Hunting

Li Youde saw Li Xiao's eager expression and found it hard to stop him.

Besides, Li Xiao could now hit five out of ten shots within fifteen zhang. If he was lucky enough, that would be enough to bring down some prey. There was no harm in letting him try more.

"All right, go ahead. But don't go too deep into the mountains. Just try around the Back Mountain.

Don't venture too far in. The snow deep in the mountains hasn't fully melted yet."

Li Youde nodded.

Early the next morning, Li Xiao carried a basket on his back. Inside were his bow and arrows, a hoe, and several dry flatbreads.

Li Youde gave him a few worried reminders before finally watching Li Xiao head up the mountain.

The Li Family's Back Mountain was also part of the Black Wind Mountain Range, where Li Youde often hunted.

The morning mist had yet to disperse, and the forest was steeped in damp, chilling air.

Li Xiao stepped over dead branches and fallen leaves as he headed deeper into the mountains, his footsteps exceptionally light.

The outskirts of the Back Mountain in the Black Wind Mountain Range were lush with vegetation. Morning light filtered through gaps in the branches and leaves, casting mottled shadows over the ground.

He did not rush to look for prey. Instead, he first focused on examining the plants around him.

Herbal Mastery made it easier for him to gather herbs. Since he had this skill, he could not let it go to waste. Even if he failed to catch any prey, gathering more herbs would mean the trip had not been in vain.

"Hm? This is Salvia miltiorrhiza!"

Li Xiao's eyes lit up. Beneath a clump of bushes, he found several plants with oval leaves and serrated edges. Their roots were purplish red—the very medicinal herb used to invigorate the blood and dispel stasis.

He set down his basket, took out his hoe, and carefully dug into the soil, making sure not to damage the roots. He dug them out together with the surrounding dirt and placed them in the basket.

After walking only a few more steps, he spotted another flash of green beside a pile of rocks by the stream.

Acorus gramineus!

This herb grew in damp places. Its leaves were slender and swordlike, and it could clear the orifices, dispel phlegm, refresh the mind, and sharpen one's wits. Pharmacies in the city bought it eagerly.

He crouched down, gently moved aside the stones with his hands, and dug downward along the roots. Before long, he had gathered a small bundle. He tied it with dry grass and put it into his basket.

Herbal Mastery also allowed him to sense an herb's growth and age.

On a sun-facing slope, he found several Huang Qi plants with thick, dark-green leaves. Their roots were sturdy, and one glance told him they were old plants that had grown for three or four years, several times more potent than one-year-old ones.

"This is good stuff. It replenishes qi and raises yang—just right for restoring the strength spent practicing archery."

Delighted, he dug them up, carefully brushed away the dirt, and tucked them into a corner of the basket.

He walked as he dug, and the herbs in his basket gradually piled up to more than half full.

Bupleurum, Fang Feng, Polygala root, Dandelion... Every herb he recognized went into his basket one by one.

Just as he was digging with great enthusiasm, a faint rustling came from the bushes ahead.

Li Xiao immediately held his breath and took the Ox-Horn Bow from his basket.

He slowly parted the branches and leaves. A plump Wild Rabbit was crouching by the stream, drinking water. Its fur shone with oil, and it was clearly heavy with meat.

At a distance of more than ten zhang, Li Xiao was confident he could hit it.

Li Xiao quietly stepped back two paces, using a tree trunk as cover, then swiftly nocked an arrow and drew his bow.

The Wild Rabbit's outline was exceptionally clear. He aimed at the base of its front leg, and his fingertips suddenly released.

"Whoosh!" The arrow tore through the air and struck the target precisely!

Basic Archery Technique Experience points +1

The Wild Rabbit let out a miserable cry, struggled twice, then stopped moving.

Li Xiao's heart leaped with joy. He hurried over, lifted the rabbit, and weighed it in his hand. It had to be at least three or four jin.

It was not as plump as the previous one, but it was still enough for two meals and to replenish some nutrition.

He stuffed the Wild Rabbit into his basket. Looking at the herbs and prey piled inside, the corners of his mouth could not help rising.

This trip into the mountains had not only trained his archery, but also brought in so many herbs. Selling them would definitely fetch quite a bit of money.

If you think this book is good, remember to add it to your bookshelf so you don't lose it next time.

He raised his head to check the sky. The morning mist had dispersed, and the sun had climbed halfway up the heavens.

According to Old Dad's instructions, he could not go too deep into the mountains.

So he turned and headed back. Along the way, he did not forget to keep an eye out for herbs by the roadside, casually digging up several Platycodon root plants that looked particularly vigorous.

On the way down the mountain, a soft rustling came from a patch of dried thorny grass.

Li Xiao looked closely and discovered that a nest of Mountain Chickens was actually hidden in the dried Thorn Bush!

Seven or eight brightly colored Mountain Chickens huddled tightly together, their down fluffy as they clustered for warmth. They looked adorably foolish.

This was a huge haul!

Li Xiao's heart burned with excitement. He quietly set down his basket, his fingers swiftly reaching for the Ox-Horn Bow, his movements as light as a gust of wind.

The Mountain Chickens were only ten zhang away, well within the range he was confident about.

As long as he hit the leading one with an arrow, the rest would panic and scatter. Perhaps he could even loose another arrow afterward.

He held his breath, drew the bow to seven-tenths full, and aimed at one on the outer edge.

The Mountain Chicken seemed to sense something. It suddenly raised its head and stared warily in his direction!

Before Li Xiao could react, the leading Mountain Chicken let out a short cry, and the entire nest instantly exploded into chaos!

They flapped their wings, smashing into dry branches with a clatter. Their colorful bodies shot into the sky, densely sweeping overhead and stirring up a shower of fine grass scraps.

Li Xiao released his fingers, and the arrow shot out with a whoosh.

Basic Archery Technique Experience points +1

The arrow ripped through the air, but merely grazed a Mountain Chicken's tail feathers before flying past. It slammed heavily into a tree trunk opposite him, its arrow tail humming and trembling. He had missed entirely.

Li Xiao felt somewhat frustrated. Looking in the direction the Mountain Chickens had fled, he slapped his forehead.

"I was still too hasty. I didn't expect Mountain Chickens to be so alert."

Besides, his archery was not accurate enough. He had no experience at all with such nimble, moving creatures.

An experienced hunter could even predict the route a fleeing prey would take.

But on second thought, this was also a lesson from real combat.

Old Dad had said the same thing: prey would not stand still and let him shoot. Dynamic hunting was several times harder than shooting at a fixed target. Today, he had truly experienced that firsthand.

He walked over and pulled out the arrow. He found that the arrowhead had scraped off a small chip of wood, but he was not as disappointed anymore—at least he had identified his weakness. When practicing archery in the future, he needed to specifically train moving-target aim.

Just as he was about to turn around, he looked down and saw five warm Mountain Chicken eggs scattered amid the pile of dry grass in the Thorn Bush.

"At least I didn't go home empty-handed."

His eyes lit up. He quickly bent down, picked up the eggs, and carefully placed them on the dry grass lining his basket.

These Mountain Chicken eggs were more nourishing than ordinary chicken eggs. They were perfect for building up Old Dad's and Eldest Sister's health.

Li Xiao patted his basket. With the Wild Rabbit, the basket full of herbs, and these five eggs, the harvest was still plentiful.

He looked up at the sky, no longer delayed, and carried his basket swiftly down the mountain.

When he returned home, Li Youde saw what was in his basket and asked with a smile,

"Not bad harvest, huh?"

Li Xiao recounted what had happened while hunting the Mountain Chickens, his tone carrying a trace of regret.

Li Youde burst into laughter after listening. "What's there to be upset about?

Hunting is difficult to practice in the first place. The first time you encountered it, you managed to steady yourself and shoot. That's already very good."

He patted Li Xiao on the shoulder.

"The next time you encounter something like this, don't rush to loose an arrow. First predict the direction it will flee in. Leave three parts of leeway when drawing the bow, then shoot the instant it moves. Your accuracy will be much higher."

Li Xiao nodded and committed Old Dad's words to heart.

Li Xiao then skillfully took the herbs from his basket and sorted them into categories.

He understood the habits of these herbs as instinctively as breathing, and before long, they were all properly processed.

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