Bow and Arrows

"Zhao Youlin, you've raised a fine son."

The neighbors came to offer their congratulations. Zhao Youlin grinned from ear to ear and generously shared some mountain goods with them. He even had Tian Cuihua give them some dried meat, including gifts for the village head's household.

Zhao Feng did not stop him. He would be away from home year-round to practice martial arts, and his family needed support. Besides, in these chaotic times, once people became jealous and envious, there was no telling what they might do. It was necessary to offer a few small favors now and then.

With these supplies, his parents and sister-in-law would be able to live better for a while. The new cloth alone was enough to make several new outfits for everyone in the family. Once he had more money in the future, he would provide for them further.

"Old woman, Cuihua, stew a fish tail and fry a couple of dishes. I'm having a drink with my youngest." After Li the Landowner had sent people over, the huge weight in Zhao Youlin's heart had finally lifted. His youngest truly was a martial artist—Li the Landowner had personally come bearing gifts. How could it be false?

The next day, his eldest sister-in-law, Qian Shi, came to borrow grain, only for Zhao Youlin to refuse her flatly. Ever since he had been humiliated while trying to recover those five taels of silver last time, he had given up entirely on his elder brother's family.

"What's so great about that? My Sheng'er is a martial artist too. Once he passes the martial examination, we'll see whether you die of envy."

Smelling the aroma of stewed meat from Zhao Youlin's home, Qian Shi left in a huff, her eyes red.

The Empress Dowager's birthday holiday ended. Zhao Feng left five taels of silver at home to repay their debts, pay the taxes, and cover other living expenses. He knew that the two taels his mother and sister-in-law had scraped together before had been obtained only after they begged and pleaded with relatives from their respective maternal families.

Then, amid the relieved yet reluctant gazes of his family, he left home and returned to the county seat to continue learning martial arts.

Although he had successfully broken through and become a Bright Force martial artist, in the eyes of his master Huo Shan and the core disciples, his potential remained limited. He was merely a little better than the invisible man he had been before.

There were four core disciples in the martial arts school: eldest senior brother Shi Mao, second senior brother Wei Yuan, third senior brother Wang Yu, and fourth senior sister Zhou Xue. All four came from wealthy families. They never lacked dietary supplements or medicinal nourishment, and each had broken through to Dark Force in succession.

But aside from Wei Yuan, the others barely interacted with him.

Huo Shan occasionally gave him pointers, but most of the time Zhao Feng trained alone, sometimes sparring with Wei Yuan.

After Zhao Feng and Wei Yuan sparred for a while at the martial arts school, the two rested and chatted.

"Junior Brother Zhao, we'll start escorting goods this month. How about you go to my Wei Family's weaponsmith shop first and pick out a weapon for protection?" Wei Yuan said.

"All right."

That afternoon, the two arrived at the Wei Family's weaponsmith shop. As soon as they entered, a wave of scorching air rushed over them, while the clangor of iron being hammered rang without end.

Seeing the sabers, swords, and other weapons hanging all over the walls, Zhao Feng was dazzled. It truly was an age of martial chaos. Aside from armor and powerful crossbows, other weapons were not prohibited among the common folk.

"Junior Brother, you know that the fighting style of our Eight Extremes lineage isn't limited to fist techniques, right?" Wei Yuan said with a smile.

"I know. Our Eight Extremes lineage has sabers, swords, spears, staffs, twin halberds, and more."

"That's right. The most powerful and famous among them is the Six Harmonies Great Spear. The Six Harmonies Great Spear sweeps through the six directions, and when combined with the fierce close-range attacks of Eight Extremes Fist, they complement each other perfectly. But in the traditions of our Eight Extremes lineage, one can only learn the Six Harmonies Great Spear after mastering Eight Extremes Fist." Wei Yuan said.

"So reaching perfection in Eight Extremes Fist is the prerequisite for the Six Harmonies Great Spear?" Zhao Feng asked in surprise.

"That's right. Once you truly reach that level, you'll understand the realm where fist and spear become one. But in the entire martial arts school, only Master Huo has reached perfection and mastered the Six Harmonies Great Spear." Wei Yuan said.

Zhao Feng nodded. With the panel, he should be able to reach perfection as well, but he had no use for a great spear for the time being.

As for saber and sword techniques, he did not know either. His gaze fell upon a pair of short horn bows hanging on the wall. He stepped forward and tested one. It was a standard one-stone hard bow.

"I'll take this one," Zhao Feng said.

"A bow and arrows? You know archery?" Wei Yuan asked in surprise.

"My ancestors were hunters, so I know a little," Zhao Feng said casually. His family background was not difficult to investigate, so he might as well admit it openly.

Wei Yuan did not take it to heart, but he still had Zhao Feng pick out a steel saber for self-defense.

Big Stone County was essentially a distribution hub for goods. After the Wei Family's cargo was unloaded from the docks, it was distributed from Big Stone County to neighboring counties and several towns.

Zhao Feng's first escort run passed without incident, and he returned safely. With numerous guards and martial artists accompanying the shipment, ordinary bandits and displaced vagrants did not dare cause trouble.

In the open space outside the riverside row houses, Zhao Feng drew his bow and nocked an arrow. Whoosh! Thunk! The feathered arrow embedded itself firmly in a homemade target atop a pile of ruins fifty paces away.

[Archery, Minor Accomplishment (567/2000)]

After obtaining a bow and arrows, he resumed practicing archery. As his progress increased, his mastery improved as well. When he had killed Leopard Lord last time, things would have been much easier if he had possessed a bow and arrows.

With this horn hard bow meant for the battlefield, a sinew bowstring, and tri-edged arrowheads, its killing power far surpassed that of a hunter's bow. He could not neglect archery. It might prove unexpectedly useful in the future.

When Zhao Feng arrived at the martial arts school, "Senior Brother Zhao!"

"Hello, Senior Brother Zhao!"

A group of unfamiliar faces greeted him, while there were fewer familiar faces than before.

"Even Senior Brother Lian Yue has left. He was a Bright Force martial artist."

"With no hope of breaking through to Dark Force, he might as well become the head guard for a wealthy household, or work as an escort for an escort agency and earn more money. It's better than wasting time here."

Hearing the discussions around him, Zhao Feng remained unmoved. He leaped onto the plum blossom stakes and continued training.

[Eight Extremes Stake Skill, Minor Accomplishment (256/1000)]

[Eight Extremes Fist, Minor Accomplishment (220/1000)]

Although he was still far from breaking through to Dark Force, the effects of dietary supplementation had been obvious these past few days. Beef was now his main source of meat, while the occasional beast meat and Treasure Fish had already noticeably accelerated his progress. Vitality Powder had also been highly effective.

If I could get more beast meat, Treasure Fish, and precious medicinal herbs for supplementation, along with more medicinal baths, my progress would increase even faster, Zhao Feng thought.

Therefore, making money remained the highest priority.

His monthly allowance, one packet of Vitality Powder each month, and the one Treasure Fish and three catties of beast meat provided by the Wei Family could only sustain his most basic dietary and medicinal supplementation. After breaking through to Bright Force, he could feel that his appetite had increased greatly, as had his need for dietary and medicinal nourishment. If he wanted precious medicines, more beast meat, and more Treasure Fish, he would need to find another way.

Just as he was pondering this, Huo Shan's delighted laughter suddenly rang out from the rear courtyard.

"Good, good! Dark Force at just seventeen—you are the youngest Dark Force martial artist in Big Stone County! I, Huo Shan, have taken in a fine disciple." His laughter spread throughout the entire martial arts school.

"Who is he talking about?" one disciple asked in confusion.

"Could it be... Senior Brother Chu?" Another disciple suddenly remembered something.

His words were like thunder exploding on level ground, making everyone present change expression.

Bright Force and Dark Force were separated by only a minor realm, yet the gap between them was enormous. Dark Force meant opening the Ren and Du meridians and unleashing inner force that could not be seen on the surface. This force, driven primarily from within, was often subtle and deadly. Its attacks were more efficient and concealed. In terms of striking damage, inner force penetrated from the surface into the body, reaching the bones and internal organs and causing far more severe injuries.