Heavy snow fell continuously for three days.
Along with the howling wind, the entire Qingshan Village was engulfed in silence. In this kind of terrible weather, hunting was naturally impossible.
Even with the Information System, there was nothing he could do. Even if intelligence appeared, he simply could not enter the mountains. Life came first.
Fortunately, Xu Changnian had worked hard during the previous days. There was enough food stored at home, and they could still drink fish soup every day.
However, as time went on, the fish was no longer fresh. Although it wouldn’t spoil in this winter cold, the taste had already become poor.
During these days when he could not enter the mountains, Xu Changnian still did not remain idle. He practiced archery at home during the day and “deeply communicated” with his two wives at night.
Life was quite enjoyable.
Swoosh—an arrow shot out, aimed toward the target fifty paces away. It looked quite proper at first glance, but in truth the arrow had barely flown 10 meters before wobbling weakly and plunging into the snow.
“You need to understand which end is heavy and which end is stable. Only then will it not shake after release. Don’t keep your arms so stiff. Use the strength of your back. Sink your shoulders, lower your elbows, and let your waist be like spring willow—soft in appearance, yet full of toughness.” Xu Tielin guided him from the side, occasionally stepping forward to demonstrate personally.
Left hand forward, right hand pulling the bowstring, the cow tendon on the mulberry wood bow creaked like old bones stretching. The half-stone (about 25 kilograms) bow seemed like nothing but a toy in Xu Tielin’s hands, handled effortlessly. “Again.”
After several attempts, Xu Changnian finally found that “tough strength.”
Drawing the bow was not about cramming power into his arms. Instead, he used slight strength from his waist and abdomen, letting the muscles of his back stretch naturally, steady and not stiff.
Swoosh— The bowstring vibrated with a deep hum, and the arrow shot out straight, landing only about 6 centimeters away from the bullseye.
“Your archery has already reached the entry stage. Your accuracy is good… but your strength is still lacking!” Xu Tielin nodded in satisfaction.
As expected of his son—within just a few days he had grasped so much. Surely he had inherited his talent. Hahaha.
But before long, his son’s next performance shocked him even more.
Xu Changnian changed his shooting posture, using his right thumb to hook the bowstring while his index and middle fingers pressed naturally. The arrow tail rested just at the crook of his fingers.
“What kind of archery posture is that?” Xu Tielin stared blankly, then tried imitating it and surprisingly found it incredibly useful—far better than the posture he had always used.
“This is something I learned from a mounted archer. They all train like this,” Xu Changnian said casually.
Of course, that was a lie.
He had never seen any mounted archer in this world. Everything came from archery videos he had watched in his previous life.
The archery methods of nomadic Mongolians saved strength and increased shooting speed, unrivaled in horseback hunting.
The only downside was that practicing too much could injure the thumb, so normally one needed a ring for protection.
Hearing Xu Changnian’s explanation, he simply assumed his son had met some powerful military archer and learned a few techniques.
“I really lived all these years for nothing…” He felt heavily struck.
Tracking prey?
Xu Changnian always returned with something every time he entered the mountains.
Archery?
After teaching him for only a few days, somehow he had become the inferior one.
Xu Changnian even drew a rough blueprint, planning to hire a smith in the future to create a new bow.
He called it: a simple compound bow. Xu Tielin was completely dumbfounded.
What was a pulley system?
What was reverse curve design?
What was leverage mechanics?
What… what was all of this… Listening to his son talk felt like listening to heavenly scripture. At last, unable to keep his pride anymore, he pointed at Xu Changnian’s nose and said, “I am your father!”
…
“Mother, do we still have food at home?” Xiao Yue ran back in from outside and asked while clinging beside Yun Niang.
“Didn’t you drink porridge this morning?” Yun Niang wiped her face clean. This child had been playing wildly, completely like a muddy little monkey.
“It’s the old beggar who came to the village… he’s so pitiful. He sleeps in hay piles at night. I think he hasn’t eaten at all.” Xiao Yue tugged at Yun Niang’s hand and said softly.
“You really are kind-hearted, giving away our food to play good person outside,” Yun Niang squeezed Xiao Yue’s cheeks, speaking helplessly.
Xiao Yue really had inherited her temperament—sharp-tongued but soft-hearted, unable to bear seeing others suffer.
“I still have half a bowl of porridge left…”
Hearing about the beggar, Shen Yourong couldn’t help thinking of herself. Not long ago, wasn’t she the same as that old beggar?
Xiao Yue immediately turned to look at Yun Niang, clearly asking silently—can I?
“Remember to bring the bowl back,” Yun Niang nodded.
In times like these, people without homes and without food were everywhere. What they could do was already limited.
They couldn’t possibly take everyone in.
Giving a mouthful of food was already showing great kindness.
Unknowingly, another two days passed.
When Xu Changnian opened the door in the morning, the snow had finally stopped, and more importantly, the wind had greatly weakened. It was finally possible to enter the mountains to hunt.
The continuous snowing for five days had nearly suffocated him, and he was truly sick of eating fish.
“System, begin obtaining intel!”
[Ding, intel is being acquired, please wait patiently… Recent fortune: Blessings and Calamities are Intertwined.]
[Resting Hazel Grouse: On Xiaoyue Mountain, several hazel grouse are resting within bushes for warmth. Striking swiftly may bring harvest.]
[Ganoderma on Black Wind Mountain: Midway up Black Wind Mountain, a Ganoderma mushroom has grown. Collecting it can be exchanged for a large amount of silver.]
[Injured Wild Wolves: After failing to hunt the Wild Boars vs. Wolves, most wolves retreated into Black Wind Mountain, but several injured wolves still wander within Xiaoyue Mountain.]
Reading the intel, Xu Changnian raised his brows proudly.
As expected, wild boars were fierce enough to break the wolf pack apart and force them into Black Wind Mountain.
As for the few injured wolves, they weren’t particularly threatening. But he had no interest in hunting wolves.
Not because of danger—but because they tasted terrible. Wolf meat was sour and fishy, easily causing bodily discomfort. Carnivore meat was usually like that. The only real value of wolves was their pelts, which sold well.
But heavy snow had sealed roads. The market in Zhoujia Town was closed, and going to the county city was impossible. Even if he got wolf pelts, he couldn’t sell them. As for Black Wind Mountain’s Ganoderma—no sane person would dare enter Black Wind Mountain right now. The terrain was already dangerous, wild beasts rampant, and now snow-covered—it was suicide.
That only left the hazel grouse… oh, that was truly good meat—tight and bouncy. Imagining eating hazel grouse stew with wild vegetables while snow piled outside made him swallow greedily.
In his previous life, hazel grouse were a protected species. Eating them would get handcuffs instantly. But in this world, none of that mattered. If you could catch it, you could eat it.
After setting his goal, Xu Changnian began preparing to enter the mountains.
“Husband, the snow has only just stopped. Don’t go… our family isn’t short of food right now,” Shen Yourong said worriedly.
The last incident with those men had frightened her deeply. Compared to meat, Xu Changnian’s safety mattered far more.
“Don’t worry, wife. When I return, we’ll eat well tonight. Come, give me a kiss first~” After staying affectionate for a bit, Xu Changnian finally carried his bow and headed into the mountains. It had been too long. The feeling was refreshing.
…
“Look at Xu Changnian, he went into the mountains again, amazing!”
“He has the mountain god protecting him!”
“Exactly. If not for the mountain god’s blessing, how could he succeed every time?”
“You probably haven’t heard—Old Uncle Lu returned from visiting relatives out of town, and he entered the mountain early this morning!”