Change of Mindset

Gu Sheng had thought that the special effects beyond Perfection would be strong, but he hadn't expected them to be this strong!

In that instant, as he gripped the cleaver and brought it down, he felt his strength about to explode. Li Yan had no room to resist at all.

He was decapitated with a single, bloody strike.

Gu Sheng looked at the headless corpse before him and the blurred, bloody mass that had fallen to the side. A large amount of blood gushed out, dyeing the surrounding bushes red, filling the air with a thick, bloody stench. He could even see fragments of white bone.

That single blow had even shattered bone!

He swallowed, feeling a bit nauseous, and a complex emotion arose within him.

This was his first time killing someone, in either this life or his past one.

The first three hunters were fine; after all, he'd killed them from a distance with arrows, a swift shot through the throat. The impact hadn't been that significant.

But now, seeing two people cleaved in half with a single, visceral strike, the visual impact made Gu Sheng feel slightly dizzy.

It was too brutal.

His right hand, gripping the cleaver, trembled slightly.

After a long moment.

Gu Sheng's gaze gradually cleared.

"I don't kill people, but if people try to kill me, and I want to survive in this world, sometimes I have to be ruthless."

Gu Sheng's mindset began to shift, an indescribable change taking place within him.

He wasn't someone with a fragile heart. If someone tried to prevent him from living, Gu Sheng would never hold back.

Without sparing another glance at the corpses at his feet.

Gu Sheng turned his attention to Gu Erniu and quickly ran over to help him up. Gu Erniu, enduring the intense pain in his leg, had rushed over, driven solely by the determination not to let Gu Sheng face danger alone.

Now that the fight was over, waves of pain washed over him, causing him to collapse sideways. Large beads of sweat dripped from his forehead.

However, the shock and daze in his eyes were exceptionally clear.

Having witnessed Gu Sheng cleave Li Yan in half with his own eyes, Gu Erniu gasped inwardly, his skin crawling. The scene was too horrifying. He had seen people killed before, but never so savagely.

He found it hard to believe that this was done by the Gu Sheng he had watched grow up.

"Ah Sheng... when did you change so much?"

He couldn't help but murmur to himself, shivering.

It was only natural.

Fortunately, he quickly remembered that the one cleaved was none other than Li Yan, who had coveted his wife and nearly caused his death.

"Ah Sheng, well done!"

"Don't have any psychological burden. That beast Li Yan deserved to die!"

Gu Erniu, outwardly rough but inwardly considerate, laughed heartily and gave Gu Sheng a thumbs-up as he ran over.

Gu Sheng was slightly taken aback, and the slight tension in his heart immediately eased.

"Hiss!"

Gu Erniu laughed, and suddenly his left leg wound twitched, causing him to hiss in pain.

Gu Sheng quickly helped Gu Erniu up, looking at his leg with concern.

"Brother Erniu, your leg..."

An arrow had pierced his left leg. In his haste, he had only managed to cut off the arrow shaft. Now, a large amount of blood had soaked through, and his entire leg was bloody.

Gu Erniu gritted his teeth.

"It's fine. This arrow didn't pierce the bone. A simple dressing, and we need to get down the mountain quickly. The smell of blood here is too strong; if it attracts any wild beasts, it won't be good."

"Ah Sheng, help me pull out the arrowhead!"

Gu Sheng wasn't one to procrastinate. He quickly nodded, first using Gu Erniu's short blade to shorten the arrow shaft further.

"Brother Erniu, bear with it."

Just as Gu Erniu was about to nod, Gu Sheng grabbed the arrowhead and pulled with all his might!

"Ah!"

Gu Erniu let out a low groan of pain, his teeth leaving deep imprints on the branch in his mouth. Sweat dripped, completely soaking Gu Erniu's clothes.

Blood spurted from his left leg.

Gu Sheng didn't hesitate. He quickly applied the prepared medicinal powder, then wrapped it with a strip of cloth, tying it tightly to stop the bleeding. Gu Erniu let out another pained hiss and said with a wry smile, "Ah Sheng, you're really ruthless with your actions. You didn't even give me time to prepare..."

Gu Sheng couldn't help but smile. Being overly hesitant would only prolong the pain.

Fortunately, the effect was quite good.

After the arrow was pulled from his left leg, although it still hurt, after being treated, the bleeding was somewhat stopped. He could be supported to move, and further treatment could be done after they reached the mountain base.

"Let's go down the mountain now!"

"Ah Sheng, go grab their bows, arrows, and short blades. They're all your spoils of war, and you can secretly sell them in Canghe County later. Don't waste them," Gu Erniu instructed.

Gu Sheng immediately nodded.

There was no need to deal with the bodies. It was already nearing nightfall, and by morning, the four corpses would have been completely devoured by wild beasts.

Gu Sheng moved with swift steps.

He went to several spots, collecting four longbows and several short blades. He also unexpectedly found a wild rabbit. With a sliver of hope, he patted down the bodies of the fallen, but indeed, there was nothing valuable on them.

What kind of decent person goes hunting carrying silver or jewels?

So, he wasn't disappointed.

The haul of weapons was already very good. The bows of the other three hunters were one-stone bows, but Li Yan's bow was stronger, even better than Gu Erniu's, and was considered a fine specimen among the two-stone bows.

Joy bloomed in Gu Sheng's eyes.

He returned to where they had come from and picked up the wild deer. Part of the deer had already been gnawed by insects and ants, but Gu Sheng didn't want to waste it and would deal with it properly later.

Under Gu Erniu's astonished gaze.

Gu Sheng shouldered the deer carcass, with five hunting bows slung around him, completely laden.

Gu Sheng gave a bashful smile, and Gu Erniu couldn't help but feel a shiver down his spine. He found it hard to look at that bashful smile now.

"Let's go. We'll take another path down the mountain."

Gu Erniu, with his experience, pointed Gu Sheng in a direction. It wasn't the direct route back to Gu Family Village, but it was safer, to avoid being seen by others.

Fortunately.

This time, everything went smoothly. Gu Sheng supported Gu Erniu, and they safely descended the mountain.

The last vestiges of the sun dyed Cang Mountain red. Gu Erniu glanced back at Cang Mountain, his feelings complex. He had never experienced such a perilous situation before.

He didn't know how his wife and children would survive in this world if he had truly died at Li Yan's hands today. He silently warned himself that he must be more cautious than ever in his actions from now on, never venturing into danger lightly.

The two continued their journey. As they neared Gu Family Village.

Gu Erniu said gravely:

"Ah Sheng, we need to find a place to temporarily hide these bows and short blades. We'll bring them home after nightfall. Otherwise, if we return to the village with so many people around, word might get out. I heard Li Yan has some connections; my sister married a martial artist from Li Family Fort."

"While this person might not necessarily stand up for Li Yan, it's always better to be low-key. What happened today, you and I know, and absolutely no third person must find out."

Gu Sheng immediately nodded. He had also been thinking about this. Returning to the village so openly would be too conspicuous.

"Li Yan's bow is much stronger than yours. You can keep it for yourself, but you'll need to rub off some of the markings. Soon, the village's procurement team will be heading into the city, and we can go to Canghe County together. Then, you can just say you traded for the bow in the city. As for the other hunting bows, we'll find opportunities to deal with them slowly."

Gu Erniu's considerations were very thorough, which perfectly suited Gu Sheng's intentions.

After they agreed on a plan, they immediately found a small patch of woods nearby. Gu Sheng dug a hole, buried the bows, filled the earth, and made a marker, all in one go.

By the time everything was done, the sun had completely set.

The two exchanged a smile.

"Let's go home!"

Gu Sheng supported Gu Erniu back home. Li Lian rushed out in a panic. Upon seeing Gu Erniu's battered state, tears immediately welled up in her eyes, and her face turned pale with fright.

Gu Erniu quickly comforted her:

"It's nothing, it's nothing. Just a bite from a wild wolf. I'll just need to rest at home for a while. Don't cry, don't cry."