Temporary Residence

The biting mountain wind cut across the main road like a knife, whipping up snow from the ground and stinging his face. Li Bufan tightened his leather jacket, adjusted the newly issued Standard Longbow on his back, and listened to the faint clatter of twenty Armor-Piercing Arrows in his quiver with each step. Following the snow-covered, barely discernible road, he once again stepped into the territory of the Cloud Dusk Mountain Range.

The deeper he went, the rarer human traces became. The main road gradually vanished under the snow, leaving only faint, blurred paths trodden by hunters and herb gatherers. Surrounding him was an endless expanse of white snow and silent withered forests, as if he were the only soul left between heaven and earth, accompanied only by the howling wind.

"I must find a safe shelter before dark." Li Bufan glanced at the sky. The leaden gray clouds hung low, foretelling an even colder night. The mountains were no place like home; the night's cold could be lethal, and it was also the time when Fierce Beasts roamed and hunted, far more dangerous than the day.

Several possible locations flashed through his mind, and he settled on one—the old campsite chosen by the Lin family's Young Miss, Lin Zhiyan, during the last Winter Hunt.

That spot was near a mountain pass, relatively high with a wide view, effectively preventing a siege from a Beast Swarm from all directions. Moreover, there was a large, relatively flat clearing and several naturally formed caves of varying sizes under the cliff face—an ideal spot for the Lin Family Guards to set up camp. Though the camp had since been dismantled, the remnants remained, and the caves were ready-made shelters.

"There it is!" Li Bufan made up his mind, oriented himself, left the main road, and trudged through the deep snow toward the remembered campsite.

After breaking through to Grand Completion of Skin Refining, his physical condition had improved further. Greater strength, steadier steps, and longer endurance. Learning Spirit Monkey Three Leaps had also made his footwork more agile. Despite the deep snow, each step was firm and powerful, and his pace was not slow. Vigorous blood and qi surged within him, radiating waves of heat to ward off the bitter cold, making the icy wilderness bearable. He silently felt the coursing blood and qi, as if countless tiny warm currents stirred beneath his skin.

About half an hour later, the familiar clearing came into view.

Remnants of campfire ashes, holes and broken wood from pitched tents, and scattered, frozen-hard animal bones silently testified to the recent bustle. Now, everything was covered in a fresh layer of snow, eerily quiet and desolate.

Li Bufan didn't linger in the clearing. His target was the caves. He carefully examined the several caves under the cliff. Most were shallow or had openings too wide to block the wind and snow.

Finally, his gaze settled on a cave on the eastern side. Its entrance was small, just enough for one person to stoop and enter, but a few naturally protruding rocks formed a simple barrier that could block most wind, snow, and sight. There were no signs of large beasts frequenting the entrance—no claw marks, fur, or rank odors.

"This is it," Li Bufan thought to himself. He drew his waist knife, approached the entrance cautiously, listened for a moment, then tossed a stone inside to test it. Confirming no other creature was holed up inside, he ducked and crawled in.

The cave was deeper and more spacious than expected. About ten feet in, he could stand upright. The space was roughly twenty to thirty feet across, with relatively flat, dry ground. Piles of dry branches and hay in the corners seemed left by previous users. Though a faint mix of earthy and musty smells hung in the air, there was no stench, and ventilation was adequate.

Best of all, deep in the cave, a tiny crack between the rocks let in faint light and air, preventing a completely sealed, suffocating feel.

Li Bufan set down his bow and pack, carefully inspected the cave inside and out, and especially confirmed the ceiling was solid with no risk of collapse.

"This is it," he let out a long breath, a hint of calm in his voice. "If nothing unexpected happens, I'll be spending the next half month or so here."

This would be his temporary base for hunting in the mountains, a shelter from wind and snow, a place to rest at night, and a spot to digest his gains.

With the shelter chosen, the next step was settling in. He first cleared the dry branches and hay from the corner, spreading them out to form a simple bed. Then he stepped out, gathered more dry branches and flammable pine needles nearby, and carried them back inside to stack—fuel for future fires to keep warm and cook food.

By the time he finished, the sky was already darkening. Night fell early in the mountains.

Li Bufan wasted no time. Inside the cave entrance, in a spot sheltered from the wind, he carefully lit a small campfire with a fire starter. Orange flames leaped up, quickly dispelling the cave's darkness and chill, bringing warmth, light, and a sense of security.

He placed his water pouch near the fire to keep it from freezing. Then from his pack, he took out the frozen-hard dry rations prepared before departure—a few coarse flatbreads and a small piece of salted meat—skewered them on a branch, and roasted them slowly by the fire.

Soon, the aroma of food mixed with the unique scent of burning pine branches filled the cave. Sipping hot water, gnawing on the crispy-on-the-outside, tender-inside flatbreads and salted meat, listening to the wind howling outside, Li Bufan felt a strange tranquility.

This was the path he had chosen. Lonely, harsh, dangerous, but full of autonomy and hope.

After the simple meal, he didn't rest immediately. Instead, by the firelight, he took out the Herbal Compendium again and studied it carefully. Since he was in the mountains, the ability to identify Medicinal Herbs was crucial. Perhaps tomorrow, he would put it to use.

[Heaven Rewards Diligence] silently activated. The knowledge in the book flowed like a trickling stream into his mind. Not just the Herbal Compendium, but during the day's travel, he had also been mentally refining the power techniques of the long-practiced Mighty Ox Fist and the footwork essentials of Spirit Monkey Three Leaps. Now, in the stillness, reflecting on them brought new insights. He could feel the thin barrier blocking Spirit Monkey Three Leaps from reaching Minor Success growing thinner.

Mighty Ox Fist, Grand Completion (6957/); Spirit Monkey Three Leaps, Initiation (498/500); Archery, Proficient (480/1000); Herbal Compendium, Proficient (395/1000)

After an unknown stretch of time, as the fire dwindled and the wind outside seemed to ease, a hint of drowsiness crept in. He added a few thick, slow-burning logs to ensure the fire lasted until the small hours, placed his waist knife within easy reach, wrapped his leather jacket tightly, and leaned back against the cold stone wall to sleep fully clothed.

Outside was a frozen, thousand-mile world of bitter cold, occasionally pierced by the long howls of unknown beasts, adding to the terror. But inside, the dancing flames illuminated his young but resolute face. The warm fire, the steel knife at hand, and the surging blood and qi within him together formed his first line of defense in this harsh environment.

He didn't sleep deeply that night. A Warrior's instinct kept him alert to sounds outside. Yet within that vigilance was a grounded sense of controlling his own fate.

When the first faint rays of dawn filtered through the cave's rock crevices, Li Bufan's eyes snapped open. There was no trace of sleepiness, only sharpness and clarity. A full night's rest left his blood and qi abundant, his spirit high. The fatigue from yesterday's travel was completely gone; his condition was at its peak.

A new day had begun. The hunt was officially starting.

He quickly rose, stretched his slightly stiff body, felt the solid strength brought by Grand Completion of Skin Refining, checked his gear—especially the bowstring's resilience and the arrows' integrity—then thoroughly extinguished and buried the fire to avoid leaving obvious smoke traces.

Stepping out of the cave, the crisp, cold air filled his lungs. Gazing out, the mountains stood majestic, covered in white snow—a pure, magnificent northern landscape.

But Li Bufan knew that beneath this grandeur lay endless danger and opportunity. He took a deep breath of the icy air, gripped the Hardwood Longbow tightly, and let his fingers brush the cold fletching. The key points of [Archery] flowed through his mind. His gaze was as sharp as a hawk's, scanning the snowy ground, missing not a single trace.

"Where will the first Snow Fox be?" he murmured to himself, his figure merging into the vast snowy scene as the true hunt began.