Fur Merchant

Instantly, vast archery experience flooded Chu Ning's mind.

Chu Ning felt as if he saw himself drawing and shooting arrows thousands of times, his fingers worn raw by the bowstring, bloody and mangled, enduring the wind and sun, practicing tirelessly.

In the wilderness, in the wind and snow, under the scorching sun, he adjusted his breathing again and again, overcoming his trembling arms.

He saw himself standing on a cliff edge, facing a raging storm, shooting an arrow that pierced a dead tree a hundred meters away; he also saw himself in the midst of a stampeding beast horde, steady as a rock, hitting every shot!

His consciousness returned, and he slowly opened his eyes, his gaze as sharp as an eagle's.

Chu Ning took a deep breath, looked up at the target, and slowly ran his palm over the bow, feeling that long-lost yet incredibly familiar power.

The wind picked up, rustling the leaves.

He drew his bow and nocked an arrow, his expression as calm as still water, his movements fluid and precise.

The arrow was on the string, poised like a swimming dragon!

The next moment, the bowstring vibrated, and the sound of the arrow breaking through the air suddenly erupted.

Swish!

The arrow streaked like lightning, firmly hitting the bullseye.

"This is true archery!"

Before the morning mist had dispersed, Chu Ning was already heading into the mountains, treading on dew.

The cold in the forest was bone-chilling, yet he wore only a thin cloth garment, his back faintly emitting a cold, stone-like glow.

After achieving minor success with the Rough Stone Hardening Technique, ordinary cold could no longer penetrate his body.

He reached back and took the longbow from his back, his fingertips caressing the bow. The entire bow was black, its string like silver thread. It was bought by his father from the county blacksmith shop when he was alive, boasting a draw weight of three hundred jin. Yet, in his hands, it felt as light as nothing.

After pre-emptively receiving the archery techniques, Chu Ning's senses had become even more acute. He closed his eyes and concentrated, the sounds of the wind suddenly becoming clear: the rustling of dead leaves falling, the slight tremor of a sparrow's wings, even the minute sound of a snow fox licking its paw a hundred paces away.

He suddenly opened his eyes, a sharp glint like electricity in his pupils.

Nocking the arrow, drawing the bow!

"Swoosh—"

The arrow cut through the air, piercing through three layers of bushes, and precisely lodged itself in the snow fox's throat. The creature didn't even have time to whimper before it collapsed, its pure white fur unstained by a drop of blood.

"Seventh one." Chu Ning reined in his bow and stepped forward, lifting the snow fox by its scruff. The fur felt warm and smooth like jade in his hand, a prized possession for officials and nobles during the harsh winter.

"Now I can afford to hire a physician for Elder Sister's illness, and also repair the house."

The corners of his mouth curved upwards as he stuffed the prey into the sack. The sack was already bulging, containing not only the snow fox but also two silver martens and three fire fox pelts, all killed with a single arrow to the throat.

"Zhao Ji's South City shop? That old coffin-dweller only scams newcomers!"

The sneer of the restaurant employee when he sold the wild boar yesterday echoed in his mind. Chu Ning sneered and shouldered the sack, entering the East Market. This place was a stark contrast to the extravagance of the West Market restaurants. On the stone-paved road flowing with sewage, the vendors on both sides hawked their wares with hoarse voices like broken gongs.

Laborers in rough cloth tunics, old women carrying baskets to sell wilted vegetables – all manner of people, their backs bent by the hardships of the world.

A beggar huddled against the wall gnawing on a bran cake, shrinking into a ball and trembling as a martial artist with a saber passed by.

Chu Ning kept his gaze straight ahead, walking directly towards the fur shop at the innermost side.

The shop owner was a thin, dried-up old man, squinting as he fiddled with an abacus. Seeing Chu Ning unload the sack, he lazily lifted his eyelids, "Rabbit pelts, three wen each, pheasant..."

His voice abruptly cut off.

The sack was tipped over, and the snow fox and silver martens rolled onto the counter, their fur emitting a faint glow in the dim light. The old man's throat bobbed, his withered hand trembling as he touched the arrow hole on the snow fox's neck, exclaiming in disbelief, "An arrow through the throat? This, this technique..."

"Name your price." Chu Ning stood with his arms crossed, his peripheral vision scanning the street outside. Several martial artists with sabers were riding their horses through the market, their hooves splashing mud onto the old vegetable vendor.

The old man swallowed, a flash of greed in his eyes quickly disappearing, "Snow fox pelt, five taels; silver marten, four taels; fire fox..."

"Farewell." Chu Ning sneered and bent down to gather the pelts.

The old man hurriedly grabbed his sleeve, but Chu Ning countered by gripping his wrist bone, causing the old man to yelp in pain.

"Snow fox is ten taels on the market, silver marten is eight taels." Chu Ning shook off his hand and hoisted the sack onto his shoulder. "Zhao Ji's fur shop in South City isn't as black-hearted as you are."

The old man's face turned red. Just as he was about to retort, he heard a light laugh from behind him, "Young man, you have quite a temper."

In the shadow of the doorway, a man in brocade robes leaned against the doorframe, his thumb grinding a jade thumb ring with a creaking sound. The calluses on the back of his hand were like knife cuts, indicating he was clearly skilled with a saber.

Chu Ning took half a step back, his knuckles subtly brushing against the short blade at his waist.

The man in brocade robes strode forward, his thumb ring grazing the snow fox's arrow wound, "Skinning alive is a craftsman's work. Your arrow pierced three inches deep, severing tendons without damaging the skin." He suddenly moved closer, the calluses on his tiger's mouth brushing against Chu Ning's hand, "Qingyang County can't hide someone with hands like these. Kid, have you killed someone before?"

Chu Ning shook off the old man's hand and hoisted the sack onto his shoulder, "Who are you? Buying pelts, or buying a life?"

"My surname is Shen, given name Yan." The man cupped his hands and smiled. "I do some fur business, and occasionally help noble patrons find rare items." He suddenly lowered his voice, "For example... an Azure-Eyed Snow Fox."

Chu Ning's heart jolted.

The Azure-Eyed Snow Fox was a legendary spirit beast. Its eyes could be used in medicine to prolong life, and its fur was impervious to water and fire. Three months ago, the prefectural government had offered a reward of a thousand gold taels, attracting countless martial artists into the mountains to search, but none had succeeded.

"What you hunted today is merely an ordinary specimen, but this archery skill..." Shen Yan's gaze was intense, "is worth a gamble for Shen."

Shen Yan laughed heartily, pulling a bag of silver ingots from his sleeve. "Snow fox, ten taels; silver marten, eight taels! If you can supply high-quality goods monthly, the price will double!" He threw out a contract, next to the official seal, a private mark of the "Wang" family was clearly branded.

Chu Ning's pupils contracted sharply.

The Wang Family, the creditors who forced his father to his death, a deeply entrenched aristocratic family in the county.

He clenched his fist tightly, his knuckles cracking. The scarred man's sinister laughter echoed in his ears again, "Four taels of silver? The money from selling your sister isn't worth that much..."

Chu Ning picked up the contract and examined it closely. The terms were clear, with no traps whatsoever.

He pondered for a moment. Hunting was his main source of income currently, and a stable, high-paying buyer would clearly allow him to gain more profit.

The autumn wind, carrying dead leaves, swept into the shop. The fur of the snow fox in the sack trembled slightly, as if urging him to make a decision. Shen Yan wasn't in a hurry. He poured himself a cup of cold tea, his hand steady as he held the cup.

"Cash payment, no credit, no debt." Chu Ning pressed his seal. The money bag felt as heavy as a lump of iron in his hand.

Shen Yan clapped his hands. "Decisive!"

The old man had already slumped to the ground, drenched in cold sweat.

Chu Ning glanced at the money bag, then suddenly sneered, "Boss Shen isn't afraid of losing everything?"

"The greater the risk, the higher the reward." Shen Yan stroked his thumb ring, his smile deepening. "There have been sightings of Azure-Eyed Snow Foxes in North Mountain three days from now. If Young Hero is interested..."

"Not interested." Chu Ning turned and disappeared into the crowd.

Chu Ning wasn't entirely unmoved by Shen Yan's mention of the "Azure-Eyed Snow Fox" clue. However, the glaring brand of the Wang Family's private mark made him instinctively wary. To scheme with a tiger, one must first conceal their throat.

Shen Yan's smile was like a viper's flicking tongue. Chu Ning tightened his grip on the money bag. In this world, where did goodwill come from without reason? But for now, he needed money, and even more, he needed a blade.

Chu Ning gripped his bow, blood churning in his throat, but he ultimately lowered his head and hurried away.

Although the Wang Family's debt was temporarily settled, becoming a ranked martial artist remained a sword hanging over his head. Once he repaid the price for the "Hundred Steps Penetrating Willow," he would then pre-emptively learn a saber technique.