Hiding a Little Bit

After a moment of thought, Gu Sheng ultimately abandoned the idea.

Although his archery had reached a high level and he was fully capable of hunting alone, Gu Sheng had only been venturing into the mountains for over a month. He wasn't particularly familiar with the terrain, and if he ventured too deep, there was a chance he could run into danger.

"I'll wait a bit longer. I can increase my trips into the mountains over the next month, observe carefully, and learn from experience. By then, I'll be able to handle most situations in the mountains and will try going in by myself!"

Gu Sheng decided to play it safe.

Another month would bring them to autumn, when the wild beasts in the mountains would be fatter, marking the peak hunting season.

In winter, the prey would decrease significantly, and with the mountains sealed by heavy snow, hunting would become even more difficult.

Gu Sheng had a good sense of balance.

He aimed to maximize his gains while avoiding major risks. Every endeavor carried risks, but he wanted his to be as controllable as possible.

Over the next month.

Gu Sheng began to grow at a steady and rapid pace.

With daily wood chopping and archery practice, coupled with ample rice and nourishing meat, Gu Sheng's physique strengthened visibly!

Fourteen was precisely the age for growth.

Having awakened his innate wisdom only a few months prior, Gu Sheng had shot up by more than a head. He was now only slightly shorter than Gu Erniu and his strength had increased considerably, surpassing even some adults.

As a result.

Gu Sheng's wood chopping speed increased, allowing him to finish chopping a thousand logs in less than half a day. This was the growth brought about by his improved physical condition.

The same applied to his archery.

Gu Sheng could now easily draw his hunting bow to its full extent. He had considered upgrading to a stronger hunting bow but ultimately decided against it.

It was too expensive; even with all his savings, he likely couldn't afford it.

Moreover, for hunting purposes, the one-stone bow was sufficient for now. Gu Sheng suppressed the urge to upgrade, as he needed to save his hard-earned silver for martial arts training.

During this month.

Gu Sheng ventured into the mountains a total of ten times!

When Gu Erniu was available, they went together. If Gu Erniu was unavailable, he joined Zhang Ze and other familiar hunters.

Gu Sheng was like a sponge, voraciously absorbing all sorts of hunting experience.

Clearing paths in the forest, familiarizing himself with the mountain terrain, identifying animal tracks, preparing gunpowder, setting traps, and identifying medicinal herbs...

Gu Sheng missed no knowledge or skill required of a qualified hunter.

Fortunately, having lived two lives, especially with the bombardment of compulsory education in his previous life, he had his own methods for acquiring knowledge, allowing him to learn quickly.

The other hunters were also happy to go into the mountains with Gu Sheng.

Firstly, Gu Sheng's archery was exceptional, increasing their chances of a successful hunt.

Secondly, Gu Sheng often willingly shared his gains.

As a result, many people even vied to team up with Gu Sheng.

Gu Sheng didn't mind giving up some of his profits.

He knew that he had no prior relationship with these people. Without the incentive of profit, why would they share their hunting experience and knowledge with him, even if he could eventually figure these things out himself?

To accelerate his growth, Gu Sheng understood this was necessary.

However, as always, Gu Sheng kept his true archery skill hidden, only displaying a level similar to, or even slightly lower than, Gu Erniu's.

Only on rare occasions would an exceptional shot elicit gasps of amazement.

Of course, Gu Sheng would always humbly attribute it to luck.

That night.

Gu Erniu and Gu Sheng sat opposite each other, drinking. Rabbit stew simmered in a pot. The wine was strong and astringent, but for the common folk, it was a rare luxury.

Gu Erniu was very happy today.

He had been praised after taking Gu Wan to see Gu Changming. Gu Wan had good potential and was better than Gu Erniu. If he built a solid foundation, he had a great chance of becoming a martial artist!

And so.

Gu Erniu was too excited to sleep. He had brought wine late at night, insisting they wouldn't stop drinking until they were drunk.

"Ah Sheng, you know, I never dreamed my son would have a chance to become a martial artist!"

Gu Erniu's face showed a hint of drunkenness, and his desire to talk surged.

"My father sent me to train in martial arts, but I didn't have the talent. Despite the money spent, I couldn't even get started. At best, my body just got stronger. To this day, I can't forget the regret in my father's eyes before he passed away!"

"This has been a lifelong pain for me! Ah Sheng, I've witnessed the power of martial artists, but I couldn't become one. Do you know how that feels?"

"But now, my son, my son Gu Wan, can finally become a martial artist!"

"Next, I'm going to save up money for him. When he turns fifteen, I'll have him train in martial arts at the estate. He must become a powerful martial artist to protect himself, and maybe even become someone important!"

Gu Erniu spoke a lot in one breath, gesturing with his hands and feet as he envisioned the future.

Gu Sheng understood a great deal from this.

Regret, excitement, elation, hope...

Numerous emotions were evident within him.

Gu Sheng was also genuinely happy for Gu Erniu. With his son having the hope of becoming a martial artist, the light in Gu Erniu's eyes became much brighter, and he had more drive for his future life.

"Ah Sheng, you need to work hard too. Your comprehension is so good, you'll definitely be fine when you start training in martial arts."

"When that time comes, I, Gu Erniu, will have a martial artist brother and a martial artist son. Let's see who dares to bully me, haha!"

Gu Erniu took a couple of drinks of wine and couldn't help but laugh heartily.

Gu Sheng smiled and nodded, then popped a rabbit leg into his mouth and said with determination:

"I will definitely train in martial arts!"

"Brother Erniu, I have something to tell you. I plan to go into the mountains alone tomorrow."

These quiet words immediately made Gu Erniu freeze, and he sobered up considerably. He quickly advised:

"Ah Sheng, you've only been hunting for two months. Isn't going into the mountains alone a bit too rushed..."

Before he could finish, he suddenly realized something.

"You mean to..."

Gu Sheng nodded solemnly.

"That's right. Next spring, I'll be fifteen. Instructor Gu Jingang will also be teaching a new batch of youths martial arts. I have to prepare in advance. You know, martial arts training consumes a lot of resources."

Gu Erniu nodded sincerely. "Poor scholars, rich martial artists" wasn't just a saying; he understood it deeply back then.

Otherwise, he wouldn't be rushing to save money for Gu Wan right now.

"Ah Sheng, it's great that you're so ambitious, but you still need to be extra careful."

Gu Sheng smiled:

"Don't worry. These past two months weren't for nothing. I have a general understanding of the mountain's conditions. Besides, I won't be going too deep at first. I know my limits."

Gu Erniu nodded repeatedly. After a moment of thought, he said:

"How about this? Take my bow into the mountains tomorrow. My bow is stronger, and you can fully draw it now. Combined with your archery skills, it'll be enough to deal with most wild beasts."

He winked at Gu Sheng.

"You kid don't need to hide anything from me. Others might not understand you, but I know you. Your archery skills are definitely more than what you've shown. I suspect I might not even be able to beat you now."

Gu Erniu couldn't help but marvel. He was a witness to Gu Sheng's growth.

From learning archery until now, it had only been three months at most, and he had already reached this level. His archery talent was astonishing.

Gu Sheng smiled sheepishly:

"I just hid a little. I estimate I'm about the same level as you now, Brother Erniu."

Gu Erniu pointed at Gu Sheng with his finger and couldn't help but laugh heartily.

"You rascal... you're playing coy with me again. You have to have a drink with me!"

The next day.

Gu Sheng and Gu He took leave and headed into the mountains with Gu Erniu's hunting bow.