The Unusual Quarrel

Even a beauty whose every feature is flawless, ensnared by three days of relentless hunger, found her first reaction upon seeing the fallen, plump wild rabbit was to swallow hard. Only then did she fix her gaze on the forest from which the arrow had emerged, watching as a figure stepped forth.

"Is it you?" Upon recognizing the person who emerged from the woods, bow and arrow in hand, her chest heaved with a noticeable intensity.

This was someone she had not wished to see, nor had she anticipated.

Observing the evidently waning Qin Xiyue, Lin Xi maintained a serene expression, simply nodding in acknowledgment. "Yes, what a coincidence, it is indeed me."

"I never expected your archery skills to be so impressive." Qin Xiyue averted her gaze from Lin Xi, casting a glance at the two arrows embedded in the rabbit's body, and spoke slowly.

Lin Xi offered a slight smile. "It was merely a matter of good execution and fortune."

"Good is good, and bad is bad," Qin Xiyue replied, her brow furrowing. "To strike a running rabbit with a self-made bow and arrow is no small feat; among all the newcomers, few could achieve such a thing. You needn't feign modesty."

Lin Xi shrugged, discerning the underlying implication in Qin Xiyue's words. However, he had never been one to expend energy convincing others, and his hunger was pressing; he needed to process the rabbit and enjoy a hearty meal. Thus, he simply approached the slain rabbit, choosing not to engage in further debate with Qin Xiyue.

Noticing Lin Xi's reluctance to converse, Qin Xiyue felt a flicker of irritation rise within her. She turned away, stubbornly making her way towards a low, marshy area ahead.

"I've already been there; there's nothing to be found, and others have already scoured it clean, even gathering the edible moss from the rocks. However, behind the grove I just left, there lies a hillock similar to this one, where the chances of finding food are likely much greater."

As Lin Xi grasped the hefty rabbit in his hands, a sense of calm enveloped him. Watching the retreating figure of the beautiful woman, he mused that her reasoning was somewhat irrational. Yet, he found that he preferred her unabashed nature over the more reserved temperament of Liu Ziyu. Unable to resist, he called out to Qin Xiyue's back, "Thank you."

Qin Xiyue halted momentarily, her form stiffening. Without further insistence, she turned and walked back towards the grove where Lin Xi had been. Driven by an inexplicable emotion, she found herself glancing back at him as she reached the edge of the woods, saying, "Your archery is quite remarkable; you must possess some talent. If you were to apply yourself a little more diligently and not fall too far behind in cultivation, you would surely achieve great things in the future. The agreement with Liu Ziyu arose because of me; if you promise to train hard, I could persuade him to nullify that pact."

Lin Xi had initially intended to respond with indifference, as he believed proving himself would not take long, and Qin Xiyue would come to understand in due time. However, recognizing her good intentions, he replied calmly, "Even if I were to agree now, would you believe me? I previously told you that your perceptions of me, as well as Liu Ziyu's, are based on assumptions rather than firsthand knowledge. If you truly believe what I said, then your current view of me should not be so."

Qin Xiyue's brow furrowed deeply once more. Unable to suppress her gaze from lingering on Lin Xi, she observed his tranquil demeanor, and recalling his exceptional archery skills, she felt a flicker of doubt in her heart, questioning whether she had misjudged him.

If he were not as she had imagined, then her earlier words at the Poison Valley's mountain path had indeed been rather impolite.

Qin Xiyue studied Lin Xi once more from a distance.

Lin Xi was presently using dried grass to clean the arrows he had extracted from the rabbit. Though his energy was evidently waning and his complexion pale, his expression remained calm, exuding an indescribable confidence.

A sudden tremor coursed through Qin Xiyue's heart. Taking a deep breath, she hesitantly looked at Lin Xi and said, "If I were to apologize for some of my previous remarks... could you prove to me that you are not the person I initially thought you to be?"

Lin Xi was momentarily taken aback. He had deemed her somewhat unreasonable, yet he had not anticipated such a shift in her attitude. Considering that the past two days had been free from Xu Shengmo's torment, he realized that proving himself would be a trivial task. After a brief pause, he nodded and replied, "Certainly, but I am quite famished at the moment. Would you mind waiting while I roast this rabbit?"

"And... if you are willing to heed my advice, and do not find it particularly unpleasant to watch me eat, I suggest you remain here. From my observations, this area should serve as a hunting ground for foxes and badgers, and the scent of blood and roasted meat may very well attract them. You could use the inedible entrails and fur I discarded to fashion some traps and bait, which would not be against the rules."

Qin Xiyue hesitated for a moment before finally nodding stiffly and uttering a reluctant agreement.

...

...

Knowing that roasting the wild rabbit he had hunted would be a torment for Meng Bai and the others, Lin Xi had already selected a suitable spot for grilling in the forest.

In a clearing among several slender, low trees, Lin Xi quickly ignited a fire using a prepared charred cotton ball and wood shavings, skillfully suspending the cleaned rabbit over the flames.

Qin Xiyue used a stone to sever the bloody remnants and fur, scattering them around the gentle slope, before she concealed herself at the edge of the woods.

Before long, an enticing aroma wafted from the rabbit, which had turned a golden hue as it roasted, with drops of oil seeping from the succulent meat.

This only intensified the insistent growling of Lin Xi's stomach, making him feel as though his insides were about to convulse.

Impatient with his own torment, Lin Xi sliced off a long strip of meat from the rabbit's exterior before it was fully cooked, disregarding the heat and eagerly devouring it.

"Absolutely delicious."

A wave of bliss surged from his taste buds to his brain.

In his previous world, he had seldom eaten rabbit meat, but perhaps due to the fact that this was a true wild rabbit of a different breed, he could discern a clear distinction.

Even without any seasoning, the rabbit meat exuded a rich, grassy aroma, and its texture melted in his mouth. It was no wonder that the academy's instructors had remarked that while ordinary rabbit meat was often difficult to digest and lacked nutritional value, certain species found in the Heavenly Mountain Range, due to their thick layers of fat and fewer natural predators, provided a rare source of nourishment.

This marbled rabbit meat was far superior to the finest Wagyu beef he had tasted in his previous world, both in flavor and aroma.

Lin Xi cut another generous piece of rabbit meat, and with the first morsel already consumed, he savored this one more leisurely, marveling at its astonishing taste, while his heart brimmed with unspoken emotions.

Fate had dealt him an unfair hand, casting him into this unfamiliar world.

Yet, it had also favored him, granting him many loved ones and allowing him to embark on this remarkable journey. Had he not arrived in this world, he would never have witnessed such breathtaking landscapes or savored such exquisite delicacies.

As Lin Xi pondered the two disparate worlds while relishing the fragrant rabbit meat, he deliberately restrained his overwhelming appetite, eating slowly to let the aroma linger in the air.

Just as he had hoped, with more than half of the rabbit already consumed and his stomach pleasantly rounded, he prepared to smoke the remaining meat into jerky for sustenance on the return journey. At that moment, two small gray figures appeared atop a mound on the gentle slope.

Qin Xiyue, already tormented by the enticing aroma wafting through the woods, felt her eyes brighten.

Before her stood two gray foxes, one large and one small, the larger appearing to weigh around ten pounds, while the smaller was about seven or eight.

Upon spotting the two gray foxes, Lin Xi quickly covered the smoldering fire with soil, placing the remaining roasted rabbit meat on a stone at a distance of over ten paces from the fire, before cautiously retreating and hiding among the grass.

These gray foxes, typically elusive in the Heavenly Mountain Range, exhibited little wariness towards humans, yet they were inherently timid and could easily be startled.

Qin Xiyue transformed into a statue within the woods, a silhouette of exquisite beauty, as the two foxes, drawn to the remnants of rabbit entrails she had previously discarded, gradually approached the grove.

However, just as the two gray foxes neared the woods, a series of abrupt, explosion-like sounds erupted from a distant slope near the snowline, creating a stark dissonance in the tranquil wilderness.

"Whoosh!"

The two gray foxes instantly transformed into a gust of wind, turning tail and sprinting back in the direction from which they had come.

Both Qin Xiyue and Lin Xi's expressions shifted dramatically. Qin Xiyue's toes tapped rapidly against the ground as she leaped from the woods, launching her makeshift spear with all her strength. Lin Xi burst forth from the trees, his bowstring thrumming as two arrows shot forth like lightning.

Yet, lacking any forewarning or preparation, and with the distance too great, Qin Xiyue's spear and Lin Xi's swiftly released arrows all struck the earth around the fleeing foxes.

In an instant, the two gray foxes darted around a low mound, vanishing from Qin Xiyue and Lin Xi's view.

"Who is over there... What is happening?"

Disappointment etched on their faces as they exchanged glances, Lin Xi and Qin Xiyue suddenly heard the faint sounds of a quarrel drifting from upwind, seemingly not far from their location.