Hunter's Archery

Li Qiuzhi gave it some thought, then gathered his words and said:

"Um, here's the thing, sir. Do you take apprentices?

"I've always wanted to become an adventurer, but I'm not quite confident in my abilities yet, so I'd like to become a hunter first and learn the skills and experience needed to survive in the wild."

Reality wasn't a game. At the very least, Li Qiuzhi felt he should speak respectfully.

Draff was a little surprised. He hadn't expected the young man to be looking for an apprenticeship. Well, an apprentice could certainly lend him a hand and lighten his workload.

The trouble was, all the Mora he earned from hunting went toward either household expenses or drinking. He couldn't afford to pay an apprentice.

A little embarrassed, Draff rubbed the back of his head and smiled as he gently turned him down:

"Haha, young man, you don't need amazing skills to be an adventurer. Running errands and doing odd jobs around the city counts as adventuring too!"

Draff had a point. Becoming an adventurer was easy, but an adventurer who never left the city wouldn't get to fight monsters.

"What kind of adventurer never leaves the city? Don't worry, sir. I don't need any Mora. I just hope to learn something!"

Li Qiuzhi could tell Draff was somewhat interested, but what was holding him back? Remembering his fondness for drinking, he figured Mora might be the problem.

Looking into the young man from Liyue's sincere eyes, Draff found it hard to refuse.

Having an apprentice along would certainly be useful. At least if he ran into a dangerous monster, he would have someone to seek help from the patrolling Knights of Favonius.

Besides, he could save the Mora he wouldn't have to pay.

"Ahem." Still, to avoid getting his hopes up only for the young man to find the hardships unbearable, Draff lightly covered his mouth and cleared his throat. "Being a hunter isn't easy. There are risks, and injuries are common. Are you really sure about this?" he asked seriously.

"Of course, sir. I just want to give it a try. Even if it doesn't work out, at least I'll have made an effort. This is my dream."

Li Qiuzhi had thought Draff might turn him down again. He hadn't expected things to go so smoothly.

Draff folded his arms and looked at the street ahead. After thinking for a while, he lowered his hands and said:

"All right. I don't know what you have in mind, and I barely know you-we've only just met. But since you're willing to try, I'm not one to be stingy. I'll take you along for a month. How much you learn will be up to you!"

In truth, he also wanted to pass on his hunting skills. The young people in town no longer wanted to follow the older generation into the trade. All they thought about was moving to the city.

Ah, now that I've met a young man from Liyue who wants to learn, there's no harm in teaching him.

Once he returns to Liyue, he might even tell everyone he meets about the skilled hunter who taught him in Mondstadt.

Draff's thoughts had wandered who knew where.

"Really? Thank you, hunt-ah, Mr. Draff. I'll study hard."

Li Qiuzhi held back his excitement. He had taken another step forward on his path to growth. The day he could roam freely across Teyvat wasn't far off!

Once he had calmed down, Li Qiuzhi briefly introduced himself and asked Draff when they would start hunting.

"Li Qiuzhi. Names from Liyue really are hard to pronounce," Draff remarked after hearing his introduction. Then his expression turned serious. "As for hunting, let's make it this afternoon. I've just finished my business in the city, and I still need to return to Springvale. Wait for me at the city gate then."

"All right, Mr. Draff. Thank you."

Li Qiuzhi gave a slight nod, expressing his gratitude once more.

"All right, there's no need for such distant formalities. We're not teacher and student. Just think of it as an experienced hunter sharing what he knows with a newcomer."

Draff waved a hand and smiled. Li Qiuzhi watched him walk away along the stone-paved street, already looking forward to the afternoon.

With some free time still on his hands, Li Qiuzhi continued strolling through Mondstadt's streets, familiarizing himself with everything around him.

Time flowed by like water. That afternoon, Li Qiuzhi put on the outfit Amber had bought him for five thousand Mora, which allowed him to move freely, and went to the city gate to wait for Draff.

Come to think of it, he ought to repay Amber those five thousand Mora for the clothes as well. He couldn't take advantage of a girl's generosity.

Li Qiuzhi didn't have to wait long before Draff appeared again in his hunting clothes. He carried one hunting bow on his back and another in his hand. Passing the second bow to Li Qiuzhi, he said:

"This is a bow I used before. It's well suited to learning the basics of archery. You can use it for now."

Li Qiuzhi took it. This was the first time in his life he had handled a bow. It looked a little worn, but there was no damage at all. It was pretty good.

With Draff's guidance, he slung the hunting bow and quiver onto his back. At last, he looked something like a hunter's apprentice.

"Hmm, very good." Draff nodded in satisfaction, then paused thoughtfully before continuing, "There's actually another reason I agreed to take you along and teach you."

"Another reason?" Li Qiuzhi asked, puzzled.

Draff smiled and explained:

"Lately, there have been more wild animals around the Whispering Woods and Windwail Highland. They might start affecting people's travel.

"So the Knights of Favonius suggested that we hunters from Springvale come here to hunt more often. With more game around, I might not be able to carry it all myself. To avoid wasting any, I'll be asking you to put in some hard work."

"Of course. Isn't that exactly what an apprentice should do?"

Li Qiuzhi answered gladly.

Draff might think taking someone along and sharing his hunting experience was no big deal, but it was extremely important to Li Qiuzhi. Learning archery would greatly improve his fighting ability.

"Haha, that's the spirit a young man should have. Come on. Whether it's hunting skills or experience, the quickest way to learn is through practice."

Draff patted Li Qiuzhi on the shoulder and motioned for him to follow. The two stepped onto Mondstadt Bridge, startling a flock of pigeons that had been searching for food.

A breeze brushed their cheeks, carrying the fresh scent of grass. On the way to their hunting grounds, Draff said to Li Qiuzhi:

"To learn Springvale's hunting craft, you first have to learn the bow. We normally start teaching the younger generation when they're children. After a few years of learning, they can go hunting with the adults and learn the other skills involved.

"Archery is difficult to learn. Getting a grasp of the basics in a month would be quite an achievement. For now, start with holding the bow."

Holding a bow wasn't hard. What mattered was keeping it steady. Steadiness was the foundation of archery-how could anyone shoot accurately with an unsteady bow?

On the way to the Whispering Woods, Draff began teaching Li Qiuzhi Hunter's Archery.

It covered the basics of holding a bow, drawing an arrow, shooting with less physical effort, and keeping oneself concealed.

This was an archery technique developed specifically for hunting.