Basic Archery

When he finished loading the arrows into the quiver, he saw Luo Xi walking out of the door, just waking up.

Watching his younger sister stumble around groggily, he took out a few Black Rice Balls and handed them to Luo Xi, saying, "Xiao Xi, you didn't eat lunch, right? You must be hungry. I found these dough balls under the stove—eat up quickly."

Luo Xi didn't reach out to take the Black Rice Ball. Instead, she looked at the bow and arrows slung across Luo Yi's back.

Tears instantly welled up in her clear eyes.

"Brother, promise me, okay? Don't go into the mountains looking for Father anymore. I've already lost him—I can't lose you too."

Seeing his sister's tear-streaked face, Luo Yi reached out and ruffled her head.

"Don't worry, Xiao Xi. Brother won't leave you."

"All we have left at home now is the Black Dough you hid earlier. It'll run out sooner or later. I'm practicing archery so that one day I can go into the mountains and hunt for food."

Hearing her brother explain that practicing archery wasn't about searching for their father in the mountains, Luo Xi finally relaxed.

She reached out, took the Black Rice Ball he offered, and began eating it in small bites.

After calming his sister down, feeling the ache in his arm muscles, he didn't dare continue practicing archery that night.

He went back inside, found an empty spot on the floor, and lay down, planning to rest early and save his strength so he could get up early tomorrow to practice "Basic Archery."

Now that his body was healthy again, Luo Yi, a modern man, tossed and turned on the hard dirt floor, unable to fall asleep.

Moonlight streamed through the roof, shining on his face as he looked up at the large hole someone had smashed in the ceiling with a stone.

Whether it was improving the living conditions for him and Xiao Xi or continuing to train in martial arts, both would require a lot of money. The thought of making money kept swirling in Luo Yi's mind.

"Soap? Glass? High-proof liquor?" Images flashed through his mind—the classic money-making tricks for someone transported to ancient times.

But in this world where strength reigned supreme, with his current power, inventing these things would only benefit others.

Luo Yi clenched his fist. With the system panel, he believed that one day he would become strong.

The next morning, Luo Yi was woken from his sleep by the sound of arguing outside the door.

His Second Uncle, Luo Wei, pounded on the door and shouted, "Luo Xi, now that your father and brother are gone, Mister Li is willing to take you as his Thirty-fifth Concubine. That's your good fortune."

"Once you move into the Li Family, you'll enjoy endless wealth and luxury. You'll never have to live this miserable life again."

Hearing Luo Wei's words, Luo Xi thought of Mister Li—the town's notorious Old Lecher, over sixty years old and still wanting to marry her. She was afraid he'd drop dead from excitement.

She quickly bolted the door tight, refusing to let anyone in.

The neighbors heard Luo Wei's loud banging on the door. Knowing that Luo Wei wasn't someone they could afford to cross, they only dared to hide far away at the mouth of the alley, peeking out with their heads.

Seeing the fear in the neighbors' eyes, Luo Wei laughed arrogantly:

"Luo Xi, your father and brother are dead. The Autumn Tax deadline is at the end of the month. If you can't come up with the money by then, the tax collectors won't go easy on you."

"When you can't pay the tax and get sent to the Border Pass for hard labor, you'll come begging me."

After dropping his threat, he cursed the nosy neighbors: "A bunch of useless trash." Then Luo Wei led his gang of thugs toward the biggest Brothel in town.

Seeing that her Second Uncle Luo Wei had left, Luo Xi patted her chest and let out a heavy sigh.

Luo Yi, who had been standing at the door, watched how Luo Xi handled the situation.

He praised her, "Well done, Xiao Xi. From now on, when I'm not home, don't open the door for anyone."

Hearing her brother's praise, Luo Xi smiled happily.

The two had a simple breakfast, and Luo Yi walked into the yard.

After all the preparations, he looked at the system panel. The Basic Archery skill was only 31 points away from mastery.

Filled with motivation, he kept drawing the bow and loosing arrows. When only three arrows were left in the quiver, the system panel flashed with a skill upgrade notification.

He silently called up the panel:

Host: Luo Yi

Age: 16

Realm: Mortal

Skills: Basic Archery (Beginner 1/200)

Traits: None

With Basic Archery reaching Beginner level, Luo Yi felt a surge of heat coursing through his entire body. Hot air streamed from his nose and mouth. His height and build also changed subtly—from the frail, weak frame he'd had to a normal young man's physique.

The entire transformation lasted only two or three minutes. Luo Yi felt the heat gradually fade away.

Along with it went the lingering weakness that had plagued his body ever since the original owner was possessed by an Evil Spirit.

He picked up the bow and arrows that had fallen to the ground. The bowstring, which had once required all his strength to draw, now took only half the effort.

Feeling the improvement in his body, Luo Yi wanted to see how much his archery skill had advanced.

He drew the bow, nocked an arrow, and aimed at the scarecrow's head in the corner of the wall.

With a whoosh, the arrow struck the scarecrow's head dead center.

Worried that it was just luck, he shot the remaining two arrows from his quiver, and all three struck the scarecrow's head.

Certain that the change came from the skill upgrade, Luo Yi couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Then he opened the system panel and saw that after the skill upgrade, hitting a target's vital point now only added 1 point of proficiency.

That meant to upgrade the skill again, he would need to shoot two hundred arrows.

Given his current physical strength, he could shoot at most sixty or seventy arrows a day before his arm muscles reached their limit.

To level up the skill, it would take at least three days.

Thinking about what Luo Wei had said about the end-of-month Autumn Tax, Luo Yi's heart sank again.

In recent years, Great Qi's Autumn Tax had risen every year.

From one tael per person the year before last, to one tael and five maces last year.

This year, who knew what it would be?

With just over ten days left until the end of the month, he and his younger sister would need at least four taels of silver to be safe.

But right now, the household couldn't even scrape together a single copper coin—where would the money for the Autumn Tax come from?

He had to find a way to get money. Making up his mind, Luo Yi found his sister and instructed her.

"Xiao Xi, don't open the door for anyone except me."

With that, Luo Yi shouldered his bow and arrows and set off alone toward Yunling Mountain outside the town.

Having crossed over so long ago, this was his first time going out, and Luo Yi wanted to take in the local customs of Great Qi and see the ancient, picturesque buildings.

But the further he walked, the more disappointed he grew. In the entire town, only the Martial Arts Hall at the eastern edge, the wealthy households, and the Taoist Temple and Ancestral Hall to the south were built with blue bricks and tiles.

Most of the other villagers' homes were made of thatched straw, even worse than the place he lived in.

Walking through the town's busiest market, listening to the cries of vendors on both sides, and catching sight of steaming hot buns fresh from the basket, Luo Yi unconsciously swallowed his saliva. Feeling his empty pockets, he quickened his pace to leave the market.

Just as he stepped out, some vendors who recognized Luo Yi began whispering among themselves.

"Wasn't this guy said to have been struck by an evil spirit a few days ago? How's he recovered?"

Luo Wei, who was collecting protection money in the market with his thugs, caught the word "evil spirit" from the vendors' chatter. He grabbed the nearest vendor and demanded, "What are you talking about? What evil spirit?"

Seeing it was Luo Wei, the vendor quickly said, "Master Luo, it's your nephew Luo Yi. Wasn't he said to have been hit by an evil spirit a few days ago and bedridden?"

"He just walked through our market, carrying a hunting bow, looking full of energy."

Luo Wei listened, then threw the vendor to the ground. After questioning several more vendors and confirming his nephew was still alive, a vicious expression crossed his face.

"Good nephew, wouldn't it have been better to just go quietly and keep your father company? Why jump out and cause your Second Uncle trouble?"

With that, he gave his men a look. The thugs understood immediately and sprinted toward Luo Yi's home.