A gentle breeze blew, mixing the scent of grass and trees with the earthy aroma, invading his nostrils. Zhou Chen stepped confidently along a winding mountain path, feeling triumphant.
There's no denying that having a woman at home is truly invigorating!
No need to talk about any nonsense love.
You can focus entirely on making money, without delaying your strength improvement.
"I currently have twenty-seven Wind and Moon Points, Great Success Archery requires eighty points, and Minor Success Tracking Technique needs forty points..."
Zhou Chen glanced at his personal panel with a strand of consciousness:
"I wonder if I need to fill it up to be effective, or if I can gain something with each point added?"
Zhou Chen planned to give it a try.
"But should I add to archery, or to tracking?"
"I have the Thunder Light Ruyi Hand, which greatly enhances archery. Even Minor Success Archery is comparable to Perfect Archery, with a guaranteed hit as far as the eye can see..."
"Even if I raise archery to Great Success, the hunting effect is similar to Minor Success, and what I need most now isn't archery, but the Tracking Technique..."
Zhou Chen made a quick decision.
The Tracking Technique is like radar, not only allowing him to track prey more effectively and gain more but also letting him detect danger in advance, ensuring greater safety.
If he encountered a tiger ambush, Minor Success Archery and Great Success Archery wouldn't make much difference. He might at most shoot one arrow before the opponent reaches him, or he might not even have time to shoot.
But with a stronger Tracking Technique, it's different.
He could spot ambushing tigers or other dangers in advance, allowing him to choose to counterattack or take a detour.
Simply put, the Tracking Technique is like radar and intelligence information.
Without strong radar and intelligence, he's just a blind man and a headless fly.
If the archery isn't powerful enough to break through everything, then it's definitely not as useful as the Tracking Technique.
Moreover, Great Success Archery is of no use to him now.
Like hitting the mark within a hundred steps versus a hundred and fifty steps, does it make a difference to him?
He doesn't need to hit prey beyond a hundred steps away.
"Tracking Technique, add points!"
Zhou Chen allocated all twenty-seven Wind and Moon Points. A profound and mysterious feeling flooded his mind.
He seemed to enter a forest, living and learning inside, interacting daily with various plants and animals, studying their living habits, sensing their traces and breath.
Day after day.
His eyes became more piercing.
His ears became sharper.
His nose became more sensitive.
His tongue became more agile and sensitive, able to distinguish even finer differences...
"The Tracking Technique has improved again, it seems adding a point enhances it a little. Unfortunately, it's still thirteen points short of reaching Minor Success!"
Zhou Chen sighed slightly, using the enhanced Tracking Technique to search for prey.
His nose twitched, and he quickly caught the scent of prey.
He quietly approached and found wolf droppings left behind.
Based on the freshness of the droppings, Zhou Chen knew they were left by the wolf last night.
"There are no other traces of wolf packs nearby, it should be a lone wolf!"
Following the lone wolf's trail, Zhou Chen tracked quickly and encountered some game along the way, accepting everything that came.
Although he doesn't have a Cultivation Technique, he can currently rely on food to nurture a strong body.
Especially since his Thunder Light Ruyi Hand can massage, aid digestion, strengthen the body, and boost some strength.
He's only eighteen, and his physical functions haven't reached their peak yet.
"Another little spicy treat!"
Zhou Chen flicked his fingers, sending a pebble shooting out, shattering the head of a small green snake coiled on a branch.
Even though the Tracking Technique has not reached Minor Success, it's not far off.
With keen sight and hearing, and sensitive smell, he can clearly perceive the surrounding dangers.
"This Tracking Technique is truly impressive, I must max it out as soon as possible. Once it's like a super radar, I won't fear ambushes from fierce beasts and venomous snakes in the future!"
Zhou Chen decided to return earlier, work hard with Qin Hongyu, and strive to elevate the Tracking Technique to Minor Success by tomorrow.
An hour later.
Zhou Chen had already bagged four wild rabbits, two pheasants, and several other small game.
"That lone wolf should be just ahead!"
Zhou Chen bent his bow and nocked an arrow, cautiously searching and advancing.
Finally.
He saw the lone wolf resting under a big tree.
At this moment, it also sensed Zhou Chen's presence and stood up abruptly, but an arrow shot through, piercing its brow.
"Howl!"
The lone wolf howled in agony, struggling to rise, then stumbled and fell to the ground, its limbs flailing, its body convulsing incessantly, not dying instantly even after being shot through the brow.
But death came quickly.
Zhou Chen walked over with a smile, picked up the lifeless lone wolf:
"Today's hunt, perfectly complete!"
With a bounty of game, Zhou Chen felt relaxed and cheerful, walking with a bounce in his step.
He picked some wild vegetables along the way to take back.
"Yo, Xiaochen caught a wolf today?"
"Xiaochen's getting more and more impressive!"
"An arrow right through the brow, Xiaochen's archery rivals Old Man Cao, surpassing the master!"
Seeing Zhou Chen with a wolf and so much game, the people around him looked at Zhou Chen with newfound respect.
Strong individuals are respected no matter where they are.
"Look at you, not even two rabbits in three days, what a waste!"
A woman complained to her husband nearby.
"Hunting often depends on luck. Xiaochen must be lucky. I've never seen him bag much before. I'd say Miss Zhou brings good fortune to her husband!"
"What are you saying? Are you implying marrying me brought you bad luck?"
"No! That's not what I meant!"
"Then what do you mean?"
...
Zhou Chen ignored the surrounding chatter and returned home with the prey.
Qin Hongyu, who had been watching outside, immediately noticed Zhou Chen and hurried out to help him take off the basket he was carrying.
"Wow, Brother Chen, you even caught a wolf, and so many wild rabbits and chickens..."
Qin Hongyu's beautiful eyes sparkled, as these days it's hard to fill one's stomach, let alone eat meat, and all these prey are meat.
"Brother Chen, you're amazing; marrying you is truly the blessing I've cultivated over my lifetime!"
Qin Hongyu clung to Zhou Chen's arm, wobbling it continuously, after Zhou Chen's miraculous touch had made him as mighty as a mountain.
Zhou Chen put down the bow and arrow, firewood knife, and other weapons, wrapped Qin Hongyu's slender waist with his arm and lifted her, spinning twice in the air before lowering his head to firmly seal her rosy lips.
[Wind and Moon Points +1]
For a long time.
Qin Hongyu could barely breathe before Zhou Chen released her; her eyes were watery and her legs went weak.
"Annoying!"
Qin Hongyu's cheeks flushed with shame as she hurriedly straightened the front of her clothes and skirt, giving Zhou Chen a playful glare:
"Naughty as soon as you return!"
"Who's to blame when you're so beautiful, making it hard for one to resist!"
Zhou Chen chuckled; this line might be outdated in modern times, but it made Qin Hongyu blush, her heart pounding like a drum, feeling incredibly sweet.
"Go wash your hands and have dinner!"
Qin Hongyu gave him a sideways glance and turned around, wiggling her voluptuous and perfect hips into the kitchen.
Such perfect hips, undoubtedly credited to Zhou Chen's Thunder Light Ruyi Hand.
"Now that you mention it, I really am hungry!"
Zhou Chen walked to the washing rack beside him, where there was a basin filled with half a basin of clean water, prepared by Qin Hongyu for him.
Zhou Chen raised his hand, letting a few droplets of water drip, he casually washed, and then took a towel to wash his face with cold water.
"Refreshing!"
Hanging the towel, Zhou Chen felt invigorated, as a faint scent of meat wafted into his nostrils.
Qin Hongyu brought the ready-made dishes to the table, serving Zhou Chen a large bowl full of white rice.
Zhou Chen sat down and started eating heartily.
After hunting in the mountains since around eight or nine in the morning, it was now about five in the afternoon, and he was indeed quite hungry.
"Brother Chen, I think my dad's secretly involved with Widow Chen; I heard he even went secretly to her house last night!"
Qin Hongyu shared the news she received today: "I went home to check, and my dad only returned home at noon!"
"Your dad is a man; it's normal to think of women. Anyway, Widow Chen doesn't have a husband, it's no big deal!"
Zhou Chen said casually.
"Actually, if my dad really is with Widow Chen, I think it's a good thing!"
Qin Hongyu nodded her head; her mother had passed away two years ago.
"Hmm."
While casually chatting, Zhou Chen polished off three bowls of rice and finally felt full.
Qin Hongyu began clearing the bowls and chopsticks.
Looking at the beautiful figure of his beloved, Zhou Chen, who was now full, felt his mind wander.
Thoughts of romance followed a full stomach.
He reached out to hug Qin Hongyu's soft waist.
"Stop messing around, wait until after I've cleaned up!"
Qin Hongyu glared at Zhou Chen, reproachfully pouting.
"What cleaning up, you can wash it later!"
Zhou Chen scooped Qin Hongyu's bent legs, lifted her horizontally, and walked into the room with her in his arms amidst her playful, embarrassed gaze.
...
The Golden Crow sets in the west, the Jade Rabbit rises in the east.
The night is like water, all is silent.
Elder Qin, full of excitement, went out in the middle of the night and quietly arrived at Widow Chen's house.
"Xiao Chen, I'm here, hurry and open the door!"
Elder Qin whispered to the house, his face full of anticipation and excitement.
However, after quite some time, there was no response.
"What's going on? Could it be that Xiao Chen isn't home?"
Elder Qin wondered internally:
"Where could Xiao Chen go so late at night? Is she mixing with some wild man?"
"Old Qin, I'm over here!"
Under a big tree, Widow Chen waved at Elder Qin.
"Xiao Chen, why are you outside?"
Elder Qin hurried forward, excitedly holding Widow Chen's pale little hand, which felt cold.
"Old Qin, I found a great place, come with me!"
Widow Chen tugged Elder Qin towards the back of the mountain.
"What great place?"
Elder Qin asked in confusion, frowning:
"It's dangerous to go to the back mountain this late, with wild beasts often lurking!"
"Don't worry, it's not far, there's treasure there!"
Widow Chen shook Elder Qin's arm:
"Do you think I'd harm you? Do you not want to be intimate with me anymore?"
"Alright, alright, let's go then!"
Despite his words, Elder Qin had already decided in his mind that if it were too far, he absolutely wouldn't go.
A woman can be delightful, but life is more important.
...