"Even heroes are not immune to the passions of love and longing since ancient times."

　　Gōng Kōng mentioned several bouts fought by Gōng Kàng with great enthusiasm and pride shining in his eyes.

　　Every child of the Gong You clan grew up in constant fear, knowing they could be chosen as sacrificial offerings before the age of six.

　　Gōng Kōng himself witnessed childhood friends being sucked into Vimala's belly as sacrificial offerings, leaving a permanent shadow in his heart.

　　In his childhood naivety, he believed the enemies of the Gong You clan were the Bai Huo Tribe. He vowed to defeat the Fire Worshipper Tribe in martial arts tournaments, believing it would spare his friends from being taken away. However, as he matured, he realized his true enemy was the Evil Gods of the Green Tribes.

　　"What about last year's martial arts tournament?" Sū Zǐqí inquired.

　　"Well, last year, it ended in a draw," Gōng Kōng replied with a hint of indescribable regret.

　　"A draw?" Sū Zǐqí questioned back. "Did the Bai Huo Tribe produce a formidable opponent?"

　　"Oh, this is a long story," Gōng Kōng continued, recounting last year's competition.

　　Representing the Bai Huo Tribe was a mysterious warrior, noticeably shorter than Gōng Kàng, adorned in armor and veiled.

　　This warrior wielded two curved blades, prompting Gōng Kàng to learn from his previous mistake and enter the battle armed with the Dragon Flame Sword.

　　Upon seeing this diminutive opponent, the audience from the Gong You clan speculated that this Bai Huo warrior must be a grotesque figure to cover his face.

　　This year's opponent was even more agile than last year's and much more skilled with his blades. Understanding Gōng Kàng's strength lay in his size and power, the opponent never engaged in direct confrontation but instead utilized agile footwork to evade and maneuver around Gōng Kàng.

　　By relying on his nimble movements, the opponent sought out vulnerabilities in Gōng Kàng's defense, darting around and conserving energy, only striking with deadly precision when the opportunity arose.Gōng Kōng recounted Gōng Kàng's initial strategy of wielding his broadsword with grand sweeping motions, yet he couldn't manage to connect a single blow with the diminutive opponent. So, Gōng Kàng shifted tactics, adopting a more defensive stance to meticulously safeguard himself before seizing opportunities to strike. Despite several close calls where he nearly landed hits on the small adversary, each time, he narrowly missed.

　　Finally, Gōng Kàng devised a plan and intentionally exposed himself to vulnerability, allowing the warrior from the Bai Huo Clan to kick him to the ground. As Gōng Kàng lay there, feigning agony and clutching his chest, the Bai Huo warrior moved in for the finishing blow. When the warrior approached, Gōng Kàng swiftly thrust his left hand out to grasp the warrior's neck, simultaneously lunging his right hand with the sword toward the warrior's face.

　　Taken aback, the Bai Huo warrior dodged backward, and Gōng Kàng's left hand accidentally tore off the warrior's veil, while his right-hand sword struck the warrior's helmet.

　　Halting his narrative at this juncture, Gōng Kōng paused, leaving everyone on tenterhooks. Sū Zǐqí, speaking on behalf of the group, inquired, "So, what happened next? What led to the stalemate?"

　　Observing everyone's anticipation, Gōng Kōng felt a sense of satisfaction at keeping them intrigued. He then proceeded deliberately.

　　As the helmet and veil of the Bai Huo warrior fell to the ground, a cascade of flowing hair revealed a startling sight—a female warrior.

　　Her delicate features and lustrous black hair left everyone spellbound.

　　Gōng Kàng rose to his feet, planting the Dragon Flame Sword on the ground. "I concede defeat. After all that, I've been battling a woman, and it's too humiliating for me. I, Gōng Kàng, refuse to engage in combat with women. I voluntarily surrender this match."

　　However, the Bai Huo female warrior adamantly refused to accept his concession. "No, the match isn't concluded yet, Gōng Kàng! Retrieve your sword and continue!"

　　Nevertheless, Gōng Kàng adamantly declined to resume the fight. Subsequently, the two clans mutually agreed to declare the match a draw, dividing the sacrificial offering quota between them.

　　"Afterward, we discovered that this Bai Huo female warrior was the daughter of the clan leader, Lian Kuí, known as 'Lián Xiāng.'"

　　"What an extraordinary tale! Heroes have always been attracted to beautiful women. Did your warrior, Gōng Kàng, not share any captivating stories with this enchanting Lián Xiāng afterward?" Sū Zǐqí inquired playfully.

　　"You hit the nail on the head, Sū Jie. Following that encounter, my elder brother, Gōng Kàng, seemed transformed, lost in contemplation, and frequently wandering to the outskirts of the northern forest. Rumors circulated within the clan, suggesting he was rendezvousing with Lián Xiāng from the Bai Huo Clan clandestinely."

　　"Oh, it's all coming back to me now. When we first arrived at Windwood Citadel, during the evening banquet, the chief of the Tiger Tribe made a jesting comment about Gōng Kàng, asking if he was off to meet his sweetheart. It all makes sense now," Sū Zǐqí reminisced about the banquet.

　　" Sū Jie, do you know why Chief Kǒng Xiǎotiān said that?"

　　"Kǒng Xiǎotiān speaks enigmatically; who can decipher his intentions?"

　　"We've had a marital pact with the Tiger Tribe for ages. My elder brother, Gōng Kàng, was meant to wed Kǒng Xiǎotiān's daughter, Kǒng Tíng. So, when the rumors surfaced, Chief Kǒng Xiǎotiān was quite displeased with my elder brother.""So, it's a love triangle after all. How does your elder brother feel about these two women?"

　　"Kǒng Tíng is deeply in love with my elder brother, but he says he likes Lian Xiang. He confided in me privately, admitting he'd been hesitant to tell our father about this because he knew our father would never agree to his marriage with Lián Xiāng. But for Lián Xiāng, he's willing to give up everything."

　　"Why is your adoptive father, Great Chief "Gōng Diàn", opposed to it?"

　　"First, to unite the clans, my adoptive father needs to form an alliance with the Tiger Tribe; second, our clan has never formed an alliance with the Bai Huo Clan, so setting this precedent is out of the question."

　　"I see," Zhèng Yǎ sighed, "I never expected the Gong You Clan to have such a complex love story."

　　The day before the Kua Fu spaceship entered Mu Continent, Gōng Kàng did indeed go to the border area between the Gong You and Bai Huo clans to meet with Lián Xiāng.

　　Since the martial arts tournament last year, both had harbored feelings for each other. After the competition, Gōng Kàng secretly sneaked into the Bai Huo Clan several times, arranging clandestine meetings with Lián Xiāng.

　　Later, they agreed to meet regularly in a small cabin on the border between the two clans.

　　On that day, lying side by side on the bed, Lián Xiāng nestled against Gōng Kàng's shoulder as he stroked her flowing hair.

　　Surrounded by silence, with only a gentle breeze brushing their faces, they were immersed in their own world of love, as if the world around them ceased to exist, willing to stay like this until the end of time.

　　"Lián Xiāng , when will our secret meetings come to an end?"

　　"Gōng Kàng, my father also disagrees with our marriage. In this year's martial arts tournament, I'm expected to participate. Why don't we just leave our clans secretly?"Lián Xiāng, talented in both literature and martial arts, was willing to give up everything to elope with Gōng Kàng

　　"Even if we elope, both clans will continue the martial arts tournament, perpetuating the cycle of mutual destruction. When will it end?" Gōng Kàng lamented, clenching his fists in frustration. "Lián Xiāng, according to the intelligence my father sent to the capital city, the Green Tribes may exceed last year's sacrificial count of four thousand."

　　"What?" Gōng Kàng sat up, gritting his teeth in anger. "The Evil Gods of the Green Tribes intend to sever our lineage! We can't continue like this; we must do something!"

　　" Gōng Kàng, you're right. We have to do something about this year's martial arts tournament. The two clans can't keep killing each other like this."