Perfect Archery

"Those thugs are the sort who stick like dog-skin plasters. If you don't cow them, they won't behave."

Back in the courtyard, Li Chengfeng thought of what the skinny thug had said just now—that a hundred wen was enough—and shook his head, a trace of coldness flashing through his eyes.

But when he thought about how these gangs were not something he could deal with right now, he could only suppress it for the time being and silently continue practicing martial arts under the cover of the bamboo grove.

Only when the thugs' clamor had faded into the distance did he open the door and let Liu Yuniang come out of the house.

Seeing that nothing had happened outside, Liu Yuniang let out a breath of relief in her heart. Then she went to the courtyard gate and looked left and right before coming back to tell Li Chengfeng that Aunt Wang and Aunt Chen looked more worried than the other, sighing and groaning without end.

"With the Black River Gang around, when will our bitter days ever come to an end?"

Liu Yuniang could not help letting out a sigh.

Li Chengfeng knew that if not for the threat of the Black River Gang, the original owner perhaps would not have entertained the thought of selling his sister-in-law.

Thinking of these black gangs that harmed the countryside, he silently continued practicing his fist technique.

[Taiji Fist Proficiency +1]

After the Black River Gang finished collecting the protection money, time flew by in the blink of an eye.

Another month passed.

Ever since he had gone to Liu Yong once and put the matter of him wanting to sell his sister-in-law behind him, Li Chengfeng had practiced martial arts and trained his archery at home every day, from morning till night, never stopping.

Whenever there was wind or rain, he practiced at home as well, not interrupting his cultivation of the technique or his archery training for even a single day.

And after a month had passed, the wild boar meat he had caught was gradually eaten clean by Li Chengfeng's huge appetite.

On this day, the time to collect protection money arrived again.

Li Chengfeng handed over another hundred wen of protection money. When the fat thug saw the even sturdier Li Chengfeng, he became a little more proper as he counted the copper coins, though his face remained expressionless.

Only after they left did Li Chengfeng return and continue practicing martial arts.

Just like that, in the blink of an eye, it was evening.

"Whoosh~"

Li Chengfeng drew the Laminated Bamboo Bow, aimed at the target ahead, and loosened his hand. The arrow instantly flew out.

"Whoosh~"

The instant it struck the bull's-eye, another surge of comprehension abruptly surfaced in his heart.

Under this comprehension, his understanding of all the various methods and techniques of archery instantly deepened.

There was even a brand-new comprehension that appeared, allowing him to understand how he should shoot in order to increase an arrow's penetrating power.

After he finished digesting this comprehension, Li Chengfeng's gaze unconsciously turned to his skill panel.

[Skill: Archery]

[Level: Perfection (1/5000)]

[Effects: Stability increased by 60%; Accuracy increased by 50%; Arrow speed increased by 20%; Effort-saving increased by 10%; Penetration increased by 5%]

"Archery has reached perfection."

Seeing that his Archery level had indeed broken through with this arrow, a trace of brilliance appeared in Li Chengfeng's eyes.

He lowered his head again and looked at the Laminated Bamboo Bow in his hand, which had already grown loose and slack. He shook his head, removed its bowstring, and placed it in a corner of the house.

This Laminated Bamboo Bow had also been a meritorious contributor. He planned to preserve it properly.

After putting the Laminated Bamboo Bow away, he raised his head and glanced at the room, where only the last two pieces of cured meat were left. Li Chengfeng understood in his heart that it was time to go into the mountains to hunt.

He lowered his head and looked at his body, which was growing increasingly lean and sturdy. Clenching both fists, he felt the sense of strength coming from his arms, and a trace of brilliance flashed through his eyes.

Then he looked at the progress of Taiji Fist.

[Skill: Taiji Fist]

[Level: Beginner (676/800)]

[Effect: Whole-Body Power]

"Although it hasn't broken through, after more than six hundred points of proficiency this past month, under the skill's effect, my body has also been tempered until it's far stronger than it was a month ago."

Li Chengfeng touched his muscles, which had become much firmer, and felt his strength, which had increased greatly. He was satisfied with this month's gains.

But then he thought of Liu Yong again, and a cold gleam flashed through his eyes. "It's time to settle things with you too."

Ever since that day, Li Chengfeng had discovered every day that someone was spying around his courtyard.

Clearly, Liu Yong had no intention of letting him go. He had already sent people to watch him. Once he entered the mountains, Liu Yong would definitely find someone, or come himself, to kill him.

"You want to kill me?"

Li Chengfeng felt the effect of Whole-Body Power growing stronger and stronger within him as his body became increasingly lean and sturdy.

Along with the unparalleled confidence and grasp of archery that Perfection-level Archery had given him, he sneered inwardly, Then I'll give you this chance. Let's see whether you have the ability!

"Chengfeng, time to eat."

As Li Chengfeng's thoughts surged and he resolved to deal with Liu Yong in one stroke, his sister-in-law Liu Yuniang's gentle voice also sounded from the side.

He turned his head to look. Under the evening sunset, his soft-figured, fair-skinned sister-in-law Liu Yuniang carried the bowls over to him, set a large basin of stir-fried pork with garlic scapes and a basin of rice on the stone block used as a dining table, then looked up and smiled as she spoke to him.

As she spoke, she went back and served herself another bowl of rice, then sat her soft, smooth body down on a stone beside him. With her long legs pressed together, her fair, full face looked at Li Chengfeng with a bright smile.

Yuniang has been eating meat every day for more than a month now. Her complexion has improved, her body has filled out, and she's getting prettier and prettier.

Looking at Liu Yuniang beside him, Li Chengfeng also smiled. He picked up his chopsticks and began eating in big mouthfuls, casually saying to her as he ate, "We're out of meat at home again. Tomorrow I'll go into the mountains again and hunt some meat for us to eat."

"Ah? You're going into the mountains again?"

Liu Yuniang froze, worry in her eyes as she said, "It'll be summer soon, and there's a lot of work in town. Why don't we go do some labor for others instead? Let's not go into the mountains to hunt anymore, all right?"

"Working for others won't let us eat meat every meal. The mountains still have to be entered when they should be."

Hearing this, Li Chengfeng swept a smiling glance toward the southeast corner outside the courtyard, a trace of amusement flashing through his eyes. "With these skills of mine, I refuse to believe the mountains can eat me alive."

After cultivating Whole-Body Power, his body had grown stronger and stronger, and his ears and eyes had become sharper. He keenly heard the sound of someone approaching outside the courtyard.

How could he not know that the person Liu Yong had sent to watch him had heard crucial information and drawn closer? Li Chengfeng's expression stayed calm, and he deliberately raised his voice.

As he was speaking, Li Chengfeng turned his head and glanced outside the courtyard, where he saw a figure quickly leave.

"That Liu Yong really has made preparations to deal with me in the mountains and forests."

Li Chengfeng watched the figure disappear from his sight, a cold gleam flashing through his eyes.

"You want to kill me in the mountains and forests?"

Li Chengfeng looked at the two brand-new hard hunting bows he had kept at home, as well as the six baskets of complete arrows made from hardwood shafts, and sneered inwardly.

As the saying went, an open spear was easy to dodge, but a hidden arrow was hard to guard against. Once they reached the mountains and forests, the power brought by his perfected-level Archery would grow in step.

Added to that was the Whole-Body Power that made his body move like a swallow.

Liu Yong—he had him in the bag!

"Chengfeng, just now it seemed like someone was standing at the courtyard gate watching us, and then he left."

Liu Yuniang turned her head to look at the courtyard gate. Seeing no one there, she could not help turning back and speaking to Li Chengfeng with worry.

"Maybe a dog passed by there."

Li Chengfeng chuckled. When that person had appeared just now, Liu Yuniang had clearly been worrying about his safety going into the mountains to hunt, and had not noticed.

However, over the past month, she more or less should have sensed the watching from outside as well, so worry was unavoidable in her heart.

Li Chengfeng immediately picked up a chopstickful of pork and placed it in Liu Yuniang's bowl. "Come on, eat. Those dogs and rats and whatever else outside are all a bunch of lowly things. No need to bother with them."

"All right!"

Liu Yuniang nodded, pursed her lips, and added several pieces of meat to Li Chengfeng's bowl. "I don't do anything at home, so I don't need to eat so well. You still have to go into the mountains to hunt tomorrow, so eat more!"

"There's such a big basin of meat. There's enough to eat."

A smile flashed across Li Chengfeng's face, and he spoke comfortingly to Liu Yuniang. As he spoke, he lifted his bowl and began eating in big mouthfuls.

His Archery skill had risen to perfection today, bringing a deep influence to his body, so he truly did need to eat more. But with such a huge basin of food, it was not as though they were short of the little bit of meat Liu Yuniang would eat.

Seeing Li Chengfeng eat with such focus, Liu Yuniang began eating her food in small bites as well. Even so, she still picked up a chopstickful of meat for him from time to time, worry still lingering in her heart.

But she truly could not do anything, so she could only sigh helplessly in her heart. After Li Chengfeng had eaten his fill, she hurried to boil water for his bath.

Afterward, she tidied up the bowls and chopsticks herself. Only after Li Chengfeng had washed up and lain down on the bed did she use the remaining hot water to wash herself.

After washing up, she lay down softly and carefully beside Li Chengfeng, not daring to disturb his sleep, and gently lay on the inner side to sleep.

"..."

Early the next morning.

As soon as the sun had risen, Liu Yuniang got out of bed to make breakfast.

By the time Li Chengfeng woke, she had already prepared breakfast, as well as the rice balls and water flask Li Chengfeng would carry into the mountains.