First Battle

"I'm fine!" Shi Shoushan said with great effort.

"Sister-in-law, nephew, don't cry. Brother Shoushan is not in any mortal danger. After resting for a while, he'll be as strong as a Reckless Bull again. He'll be better soon," Shi Feijiao consoled them.

This injury was truly severe; even with Shi Shoushan's sturdy physique, one could not be careless, or it might leave behind serious underlying ailments, leading to a lifetime of physical weakness and asthma.

Fortunately, Shi Linhu and the others had already temporarily treated his wound, crushing old medicinal herbs from the mountains and applying them to the area, while also feeding him medicinal powder refined by the clan elders from the blood of ferocious beasts.

"Don't cry. It's enough that he came back alive." The clan leader, Shi Yunfeng, walked over and abruptly pulled out the iron arrow, causing a spray of blood to erupt from the wound. His movements were swift; a flash of light shone from his palm, and runes lit up like stars as he pressed down, quickly stopping the bleeding and closing the wound.

Shi Yunfeng took a jade jar from his robes, poured out two fragrant purple pills, crushed one to apply to the wound, and had him swallow the other.

Shi Shoushan was carried back home, and a large crowd of men, women, and children from the village came to visit, bringing all sorts of nourishing herbs and dried meat. It was a lively scene, reflecting the simple and warm-hearted nature of the villagers.

"Uncle will surely get better soon!" Little One also offered his own gesture of care, bringing a basket of his favorite red berries.

"What exactly happened?" In the clan leader's courtyard, a group of key figures gathered, and Shi Yunfeng asked with a furrowed brow.

"Clan Leader, it was indeed the people from Bei Village who stirred up trouble. They crossed the boundary into our territory to snatch a Six-Legged Camel that Shoushan had shot, and they even tried to kill him. If Shoushan hadn't dodged in time, that arrow would have pierced his heart and killed him," Shi Linhu said with deep resentment.

The crowd turned pale at these words; this was a cold-blooded attempt on his life.

"To strike with such malice—they truly have no regard for the rules. Although our two villages are tens of miles apart and keep to our own sides, rarely meeting, we still live in the same mountain range. We should at least show some common courtesy. It wasn't like this before," an elder sighed.

Shi Feijiao said, "The one who attacked was a brat, looking to be about fourteen or fifteen years old. He has a handsome appearance, fair and delicate. But his heart is truly vicious. He shot that arrow at Shoushan as if he were killing a wild beast, without a ripple of emotion in his eyes. It was terrifyingly cold."

"Why be so aggressive? Do they think they are so powerful that they can disregard our feelings? How else could they bully us like this?!" Several elders were also filled with anger. Living in the mountains, strong, able-bodied men are vital to a village, yet the other side was so unscrupulous, killing whenever they pleased.

Someone added, "That brat is no simple character. He gives off a very unsettling feeling; looking at him is like facing an adult Pixiu—powerful, ferocious, and cold-blooded."

"So, Bei Village has produced an extraordinary youth. It seems that clan has grown much stronger, and their ambitions have expanded along with it," the clan leader whispered, narrowing his eyes as he looked toward the direction of Bei Village.

He then turned to Shi Linhu and the others and said, "We do not seek trouble, but we do not fear it either. Be careful and stay on guard in the future. If they push their luck, do not hesitate in how you respond!"

"I understand," Shi Linhu nodded.

Shi Lin and Shi Hao listened quietly, the two exchanging a glance, their minds already made up.

In the blink of an eye, another half-month passed, and the people of Stone Village went out to hunt again.

"Let's go, Little One, we'll sneak after them!" Shi Lin sat on a giant rock, watching the hunting party, and turned to say to Shi Hao beside him.

"Mm-hmm!"

Afterward, the two of them secretly followed the hunting party without anyone noticing.

That day, Stone Village had good luck and a bountiful hunt. They encountered a field of carcasses left behind after a stampede of ferocious beasts; powerful exotic beasts had fought, affecting tens of miles of forest and causing many wild animals to perish.

Deep in the mountain range, Primordial Remnants often clashed and slaughtered one another, which could trigger terrifying disasters. This was the case this time, though fortunately, it did not spread to the village.

In the deeper parts of the forest, towering trees were snapped, thousand-year-old vines were destroyed, and the ground was covered in various beast blood—a scene of utter chaos. Two exotic beasts had fought fiercely here, causing the stampede that killed many animals, and the Stone Village hunting party was there to clean up.

Shi Hao and Shi Lin hid in a patch of grass, observing quietly.

Suddenly, a gust of wind rushed toward Shi Linhu's throat, a cold, ghostly glint that seemed to come from the underworld, chilling to the soul.

"Father, look out!" Shi Lin couldn't help but cry out.

It was a thick iron arrow over a meter long, faster than lightning, capable of killing in an instant. Such terrifying power and speed could definitely pierce the scales of a Dragon-Horned Elephant, which explained why it could penetrate the triple-layered steel armor worn by the men of Stone Village. It was truly horrific.

It was all too sudden. In the dense mountain forest, such a terrifying cold arrow was impossible to guard against. Shi Linhu was exceptionally brave and reacted with lightning speed, quickly turning to the side.

By a hair's breadth, the icy iron arrow grazed his neck, drawing a spray of blood as it flew past. His skin was torn by the arrowhead, missing his throat by only a fraction.

Only then did the sharp whistling sound arrive—the sound of the arrow shaft cutting through the air, far slower than the arrow itself, showing just how terrifying its speed was.

Clang!

The iron arrow buried itself into a mountain rock in the distance, piercing straight through with a metallic ring and sparking, which was truly terrifying. With such powerful force and such a heavy arrow, who would dare to face it head-on? If one were truly struck, it would be a clean, fatal piercing!

The scene fell into a dead silence. Shi Linhu touched the patch of skin scraped off his neck, cold light flashing in his eyes. He had been a hair's breadth away from being killed by that arrow.

In the mountain terrain in the distance, a youth stood holding a bow, his expression cold and stern, his eyes gleaming with a ruthless light as he stared at them.

"It's that brat again!" Shi Feijiao and the others were instantly filled with rage. This cold-eyed youth had already severely wounded several of the village's able-bodied men.

He was a youth of fourteen or fifteen, tall and slender, with black, glossy hair and fair skin. He was quite handsome, but his eyes were cold, slightly ruining the aesthetic and giving off a sense of wildness and cruelty.

Behind him, seventy or eighty people were dragging one giant beast after another. The ground was covered in blood, and the grass and thorns were crushed flat.

"Brat from Bei Village, besides shooting cold arrows, what else can you do? If you have the guts, come over here, and I'll smash your skull in with one slap!" someone roared.

The handsome youth's eyes flashed with cold light, and he drew his bow, aiming directly at him.

Seeing this, Shi Linhu said nothing. He gripped a large black bow made of dragon horn, more than half a man's height, quickly drew the string, nocked an iron arrow, and fired it straight back.

Clang!

The two thick iron arrows collided in mid-air, sparks flying and producing a piercing sound. Both lost their momentum and fell to the ground.

The crowd gasped. The youth's archery and arm strength were truly astonishing; he was only a teenager, yet he could go toe-to-toe with Stone Village's strongest man, Shi Linhu.

Clang, Clang...

Sparks flew in the forest as over a dozen iron arrows collided in pairs, ringing out like a meteor shower before falling to the ground, the sound painful to the eardrums.

A divine arrow startled the wild forest!

This youth was evenly matched with Stone Village's strongest man, Shi Linhu, neither gaining the upper hand. This shocked the group; with a flex of his arms, this youth could lift at least five or six thousand-jin bronze cauldrons.

This caused people to gasp in cold air; such a formidable young talent, a mere youth, possessing such astonishing divine strength at such a tender age—it was truly fearsome.

"Friends of Stone Village, forgive us. We are in urgent need of a large quantity of fierce beasts, so please, let this prey be ours. There will be generous compensation in the future," a middle-aged man from Bei Village stepped forward to shout, his voice booming.

"To snatch our prey, you ambushed our clansmen halfway, acting with such cruelty! Every arrow pierced vital organs, leaving several of our people on the verge of death, and now you ask for our forgiveness? To commit such evil and remain so composed—what kind of logic is this?!" Shi Linhu retorted angrily.

"Once a dispute arises and conflict breaks out, bloodshed is inevitable. This is a rule known to every man of the Great Wilderness," the leader of the Bei Village hunting party stated.

"If you aren't convinced, then come and face us!" another high-ranking, robust man from Bei Village said even more aggressively.

The people of Stone Village were so furious they felt as if their lungs were about to burst. To be ambushed, have their prey stolen, and then face such arrogant, unreasonable behavior from the other side—there was truly nothing left to say.

"Then let us fight!" Shi Feijiao roared.

"Do you think we are afraid of you?" the leader of the Bei Village hunting party responded. He was exceptionally sturdy, standing over two meters and thirty centimeters tall, exuding an oppressive aura.

"Clang," "Clang"...

The sound of weapons being unsheathed rang out incessantly. Many raised broadswords taller than a man, the cold light flickering and killing intent permeating the air, causing the leaves in the forest to fall in a rustling shower.

"I advise you to return to where you came from. Take one more step forward, and I will shoot you all down, one arrow per person. This time, I will show no mercy!" the handsome youth from Bei Village suddenly spoke, his tone so provocative it made one's liver burn with rage, wishing only to pierce him through with an arrow.

Shi Linhu said angrily, "Brat, you have such great skill before even reaching adulthood; you are indeed strong. But to be so arrogant and act with such ruthlessness—you will not meet a good end."

At the same time, he bent his bow and nocked an arrow, firing directly forward. With things having reached this point, what else was there to say? There was only battle!

"Clang!"

The iron arrows collided once more, causing the mountain forest to hum with the vibration.

"Kill!"

The people of Stone Village, some drawing giant bows, others wielding broadswords or swinging spiked clubs, rushed forward like beasts released from a cage, whipping up a gale that sent dead leaves flying.

As for the people of Bei Village, each one tall and sturdy, they were equally unyielding and charged forward as well. A chaotic melee was about to unfold.

Just then, two figures darted out like flying clouds.

Shi Hao shouted indignantly, "You are stealing the food we rely on to survive, and you want to kill our uncles! Uncle A Fu is so kind and good, he was almost shot to death—you are all great villains!"

Shi Hao's small face was flushed red with excitement, his little hands clenched tight, his eyes filled with fury. He had grown up in Stone Village, experiencing only warmth and affection, and had never encountered such barbaric people.

"This is truly unforgivable!" Wang Quan said angrily.

The people of Bei Village were surprised, then burst into laughter. They had not expected that, besides a few half-grown children, Stone Village would have such a young child follow them. Was this not just adding trouble for his own clansmen?

"Little Feng, kill him!" the people of Bei Village called out.

"Fine!" Bei Feng replied.

"Whoosh!"

An iron arrow tore through the air. The fourteen or fifteen-year-old youth from Bei Village wore a look of indifference as he drew that terrifying great bow, intending to shoot Little One directly.

The people of Stone Village had eyes spitting fire, furious to the extreme. That was still just a child, and Little One was usually so well-behaved and cute; for the opponent to lay such a vicious hand on a young child was truly outrageous.

Shi Linhu bent his bow and nocked an arrow, wanting to rescue him and deflect the youth's iron arrow, but his expression changed in an instant.

Because this time, the youth drew four arrows with one pull of the bow, four cold streaks of light flying like lightning, while Shi Linhu only had time to fire three arrows. The opponent was shockingly strong.

"Clang," "Clang"...

Three pairs of arrows collided and fell to the ground, but one thick, meter-long iron arrow continued toward Little One's throat, cold and menacing!

"Hmph!" Shi Lin let out a cold snort, flicking his hand to release a rune that shattered the iron arrow.

"You want to hurt us? You're still far from it!" Shi Lin said domineeringly.

Everyone was startled, not expecting a half-grown child to be so capable.

"Then try this!" Bei Feng snorted coldly. He drew his giant bow again, firing several arrows in succession, each carrying a rune, like a white rainbow piercing the sun or a comet striking the moon.

"Whoosh!"

"Let's go!" Shi Lin and Shi Hao exchanged a glance, then leaped up, charging straight toward the youth from Bei Village!

The two moved like agile apes, limbs extended, their movements natural, easily dodging every arrow.

"Seeking death!" the youth Bei Feng shouted, beams of light erupting from his eyes like two bolts of lightning. He exhaled sharply, drew his great bow, and fired repeatedly.

"Swoosh," "Swoosh"...

The iron arrows tore through the sky, whistling like the ghostly cries of the netherworld. The thick, long shafts emitted a chilling metallic glint, flying at extreme speed, terrifying to behold.

Bei Feng kept drawing his bow, firing eight iron arrows in a row, whistling as they arrived, each one incredibly lethal, aimed directly at the vital points of the two!

The two still dodged them easily, heading straight for Bei Feng.

This performance left everyone shocked!

Both the people of Bei Village and Stone Village were stunned. The performance of Shi Lin and Shi Hao exceeded their expectations; to be so capable at such a young age felt unreal.

Bei Feng shouted, drawing his bow frantically. The iron arrows poured down like a rainstorm, one after another, the thick, long shafts piercing through the forest.

"Had enough? It's our turn now!" As soon as Shi Lin finished speaking, he nodded to Shi Hao, and they charged forward.

The two formed hand seals, runes dancing in their hands. A scorching light appeared in both their palms, and two Golden Moons manifested, rotating rapidly in a clockwise direction.

The two swung their hands wide, and four Golden Moons, scattering specks of brilliance, slashed toward Bei Feng at high speed.

Bei Feng cried out in alarm, immediately drawing four dark red arrows forged from Blood-Vein Iron, pulling his massive bow taut with both hands and firing them with all his might toward the four Golden Moons.

"Clang!"

The sound of metal striking metal rang out, and as the light dissipated, the long arrows snapped, yet the four Golden Moons continued to fly forward at high speed, unstoppable.

"Xiao Feng, retreat quickly!" the people of Bei Village shouted.

They knew well that Bei Feng possessed astonishing divine strength; even as a youth, few within a radius of several thousand li could compare to him. Yet, now that he could not gain the upper hand and was in mortal danger, they had no choice but to flee.

However, Bei Feng did not heed their advice, choosing to withstand the attack with his own body. When the first strike arrived, he lost his balance and vomited blood; following the next three strikes, Bei Feng spat out blood directly from his mouth, his body sent flying sideways to crash through the branches of many large trees before plummeting to the ground.

With a thunderous boom, a towering ancient tree snapped and collapsed into the mountainside, creating a deafening sound and an astonishing spectacle.

Bei Feng lay on the ground, covered in wounds, his eyes narrowed as blood continuously spilled from his mouth; it was clear he was on the verge of death.

The two caught up, and looking down at Bei Feng on the ground, Shi Lin let out a cold snort.

"You, are not enough!"