One person: Starting with the Snow Drinking Blade

After walking for about half an hour, Nie Lingfeng suddenly stopped and raised his hand to signal. Chen Duo immediately held her breath and looked in the direction he was pointing.

About thirty paces ahead, in a small clearing in the woods, several grayish-brown deer were grazing on the tender grass and moss. Their ears twitched occasionally, alert to any movement around them.

Nie Lingfeng slowly took down his shortbow and nocked a wooden arrow. He didn't aim immediately, but turned his head and said to Chen Duo in a very low voice:

"Look at the one on the far left. It's a bit smaller and closest to the edge of the herd. When shooting prey, the target must be clear and the timing precise. They're feeding right now, so they're relatively less alert. But the wind is blowing from our side, and they'll quickly detect our scent. So, we only have one chance."

He drew back the bowstring, his movements steady and slow, without making a sound. The bow arm was drawn into a powerful arc.

"When shooting an arrow, your mind must be calm, your hand steady, and your eyes accurate. Concentrate your intention on the invisible line between the arrow tip and the target. Breathe, and in the intervals between exhalations, loosen your fingers."

His voice was deep and clear, as if carrying a peculiar rhythm, guiding Chen Duo's attention.

Chen Duo's eyes were fixed on the chosen roe deer, and her heart pounded faster involuntarily. She could smell the faint muttony odor of herbivores in the air, hear the subtle sounds of the roe deer chewing grass, and even feel the breeze brushing against her cheeks and the roe deer's fur.

Nie Lingfeng's fingers loosened.

"Boom!"

The bowstring emitted a slight tremor.

The wooden arrow left the bowstring, transforming into a blurry gray shadow that pierced through the dappled light and shadow in the forest, heading straight for the roe deer's neck!

However, just as the arrow was about to hit, the roe deer seemed to sense the deadly danger, suddenly raised its head, and leaped to the side with all four hooves!

"Duh!"

The wooden arrow grazed past the roe deer's front legs and embedded itself deeply in the trunk of an old tree behind it, its fletching still trembling.

Startled, the deer herd let out a flurry of panicked cries and scattered in all directions, disappearing into the dense forest.

The open space was a mess, with only a few clumps of trampled weeds and the lingering unease in the air.

Nie Lingfeng lowered his bow, his face showing no disappointment, but rather a look of expected satisfaction. He turned to Chen Duo: "See? Hunting is not just about strength and skill, but also about grasping the timing, the environment, and even the psychology of the prey. The slightest deviation will lead to failure."

Chen Duo nodded, her gaze still fixed on the direction where the roe deer had disappeared, a thoughtful look in her emerald eyes.

"However," Nie Lingfeng changed the subject, his tone carrying a hint of a smile and encouragement, "our 'hunt' is not over yet."

He strode over to where the roe deer had jumped, crouched down, and carefully examined the ground. Chen Duo followed and saw him parting the grass and fallen leaves with his fingers.

"Look here," Nie Lingfeng pointed to a slightly messy hoof print covered with fresh soil and broken grass. "It jumped up in fright and landed heavily, heading that way." He pointed to a denser thicket to the southeast. "Also, its front leg was grazed by the arrow. Although it wasn't injured or bleeding, it must have been frightened, and its running won't be as steady as usual. We can try to track it."

He stood up, dusted off his hands, and looked at Chen Duo: "Want to give it a try? You lead the way and follow the tracks."

Chen Duo's eyes brightened slightly. She nodded again, walked to the hoof prints, squatted down, and carefully observed them, just like Nie Lingfeng. Her observation was extremely meticulous; she not only looked at the shape, depth, and direction of the hoof prints, but also gently touched the soil to check the moisture and the traces of broken grass blades, and even sniffed the lingering scent.

A moment later, she stood up, pointed to the bushes to the southeast, and said with certainty, "Over here. The footprints are messy, and the grass was trampled in the same direction. And... there's a smell."

Nie Lingfeng's eyes showed even greater approval. Chen Duo's perception, especially in terms of smell and subtle traces, far surpassed that of ordinary people. This might be related to her long-term dealing with the subtle energy of Gu poison, or perhaps it was simply her innate sensitivity.

"Lead the way." He slung the short bow behind his back and gestured for Chen Duo to walk in front.

Chen Duo walked ahead, her steps even lighter and more cautious than before. Her emerald eyes, like the most precise scanner, constantly searched the woods for those almost invisible clues—a piece of bark with moss rubbed off, a gray hair hanging from a thorn, a few fresh droppings scattered on the decaying leaves…

Her tracking wasn't a straight line; she often had to stop to carefully examine the area and adjust her direction. Sometimes the tracks would disappear on a rocky beach or by a stream, at which point she would expand her search area to look for any clues that the prey had come ashore again or changed direction.

Nie Lingfeng followed behind her, silent, observing and protecting her. He was surprised to find that when Chen Duo was tracking, the faint, cold, restless aura emanating from her due to the Gu poison was suppressed by a focused stillness. She seemed completely immersed in this rhythm of "searching-judging-advancing," without any distractions.

Perhaps... this is also a different kind of "Ice Heart Technique" cultivation? Nie Lingfeng seemed to be deep in thought.

The tracking lasted for about 15 minutes. They passed through the bushes, crossed a shallow stream, and entered a darker, damp woodland covered with tall ferns.

Chen Duo suddenly stopped, squatted down, and gently parted a huge fern leaf with her fingers.

Beneath the leaves, on the damp mud, lay a clear, slightly panicked hoof print, with a few drops of fresh water nearby—perhaps saliva or sweat dripping from the prey as it paused to catch its breath.

Chen Duo looked up and gazed at a clump of unusually dense, vine-covered bushes a dozen steps ahead. She raised her hand, pointed to the bushes, and then mouthed to Nie Lingfeng, "There."

Nie Lingfeng nodded, took down his short bow, and nocked an arrow again. This time, he didn't do it himself, but handed the bow and arrow to Chen Duo.

Chen Duo paused for a moment, a hint of surprise and... tension flashing in her emerald eyes. She looked at the bow, then at Nie Lingfeng.

"Give it a try." Nie Lingfeng's voice was low, yet carried an undeniable encouragement. "Remember what I told you this morning. Calm your mind, steady your hand, and sharpen your eyes. Imagine it as the forces within you that need to be 'guided' and 'released,' and pour your 'intention' into the arrow."

Chen Duo hesitantly took the short bow. It was heavier than she had imagined, the sinewy bowstring taut. She tried to imitate Nie Lingfeng, clumsily nocking the arrow and drawing the bow. Her arms lacked strength; she could only draw the bow a little over before her arms trembled, making it difficult to continue.

But she didn't give up. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and silently recited the Ice Heart Mantra. A cool and calming feeling flowed through her heart, soothing the subtle ripples caused by tension and effort. She opened her eyes again, her emerald green pupils like two deep pools, clear and focused.

She adjusted her breathing, focusing all her attention on the gap in the slightly swaying bushes—where she could vaguely see a grayish-brown shadow.

The wind stopped.

The woods were completely silent.

As Chen Duo exhaled, she released the bowstring.

"Boom!"

The bowstring twanged softly.

The wooden arrow, carrying all her energy and spirit, traced a much weaker yet exceptionally stable arc than Nie Lingfeng's previous arrow, precisely piercing into the gap in the bushes!

"puff!"

A muffled thud was followed by the dying struggle of the prey and the violent shaking of the bushes.

A glint flashed in Nie Lingfeng's eyes, and he moved like lightning, instantly appearing in front of the bushes and reaching out to push aside the branches and leaves.

Inside, the roe deer that had escaped earlier lay on its side, a wooden arrow deeply embedded in its neck, blood gushing out. Its limbs were still twitching slightly, but it had clearly lost the ability to move.

Chen Duo stood there, holding her short bow, watching Nie Lingfeng drag the still-struggling roe deer out of the bushes. Her arms trembled slightly from the effort, her chest heaved, and fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead. But her eyes shone with an astonishing light.

It was no longer empty, no longer simply focused, but rather a mixture of shock, disbelief, and a trace... extremely faint, yet undeniably real...

A sense of accomplishment.

She did it.

Relying on her own observation, tracking, and judgment, and with that single arrow that concentrated all her attention, she succeeded.

After Nie Lingfeng finished processing the prey, he carried the motionless roe deer back and looked into Chen Duo's bright eyes, a genuine smile appearing on his face.

"Well done," he said, his tone full of undisguised praise. "Your eyesight, patience, and focus at the last moment were all excellent. It's very rare to see this kind of performance on your first hunt."

Chen Duo lowered her head, looking at her still slightly numb fingers, then looked up at the heavy prey in Nie Lingfeng's hand, and once again, the corners of her mouth curved upwards very slightly.

This time, the arc was more pronounced than ever before.

"Let's go," Nie Lingfeng said, hoisting the roe deer onto his shoulder. "When we get back, I'll make you some meat soup. You can eat a lot today."

The last rays of the setting sun filtered through the treetops, casting long shadows of the two figures. Smoke was about to rise from the direction of the wooden house.

The mountains and forests remained silent, but something had already quietly grown and sprouted from the earth in that silence.

Autumn is getting stronger.

For Chen Duo, these two months were sixty days in which her life was completely reshaped.

The Ice Heart Mantra, which initially required deliberate memorization and strenuous effort to combat the "noise" within her body, has gradually become a part of her breathing and a fundamental element deep within her consciousness. Her daily, unwavering morning and evening meditation, sitting cross-legged on fallen leaves or the first frost, silently reciting those cool and peaceful words, is no longer a form of "cultivation" for her, but rather a natural "return."

Her progress was visible to the naked eye, and Nie Lingfeng could clearly perceive it as well.

Initially, it took her immense effort to "see" the chaotic "territory" within her body, eroded by black toxins, through internal vision. The power of the Ice Heart Technique was like a faint lantern, illuminating only a radius of three feet around her body and dispelling the surface's chilling restlessness; the deeper darkness and chaos still lingered.

But with each passing day, the light of that "lamp" became more and more stable, and its range expanded. The cool and tranquil feeling brought by the Ice Heart Mantra began to truly seep into her meridians, nourish her internal organs, and even... touch her "spirit"—the origin of her consciousness—which had been twisted and suppressed for so long.

Nie Lingfeng once explained the profound meaning of the "Ice Heart Mantra" to her: "'A heart as clear as ice' does not mean turning your heart into a cold stone. Rather, it means that your thoughts should be like the purest ice crystals, transparent, clear, and untainted by dust. 'Unperturbed even when the sky falls' does not mean being numb or indifferent. Rather, it means that no matter how the outside world changes, you have your own firm beliefs and remain unmoved, like a clear mirror that reflects things when they come and leaves them empty when they go."

Chen Duo listened attentively, but initially did not fully understand. To her, "heart" was a vague concept, "emotions" were things that needed to be suppressed or simulated, and "fixed opinions" were even more out of the question.