Grinding Basic Martial Skills

At Old Camp, Zhou Ye began a new experiment. Holding a long spear, he seemed to have divine help; as if possessed, he flicked out a spear flourish, then the spear shot out like a dragon. With a smack, it drove heavily into a large tree before him.

To his delighted gaze, just as expected—

Basic Thrusting (Unranked): Not Initiated (0/10)

Zhou Ye was immensely pleased with his wild idea. He had gradually found the way into it: there were quite a few types of basic martial skills, so could he farm them in bulk?

But it was a little strange. Why was it Basic Thrusting? Why was it not Basic Spearmanship?

After thinking it over, Zhou Ye could not make heads or tails of it. Since that was the case, there was no need to overthink it. As long as he could farm points, that was enough.

Being able to unlock a new martial skill so smoothly was also thanks to the racial talent of Blue Star's Flower-Planting Nation. What man would not flick out a spear flourish after getting his hands on a long spear? And if he got hold of a straight dream-come-true staff, that would be even more incredible—he would definitely imitate the Great Sage and wield the Golden-Banded Staff... Huh?

Thought turned into action!

Zhou Ye immediately grew excited. He found a long tree trunk in the camp, shaved it into a staff, and at once began imitating staff techniques...

A quarter of an hour later, Zhou Ye wore a speechless expression. Why was this different from what he had expected? Why had he not unlocked Basic Staff Technique? Still unwilling to give up, he continued swinging the long staff. Another quarter of an hour passed, yet there was still nothing?

Forget it. Zhou Ye decided to give up. Perhaps there was no Basic Staff Technique at all, or perhaps his method of training was simply wrong.

He returned to Basic Thrusting. This time, things went back to normal. After training for an hour, he successfully gained 4 experience points.

However, while drinking water and resting, Zhou Ye suddenly had another idea. He gathered every dagger and small knife he could find in the camp. Why not try throwing knives this time?

Pinching a small knife between his fingers, Zhou Ye aimed at a large tree and threw it with all his strength. With a whoosh, the knife... flew into the night and vanished in an instant.

Fine! This was what Not Initiated was like. There was no such thing as accuracy yet. As long as he maintained his concentration, he would surely be able to farm experience points.

This time, he changed the target to that wooden house. The house was so large; the knives could not possibly fly off wildly, could they?

Before long, Zhou Ye grinned so widely his gums showed. Sure enough—

Basic Throwing (Unranked): Not Initiated (0/10)

Then he would grind it out like this!

But another surprise appeared. After an hour, Basic Throwing had only gained 3 experience points? That meant he could only gain 6 points per day? It was actually 2 points less than training the other martial skills?

Perhaps his training method was not mature enough? He would slowly figure it out later.

The next day, when Zhou Ye left Old Camp, he put on an iron helmet and wore the remaining set of Chainmail. That Chainmail was truly heavy, weighing forty to fifty jin. It had already begun to affect his agility.

He also brought a waist saber, two long spears, and all the remaining daggers and small knives. At this point, he had taken away all the armor and weapons.

Everything else he took was food. One full sack of soybeans weighing fifty jin, more than twenty jin each of peas and black beans, over half a jar of vegetable oil, a small jar of lard, a jar of pickled vegetables, over half a jar of soybean paste, and finally a basket of fresh vegetables...

Other than the remaining baskets of fresh vegetables and dried vegetables, there was almost nothing left in the kitchen storeroom.

He also took several pottery bowls and a kitchen knife for chopping vegetables.

Nothing happened on the way home. That night, Zhou Ye kept training Basic Throwing and gained 6 experience points.

Basic Throwing (Unranked): Not Initiated (9/10)

He had not expected to have to wait until tomorrow before becoming initiated. It was truly irritating.

However, quite a few pieces of bark with writing on them had now been posted inside the tent. Zhou Ye had specifically brought them back to save paper. They were meant to record the things he needed to do and keep him from overlooking anything.

He took down one piece of bark. Written on it were the words "Armor and Weapons." Zhou Ye smiled faintly and tossed it into the bonfire below. He had finally completed one task...

By the great river in the early morning, Zhou Ye carried a basket on his back. A waist saber hung at his side, and he gripped a long spear in his hand.

After days of stuffing himself with food and drink, one strip of salted meat had finally been eaten, leaving only another strip weighing a dozen or so jin. It was time to replenish his meat supply.

Setting down his basket, Zhou Ye walked to a clear little river. Seeing fish swimming in the water, he picked out a relatively large one and fiercely thrust his spear down.

Indeed, he could fish with a hook, scoop fish up with his basket, or even use other methods. Those might be more efficient. But that was not Zhou Ye's purpose. While catching fish, he could also train Basic Thrusting along the way.

Yet after several consecutive thrusts, he hit nothing but water.

Perhaps no humans had ever come here to prey on them, so the fish were rather foolish and plentiful. But seeing how leisurely they swam about, it was as if they were mocking him?

Zhou Ye became somewhat exasperated. After giving it a little thought, he understood the principle. Light should refract in water, right? Then he needed to adjust the angle a little?

This time, he ignored the standard thrusting motion. Taking aim at a fish, Zhou Ye violently hurled the long spear. When he fished it back out of the water, a large struggling fish was impaled on the spearhead?

Zhou Ye excitedly clenched his fist, removed the big fish from the spearhead, and tossed it into the basket. Then he continued searching for targets. Soon came the second fish, then the third...

The fish came in quickly, and Zhou Ye was growing more and more enthusiastic. You people simply do not understand the joy of an angler!

But suddenly, the panel stirred. Before Zhou Ye's astonished eyes, Basic Throwing gained 1 experience point. Basic Throwing had actually become—

Basic Throwing (Unranked): Initiated (0/50)

And he had been rewarded with 1 free attribute point.

Though gaining a free attribute point certainly made him happy, why was it not Basic Thrusting? Why was it Basic Throwing?

After a little thought, Zhou Ye understood. The long spear had become a throwing action, making it spear-throwing, so the experience gained had become Basic Throwing experience.

In that case, throwing knives counted as throwing, and throwing spears counted as throwing too. Could he use darts in the future? Or hidden weapons like locust stones? Were those not all throwing as well?

It was worth experimenting with. He would slowly ponder it later.

Glancing into the basket, he found seven plump fish inside. Each weighed at least two jin, and the largest even exceeded five jin. The number seemed sufficient, so he decided to end today's morning training.

Looking at the surrounding scenery, he saw birds constantly taking flight from the reed beds. There should be plenty of wild chickens and wild ducks there as well, right?

The mudflats were full of clay, excellent building material that could likewise be put to use.

Zhou Ye could not help sighing. This great river truly was a treasure land!