Chapter 3 Entry-Level Archery

The next day.

The rooster crowed at dawn, and the morning fog was thinning.

Chen Sansi woke up early, with Warm Jade hot in his embrace.

With cheeks pink like peaches, Gu Xinlan was still deep asleep, clinging tightly to his arm, almost leaving marks.

In feudal society, a helpless woman could easily be reduced to a plaything and trafficked, hence a lack of security was understandable.

Chen Sansi struggled to free his arm.

Having taken advantage of her, he must now take responsibility.

Thinking back, despite Gu Xinlan's frail appearance, she was... like a delicate branch bearing heavy fruit. He couldn't fathom why his former self had failed to cherish her.

In his previous life, she wouldn't be his to marry without at least two million!

Chen Sansi tiptoed out of bed and grabbed the bow and arrows from the wall before heading outside.

"Whoo—"

He took several deep breaths to calm his cluttered thoughts and aimed at a crooked willow tree to start practicing Archery with focus.

After resting for half the night, his spirits and Qi Power were almost fully restored, and his aim was quite impressive as well.

Within twenty steps, he could nearly hit the target with every shot.

To minimize wear and tear, he practiced with only one arrow, yet even so, it was severely worn by the end of the morning.

Inside the house.

Gu Xinlan peeped through the paper-covered window at Chen Sansi, drenched in sweat, and inexplicably felt relieved.

"Brother Shi is serious... He really plans to hunt and make a life with me."

She soon felt sorry for him.

"He was up all night, and now he's up early practicing archery. What if he exhausts himself..."

Gu Xinlan leaned against the wall and limped to start the fire and cook.

...

"Got it!"

Another arrow was shot, and Chen Sansi took a long breath.

[Skill: Archery (Entry-Level)]

[Progress: (0/200)]

[Utility: Use a Six Power Bow, no miss within forty steps]

Just moments ago, it felt as though some power was infused into his body, not only significantly enhancing his physical strength but also elevating his archery skills to another level.

Archery entry-level!

Chen Sansi observed the changes on the panel.

Six Power Bow, no miss within forty steps.

In the Dasheng Dynasty, one Power equals twelve jin (a unit of weight), so a Six Power Bow equals seventy-two jin!

As far as he knew, the city guards also used Six Power Bows.

This meant, he had now reached the standard of an ordinary archer.

You see, in ancient armies, soldiers who qualified as archers were considered elite!

The latter sentence, "no miss within forty steps."

A step in the Dasheng Dynasty meant moving both feet once, about one point four meters, so forty steps were slightly over fifty meters.

Don't underestimate this distance.

The effective range for an ordinary archer in battle was about a hundred steps, but that was for shooting volleys into the air, not precision targeting.

Normally, precision for a distance of forty to fifty steps was also required for assessments.

The archery competitions Chen Sansi had seen in his previous life usually had targets about seventy meters away, and those were with modern bows.

And he achieved no miss within forty steps, every arrow hitting the bullseye, which doesn't mean he couldn't hit targets at seventy meters; it just meant he couldn't guarantee a bullseye every time.

Overall, based on the panel's display, he was nearly qualified to be assessed as an archer.

Chen Sansi couldn't wait to try it out.

He drew the bow again, his movements as proficient as a seasoned archer's.

The Four-Force Bow that felt quite heavy an hour ago now seemed incredibly light when fully drawn, almost effortless.

After advancing in archery, his physical strength had also greatly improved!

He calmed his emotions and tried shooting a few arrows. Indeed, his accuracy doubled; he hit every target within forty steps, and even those over sixty steps away were not bad.

Good!

With this level of skill, he could definitely hit game animals!

The most crucial point was, this was just the beginning.

Chen Sansi dared not imagine what it would be like if his archery skills reached small achievement or great success.

"Brother Shi, dinner is ready~"

A soft, bone-melting voice came from inside the house.

Chen Sansi then put away his bow.

He saw that although only one night had passed, Sister Lan had changed dramatically, exuding an indescribable charm along with her almond eyes, drawing extra attention.

At the dining table, there were two bowls of rice.

One bowl contained rice with steamed buns; the other held half a bowl of thin porridge.

The grain bought with a single silver coin couldn't last more than a few days, and clearly, Gu Xinlan was still reluctant to eat her fill.

Chen Sansi wasn't fussy, either. His archery practice consumed a lot of energy, and he needed even more since he was about to head up the mountain; after giving Sister Lan half a steamed bun, he ate everything else left.

Full and content, he slung his bow over his shoulder and stepped outside.

"Be careful, Brother Shi, even if you don't catch anything, don't go too deep. Just gather some wild vegetables and firewood to bring back,"

Gu Xinlan did not believe that her man could catch any game just after beginning to practice archery; safety always came first.

As long as they could overcome the current hardship together, she was willing to work herself to the bone even if Brother Shi wanted to leave his job to study in the future.

When Chen Sansi left his house, the day was already bright.

The neighbors were all starting their busy day; many looked on in curiosity at the sight of him carrying a bow and arrows.

"Oh, is Brother Shi preparing to go hunting up the mountain?"

"Can he do it?"

"Look, I told you early on, he can't make sense of books!"

"Go to hell, Lai Zi, at least he knows how to hunt. What can you do?"

"Little Shi, do you need Uncle Zhao to accompany you for a couple of days?"

"Be careful. Your family is depending on you."

The villagers had their fair share of snide remarks, but thanks to his father's good reputation, the majority were warm-hearted.

Chen Sansi greeted everyone he met, quickening his pace toward Tiger Head Mountain.

After mastering entry-level archery, his strength had increased, and he could now draw a Six Power Bow, which significantly improved his physical condition. What previously took two hours to reach the foot of Tiger Head Mountain now took him less than an hour and a half.

Following the winding path carved out by earlier travelers, Chen Sansi arrived at the midsection of the mountain, searching for signs of game.

Yet, after wandering around for quite a while, apart from some insects and sparrows, he discovered nothing.

Normally, a qualified hunter would need the aid of tools like hunting dogs and animal traps, but he was too poor to afford anything beyond a bow.

No, he had to succeed; otherwise, the modest amount of food at home would quickly run out.

Chen Sansi closed his eyes, trying hard to recall the extensive lessons from his father's youth.

For instance, determining what kind of game could be nearby based on the feces; what kinds of environments certain animals preferred; the habits of various animals; and also how to walk through the jungle without alarming the prey, and so on.

[Tracking and Stealth (Uninitiated)]

[Progress: 3/100]

[Utility: None]

?

Looking at the rows of text that suddenly appeared, Chen Sansi was somewhat baffled.

"Is this possible?"

"Could it be that as long as it's a technical task, I can manage it?"

"Alright, alright, alright, it's time I earn my living by hunting!"

Curbing the joy of discovering he had more than one skill, he began to search for tracks more meticulously.

This search lasted almost half a day.

By the time Chen Sansi sat down to rest, his proficiency had also progressed.

[Tracking and Stealth (Beginner)]

[Progress: 0/200]

[Utility: Keen Observation, Light Steps]

Chen Sansi's senses sharpened significantly; he could easily pinpoint the exact direction of birds' calls in the forest, effortlessly observe the subtle movements of small insects and ants on the ground, feeling as if everything was within his grasp.

He got up and resumed his search, and soon near a bush, he spotted some animal droppings.

Round and black, the size of beans.

There were also oval footprints in the loose soil nearby.

A wild rabbit!

"The droppings are fresh; it must be nearby!"

Following the trail, Chen Sansi moved forward. Under the effect of [Tracking and Stealth], he made almost no sound.

He entered a wooded area and then saw in the distance a plump gray rabbit, focused on gnawing at the grass, completely unaware of any danger.

"What a fat rabbit!"

Chen Sansi's eyes turned sharp as he drew his Recurve Bow, his three fingers firmly gripping the bowstring, ready as a hungry wolf poised to strike.

"Whoosh—"

The sound of the arrow ripping through the air was heard.

Within forty steps, his arrow did not miss!

In a blink, the arrow pierced straight through the rabbit.

He had hit it!

His first successful hunt in life!