Blocking Arrows with Arrows

Seeing this, Zhao Qiao and Zhuang Yi hurriedly put away their arrows.

Chen Sanshi calmly began his posture training, combining it with a breathing technique, and thrust his Plum Blossom Iron Spear at the Black Bear, using the force of its resistance to simulate combat.

It had to be said, the strength of ferocious beasts like Black Bears was astonishing.

Even when heavily wounded, their paw strikes carried over a thousand jin of force, and their charges were even heavier, reaching several thousand jin.

Even with Chen Sanshi's exponentially increased strength after training, he was pushed back repeatedly by the immense force upon direct contact. Coupled with the stamina drain from his spear techniques, he was soon covered in sweat.

However, at the same time, his proficiency was also increasing at an extremely rapid pace.

As more and more bloody holes appeared on its body, the Black Bear's attacks became so sluggish that he didn't even need to dodge. Seeing it was about to die from excessive blood loss, Chen Sanshi drove his spear straight through its eye socket and out the back of its skull, piercing it through and ending its life.

"Boom—"

The heavy body fell to the ground, completely lifeless.

Technique: Basic Soldier Spear Technique (Uninitiated)

Progress: (47/100)

Effect: None. In such a short time, it had gained nearly ten points of progress, indicating excellent efficacy.

Unfortunately, it wasn't always possible to have such a convenient practice target.

"Hoo..."

Chen Sanshi planted his iron spear into the ground and took a deep breath to calm his body.

After a long while, Wu Da and the others finally approached, looking somewhat dumbfounded.

Even with its excessive blood loss and slowed movements, that Black Bear was definitely not something an ordinary person could contend with.

Was this the difference between a martial artist and an ordinary person?

Zhao Qiao, in particular, couldn't imagine that just over half a month ago, this person had approached him asking to bring children to Erchong Mountain, and now he had become much stronger than any of them.

"Uncle Zhao, Wu Da."

Chen Sanshi said, "Please work hard and chop some sturdy wood to make a stretcher. We'll carry the bear back together."

Zhao Qiao and the other two didn't move immediately. They stood in place, looking at him with some embarrassment on their faces.

"Little... Little Stone."

Finally, Zhao Qiao spoke, "Can we take... half a share?"

In cooperative hunts, the spoils were naturally divided among the participants.

But they had truly been... useless!

From the very beginning, it was Chen Sanshi who found the Black Bear's habitat.

Moreover, they had their lives saved by him.

If Chen Sanshi hadn't been here today, the three of them would likely have been dead or injured.

Conversely, even without them, Chen Sanshi could have eventually worn down the Black Bear with his speed and the Heavy Bow, albeit taking more time.

However, they had just paid their taxes and were so poor they could barely afford to eat. This trip had also cost them a lot in bait. Returning empty-handed would be... difficult to accept.

Of course, if Chen Sanshi truly refused, they could only accept it.

Under their anxious gazes, the spear-wielding youth in the setting sun revealed a brilliant smile: "Uncle Zhao, what are you talking about? Half a share is too little. It should be at least two shares each?"

"Ah?"

"No, no, no, no!"

Zhao Qiao and the others almost thought they had misheard.

How could they possibly deserve so much?

They were too embarrassed to even accept it if he offered!

After much heated refusal, Zhao Qiao and Zhuang Yi insisted on taking at most half a share. Wu Da had considered taking one share, but after Zhao Qiao glared at him, he obediently agreed to take half a share as well.

Chen Sanshi didn't insist further.

He knew they felt awkward, and it was only natural for those who worked harder to receive more.

Besides, a bear weighing seven hundred jin, along with valuable parts like the paws, could sell for at least fifty taels. Half a share would still be over two taels of silver.

In normal times, that would be equivalent to hunting over twenty rabbits, so it wasn't like they had run for nothing.

Chen Sanshi didn't feel any heartache about it.

After all, before coming, he wasn't sure if he could handle a Black Bear alone, so he had partnered up for safety.

Since he had made that choice, he wouldn't regret it.

At worst, once he understood his own strength, he would hunt alone in the future.

"Brother Shi, you're my real brother from now on!"

Wu Da grinned, the scar on his face looking particularly fierce.

The group quickly cut down some wooden poles, tied them with rope, and hoisted the large Black Bear onto their shoulders, heading back.

As they passed by a stream in the valley.

The hunting dog started barking "Woof woof woof" at the opposite bank.

Focusing their gaze, they saw two young men in long robes, looking at the Black Bear on their shoulders from a distance, their faces full of displeasure.

Chen Sanshi immediately recognized them.

More than half a month ago, it was these two who had tricked Shunzi into repairing the canal!

After the incident, he had secretly inquired about these two.

One was named Li Hao, and the other Zhang Chao. Both were from the Tailei Martial Arts School, but they were merely handyman disciples, not even as good as outer disciples.

After years of study, they might not even get a breathing technique or cultivate qi and blood.

He never expected to see them again.

"Woof woof woof—"

As if sensing their malice, the hunting dog's barks grew louder.

"Little Blackie, stop barking!"

Zhuang Yi quickly covered the dog's mouth, "Don't provoke them."

"What are you afraid of? We didn't fight them on the other side..."

Wu Da hadn't finished speaking.

When he saw one of the youths nocking an arrow and drawing his bow on the spot, "You damn beast, how dare you bark at grandpa?!"

Although he claimed he was going to shoot the dog, the arrow was clearly aimed at a person.

A willow leaf arrow whizzed towards Zhuang Yi.

The two sides were only about forty to fifty paces apart, and a Four-force bow was more than enough to kill someone!

The arrow rapidly enlarged in Zhuang Yi's pupils. His legs went weak, and his heart turned cold.

In a flash, another wolf-fang arrow flew in from the side, precisely intercepting the willow leaf arrow and breaking it in half!

An arrow blocking an arrow!

"What?!"

Zhang Chao's eyeballs nearly popped out.

A moving target, such a small point, and in such a short time.

How... how was that possible?!

"A border army's Two-stone heavy bow?"

Li Hao's face turned grim, "It... it was you?"

They both recognized Chen Sanshi.

"How did this guy become a soldier?"

"Let's go!"

Li and Zhang exchanged a glance and, in tacit understanding, fled in a panic, not even giving Chen Sanshi a chance to speak. Only after they were far away did they shout threats, "You just wait!"

"Cowards who bully the weak."

Chen Sanshi no longer needed to fear them.

After all, they were inferior to even Qin Feng.

From the moment the opponent shot the arrow to being scared away by Chen Sanshi, the entire process took only a few seconds.

It took Wu Da and the other two quite some time to realize what had just happened.

"Brother Chen..."

Zhuang Yi's voice was still trembling, "You saved my life. I... I..."

He stammered, unsure how to express his gratitude.

"It's nothing."

Chen Sanshi said calmly, "If I hadn't retaliated, their next arrow would have been aimed at me."

Even handyman disciples from a martial arts school dared to act so arrogantly.

It seemed he had to compete for this military official position!

If he had the protection of a military official identity, that arrow he shot wouldn't have been an arrow blocking an arrow, but an arrow taking a life!

"Let's go down the mountain."

With the danger averted, the group, carrying the Black Bear, headed back.

The county town was still under martial law. They didn't know where that Barbarian was hiding that they still hadn't found him.

It was pretty much as Chen Sanshi had predicted.

The Black Bear was valued at fifty-one taels in total.

The others each received over two taels and five qian of silver.

Chen Sanshi kept the Bear Heart, valued at twenty taels, and didn't sell it. He also kept thirty jin of bear meat, finally receiving twenty taels of Silver Flakes.

"This should be enough for a while."

With the Bear Heart wrapped in lotus leaves and still warm, Chen Sanshi couldn't wait to rush home.

The Bear Heart was a great tonic, and it would surely greatly benefit his recent deficiency in qi and blood.