Bai Ri

"Caw... caw..."

The cry of some unknown monstrous bird echoed through the forest.

The dense woodland, with countless branches tangled overhead, resembled Fierce Ghosts that hooked souls and seized spirits. Tiger Head Mountain, shrouded in darkness, was steeped in an indescribably eerie atmosphere.

Yet even at the foot of the mountain, the forest was already so thick it felt suffocating.

Where Lin Yin had stopped, figures suddenly darted out one after another as the leaves rustled.

"You little brat... you run pretty fast!"

"Not a puppet. Might be some reckless newbie."

They spoke over one another, making it all sound unfathomably impressive.

The leader was a tall man, and the massive saber on his back, nearly as tall as he was, was especially eye-catching. He swept his gaze over the even denser forest ahead, hesitation on his face.

At last, as though he had made some decision, he waved his hand. The black-clad men who had gathered around scattered once more.

Strangely, they scattered in the direction of the foot of the mountain. Not one of them dared run toward the summit.

At the foot of Tiger Head Mountain.

After circling around and sprinting toward Langshi Town, Lin Yin glanced back at Tiger Head Mountain, sprawled there like some colossal beast, his heart still pounding with lingering fear.

Lin Yin had not actually seen anything, but that faint yet unusual disturbance alone had set alarm bells ringing in his mind.

"I clearly already took a detour..."

Thinking of the prey he had spotted in the mountains, though he longed for it desperately, he had not dared loose a single arrow.

He did not dare gamble.

After all, he had witnessed hunters being slaughtered twice in a row. How could he risk himself?

After taking a turn around Langshi Town and hiding his outfit, bow and crossbow, Lin Yin sprinted toward home.

The next day.

The sky had only just begun to brighten.

After finishing the steamed buns and rice porridge his mother had prepared, Lin Yin headed out.

He glanced in the direction of Fist Manor, then turned and walked out of town.

Once outside town, Lin Yin had changed into a different outfit. Grayish-brown linen cloth wrapped around his head and face, while a bow and crossbow and a quiver hung on his back.

After walking along the outskirts of town and making sure no one was following him, Lin Yin followed several hunters up Tiger Head Mountain.

Unlike the eerie Tiger Head Mountain at night, the dense forest was lightly misted during the day. Lin Yin did not venture deep inside, only wandering around the outer edge of the foothills.

Now and then, he could hear the excited shouts of hunters in the woods, even the roars of Wild Game. Though the commotion was loud, it gave Lin Yin a different kind of reassurance.

From now on... I can only go up the mountain during the day!

Making the decision in secret, Lin Yin's steps grew lighter and quicker.

Whoosh, whoosh...

Perhaps good fortune always came when one was happy and relaxed.

Before long, movement came from the bushes ahead, immediately drawing Lin Yin's attention.

A plump figure flashed through the corner of his eye. Lin Yin drew his bow and nocked an arrow, the shaft in his hand vanishing like a bolt of lightning.

"Eek—"

A shrill cry echoed through the woods.

A hit on the first shot!

Lin Yin was delighted, but before he could inspect the prey, another rabbit suddenly shot out of the bushes.

This plump rabbit fled in blind panic, its bloated body displaying astonishing speed.

Lin Yin abruptly halted mid-step, and the arrow he had just drawn shot forth again.

The arrow buried itself deep in the soil!

He missed!

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He fired another arrow!

Lin Yin's arrows flew with incredible speed, one after another. Amid the dense forest, only the whoosh, whoosh of arrows tearing through the air could be heard. The next moment, the wild rabbit that had not run far wailed and collapsed in the bushes.

With one glance, he saw arrows embedded one after another along the path the wild rabbit had taken.

Had any Hunter been present, they would surely have been struck with terror.

Lin Yin's arrows were not only unimaginably fast—the truly frightening thing was their accuracy!

Fresh red blood stained the bulging cloth sack. Humming a little tune, Lin Yin was in an exceptionally good mood.

On his first hunt, he had already gained a great deal. The game in his cloth sack alone was enough to provide meat for the next two days, with some left over.

"No wonder the hunters of Langshi Town are sturdier than the next, nothing like farmers or tailors. Tiger Head Mountain may be thick with forests and steep peaks, but isn't this number of prey a little too much?"

Both excited and faintly puzzled, Lin Yin thought of how much he had spent on meat these past days and could not help feeling a twinge of pain.

If he had known there was so much prey even at the foot of Tiger Head Mountain, he would have gone up the mountain long ago no matter what.

But when he recalled what he had seen on the mountain before, Lin Yin's heart tightened again.

"I must not slack off. Right now, I need to bring the Golden Bell Shield to Minor Accomplishment as soon as possible."

Casting aside his jumbled thoughts, Lin Yin pondered in silence.

Whenever life grew too comfortable, he reminded himself to stay alert.

This world would only grow more chaotic. He could not let its surface peace deceive him.

"Golden Bell Shield..."

Because he had previously read through the Golden Bell Shield secret manual in its entirety, the Heaven Rewards Diligence Destiny had even allowed him to directly gain an entry-level grasp of it.

He knew the Golden Bell Shield had a special training method. It was rather unconventional, but its effects were outstanding—and it involved Beast Blood.

To hasten his progress, Lin Yin decided to blaze a different trail.

The entry-level Golden Bell Shield, paired with Qi, was already remarkably effective. If the Golden Bell Shield also reached Minor Accomplishment, Lin Yin reckoned his Qi and Blood and endurance would rise to a whole new level.

Perhaps he could truly become impervious to blades and spears...

When he returned home, Mother Madam Wang froze at the sight of Lin Yin and the prey in his hands. Once she recovered, surprise flashed across her face, only to be replaced by a trace of worry. She looked as if she wanted to speak but held herself back.

"Mother, what is it?"

Lin Yin was curious why his mother was acting this way.

"Yin'er, did you get these prey from Tiger Head Mountain?"

Madam Wang stared hard into Lin Yin's eyes, her expression exceptionally grave.

Puzzled by her reaction, Lin Yin nodded.

A look of lingering fear immediately appeared on Madam Wang's face.

"Yin'er, many terrible rumors have been spreading about Tiger Head Mountain recently..."

"Don't worry, Mother. I only roam around the foothills and never go deep inside. Besides... your child has made some small achievements in Martial Arts Practice lately, so I have something to rely on."

After considering it carefully, Lin Yin decided to reveal a little of his recent progress to reassure her.

"Some small achievements..."

Madam Wang's eyes widened. The worry on her face faded, replaced by delight.

She nodded quickly without asking further questions, grabbed the game, and hurried off to the back kitchen to clean it.

"Oh, right, Mother... should the Beast Blood be stored separately?"

Watching his mother's slightly lighter steps, Lin Yin knew that although she appeared calm, her heart was leaping with joy. His own mood improved as well.

No matter what, Martial Artists were no ordinary people in the eyes of common folk, let alone since his father had been a Martial Master.

Old Mother must have witnessed Father's prowess before, which was why she had finally set her mind at ease.

Even so, Lin Yin would not let down his guard.

Whatever was happening on Tiger Head Mountain, he would not involve himself in it.

Hunting was only a measure born of necessity. Once his martial path rose to a new level, Lin Yin would certainly find another way.

For example... Great Medicine!

Lin Yin recalled the medicine his father Lin Shan had left behind, and then, for no apparent reason, remembered that section of Withered Vine he had taken from Li Sihhu.

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