Chapter 125: Arranged Marriage

9:00 AM, August 17th, 3527 of the Sound Calendar. The main street of Zhen Town, Wuchuan Heavenly Wolf Mountain, in the Kingdom of Fama. This was the hometown of Le Xiaotian.

Today was the official start of the decennial All-Star Extreme Challenge Tournament, a day of excitement for the 308 empires, thousands of smaller nations, and hundreds of millions of people. This year’s tournament was being held in the Kingdom of the Five-Clawed Golden Dragon, with participants arriving from the Dance Kingdom, Sound Kingdom, Bell Kingdom, Rice Kingdom, Nippon, Han Kingdom, Book Union, and many others.

It had been over half a year since the incident at the Zhen Star Tower. Le Xiaotian had settled Su Yun, Sun Yunzhen, and Chen Fang in Su Yun’s home. Given Su Yun’s status as a Transcendent Dancer, the three women were presumably safe. He had given them most of the trillions of Dance Credits he had earned in Fama, along with portions for his parents and the soldiers who had assisted him, leaving little for himself.

On the bustling street, Gu Menghan watched her son—shirtless, with a 100-kilogram backpack filled with daily necessities and gear strapped to his back—and said worriedly, "My child, if you can’t make it, don’t force yourself. Just do your best."

Le Shiqing added, "Xiaotian, your mother and I haven't left you with much. You must navigate the vast, turbulent ocean of the world on your own. But whatever you do, know your limits. Don't be reckless. Do you understand?"

Le Shiqing and Gu Menghan were Le Xiaotian’s parents. Though he was not entirely willing to acknowledge them, he held no animosity toward them. His smile remained bright and sunny. "You gave me life and enabled me to sing and dance; that is enough. Don't worry about me. When I’m away, eat well and dress well. Spend the money as you please."

In just a few short months, his son had transformed. He had finally made something of himself. He no longer worked odd jobs; he had turned to music and, in a brief period, brought boundless wealth and honor to the family. Most importantly, he was pursuing the most sacred, noble, glorious, and difficult profession on the planet Le: a dancing orchestra conductor.

While smiling with satisfaction, Gu Menghan couldn't help but add anxiously, "Child, the tournament is dangerous. You must not overexert yourself."

*I must win the championship!*

Thinking this, Le Xiaotian laughed, "Hehe, you don't need to worry. I’ll handle it."

Knowing the high fatality rate of the All-Star Extreme Challenge, Gu Menghan could not help but fret. Le Shiqing felt the same, but he whispered to his wife, "Look at you. Our son is now a super hero of Fama. He can sing and dance, he’s physically strong, and his mind is razor-sharp. Don't you think he knows how to handle himself?"

As the family stood there, a grand, resonant bell tolled throughout the world.

*Clang! Clang! Clang!*

The sharp, piercing chimes rang out three times, their sound waves shattering the air and gradually hushing the world. Once the chaos on the main street of Zhen Town had settled into silence, a deep, masculine voice boomed across the land: "The All-Star Extreme Challenge: The 'Ox-Pulling-Horse' event. You must reach the Phoenix Nest within 50 hours to qualify. I now declare the 268th All-Star Extreme Challenge officially open!"

As the voice faded, a torrent of sound erupted from the 308 empires and thousands of smaller nations across the Northern Martial-Dance Civilization of the Hongkun Heavenly Realm. The roars of millions of living beings filled the air with a tense, blood-boiling atmosphere.

The tournament had begun. Their objective was to reach the Phoenix Nest in the imperial capital of the Five-Clawed Golden Dragon Kingdom within the allotted time.

There was a story behind this "Ox-Pulling-Horse" marathon. In the autumn of the 800th year of the New Era in the Hongkun Heavenly Realm, the Big Dumb Horse clan had gained several new dance-cultivation experts, putting them in a position to enter the 113 Great Clans of the new *Records of Ten Thousand Races* and win a ranking. To celebrate, they offered the 36 slave clans under their rule a chance at emancipation.

Initially, the 36 small clans were overjoyed but deeply anxious. To earn their freedom, they had to complete a challenge: within a set time, they had to pull a Big Dumb Horse from the center of the horse clan's territory to the center of their own. Since these 36 clans were ordinary people without dancers, and the Big Dumb Horses were known for their immense weight, the effort required—even using carts—was equivalent to an ordinary martial artist carrying 100 kilograms!

Though the time limit was the same, the distances varied. In the end, only the Iron Ox clan, which had the longest distance to cover, succeeded. The very ox that completed the task died of exhaustion. Later, the great clans of the Hongkun Heavenly Realm adopted the "Ox-Pulling-Horse" race to promote this spirit of perseverance.

It had become a mandatory first event for every All-Star Extreme Challenge. As it stood, every participant started from their own hometown. If the distance was too great, most martial artists would give up and wait for the next tournament. But the tournament was designed to give a chance to those who weren't born dancers, elite academy students, or heirs to great clans. For those who had not yet become dancers, every tournament was crucial.

For Le Xiaotian, he had to cover 1,500 kilometers to reach the Phoenix Nest, requiring an average speed of at least 30 kilometers per hour. If he skipped this, it would be difficult to become a dancer. Waiting ten years for the next one might mean an even greater distance. He was absolutely unwilling to keep Su Yun, Sun Yunzhen, and Chen Fang waiting that long.

There was another reason: he had discovered that the next tournament’s location was 80,000 kilometers away—a distance equivalent to crossing seven Earths.

Taking a deep breath, he turned to Le Shiqing and Gu Menghan and smiled. "If you miss me, just watch the television."

His son had finally achieved success, but for some reason, the Empress—that ungrateful wretch—had completely blacklisted him in Fama, and now he was leaving for a long journey. Gu Menghan felt as if a fish bone were stuck in her throat. Le Shiqing turned his face away, blinking hard to suppress his tears before turning back, his voice choking as he gave his final advice: "Go. We will watch the television. Just focus on your race; don't worry about home."

Amid the thundering sound of footsteps, as twenty or thirty other contestants from Zhen Town ran past, Le Xiaotian bade his parents farewell and began to run.

Watching the scene, Le Shiqing muttered, "Menghan, why hasn't our son called us 'Father' or 'Mother' these past few months? Is it because he lacks a wife?"

Realizing the implication, Gu Menghan tried to dissuade him. "You are an ordinary person now. The child is doing well, so let him forge his own path. Besides, doesn't he have that Dr. Chen? He had two women before."

Le Shiqing looked nostalgic. "I suspect they broke up. Modern girls can share in prosperity but not in adversity. When Xiaotian was a failure, I didn't tell him about his arranged marriage to avoid dragging down my brother's daughter. But things are different now."

"But the child wants to be a conductor. He has no time for romance."

Le Shiqing’s face darkened. "No time? If he can't manage his time, he can't be a conductor. When I fell from a Transcendent Dancer to a mortal, the only ones who didn't look down on me were those two brothers. If Xiaotian hadn't made a name for himself in Fama, that would be one thing. But now that he has some success, he must go. He must, do you understand?"

"I know, but, but we..."

"Enough. I’m not forcing him to marry. The final decision rests with the children. Besides, I just have the thought. I promise you, I’ll only tell him when the right opportunity arises. Otherwise, I’ll leave it to him. How about that?"

Whenever Le Shiqing used this consultative tone, it meant his mind was made up. If she disagreed, it would only lead to an argument. Knowing her husband’s temperament, Gu Menghan glanced at her son’s retreating figure and nodded. "Fine. Our Mingyang is so capable now; he will surely become world-famous again, truly famous throughout the Hongkun Heavenly Realm! And he isn't young anymore; it is time he found a proper wife. I will listen to you."

The oblivious couple began to plan a new marriage for Le Xiaotian.