Gu Erniu stared earnestly at Gu Sheng.
After Li Lian explained that night's events to him, he kept thinking about how to properly thank Gu Sheng. A few hunted animals seemed far too meager—completely insignificant compared to the lives of his wife and children.
Finally, he made a decision—to teach Gu Sheng how to hunt!
In times like these, families guarded their special skills tightly. Let alone an excellent skill like hunting, even learning something as minor as basket weaving was difficult.
Gu Erniu's hunting skills, in fact, had been passed down through generations in his family.
Now, he chose to pass his archery skills to Gu Sheng.
First, as a way of expressing gratitude for Gu Sheng saving his wife and children.
Second, because he had completely understood Gu Sheng's character. A person like him—even if he learned archery—would only ever become an ally, not a potential threat.
Hearing Gu Erniu's words, Gu Sheng was momentarily stunned, then his eyes lit up.
Taking a deep breath, he didn't offer any pretense of polite refusal.
"I want to!"
Gu Erniu couldn't help but laugh.
"Good! I'm not heading into the mountains these days, so starting tomorrow evening, come learn archery from me. I'll also teach you some precautions about hunting in the mountains."
"Once your archery reaches entry-level, Brother Erniu will take you hunting in the mountains. Together, we can tackle challenges, and life will definitely get better and better!"
Gu Erniu was visibly excited as well.
In this day and age, it wasn't easy to find a partner you could completely trust. Gu Sheng, who could fight off a wild wolf alone, would be an even stronger ally once he mastered archery. It would greatly boost their safety when hunting together in the mountains.
Gu Sheng nodded vigorously, a surge of gratitude and joy warming his heart.
After securing a livelihood through chopping wood, he had been pondering new ways to earn money. Unexpectedly, this chance had come his way.
If chopping wood was considered part of Martial Arts, then surely archery was as well.
Gu Sheng had not forgotten—the system panel was his greatest asset. By leveraging it, he would be able to quickly refine his archery skills, reducing the risks of hunting while increasing the rewards.
By mastering archery, the pace at which he accumulated wealth would increase tremendously!
...
At the manor of the Gu family leader.
The surrounding courtyards, lined with tiled walls, formed a striking contrast with the village outside the estate.
In all of Gu's Manor, most inhabitants bore the surname Gu, with a small minority of outsiders slowly integrating into the community. Everyone knew that Gu's Manor essentially belonged to the Gu family as its ruling household.
At this time, within a refined courtyard.
A middle-aged man in a blue robe, scholarly in demeanor, was leisurely sipping tea. Across from him sat a bald, burly man with a menacing expression—none other than Gu Jingang, whom Gu Sheng had encountered that night.
The burly man impatiently glanced at the delicate tea set atop the pear-wood table.
"Changming, what's so great about tea? Just tell me how we're going to handle the demon wolf's blood."
Dressed as a scholar, Gu Changming shook his head and sighed.
"Jingang, you're still so hot-headed. Honestly, it's a shame for someone with such a strong build. If you could settle your mind, your cultivation would've surpassed mine by now."
Gu Jingang curled his lip, saying nothing, though his expression showed clear dissatisfaction.
Though not the Family Head, Gu Changming was a cultivator in the Blood Refining Realm and held significant status in the Gu family. Together with Gu Jingang and another man, Gu Dajiang, he was regarded as one of the three top experts of Gu's Manor.
Laughing, Gu Changming said:
"Fine, fine, you're surely going to say I've had better resources than you. Rest assured, when the blood of the demon wolf is turned into Blood Strengthening Pills, you and I will both get a share."
Upon hearing this, Gu Jingang's face immediately lit up with delight.
"Now that's more like it. With the Blood Strengthening Pill, I might finally break through to Small Success in the Blood Refining Realm."
Over the years, he had been utterly loyal and never harbored ulterior motives. The main household would naturally not treat him unfairly.
Gu Changming continued:
"As for the demon wolf's meat, it won't be of much benefit to us. We'll set some aside for Dajiang's son, and the rest can be distributed to the most talented youths of the main family."
Nodding slowly, Gu Jingang said:
"Gu Xiaojiang is already fourteen this year. That boy is the most talented among the main family's generation. If nurtured well, perhaps the Gu family can produce a Bone Refining Realm expert."
"The Bone Refining Realm... what a far-off goal. If only this demon wolf had an inner core, it wouldn't just be Bone Refining Realm; even breaking into the Marrow Refining Realm for both of us wouldn't be out of reach."
Gu Jingang scoffed dismissively.
"An inner core? If you encountered a demon beast with an inner core, Gu Changming, it would take you all just to fill the gaps between its teeth."
Gu Changming chuckled helplessly.
"Fair enough. We were lucky to find this mixed-blood demon wolf. Once we've reaped all it has to offer, Gu's Manor will grow stronger, and we'll be better prepared to confront the Black Sand Gang!"
"These past years, the Black Sand Gang has grown bolder and more reckless, flaunting their strength. Their behavior used to be tolerable, but lately, it's become intolerable!"
At the mention of the Black Sand Gang, both men's expressions darkened.
Gu Jingang growled:
"If I break through to the Bone Refining Realm, the first thing I'll do is crush that bastard Zhao Honglie!"
Zhao Honglie was the leader of the Black Sand Gang.
A flicker of light passed through Gu Changming's eyes.
"What's the situation with the Li family fortress?"
"Same as before—those cowards refuse to join forces with us."
"No rush. Take it slow."
...
The following day.
Perhaps out of his eagerness to learn archery from Gu Erniu, Gu Sheng worked with unusual efficiency today. By an hour before sunset, he had already completed his tasks.
He collected ten Copper Coins from Gu He.
Then hurriedly headed to the forest, where he and Gu Erniu had agreed to meet the day before.
Soon.
Gu Erniu's figure appeared in the distance. Today, he carried a quiver on his back and a hunting bow in hand. His gaze was sharp, and his aura commanding.
Seeing Gu Sheng finish work so early, a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes. He didn't say much, however, and got straight to the point.
"Learning archery is no easy task; otherwise, the government wouldn't have banned crossbows but not bows. Brother Erniu will teach you to the best of my ability, but whether you can succeed depends on your talent and diligence."
"To start learning archery, you need a bow. This bow here is one I used in the past. With your strength, after some training, you should be able to draw it."
Gu Erniu handed over an old hunting bow. The wood grain of its body was worn smooth, a testament to its long usage. Sharp blades were fixed on both ends of the bow.
Hunters needed not only to master archery but also to be somewhat skilled in close combat.
"The first step in archery is drawing the bow!"
"Only when you can steadily draw the bowstring can you shoot arrows stably, with power and speed!"
"Your daily wood-chopping work has built up your arm strength considerably. You can draw this bow, but keep in mind—you need to pull it steadily."
Gu Sheng nodded thoughtfully.
As he tried drawing the bow, he felt resistance at half-pull. Though he could fully draw it, he couldn't maintain the position for long.
"This is a one-stone bow. Once you can fully draw it to the full moon position a hundred times without gasping for breath, you can upgrade to a stronger bow. For now, this bow is sufficient for hunting ordinary animals, as long as you avoid provoking demon beasts."
Gu Erniu went on.
"After learning to draw the bow comes aiming. Aiming sounds simple, but it's actually very difficult. Most people can't hit their target even with a bow in hand. It's a matter of posture and vision."
"Firing at moving targets aside, for stationary shooting, your legs must stay steady, shoulders level, arms straight, and eyes focused. Only when your eyes, hands, and mind work as one can you shoot quickly and accurately."
As he spoke, Gu Erniu bent his bow, nocked an arrow, and loosed it with practiced ease.
Whoosh!
The arrow pierced through the air with a faint whistle and struck the heart of a distant tree, embedding itself deep into the trunk. The white-feathered tail of the arrow trembled as it quivered in place.
Gu Erniu chuckled proudly.
"Your Brother Erniu has practiced archery for ten years. I can hit a running hare from fifty meters away—one of the best hunters in these parts. Otherwise, your sister-in-law wouldn't have agreed to marry me back then!"