Silver-Crowned Snow Fox

The cold wind still howled outside the cave, but within, the embers of the campfire and Li Bufan's vigorous blood and vitality preserved a trace of warmth. When the first faint ray of dawn on the second morning shone through the cracks in the rocks, Li Bufan abruptly opened his eyes.

After a deep night's sleep, the physical and mental energy he had spent yesterday had fully recovered. Having feasted on mountain boar flesh, he even felt the blood and vitality within him surging more abundantly than before. Every limb and bone brimmed with strength; his mind was fuller than ever, his ears sharp and his eyes clear.

"Phew—" He let out a long breath of stale air, white vapor lingering in the chill air without dispersing. After briefly loosening his limbs, his joints crackled softly, brimming with power.

He swiftly rose and shifted the blockage at the cave entrance open by a sliver, warily observing the outside. Other than fresh snowfall and traces left by last night's bitter wind, there were no tracks of beasts approaching the cave. This reassured him somewhat. It seemed sealing the entrance and clearing the area in time had been the right decision.

He rubbed snow over his face, and the icy stimulation woke him completely. With cold water, he ate some reheated mountain boar meat and hard flatbread for breakfast. The faint vital essence contained in the flesh turned into a warm current once more, spreading through his body and leaving him warm all over, as if he had strength to spare.

"Today, I'll definitely hunt several more Snow Foxes!" With a clear goal, his drive soared. After packing his gear and carefully concealing the cave entrance again, Li Bufan stepped into the morning light and ventured deeper into the snowy mountains.

Today, he chose a different direction from yesterday, following an ice- and snow-covered stream valley upstream. According to scattered records in the Herbal Compendium and rumors among hunters, Snow Foxes liked feeding on Snow Berries that grew in the shaded parts of stream valleys. Perhaps he would find more traces there.

The wind was weaker in the stream valley, but the snow lay deeper, making travel quite difficult. Yet Li Bufan had reached Grand Completion of Skin Tempering, and his blood and vitality were abundant. Though he trudged through the snow one step high and one step low, he was not slow. His gaze flashed like lightning as he continuously swept over the slopes on both banks, crevices between rocks, and thickets of deadwood, overlooking no suspicious trace.

After walking for over half a shichen, he had reached the depths of the valley. The surroundings grew increasingly silent, leaving only the crunch of snow beneath his feet and the occasional crisp sound of icicles falling.

Suddenly!

Beneath a rock wall blanketed in thick ice and snow to his right-front, an extremely faint silver-white shadow flashed past like a ghost! It was incomparably fast; had Li Bufan not remained utterly focused, he would almost have missed it.

A Snow Fox!

Li Bufan's spirits lifted, and he immediately lowered his body. But the Snow Fox seemed extraordinarily alert. Almost the moment Li Bufan spotted it, it sensed danger as well. Without the slightest hesitation, it turned into a streak of silver and sprinted up the steep slope of the stream valley!

"What speed!" Li Bufan was startled. This speed was far greater than that of the ordinary Snow Fox he had hunted yesterday! Moreover, its escape route was exceptionally tricky, choosing only places with deep snow, jagged rocks, and nowhere firm to set foot.

He could not let it escape! Li Bufan did not hesitate. He immediately exerted himself and gave chase!

Yet once he began pursuing it, Li Bufan was even more alarmed. Not only did this Snow Fox start quickly, its speed was astonishing. It moved across deep snow and complex terrain as though walking on level ground, nimble beyond belief. Li Bufan pushed his speed to the limit. The explosive power of a Skin Tempering warrior allowed him to barely keep up at the start, but as the chase continued, he began to feel his strength failing him. The gap between them was instead gradually widening!

Something's wrong with this beast! Li Bufan gritted his teeth as blood and vitality surged through him. The muscles in his legs tightened, and every step sank deeply into the snow, sending powder flying into the air. Yet the silver shadow ahead grew more distant by the moment.

"This won't do!" Li Bufan grew anxious. At this rate, he would lose it in less than the time it took to burn an incense stick. He suddenly clenched his teeth, and the movement technique he had exchanged for—but had remained just one step shy of breaking through—surfaced in his mind: Spirit Ape Three Leaps!

This movement technique was not meant for accelerating in a straight line. Rather, it emphasized weaving and shifting within a small area, climbing, leaping, and borrowing force with cleverness. It sought to make one's body like a spirit ape, finding force where force should be impossible. On these rugged, steep valley slopes filled with obstacles, it might be exactly what he needed!

His intent moved with his heart. Li Bufan no longer relied solely on brute force to charge ahead, but quietly began circulating the method of Spirit Ape Three Leaps. His blood and vitality flowed along a specific route toward the meridians in his legs, and his footwork suddenly changed!

No longer did he clumsily stomp through deep snow. Instead, he began trying to borrow force from protruding rocks, exposed roots, and even steep slopes. Every landing and every burst of power began to carry an unusual rhythm. His center of gravity shifted subtly and continuously, making him far more agile.

At first, he was still somewhat unpracticed. He made several mistakes when borrowing force and nearly slipped, causing his speed to drop slightly instead. But the [Heaven Rewards Diligence] destiny revealed its formidable effects once more! The insights accumulated through countless tedious practices, every minute realization gained after each step, were rapidly digested, absorbed, and fused under the pressure of this desperate chase!

His movements became smooth, coordinated, and efficient at a speed visible to the naked eye!

After chasing for around a quarter of an incense stick's time, Li Bufan suddenly felt the blood and vitality within him surge joyfully, as though the meridians leading to his legs had opened wide! An unprecedented sense of lightness and control over his strength rose within him!

Spirit Ape Three Leaps had naturally fallen into place, breaking through to—Minor Mastery!

Boom!

His footwork suddenly became more nimble by far more than a single degree! He leaped and shifted across the snow, his figure turning elusive and unpredictable. Often, he evaded obstacles at the very last instant, lightly tapping his toes against a rock or tree root before shooting far ahead, greatly reducing the resistance of the deep snow. His speed instantly rose to an entirely new level!

The distance between him and the silver figure ahead began shrinking at a clearly visible pace!

The fleeing Snow Fox ahead seemed to sense the change in its pursuer as well. It grew more frantic, its speed increasing by several degrees as it darted left and right, trying to shake Li Bufan off.

But now that Li Bufan's footwork had just taken shape, his confidence surged. How could he let it escape again? Like a festering ulcer clinging to the bone, he stayed tight on its trail. The two launched into a breathtaking chase through the icy stream valley.

After another quarter of an incense stick's time, Li Bufan had closed to within thirty paces of the Snow Fox! He could even clearly see its waist heaving violently from its frantic run, as well as the small tuft of dazzling bright-silver fur at the center of its forehead—a trait unlike that of ordinary Snow Foxes, like a silver moon!

Now! Li Bufan's gaze sharpened. Without slowing, he snatched out his bow, nocked an arrow, and drew the string like lightning! The entire sequence was completed while moving at high speed, yet was as steady as a boulder!

His experience in Archery had fused into instinct, predicting the Snow Fox's next leap!

"Whoosh!"

The Armor-piercing Arrow left the string with a piercing shriek, streaking through the air as a straight flash of cold light and piercing the Snow Fox's neck with flawless precision!

"Screee—!" A brief, miserable cry rang out. The silver-white figure fell at once, rolled several times across the snow, staining it crimson, and then ceased moving.

Li Bufan hurried forward, his breathing slightly ragged from the high-speed run and his excitement. When he reached the Snow Fox's corpse and examined it closely, he drew in a sharp breath. Then immense delight flooded over him!

This was no ordinary Snow Fox!

The sheen of its fur far surpassed that of common Snow Foxes. Its entire body was silver-white like the finest silk, incomparably soft and smooth, carrying even a faintly cool sensation to the touch. Its most striking feature was the gathered tuft of fur at the center of its forehead, brilliant and dazzling like silver flames, flowing with a faint radiance beneath the snow's reflected light.

"This is... a Silver-Crowned Snow Fox!" Records on rare treasures and strange beasts from the appendix of the Herbal Compendium flashed through Li Bufan's mind, and his heart pounded wildly!

The Silver-Crowned Snow Fox was a variant among Snow Foxes. There might not be even one among a hundred Snow Foxes! Its origins were unknown; perhaps they were related to earth veins or spirit plants. It was extraordinarily rare.

The most valuable parts of this fox were its flesh and fur!

According to the records, Silver-Crowned Snow Fox meat was not coarse and gamey like ordinary Snow Fox meat. Instead, it was delicate and tender, carrying an unusual sweet fragrance. It also contained blood and vitality essence far richer than that of ordinary wild beasts. Long-term consumption was greatly beneficial for Warriors refining their bodies and nourishing their blood and vitality. It could even be used as medicine, serving as an ingredient in certain precious body-tempering medicinal soups! Its nourishing and restorative effects were no weaker than the Skin Tempering Paste he had obtained before. Moreover, this was nourishment through flesh and food, easier to absorb and carrying fewer side effects!

Thus, Silver-Crowned Snow Fox meat was exceptionally valuable. At an apothecary, a single jin could sell for the astronomical price of half a tael of silver!

Li Bufan weighed the Snow Fox in his hand. It was still warm and heavy, likely over ten jin. Once the fur and organs were removed, there would be at least four or five jin of clean meat! That was more than two taels of silver!

Its fur was even more precious! This Silver-Crowned Snow Fox pelt was completely intact, its coat lustrous and magnificent. In particular, that tuft of silver fur on its forehead was the finishing touch that brought the painted dragon to life. If he encountered a fur merchant who knew its worth or a noble person who favored such things, selling the pelt for three or four taels of silver was entirely possible!

"I've struck it rich!" Li Bufan could not help murmuring in amazement. The value of this one Silver-Crowned Snow Fox far exceeded all his gains from yesterday combined! It even rivaled that ferocious mountain boar!

After the immense joy came a powerful wave of exhaustion. To chase this Silver-Crowned Snow Fox, he had nearly spent all the strength he had just recovered. In particular, forcibly circulating and breaking through Spirit Ape Three Leaps at the final moment had burdened both his mind and blood and vitality considerably. Now that he relaxed, his legs felt weak and sore, and his breath unsteady.

He vigilantly scanned his surroundings. This stretch of stream valley was quiet in an eerie way. The chase just now had caused quite a commotion, and the thick scent of blood was beginning to spread. He had to leave immediately.

"Today's harvest is enough—far beyond what I expected." Li Bufan quickly calmed down. "Chasing this Silver-Crowned Snow Fox consumed too much strength. I need to return to the cave at once, rest, and recover."

In these perilous snowy mountains, maintaining ample strength and a keen condition was the first rule of survival. He absolutely could not greedily press forward for more gains.

He efficiently handled the Silver-Crowned Snow Fox's corpse, taking care not to damage the precious pelt. He wrapped it in oilcloth and placed it inside his leather bag. Then, without the slightest attachment, he identified his direction and retreated swiftly yet cautiously down the stream valley toward his cave base.

There was no incident along the way. He remained alert at every moment, and fortunately encountered no other danger. After returning safely to the cave, he immediately sealed the entrance tightly again.

Inside the cave, the campfire was lit once more.

Li Bufan eagerly took out a portion of the Silver-Crowned Snow Fox meat. Sure enough, the flesh was a faint pink, fine-grained, and even carried a subtle fresh fragrance, completely lacking the rank odor of ordinary wild beasts.

He sliced the meat thinly and lightly roasted it over the fire. Before long, an indescribable, unusual fragrance mixed with the aroma of meat and the sweet freshness of fruitwood spread through the cave, stirring his appetite.

The cooked slices were tender and springy in his mouth, brimming with juice. They indeed carried a faint lingering sweetness, more delicious than any meat he had ever eaten! After only a few bites, a warm current, distinctly purer and gentler yet with greater lasting force than mountain boar meat, swiftly spread from his stomach to his limbs and bones. It nourished his drained muscles and meridians, rapidly replenished his spent strength, and he could even faintly feel his blood and vitality growing stronger!

"What powerful effects!" Li Bufan was both shocked and delighted as he heartily enjoyed the rare delicacy.

After eating his fill, his abdomen was warm, and his exhaustion vanished without a trace. He brimmed with energy. Not wasting this excellent opportunity, he immediately took up his stance in the cave and began practicing Mighty Ox Fist and Spirit Ape Three Leaps.

Sure enough, aided by the essence of the Silver-Crowned Snow Fox's flesh, the circulation of his blood and vitality became exceptionally smooth. His fists and kicks coordinated more skillfully, and he gained a deeper understanding of the footwork he had just broken through. The effects of his training far surpassed normal!

[Heaven Rewards Diligence] destiny grew faintly warm, guiding his blood and vitality and insights to settle, absorb, and accumulate without end.

Mighty Ox Fist, Great Mastery, (7894/)

Spirit Ape Three Leaps, Minor Mastery, (24/2000)

Archery, Proficient, (580/1000)

Grand Completion of Skin Tempering had also advanced by a great step

Only after thoroughly digesting all of today's gains, when his strength and energy had fully recovered and even surpassed their former state, did Li Bufan finally stop in satisfaction. Feeling the ever more surging power within him, he looked forward to the coming hunting journey with even greater anticipation.

This great snowy mountain was indeed a treasured land where danger and opportunity coexisted!