Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Entering the Mountains Archery has reached Small Success. From fifty meters away, he could hit a target the size of a Copper Coin, which meant Gu Sheng could precisely shoot through the eyeball of his prey! Of course, if the target was a running animal, accuracy would drop slightly. But it wasn't a big issue—Gu Sheng now had the qualifications to venture into the mountains. "I'm still a bit behind Brother Er Niu, but not by much. Brother Er Niu's archery is probably somewhere between Small Success and Great Success." Gu Sheng silently made a comparison in his mind. The terrifying potential of his progress was becoming evident. The more difficult the Martial Arts were to master, the greater Gu Sheng's advantages became. Gu Erniu had practiced archery for ten years to achieve his current level of proficiency, but Gu Sheng had begun to approach it in less than a month—the disparity was glaringly obvious. Gu Sheng was elated. His Chopping Wood skill had already reached Perfect mastery, and with a hatchet in hand, he was fearless against ordinary wolves. Add to that his archery at Small Success, and he already had the ability to protect himself. "Next time Brother Er Niu and the others head into the mountains, I'll go with them!" At first, Gu Sheng had no plans to venture into the mountains alone—that would be no different from courting death. During this time, he'd heard Brother Er Niu speak of many precautions regarding hunting. The hunters in the manor would occasionally form teams, usually when they discovered the tracks of large beasts such as wild boars or black bears. They would then enter the mountains, and the prey would be divided based on contributions. Most of the time, however, the hunters would go into the mountains alone. Without large prey, gathering together wouldn't yield enough profit to share, leaving them with nothing but empty stomachs. Gu Sheng gradually calmed his internal excitement and continued practicing archery. After achieving Small Success, the feeling of drawing and releasing arrows became distinctly different—it had started to show signs of effortless control. Holding the bow felt as natural as extending an arm, and Gu Sheng no longer needed to consciously assume a proper stance to fire a full-powered shot! Whizz! Whizz! Whizz!! The sound of arrows cutting through the air echoed intermittently, and by the time the sun set behind the mountains, Gu Sheng finally stopped training and began packing up. He thought to himself: "At my current pace, reaching Great Success in archery will take about two months. I'll have to enter the mountains sooner—time is running out." It's summer now, but after a few months, hunting would become much harder. Gu Sheng needed to make the most of his time. Otherwise, his personality would drive him to obsessively train his archery to Great Success before ever considering the mountains. ... The next day. Gu Sheng sought out Gu Erniu and expressed his readiness to enter the mountains, which filled Gu Erniu with joy. "Good! I'll reach out to some folks. If anyone spots a large beast, we'll head in together!" Opportunities like this didn't come often. The last time they hunted a wild boar, the hunters split it among themselves. It had only been ten days since then, so there was no rush to enter the mountains. Gu Sheng wasn't in a hurry either. He waited patiently, carrying on his regular routine. Chopping wood, practicing archery, and strengthening his physical condition. After more than a month of disciplined training, combined with an abundant diet of meat and meals, Gu Sheng's physique had become far sturdier—he'd even grown taller, shedding all traces of his former frailty. Fourteen years old—prime time for rapid physical development. His archery continued to progress steadily, advancing far beyond where he was when he first achieved Small Success. As for Chopping Wood Perfect mastery, its familiarity rating had now reached 11%. A few days later. Gu Erniu came knocking at the door, excitement written all over his face. "Asheng, tomorrow tell Gu He in charge that you're going with us into the mountains. Zhang Ze found another wild boar! If we can take it down, we won't need to go back into the mountains for a while!" Gu Sheng's eyes lit up as well. "Alright!" There were no issues with Gu He. Gu Sheng had long ago mentioned to him that he might need to go hunting in the mountains from time to time. Though Gu He's previous offer had been rejected, he hadn't tried to make things difficult for Gu Sheng afterward. "Make sure to sharpen your arrows today. Tomorrow, stick close to us, and don't wander off..." Gu Erniu meticulously advised him on precautions for the upcoming venture into the mountains, and Gu Sheng nodded repeatedly. Watching Gu Erniu walk away, a stir of excitement rose in Gu Sheng's heart. Tomorrow would mark his first foray into the mountains for a hunt! While others might feel nervous, Gu Sheng—having already fought off two vicious wolves—possessed strong mental fortitude. He felt only excitement, but no fear. The next day. Four people gathered at the manor's entrance: Gu Erniu, Gu Sheng, Zhang Ze—whom Gu Sheng had met previously—and Gu Youfu, who was somewhat older. "Uncle Fu, this is Asheng. Don't underestimate him just because he hasn't been into the mountains before—his archery is truly impressive!" Zhang Ze nodded in greeting to Gu Sheng. "Stick close to us once we're in the mountains. Getting lost out there is more trouble than you can imagine." Gu Youfu chuckled warmly. "Asheng, right? Don't be nervous—everyone has a first time. Don't listen to Ah Ze trying to scare you. This time it's a wild boar—stay cautious, and there won't be any problems." Gu Sheng nodded and responded: "Brother Ze and Uncle Fu, rest assured—I won't drag anyone down." Gu Youfu waved his hand and added: "Alright, let's establish this upfront. Since Asheng is joining us, the prey is Zhang Ze's discovery—he'll get an extra tenth of the share. The rest will be divided according to contributions." Everyone nodded in agreement, showing their understanding. Gu Erniu remained silent until the group had exchanged pleasantries. Then, he raised his hand decisively. "Let's move out!" The four of them carried hunting bows on their backs, with short knives and blades strapped to their waists. Gu Sheng brought his family's hatchet, while the others carried pouches loaded with items like medicinal powders. Before long. The group arrived at the edge of a forested mountain. Gu Erniu spoke in hushed tones as they stood before the woods: "Ahead lies Cang Mountain. Everyone needs to be on high alert from here onward!" He lowered his voice further and turned to Gu Sheng: "In the mountains, don't just watch out for beasts—be wary of people too!" Cang Mountain didn't just host wildlife; it supported numerous hunters from Canghe County. The hunters from Gu's Manor frequented it, along with those from Li's Manor, Dahe Village, and other nearby areas. Caution and vigilance were the keys to survival. Gu Sheng felt a chill run through him. The message was clear: there might be instances of "black eats black" out here. He nodded earnestly and followed the trio forward. Gu Erniu, holding his hunting bow, took the lead, slicing through overgrown grass and deadwood with the bowstring's edge, his expression alert. The other three guided Gu Sheng, keeping him in the center as they protected him from behind. The two at the rear scanned their surroundings, wary of potential ambushes from wild beasts or venomous insects. Gu Sheng gripped his bow tightly, his own gaze sweeping across the environment. At the same time, he observed the actions of his companions—this was a rare learning opportunity. Gu Sheng knew he would eventually have to venture into the mountains on his own someday. Soon. Zhang Ze switched places with Gu Erniu, taking the lead and checking the direction. He crouched occasionally to inspect traces along the ground. "This way!" "The tracks left by this beast yesterday are still here!" His face brightened with excitement. Yesterday, while scouting for small prey like rabbits and pheasants, he unexpectedly stumbled upon the trail of a wild boar, leading to today's group effort. Gu Erniu and the others visibly perked up. It was a relief that the outing hadn't been for nothing. Now that the tracks were found, the hunt could officially begin. The group crouched low as they advanced carefully, and before long, the towering grass and thorny foliage parted to reveal a gray-haired wild boar with upturned tusks. It loitered amidst the forest underbrush. Gu Erniu's eyes were instantly alight with excitement. "What a beast! Bigger than the last one!"