Early in the morning, Mu Jiao Long was awakened by the sounds of birds around the old temple. He felt dizzy and completely exhausted. He looked to the left and saw Wang Changming, who was asleep, curled up tightly in a fetal position. He was about to open his mouth to call Wang Changming but realized he was naked. His robe was spread over him, covering his private parts. He slowly tried to sit up, making as little noise as possible.
Wang Changming's hoarse voice startled Mu Jiao Long. "You are awake?"
Mu Jiao Long quickly pulled on his pants, and all the memories of last night flooded back. He thought, "Shit... what have I done?" He looked at Wang Changming. "I am awake now."
Wang Changming's voice was quavering. "That's good." He refused to look back at Mu Jiao Long.
Mu Jiao Long heard the tremor in his voice. "Are you crying?"
Wang Changming gave a choked sniff. "No..."
Mu Jiao Long quickly moved to Wang Changming's side, turning him around with his right hand, but Wang Changming covered his eyes with his left. Mu Jiao Long saw all the bite marks and hickeys covering Wang Changming's neck. Then, he saw tears streaming from the corner of Wang Changming's right eye.
Mu Jiao Long immediately laid his head on Wang Changming's chest. "I'm sorry."
After resting his head there for a moment, he got up and put on his clothes. He then knelt in front of Wang Changming and gently helped him sit up.
Wang Changming still didn't look at him. "You go first."
Mu Jiao Long asked, confused. "Why don't we leave together?"
Wang Changming's voice was small. "I can't walk."
Mu Jiao Long chuckled, a nervous, teasing sound. "How many times did we do it last night?"
Wang Changming replied quietly, utterly spent. "Many times. I don't remember counting."
Mu Jiao Long knelt in front of Wang Changming, holding his hand. "Changming, do you still want to learn the Mu acupuncture technique?"
"Yes," Wang Changming said, his voice flat. "But I don't have that choice anymore. Your brother won't come back until next spring."
Mu Jiao Long smiled, his plan forming. "You don't need to worry. You can study anytime now."
"How? I am not a Mu."
Mu Jiao Long stroked Wang Changming's jawline caressingly. "As my wife... my husband... or my partner, whichever title you want to pick. As long as you marry me, you are a Mu and can freely study the Mu acupuncture technique."
Wang Changming snatched his hand away. "Are you crazy?!"
"No, I'm very sincere." He stood up and walked towards the Buddha statue. He spun the statue around to face him and knelt again. "Heaven be my witness, that from today onward, I will take Wang Changming as my wife. I will love him and never lie to him. I will only love him for the rest of my life. If I go back on my words, I shall be struck by lightning."
Wang Changming stared, the tears forgotten. "Do you really want to love me for the rest of your life?"
"Yes," Mu Jiao Long affirmed.
"Knowing that I am a man, can you really accept me as your life partner?"
Mu Jiao Long smiled, an undeniable certainty in his eyes. "The rice is cooked, and we did it in front of Buddha... Do you want to deny it?"
"But..."
"No 'but'! If you marry a pig, you stay with the pig; if you marry a dog, you stay with the dog. End of this conversation." He looked at Wang Changming, his gaze commanding. "Since you married me, you stay with me."
Wang Changming finally protested with full force. "I never agreed to marry you! This is not child's play!"
Mu Jiao Long stood firm, his voice ringing with fierce devotion. "You are the wife of Mu Jiao Long. Whoever wants to take you away must do so over my corpse."
Mu Jiao Long picked Wang Changming up onto his back, and they began to walk out of the abandoned temple. It took a while before they found their way back to the main road. Using the road as their guide, they continued walking, keeping each other company.
Wang Changming asked, his voice still a little strained, "Where are we now? How are we going to find our way back?"
Mu Jiao Long was in high spirits. "Back to where?"
Wang Changming chuckled. "Didn't you just say if I marry a pig then I stay with the pig, if I marry a dog then I stay with the dog?"
Mu Jiao Long laughed, and they continued forward until they met a man with ten disciples walking towards them. Mu Jiao Long approached the man. "Xiong-tai, please tell us which way to return to Yao Village."
The man pointed to the left. "Take this small path; it will take you back to Yao Village."
Mu Jiao Long asked, "What about that way?"
The man smiled humbly. "That will lead you to Yong Sword Village."
Mu Jiao Long nodded. "Thank you, xiong-tai." He carried Wang Changming on his back, and they walked on. Mu Jiao Long only took twenty steps before turning his head to look back at the man and his disciples. "Xiong-tai, what's your name?"
The man smiled and introduced himself. "Yong Ho, chief of Sword Village." He and his disciples continued their walk.
Back at the Mu Manor, two old women and twenty beautiful young women stood inside the guest hall, all in well-dressed clothes.
Mu Jian demanded, furious, "Where is Jiao Long?"
Mu He reported, "Gongzi is not at home now, and he didn't come back for two days."
A servant added, "He left to rescue the kidnapped women near Yao Village... He has not yet returned."
Mu Jian shouted, mad with worry and anger. "Find him right now!"
Meanwhile, standing outside the Mu Manor gates, Mu Jiao Long held Wang Changming's hand tightly. He smiled warmly. "Don't be afraid... your husband will be by your side all the way." He stretched out his left hand and brushed hair away from Wang Changming's face. "Are you ready to face all the obstacles with me?"
Wang Changming smiled, a hint of nervousness in his voice. "Jiao Long, we are only in our early twenties. Do you think we rushed into making the decision?"
Mu Jiao Long chuckled. "It's too late now for doubting. You should have thought about that when you were removing your clothes last night."
Wang Changming said, half-joking, half-annoyed, "You take everything as a joke!"
Mu Jiao Long grew serious. "I choose you, and you only. I have seen many people and participated in many competitions, but no one made my heartbeat faster like you do. When I decided to make you tangyuan, I had already made up my mind to be with you." He opened the door and walked into the house, pulling Wang Changming with him.
When they were halfway to the living room, a panicked servant rushed over. "Gongzi, where have you been?!"
Mu Jiao Long asked calmly, "What's wrong?"
"The master is looking for you; he is very angry now!"
Mu Jiao Long asked, "Where is he?"
"In the guest hall."
Mu Jiao Long and Wang Changming walked into the guest hall, met by twenty beautiful young women and a furious Mu Jian.
Mu Jiao Long smiled innocently. "Yo, what's going on here?"
Mu Jiao spoke, her voice strained. "These young ladies have been waiting for you all morning."
Mu Jiao Long feigned confusion. "For?"
One of the matchmakers stepped forward. "Mu gongzi, let me introduce you to the ten girls next to me."
Mu Jiao Long smiled and nodded. He looked at the ten young women on the left and the other ten on the right. He grabbed Wang Changming's right hand and looked at the women one by one until the last one. Then he asked Wang Changming, his voice carrying clearly, "Which of these ladies do you think is more suitable for me?"
Wang Changming bit his lip. "I don't know, just pick one you like." He tried to pull his hand away, but Mu Jiao Long held it tighter. "Let go!" He struggled.
Mu Jiao Long declared, his smile vanishing, "I don't like any of these ladies."
Mu Jian stood up, shaking with rage. "Why?!"
Mu Jiao Long turned to the two matchmakers. "Please take these ladies back home. I think they are tired after waiting for a day."
The other matchmaker protested, "Master Mu..."
Mu Jian interrupted, his voice dangerously low. "Today, you have to pick one of these young ladies and get married!"
Mu Jiao Long challenged him. "If I don't get married, you won't let it go?"
"Yes!" Mu Jian's tone left no doubt as to his seriousness.
Mu Jiao Long raised his hand, with Wang Changming's hand clasped tightly in his own, and showed it to Mu Jian. "I'm going to marry him."
Mu Jian roared, "You!" He began coughing severely, clutching his chest.
Just then, a servant flew across the room, crashing onto the floor and spitting a mouthful of blood. Everyone looked at the door. Wang Zedong walked in with ten well-dressed martial artists.
Wang Zedong looked coldly at Mu Jiao Long. "You can marry whoever you want, but you can't marry him."
Mu Jiao Long glared. "Who the hell are you?"
Wang Zedong looked at Wang Changming. "Ming'er, let's go."
Wang Changming held tightly onto Mu Jiao Long's arm. Mu Jiao Long grabbed Wang Changming's hand and squeezed it. "Don't be afraid. I am here." He looked fiercely at Wang Zedong. "He will not go with you. He is already married to me!"
Wang Zedong sneered. "How could the heir of the Wang Household marry an unknown man?"
Mu Jiao Long looked at Wang Changming, shocked. "You are Wang gongzi of the Wang Household?"
Wang Changming looked down, confirming softly, "Yes."
Mu Jiao Long looked back at Wang Zedong, his conviction unwavering. "I don't care who he was in the past. But today, the person standing here with me is my life partner. I will not let anyone take him away from me!"
Wang Zedong scoffed, challenging him. "If your fist is faster than mine, you can have him."
Wang Zedong quickly rushed Mu Jiao Long, his devil fist slamming into Mu Jiao Long's right chest. Mu Jiao Long flew backward, crashing into the row of chairs in front of Mu Jian. Wang Zedong grabbed Wang Changming's hand and dragged him toward the door.
Mu Jiao Long turned, vomiting a mouthful of blood. He slowly got up and rushed out of the guest hall into the courtyard, but Wang Zedong had already dragged Wang Changming out the door.
Mu Jiao Long shouted, a desperate, raw sound torn from his lungs. "Changming!" His vision blurred, and he fell to the ground, unconscious.