The men of the Tang family truly had an impressive appetite. Even with six dishes on the table, it wasn’t enough—they were all served in large basins.
After the meal, they didn’t even bother washing the bowls; they soaked up every bit of leftover broth with rice until it was completely gone.
That night, Tang Yunshu once again felt a strange pull. When she opened her eyes, she saw Black Impermanence.
“Miss Tang,” he said, “you caught a flower thief and rescued a girl. I’m granting you an extra five years of life.”
“Only five years? There’s still a long way to go before I can save everyone,” Tang Yunshu replied.
Black Impermanence reassured her, “Don’t worry, Miss Tang. There will be more opportunities in the future.”
Tang Yunshu played games in her space for a while before finally going to sleep.
The next morning, the Tang family had already eaten breakfast and were preparing for the day.
Tang Yunshu said, “Father, brothers, you already know most of the herbs, so I don’t need to teach you. The herb supply isn’t too abundant, so I’ll go deeper into the forest to set some traps and catch prey to sell.”
Tang Dazhuang was concerned. “Yunshu, you can’t go into the deep forest. Someone went in before and got bitten by a tiger. It’s too dangerous.”
“Yeah, little sister, it’s dangerous. We should go with you,” said Third Brother.
Tang Yunshu waved off their concerns. “Father, brothers, you forget—my master is a celestial being. I have the skills to protect myself. Don’t come with me; if danger arises, I’d have to protect you too.”
Her father nodded. “Alright, daughter, we won’t follow. But promise us—you run away if anything happens!”
“I know, Father. I’m going,” she replied, cautiously stepping into the forest.
The deep forest was dense and lush. Tang Yunshu memorized the path as she went, preparing sharpened stakes and digging pits.
Digging was exhausting, and with the hot weather, sweat streamed down her forehead and cheeks.
Once the pits were dug, she placed the sharpened stakes at the bottom, pointing the tips upward. To prevent prey from escaping easily, she reinforced the stakes with sturdy vines, crisscrossing and binding them tightly.
Next, she gathered dry branches and leaves from nearby and carefully camouflaged the traps so they blended with the forest floor.
She even placed a warning sign: “Trap ahead, beware!” to prevent accidental injuries to humans.
Around the traps, she scattered powders with special scents to attract wild animals. Using this method, she set several more traps.
The two forested areas the family frequented for herbs and wild vegetables were connected, so she knew her way around.
As she finished the last trap, she paused, sensing movement nearby.
A wild rabbit peeked out cautiously.
Tang Yunshu’s lips curved into a small smile. Calmly, she retrieved a few stones from her side, crouched slightly, and waited. When the rabbit was fully visible, she flicked her wrist—the stones whistled through the air, striking the rabbit precisely.
She ran over, tied up the rabbit to ensure it wouldn’t escape, and stored it in her space.
A little further ahead, she heard a flurry of flapping wings. A wild chicken, startled, tried to fly.
Tang Yunshu again took a few stones, aiming carefully. One struck the chicken’s wing, and it fell to the ground. She quickly tied it and stored it as well.
Continuing deeper, she suddenly heard chaotic and urgent noises.
Far ahead, a wild deer ran in panic toward her. Its eyes were wide with fear, hooves kicking up dust as it sprinted.
Chasing the deer was a large, muscular leopard, its gaze fierce.
Tang Yunshu immediately entered her space, observing. She knew she couldn’t defeat the leopard head-on yet, only strike opportunistically.
The leopard, an experienced hunter, moved deliberately, searching for the right moment.
Finally, on slightly flatter ground, it lunged like lightning, claws raking the deer’s hindquarters.
The deer cried out, stumbled, and fell. The leopard clamped onto the deer’s neck.
At that critical moment, Tang Yunshu’s eyes narrowed. She drew a throwing knife, aimed at the leopard’s neck, and flung it with full force.
“Pff!” The knife hit precisely. The leopard trembled, loosening its grip on the deer, letting out a few weak whimpers before collapsing.
The deer lay on the ground, bleeding heavily. Tang Yunshu rushed forward, finishing off the leopard with another strike. She collected the deer’s blood in a basin and stored both the deer and leopard in her space.
With a full haul, she headed back, keeping an eye on the traps. Seeing them untouched, she returned to the village through her space.
Once back, she called out, “Father, Fifth Brother, where are you?”
Fifth Brother, having sharp ears, replied immediately, “Little sister, we’re over here!”
Tang Yunshu navigated toward their voices. When she arrived, she performed a little trick, shouting proudly: “Father, brothers, look at my haul!”
With a wave of her hand, the captured animals appeared on the ground.
The family was astonished—they had never seen anything appear out of thin air.
Fifth Brother, scratching his head, asked, “Little sister, where did these come from?”
Fourth Brother smacked him lightly. “Mother told you, don’t ask. How could you forget so fast?”
“Oh, right, I won’t ask,” Fifth Brother said sheepishly.
Third Brother stared at the animals in awe. “Little sister, you even hunted a deer! I heard they run as fast as the wind! And this… what is it?”
Tang Yunshu looked and said, “That’s a leopard. They’re very fierce. Did I get hurt?”