Chapter 3, Long Strength

The words of the three little ones quickly attracted the attention of the few men who were free in the playground. They watched with smiles, hoping that more skilled individuals would emerge in the village, allowing everyone to lead a better life

What shall we compete in first? Lin Ting asked

Every year, the village chief Yu Jiansheng of Daling Village challenges Wanjia Village on behalf of Daling Village

However, his strength is at most that of a novice hunter, and he has never succeeded in a challenge. Therefore, the hunting range of Daling Village is not very large, and the annual yield is merely enough to provide for the basic needs of a little over ten households.

Zheng Haotian's eyes lit up as he quickly ran to a corner of the playground

Zheng Haotian certainly did not know that it was the trap set by his father that saved the entire village, which is why he received the gratitude of the people

Zheng Haotian opened his mouth, inexplicably pondering whether remaining silent on the sidelines would also lead to the fate of being caught in the crossfire

Lin Ting nodded, fully aware that he was not as strong, and thus did not dwell on this aspect. Instead, he was contemplating how to secure more victories in the upcoming matches. As for Zheng Haotian, he had no room to speak at all; among the three of them, he was merely a role of a companion to the prince.

Yu Weihua flexed his wrist and said, "Of course, we will start with a strength competition." His gaze swept around the stone pedestal as he continued, "We will start with the lightest one, taking turns. Whoever cannot lift it will be considered the loser."

In the past, lifting the stone block in my hand was quite strenuous, but at this moment, there was not the slightest feeling of effort, as if my hand were empty.

Hey ... ...

Dalin Village is one of the few villages that remains completely unscathed, and rather than losing manpower, it has instead gained a significant wealth.

Yu Weihua's gaze shifted to the stone pillar, and he suddenly exclaimed: "Lin Ting, why don't we have a competition to see who is right?"

However, Zheng Haotian paid no attention to the gazes of those around him. It was as if he had not heard Yu Weihua's words; he simply stared silently at the stone pedestal, a glimmer of captivating light flickering in his eyes

Lin Ting's face immediately showed hesitation; the few of them had played together for so many years, and they were basically well-acquainted with each other. He certainly knew that, if it were solely a matter of strength, Yu Weihua was undoubtedly the best among the three.

However, at that moment, his face once again took on a strange expression

There was a desire to refuse, but upon seeing the piercing eyes of the two, reminiscent of bullfighters, that thought was immediately dispelled. Since they wanted to compete, I might as well join in their game; after all, aside from setting traps, I would surely come in last in all other events.

"Haotian, you are feeling better, come over here," a clear voice called out.

All the villages in the vicinity have agreements in place, with each village having a designated hunting area. The larger the hunting area, the more abundant the harvest.

How did both friends become stronger?

Lin Ting's eyes also brightened as he said, "Alright, how shall we compete?"

Zheng Haotian frowned and said, "What are you all arguing about?"

Yu Weihua pointed to the stone pillar and said, "In two or three years, we will be able to participate in the hunter's assessment. One of the most important components of the exam is strength. Let us see who has the greatest strength."

The men on the playground laughed heartily, their eyes seasoned with experience. Among them, a few who were more familiar with Zheng Haotian could immediately discern the differences.

Yu Weihua silently lifted one heavy stone after another above his head, while Lin Ting's movements became increasingly strained, ultimately forcing himself to persist through gritted teeth

He took a deep breath, leisurely closed his eyes, raised his head, and allowed the sunlight to pour over his closed eyelids, as if he were savoring that kind of scorching warmth

After a month of recuperation, his health finally returned to normal, and after receiving his father's permission, he stepped out of the house

Although Zheng Haotian's performance today was quite remarkable, he is only ten years old, and no one would expect him to lift the hundred-pound stone pedestal in front of him

It is a clear day, with the sun hanging high in the sky. A gentle breeze passes by, bringing with it air that is far fresher than that in the room

Lin Ting turned his head and said angrily, "I said my uncle will definitely be able to become a mid-level hunter and defeat Wan Yifu"

Two young boys stared at each other, and suddenly turned their heads at the same time, saying: "Tell me, who do you think is right?"

A familiar voice called out, and Zheng Haotian quickly lowered his head and opened his eyes, responding to the person who greeted him

He unexpectedly discovered that many people were quite courteous towards him today, a demeanor that was far from comparable to the past

His gaze swept across the playground, and he unexpectedly discovered that there were hardly any men from the village out hunting; instead, they were rarely seen leisurely resting under the sun.

These two youths, one with a robust and fierce appearance, is Yu Weihua, the son of the village chief of mhetushucomcom, who had knocked Zheng Haotian flying that night. He is fourteen years old this year and has been practicing martial arts with his father for many years. He is already recognized as a skilled fighter in the village and is the most promising candidate to become a hunter. His performance that night further earned him the gratitude and recognition of everyone except Zheng Haotian.

Lin Ting, unwilling to be outdone, stepped forward. He did not take this challenge to heart and effortlessly performed the same action.

Yu Weihua arrived at the smallest stone pedestal, which was not large, weighing only about 20 jin, and even Zheng Haotian could lift it.

Zheng Haotian shrugged his shoulders; for the men in the mountains, being ten years old is not considered young, and a weight of twenty jin is equally not regarded as significant

The two people could not extract any information from him, and they also felt disheartened

At this moment, standing in front of these stone pillars were not the strong men of the village, but rather two youths who were not much older than him

There are many villages at the foot of Xionglang Mountain, among which Wanjia Village is populous and powerful, and it is also home to a mid-level hunter. Their strength is unparalleled among all the villages.

Before he finished speaking, Yu Weihua exclaimed: "My father will definitely become a mid-level hunter before your uncle and defeat Wan Yifu, allowing us to expand our hunting territory tenfold"

"Alright," Yu Weihua said without hesitation, "Let's compete together, the three of us."

The three of them are the only three young boys in this small village of over ten households. Of course, there are two more toddlers who are just beginning to speak, but they are certainly not at an age to play with them.

Yu Weihua chuckled and said, "Haotian, you should give up."

A month later, the aftermath of the beast riots triggered by the earthquake was completely eliminated.

Zheng Haotian finally understood what they were arguing about, but such matters were still too distant for him.

At this moment, Yu Weihua and Lin Ting seem to be arguing about something, both of them are red-faced and heated, yet neither is willing to concede defeat

Opposite Yu Weihua sat a slightly tall and slender youth, whose face bore an expression of competence. This young man, also from the village, was named Lin Ting. At the age of thirteen, he was one year younger than Yu Weihua, yet when it came to martial prowess, he was not significantly inferior.

Others may not perceive any abnormalities, but he has a very clear feeling. That is, his strength seems to have increased, and it is significantly greater than before

Thus, the acquisition of thirty-two black bears this time is undoubtedly a substantial windfall for them

The adults around were all smiling and watching, and no one stepped forward to mediate. In their eyes, the youths experiencing some bumps and bruises during their growth was not considered a bad thing. Even if they ended up with bruises and blood, they would soon reconcile and return to their original state.

Zheng's brother has recovered very well

Reaching out to grasp the handle of the stone pedestal, with a gentle lift and a swing, he immediately raised the stone pedestal high above his head

In contrast, Zheng Haotian appeared much more relaxed, although the weight of the stone pedestal gradually imposed pressure on him, he found that this pressure was entirely within his capacity to bear

Except for a few unfortunate villages that suffered devastating blows, the remaining villages, regardless of the extent of their damage, could only grit their teeth and persist, continuing to live under the Bear and Wolf Mountain.

Of course, all of this has little to do with the ten-year-old Zheng Haotian. During the month of his recovery, the only change he noticed in his life was that his meals had improved.

The complete annihilation of the black bears without any casualties has become a topic of great interest for everyone. Even Zheng Haotian, who is lying in bed, has heard countless accounts from visiting and grateful guests.

However, upon reflection, Zheng Haotian understood that the thirty-two black bears captured a month ago must have yielded a significant bounty

He stepped forward, grasped the stone pillar, lifted it up and swung it high above his head

Zheng Haotian immediately rolled his eyes; the height and physical fitness of a child cannot differ by three or four years. Faced with two boys who were much taller than him, Zheng Haotian tightly closed his mouth, wisely refraining from making any comments

Although there is an age difference among the three of them, their relationship has always been good, and it is rare for them to be this upset.

Lin Ting's complexion was slightly flushed. After pondering for a moment, he wisely shook his head. Observing Yu Weihua's actions, it seemed he still had some strength left, and what further troubled him was that Zheng Haotian's performance had greatly exceeded his expectations.

Every day, my father provides enough meat soup, and within the soup, there are also some medicinal herbs that can replenish vital energy and blood. Such treatment was unimaginable in the past

With a snort, Lin Ting said: "The hunter's assessment consists of a total of eight events. We will have a competition to see who wins the most."

Yu Weihua shouted loudly, lifting a stone pillar weighing over 100 jin high above his head

Here are some stone pillars of varying sizes, and the craftsmanship of these pillars is quite rough, clearly indicating that they are not finely polished

Life in the mountains is quite arduous, and there are rarely such leisurely moments

Oh, not bad, this kid has gained some strength

However, such items are more than sufficient for the men in the village to strengthen their arm strength and physical fitness