Archery Mastery: Expert!

Li Xuan solemnly agreed.

Today at the Thunderbolt Martial Arts Hall, he had gained a preliminary understanding of how formidable martial artists were.

The force the outer court disciples generated as they practiced their punches was far beyond anything an ordinary burly man could match.

If there really were martial artists among the mountain bandits, things would be troublesome.

Leaving Li Shan's room, Li Xuan did not return to his half of the shack. First, he went to check on the little wolf cub in the nest of straw by the wall.

Hearing him approach, the little fellow immediately pricked up its ears and emerged from the dry grass. It nuzzled his hand affectionately, letting out soft whimpers, its round eyes gleaming in the darkness.

Compared to the dying creature he had first picked up, the little wolf cub was now brimming with energy.

It had also grown noticeably larger, with a sturdier frame than the village puppies its age and a sleek, glossy coat.

Li Xuan picked it up to gauge its weight. It felt hefty.

It seemed that the single point he had added to its "heart" had worked remarkably well, greatly improving its ability to survive and its potential for growth.

After some more time, once it grew bigger, perhaps it really could become a fine hunting companion.

After playing with the wolf cub for a while, Li Xuan returned to his sleeping area and sat cross-legged.

He called up the panel only he could see.

[Li Xuan]

Physique: 1.3

Dexterity: 1.3

[Available points: 30]

[Archery Mastery: Proficient (0/30)]

[Thunderclap Fist Stance: Beginner (0/20)]

He looked at the words "Proficient (0/30)" beside Archery Mastery.

With those thirty points to spare, Li Xuan began to hesitate.

Improving Thunderclap Fist clearly costs far more than Archery Mastery! Even the beginner level requires twenty points.

That also shows martial arts really are more powerful than ordinary skills.

In theory, I have enough points right now to improve Thunderclap Fist.

But archery was currently the foundation of his livelihood and his means of acquiring points. He had to prioritize it.

As for Thunderclap Fist, he could improve it later once he had earned enough points. There was no hurry.

He only needed to improve it before his next visit to the martial arts hall, so he still had plenty of time.

Allocate points to Archery Mastery.

At his mental command, the thirty points instantly dropped to zero.

The words "Archery Mastery: Proficient (0/30)" on the panel blurred.

Then light shimmered across them, and they became "Archery Mastery: Expert (0/100)."

Boom!

In an instant, a torrent of experience and insights, both unfamiliar and familiar, surged into Li Xuan's mind.

How to hold a bow more steadily, how to judge the wind, distance, and a moving animal's path more accurately-and many techniques he had never even imagined.

Subtle changes in finger placement, perfect coordination between breathing and the moment of release, and even...

How to fire multiple arrows in a single breath with a special, seamless technique!

Consecutive Arrows!

Li Xuan's eyes snapped open, a sharp gleam flashing through them.

Almost unable to wait, he jumped down from the heated bed, took the old hunting bow and quiver off the wall, and tiptoed into the courtyard.

The moonlight was still bright enough for him to just make out his surroundings.

He drew an arrow and nocked it, feeling a sense of control completely unlike anything he had known before.

He aimed at a scar on the trunk of an old tree ten paces away.

The bow curved like a full moon; the arrow flew like a shooting star.

Whoosh!

The arrow struck the exact center of the scar, biting deep into the wood, its fletching quivering.

Reassured, Li Xuan drew another three arrows.

This time, he held his breath, his arm muscles moving rapidly in a newly grasped rhythm.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Three sharp whistles tore through the air, almost merging into one!

Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!

The three arrows buried themselves deep in the trunk around the scar in a triangular formation, barely an inch apart, their tails trembling in unison.

It worked! Three consecutive arrows!

Li Xuan slowly lowered the bow, his chest rising and falling slightly. Sweat had already appeared at his temples.

Those three consecutive shots had consumed far more stamina than he had expected, leaving the muscles in his arms, shoulders, and back distinctly sore.

It seemed that, useful as this technique was, he could not use it recklessly. It placed a considerable burden on his current physique.

He would have to put adding points to his physique on the agenda as soon as possible, too.

Still, this would suffice for now.

With this Consecutive Arrows technique, his chances of killing large, agile prey had increased greatly.

He recalled the iron arrowheads he had made a point of buying at the town smithy that day. They were much sharper and sturdier than the stone arrowheads they ground at home.

Tomorrow, he would ask Old Dad to help finish and fit them. The next time he entered the mountains, he could set his sights on more valuable game.

Points. I need more points!

The next day, Li Xuan got up at the first faint light of dawn.

Carrying the iron arrowheads he had bought in town, he found his father, Li Shan, sharpening a stone knife beneath the eaves.

"Dad, I'd like to fit these arrowheads. Could you take a look?"

Li Xuan handed him the arrowheads and several shafts.

Li Shan took them, hefted the iron arrowheads, then inspected the notches at the ends of the shafts. He nodded.

"These iron arrowheads are good stuff, much better than the stone flakes we chip ourselves. But fitting them securely and perfectly straight takes a bit of skill. You can't just tie them on tightly with string and call it done."

He had Li Xuan fetch the prepared fish bladder glue, then dug out several thin strips of hide he had already cut.

"Watch carefully. First, use glue to set the arrowhead into the socket in the shaft. You have to align it as you glue it in-not even a hair crooked. When the glue is halfway dry, wind this hide strip tightly around it, turn by turn, and cinch it firm. Finally, apply another layer of glue to keep moisture out and stop it loosening. Every step takes patience. Rush it, and you'll ruin it."

Following along, Li Xuan discovered that it really was not easy.

Just aligning the arrowhead took a great deal of effort. The slightest tremor of his hand knocked it crooked.

Winding the hide strips required even pressure. Too tight, and the wood at the front of the shaft could split; too loose, and the arrowhead would not stay secure.

Father and son worked away for most of the morning before finally finishing five arrows.

Li Shan checked them one last time and nodded.

"Not bad. They'll do. But if you want them to truly suit your hand, you'll need more practice. Practice breeds skill."

An elder at home is a treasure in the house!

It was true: although Li Shan now had trouble getting around,

His experience as an old hunter was still there.

Without Old Dad, Li Xuan might not have been able to finish the arrowheads so quickly.

Li Xuan took the five brand-new iron arrows. They felt heavy in his hand, their heads gleaming coldly, their shafts straight and bound with tight hide strips, carrying the mingled scent of glue and wood.

The instant he tightened his grip,

A faint light flickered before his eyes:

[Iron Arrows ×5: +0.3 Physique, +0.5 Dexterity (Fine)]

The attribute bonuses appeared directly! And these bonuses... Li Xuan's heart jolted.

0.3 Physique, 0.5 Dexterity!

That was considerably more than he had expected!

Fine equipment gives such a large boost?

He immediately looked at his attribute panel.

As the iron arrows' attributes took effect, the numbers beside Physique and Dexterity rapidly shifted before finally settling:

Physique: 1.3 (+0.3) = 1.6

Dexterity: 1.3 (+0.5) = 1.8

On top of that was his earlier ox-horn bow [Ox-Horn Bow: +0.2 Physique, +0.1 Dexterity (Severely worn)].

Now his attributes stood at 1.8 Physique and 1.9 Dexterity!

That was almost double what they had originally been!