「Early morning.」
「Village Chief’s house.」
The Village Chief, Xing Dayi, looked at several bows hanging on the wall. Today is that Mu Guy’s first day... Which of these bows should I select for him?
Xing Dayi gazed at the first bow. It, too, had a long history: the Qingmu Bow, which he used in his younger days. The main material of the bow’s limbs was a type of wood called Qingmu, more flexible and resilient than Purple Shuo Tree wood. On the inner side hung two Fierce Beast horns—White Sheep Horns. The bowstring was made from the sinew of a beast called a Mangshan Bull; even after many years, it remained taut and glossy. The silk threads binding the bowstring to the limbs were of high-quality, corrosion-resistant silkworm silk. The entire bow had a hint of green and appeared well-maintained, its varnish giving off a slight glow.
This bow was mine when I was young. It requires the strength of at least one tiger to draw—a perfect starter for Mu Guy, the Village Chief stroked his chin, pondering for a few seconds, then glanced at the other bows.
There were two more bows. The last one had a particularly thick bowstring, and its limbs were more than twice as large as the previous two. It appeared not only big but also exuded a strong sense of power. Especially notable were the two teeth hanging on the inside. These were not the teeth of any ordinary Fierce Beast; even after being polished, they still emitted an aura of ferocity.
The second one is the Purple Shuo Bow I used as an adult. Its limbs are made of Purple Shuo Tree wood, and the bowstring is from the sinew of a Beast King from the Divine Wood Forest. To draw it, one would need the strength of at least three tigers... As for the last one, the Mountain-shattering Bow... giving it to him would be sowhat unfair. I’ll use it for the demonstration later.
The Village Chief took the three bows and three Arrow Quivers and walked outside.
At that mont, Wang Mu arrived.
After completing his Cultivation in the wee hours, Wang Mu had slept for over an hour but didn’t feel particularly tired. On the contrary, his body brimd with energy, and he was eager for so rigorous activity.
Arriving at the Village Chief’s house, Wang Mu saw the Village Chief carrying three bows and knew that today, the Village Chief probably wouldn’t be up to any tricky maneuvers. He was going to start so serious hunting instruction. His Action Points were practically screaming to be used.
"You look very spirited. Seems like you had a good rest," the Village Chief said, sizing up Wang Mu and nodding. To have such spirit and vitality the next day, after running all night yesterday, is quite an accomplishnt, he thought.
Wang Mu chuckled. He’d nearly overdone his Cultivation last night.
"Let’s go. We can talk on the way."
"Hunting with a bow and arrow isn’t really that complicated. Bows and arrows are easy to pick up, but difficult to master."
Once again, the Village Chief led Wang Mu towards the Divine Wood Forest. On the way, he briefly explained so techniques. Upon reaching the edge of the Divine Wood Forest, he finally took the bows and arrows from his back.
"Here are three bows. Which one do you want to use?" asked the Village Chief. I’ll let the lad choose first. After he struggles a bit, I’ll slowly explain the different uses of the bows.
Wang Mu glanced over and was imdiately drawn to the third bow. No other reason. Just one word: cool. It was big and thick. Rustic in design yet full of power, the grain patterns on its limbs flowed like dragons and snakes, and exquisitely carved upon it was a lifelike, fearso Flood Long.
Of course, apart from its coolness, Wang Mu gave it a bit more thought. This kind of bow must be extrely difficult to use. Wang Mu wasn’t sure of his own strength, nor did he know if he could draw it. If I choose it and then can’t draw it, that would be rather embarrassing.
"I’ll try the first one," Wang Mu decided after so thought, choosing to play it safe. The first one looks more ordinary. As a beginner, there’s no need to jump straight into the most difficult challenge. Better to get accustod to it first.
"Good!" The Village Chief nodded in approval. He has self-awareness. That’s a fine quality.
Subsequently, he gave a simple explanation of the principles behind the Qingmu Bow. "The principle of bows and arrows is actually quite simple. After understanding the structure of the bow and arrow, and making so simple calculations and perceptions, you only need three steps: nock the arrow, draw the bow, release the string."
The Village Chief picked up the Qingmu Bow, and his aura instantly changed. Just as he said: nock the arrow, draw the bow, release the string.
WHOOSH!
The sound of an arrow feather slicing through the air rang out as the sharp projectile shot forth, piercing straight through the center of a large tree!
The next mont—BOOM!
The tree instantly exploded. The impacted spot beca a gaping hole, sending wood chips flying and leaves fluttering down in disarray.
??? Wang Mu was stunned. Is this a bow and arrow or a bomb? What happened to the prey?
"You are at the preliminary stage now, and the ga in the Divine Wood Forest is too hard for you to hit with a bow and arrow," the Village Chief explained. "The ga here is extrely alert and has high evasion. They scarcely stand still long enough for you to hit them. You’re a beginner, and your Agility isn’t strong, so you need to practice your accuracy first. That way, you can hunt successfully while on the move. The first step is to be able to hit a static object precisely."
"Basically, when hunting wild beasts or Fierce Beasts, they are always in motion. Mostly you’ll have to chase the prey, drawing and shooting arrows while pursuing, which is quite difficult for you. Moreover, the prey here has imnse Life Force. If you’re even slightly lacking in strength, an arrow hit won’t stop them from escaping, so the requirents are even higher. Occasionally, if you encounter so special Fierce Beasts or rare species in the Divine Wood Forest, you might not even get close enough to touch their tails. That demands even higher Agility."
The Village Chief patted Wang Mu’s shoulder. "First, practice the basics. For example, if you can shoot a hole through a large tree with one arrow, like I did, you’ll be considered to have grasped the fundantals. Ordinary beasts won’t escape if hit by one such arrow. Once you’ve grasped the fundantals, you can practice precision."
"Like this..."
Having said that, the Village Chief drew the bow again and casually shot an arrow.
WHOOSH!
The arrow, like a flash of light, shot through the scattered leaves. It skewered several dozen of them as if they were candied haws on a stick. By the ti it landed, Wang Mu even saw an unidentified insect impaled at the very end.
That was at least a hundred ters away, Wang Mu calculated. Just a casual shot.
"Co on. I’ve already taught you the principles," the Village Chief said. "It’s your turn to try."
The Village Chief handed the Qingmu Bow to Wang Mu. "Try to get a feel for it first. This isn’t like an axe that you can just pick up and chop with. It requires adaptation; otherwise, even if you have the strength, you won’t be able to utilize it."
Wang Mu picked up the Qingmu Bow and gently drew it, imdiately reaching a full draw. ? It feels a bit light, he thought.
"Hmm, not bad. You’ve got the required strength," the Village Chief nodded in approval.
Indeed, half a year of chopping Purple Shuo Trees hadn’t been for nothing.
Taking the Arrow Quiver and slinging it on his back, Wang Mu imdiately sensed:
Cultivation: ...Hunting ( )
With the tools in hand and the Village Chief having taught him, it seems I can add points now, Wang Mu thought. He didn’t hesitate at all, directly using his Action Points.
The very next instant, all the knowledge the Village Chief had just imparted quickly filtered through his brain, assimilating comprehensively. Wang Mu nocked an arrow, continually recalling the Village Chief’s posture, not missing a single detail. It was as though he were carved from the sa mold. His gaze sharpened, as if nothing existed beyond the large tree in front of him.
Nock the arrow, draw the bow, release the string!
All in one smooth motion!
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