneath him violently shake.

Looking down, he saw Zhaguo, his eyes filled with a fierce glint, standing on the mountain with one hand while holding a hatchet in the other, swinging it with all his might towards Lin San’s feet.

The two mountains of blades were placed extremely close, meant to make the competition more exciting. But no one expected Zhaguo to stoop so low, to strike a treacherous blow in front of tens of thousands of Miao villagers.

As the hatchet came whooshing down towards his knees, anger surged in Lin Wanrong. With a roar, he suddenly let go with one hand. His legs shot up, as agile as a leaping monkey in the mountains, holding onto the blade with one hand, his body swung into the air.

Swinging on mountain of blades, relying solely on the strength of his fingers and wrists, left no room for falsehood. Having slain numerous Turkic warriors on the battlefield, relying on his broadsword, his wrist strength was no exaggeration. Even the Turkic people feared him.

The Miao people, still not recovered from Zhaguo’s despicable act, watched in stunned silence as Lin Wanrong performed this astonishing feat on the mountain of blades. Everyone’s eyes were wide open, not daring to breathe.

As he leaped, Sister An’s silver needle had already struck its target. Zhaguo cried out in pain, blood gushing from his right eye, the hatchet clattering to the ground.

But Lin Wanrong was now fueled by righteous fury. With a tiger’s roar in mid-air, his legs, like scissor kicks, struck fiercely at Zhaguo’s neck.

Zhaguo, already weakened by the injury to his right eye, had no strength to resist this flying kick. With a heart-wrenching scream, he plummeted like a meteor, about to crash to the ground. Zhalong and the Black Miao guards rushed forward, catching the Leader’s body.

“Ah, ah–” Zhaguo, clutching his bleeding eye, rolled on the ground in unbearable pain.

Lin Wanrong, with a cold snort, gripped the steel blade with both hands and landed steadily on the mountain of blades, his gaze cold and calm, as if nothing had happened.

An Biru finally let out a long breath, her eyes tenderly fixed on him, indescribably gentle. This little brother, always surprising everyone in such a big way, truly infuriating yet endearing! She chuckled softly, lost in her thoughts, her cheeks flushed with a charming blush, utterly enchanting.

This series of events, occurring in the blink of an eye, was over before anyone had time to react.

Looking at Ah Lin Ge, firmly standing on the mountain of blades, the Miao people finally woke from their trance. Applause and cheers rose like a tidal wave, echoing for a long time.

The harrowing and thrilling scene that had just unfolded would undoubtedly remain etched in the memory of every Miao tribesperson who attended the Flower Mountain Festival. Zhaguo’s despicable actions and Ah Lin Ge’s bravery had deeply rooted themselves in their hearts.

“Zhaguo, you are unworthy of being one of our Miao people!” Elder Hannong, as the officiator, was furious that such an incident had occurred during the mountain of blades challenge. He pointed at the badly injured Zhaguo and furiously scolded him.

Zhaguo, having lost an eye and been kicked off the mountain of blades, barely clinging to life, was understandably filled with bitter resentment. Gasping for breath, he retorted with a spiteful laugh, “Elder Hannong, whether I’m worthy to be a Miao or not, you’ll soon find out! Speaking of underhanded tactics, this little Red Miao brat is far more despicable than me! If it weren’t for his deliberate tripping and disturbing my focus, how could I have lost to him on the mountain of blades?!”

“Is that so?” Lin Wanrong laughed heartily. “Then watch carefully, Leader Zhaguo. Today, I’ll climb all thirty-six blades and become the Shaman of the Miao village!”

With a playful grin, Lin Wanrong stretched his arms and legs and swiftly scampered up the mountain of blades like a lithe cat. This time, with familiar ease and fluid movements, he quickly climbed all thirty-six blades. Apart from a few red marks on the backs of his feet from the blade edges, his hands and feet remained unharmed.

This was truly astonishing! Zhaguo’s face turned ashen. His proud achievement of twenty blades was nothing compared to Ah Lin Ge’s. The young man had indeed reached the level of a Shaman!

“Ah Lin Ge! Ah Lin Ge!” The Miao people shouted his name in unison, their emotions reaching a peak.

Yilian had already stopped in her tracks, covering her mouth lightly, gazing at him joyously from within the crowd. With Ah Lin Ge, nothing was impossible, only unimaginable – he always managed to surprise everyone!

“Thank you, thank you!” Lin Wanrong descended from the mountain of blades, smiling and bowing with clasped hands to the surrounding villagers.

Old Gao, trembling with astonishment, grabbed him, “Brother Lin, Brother Lin, how did you do it?! If even you can climb the mountain of blades, have I wasted forty years of training?!”

What was he saying?! Lin Wanrong rolled his eyes and chuckled, “Brother Gao, I too rely on my skills for a living! I’ll teach you this mountain of blades trick later–”

Before he could finish, cheers erupted from the crowd, “The Holy Maiden is here, the Holy Maiden is here!”

The crowd parted, revealing a radiant figure approaching. Her brows and eyes shimmered, her smile enchanting. The setting sun cast a faint blush over her smooth face, adding an unspeakable charm.

As Sister An drew closer, so close that Lin Wanrong could hear the pounding of her heart, he asked, parched, “Holy Maiden, Sister, what are you going to do?”

“What else?” An Biru whispered in his ear with a giggle, “Something you’ve been wanting to do!”

Announcement