It seemed that Gu Sheng's determination was evident, as Gu He silently waved his hand.
"Enough. Since you've already made your decision, consider I never brought it up. There's no need to feel conflicted."
Although Gu Sheng turned him down, Gu He wouldn't make things difficult for him over such a trivial matter. If he were the type to act so petty, after living for decades, he would have made countless enemies long ago. How would he have secured his position as the steward of the Gu family?
Gu Sheng bowed slightly to express his apology.
After a month's acquaintance, he knew Gu He wasn't a narrow-minded person. That was why he chose to be upfront, to avoid mutual dissatisfaction.
Gu He nodded, and at last, remarked:
"If you ever change your mind, feel free to find me."
He genuinely appreciated Gu Sheng. Over the past month, he had observed that Gu Sheng's character, perseverance, and comprehension were exceptional—top-tier qualities, at least in Gu's Manor, where few could compare.
Gu Sheng expressed his gratitude once more before turning and leaving.
Though Gu He meant well, Gu Sheng's aspirations lay elsewhere. If he were to settle down in Gu's Manor, he would inevitably have ties and concerns, making it difficult to focus and forge ahead. Though this path indeed offered convenience, it would never compare to accumulating wealth gradually on his own through hunting.
...
In the small grove.
Gu Sheng practiced archery alone.
His gaze was sharp, devoid of distractions. His left arm held the bow steady as a rock, while his right hand drew the string into a full moon before releasing it.
The arrow hissed through the air with a fierce momentum, striking firmly into a fist-sized bullseye in the distance.
Arrow after arrow was released.
Gu Sheng could feel every trace of progress. Occasionally, he'd have new insights. Though the practice of archery was monotonous, the feedback was rewarding and exhilarating.
When all the arrows were spent, Gu Sheng pulled them out from the target and resumed his practice.
Over and over, tirelessly repeating the motions.
When his arm grew slightly sore, he paused to rest, ensuring his endurance throughout prolonged training.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The sound of arrows tearing through the air echoed through the woods.
The proficiency bar for archery steadily climbed. Today alone, it had risen by 2%—an astonishing efficiency.
Whoosh!
Another arrow shot forth, its piercing sound sharper than ever. From the distance came a voice of admiration:
"Great shot!"
"Asheng, if I hadn't seen your archery training for myself, I genuinely wouldn't believe you've only been practicing for ten days."
Gu Erniu approached, his face full of awe. By his side stood a robust young man, slightly older than Gu Erniu and with a flat nose.
Gu Sheng recognized him as Zhang Ze, a hunter from Gu's Manor who had settled there during his father's generation. Now, he lived in peace within the manor and had a good relationship with Gu Erniu.
Zhang Ze stared at Gu Erniu in shock, his tone filled with disbelief:
"Erniu, has he really only been learning archery for ten days?"
Gu Erniu chuckled: "Why would I lie to you?"
Internally, Gu Erniu felt smug. When he first saw Gu Sheng's progress, he had been astounded just the same. Now, seeing Zhang Ze's shocked reaction brought him a sense of reassurance.
Zhang Ze harbored some doubts but didn't show it. Instead, he remarked:
"Hitting a fist-sized target from fifty meters is commendable, but prey won't foolishly stand still. If he joins us in the mountains, he'd need to follow instructions. Otherwise, startling the game could leave us with diminished results."
Gu Erniu nodded repeatedly.
"Of course."
With that, he beckoned Gu Sheng over.
"Asheng, this is Zhang Ze. We're planning to go into the mountains tomorrow; it's a great chance to familiarize yourself with the terrain."
Originally, Gu Erniu thought it would take at least another month before he'd consider bringing Gu Sheng into the mountains. But Gu Sheng's rapid growth prompted him to extend the invitation sooner.
Although Gu Sheng's archery couldn't offer much help yet, at the very least, he wouldn't drag them down.
Initially, Zhang Ze was against the idea of taking a novice into the mountains, but Gu Erniu convinced him over drinks. After witnessing Gu Sheng's archery skill, Zhang Ze reluctantly agreed.
Upon hearing the invitation, Gu Sheng hesitated slightly.
Going into the mountains was inevitable, but not just yet.
His entry-level archery skills left him feeling insecure. At the very least, he wanted to achieve Small Success, where he could hit moving prey accurately. By his current rate of progress, Gu Sheng estimated it would take no more than ten days to achieve Small Success in archery.
He didn't wish to rush it.
Gu Sheng apologized: "Erniu Brother, my archery has only just reached entry-level. I plan to practice another ten days or so to consolidate my skills before heading into the mountains."
Gu Erniu was momentarily stunned, then smiled: "Alright. Since you have your plan, just let me know when you're ready to venture into the mountains. Tomorrow, as we go in, maybe you can help watch over my wife while we're away."
This hunting trip was nothing out of the ordinary—they likely wouldn't spend the night in the mountains, so Gu Erniu wasn't too concerned.
Zhang Ze sighed in relief. Although Gu Erniu claimed Gu Sheng had practiced archery for only ten days, Zhang Ze didn't believe it. He suspected it was merely exaggerated to persuade him into agreeing to take Gu Sheng. Seeing Gu Sheng decline to go into the mountains, Zhang Ze was glad—bringing along a novice would only increase the risks, and disobedience might even lead to disaster.
Smiling, he remarked: "More practice is wise. The beasts in the mountains won't play with you like children's games."
Gu Sheng merely nodded.
Watching the two leave, he shook his head and chuckled. Refusing both Gu He and Gu Erniu in a single day—it seemed luck had taken an interesting turn.
But Gu Sheng didn't mind. He adhered firmly to his own standards of action.
He resumed archery practice!
...
The following day, Gu Erniu and his group entered the mountains early in the morning.
Gu Sheng continued chopping wood. In just half a day, he had split a thousand logs, and he also discerned the proficiency growth pattern after reaching the Perfect realm in chopping wood.
"Roughly splitting a thousand logs results in a 1% gain in proficiency. Which means achieving a realm beyond Perfect would take over three months!"
Gu Sheng eagerly anticipated what changes would come once he maxed out proficiency in the Perfect realm.
By midday, Gu Sheng resumed archery practice, and the rate of improvement sped up even more.
Before dark, Gu Erniu and his team returned to the manor. Ordinary hunts rarely required overnight stays in the mountains due to their danger.
Gu Erniu brought back a large chunk of wild boar meat, his expression mingled with regret.
"Asheng, you should've joined us today. We were lucky to hunt a wild boar—you could've had a share."
Gu Sheng felt a pang of regret but firmly stood by his decision.
No regrets.
Though this outing was fruitful and not perilous, what if danger had arisen?
Each year, hunters from the manor died in the mountains—it was far from a rare occurrence.
Leaving his fate in the hands of others wasn't Gu Sheng's way. Caution didn't equate to cowardice, but he sought to minimize risks whenever possible.
After this incident, Gu Sheng's routine remained unaffected and unchanged.
Half a day chopping wood, half a day practicing archery.
Occasionally, Gu Erniu would come by in the evening to teach Gu Sheng hunting skills, including setting simple traps, identifying certain herbs, and understanding the behaviors of wild animals. Gu Sheng's life was fulfilling, and he felt progress each day.
On this day.
Gu Sheng practiced archery in the woods.
His gaze was sharp, his posture steadfast like a pine tree, and the bow in his hand steady as a mountain—without the slightest tremor.
Whoosh!
Suddenly enlightened, Gu Sheng released an arrow, which hissed sharply through the air and struck a copper coin-sized bullseye in the distance with precision.
The tail of the arrow quivered, and delight shone in Gu Sheng's eyes.
He opened the panel.
The martial arts section had changed.
Archery (Small Success 0%)!