Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

Seeing his younger brothers so hungry, Wei Chen felt a lump in his throat. He turned around, his back to his third uncle and aunt, and blinked hard a few times to force back the tears welling up in his eyes.

The suffering of this era was something I had only heard about before, but when you actually witness it, you realize it far exceeds your own experience. Just a year ago, my uncles' homes were completely different from what they are now. I spent most of this year in Beijing, where I witnessed the best-case scenario during this famine year. I dare not imagine what it's like in other places.

Seeing the situation of his uncle and third uncle's family after returning home, Wei Chen felt he should do more. He couldn't control the tides of the times, but at least he could take care of his own extended family. After all, this family—his grandparents, uncle, and third uncle—had been very good to him and his own family.

Turning around, Wei Chen took out the loose grain coupons and some money he had prepared, just like the ones he had given to his grandmother, and stuffed them into his third aunt's hand: "Third aunt, please take this, for emergencies. Don't touch it unless absolutely necessary, and don't let anyone see it."

Auntie San held the rolled-up grain coupons and crumpled bills, her hands trembling like leaves in the wind, tears streaming down her face. She could only nod repeatedly, unable to utter a complete sentence.

"Third Uncle," Wei Chen looked at Wei Laishun, whose emotions had calmed down slightly, and said solemnly, "This winter is the hardest time. You, my eldest uncle, and everyone else in the village who can still move should try to stay home as much as possible, reduce your energy expenditure, and conserve your strength. There's not much left to find in the mountains and fields, so don't wear yourself out. You must take care of yourselves, especially the children. As long as people are alive, there is hope."

He gazed at the gray sky outside the window, his voice carrying an undeniable certainty: "Spring will come. When the weather warms up and the fields come alive, things will gradually get better. Then I'll come back. You, your uncle's family, and Grandpa and Grandma, let's work together and figure something out. We'll get through this!"

These words were like a shot of adrenaline, injecting into the almost withered hearts of Wei Laishun and his wife. Wei Laishun vigorously wiped his face, straightened his hunched back, and although he was still thin, a faint light rekindled in his eyes.

He nodded heavily, his voice still hoarse, but with a newfound strength: "Xiao Chen, your third uncle... your third uncle remembers! Don't worry, your third uncle will risk his life to protect your third aunt and the child!"

When they left their third uncle's house, it was already broad daylight, but the sunlight remained weak and pale, unable to warm the cold village and the hearts of its people. Wei Changsheng remained silent the whole way until they were almost back at their own courtyard gate, at which point he let out a long sigh and said to Wei Chen, "Xiao Chen, today... I'm so grateful to you. Your third uncle... he's suffering so much."

"Uncle, we are blood relatives, our bones are still connected even if they are broken." Wei Chen looked at the desolate mountain in the distance and said slowly, "This world is tough, and we Wei family members must stick together and support each other in order to survive and live well."

Wei Changsheng nodded vigorously, a hint of relief appearing on his wrinkled face for the first time. Perhaps, his nephew's return brought not only life-saving food, but also hope and courage to keep going.

That night, Wei Chen stayed at his grandparents' old house again. He left some commonly used anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving medicines he had brought from the city for his grandmother, telling her to keep them safe. He also secretly channeled a faint, barely perceptible amount of internal energy into his grandfather to help the old man resist the cold and nourish his body. He knew this was only a temporary solution, but it would at least make the old man's winter a little easier.

Lying on the cold earthen bed, listening to the howling wind outside the window, Wei Chen's heart remained restless. The desperate and oppressive atmosphere at his third uncle's house, and the image of the two children wolfing down their cornbread, were deeply etched in his mind. In this era, on this land, there were far too many silent tragedies like those of his third uncle's family and those of Baoyuquan Village.

He clenched his fist. He needed more power, not just to protect himself, but also to protect his family, and even... to do something within his capabilities. This "business trip" might just be the turning point.

As night deepened, the people in the ancestral home, with food in their stomachs and hope in their hearts, seemed to sleep more soundly than the night before. Wei Chen, however, lay awake in the darkness, contemplating the road ahead and planning for his future.

Early in the morning, a layer of leaden-gray clouds still shrouded the sky above Baoyuquan Village. There was no wind, but the dry cold seemed to seep into one's bones. Under the old locust tree at the entrance of the village, Wei Chen pushed his bicycle, surrounded by his grandparents, his uncle's family, and his third uncle's family.

A day's rest and that meager amount of food seemed to bring a faint glimmer of life back to the faces of the family members, although their emaciated appearance was still shocking. Grandma held her grandson's hand tightly, her withered hands trembling slightly from the force, her cloudy eyes filled with reluctance and worry.

"Chenwa, are you leaving already? Can't you stay a couple more days?" Grandma's voice was pleading.

"Grandma, the factory has a tight schedule and can't be delayed." Wei Chen softened his voice and explained patiently, "I'll go back and pack my things, then I have to leave. Don't worry, I'm young and strong, I'll be careful on the road." He couldn't say that he was going to "go hunting in the mountains," much less that he was going to a more distant or dangerous place, so he could only stick to the excuse of "business trip."

Grandpa, leaning on his cane, silently smoked his pipe, smoke swirling around his deeply worried face. He finally spoke, his voice hoarse but carrying an undeniable admonition: "Be careful when you're out in the world. Don't flaunt your wealth, and don't talk too much. If you encounter difficulties, it's better to suffer a loss than to fight or be aggressive. Come back soon... soon." He spoke the last few words with some difficulty.

"Grandpa, I understand." Wei Chen nodded solemnly.

Uncle Wei Changsheng patted his nephew on the shoulder. This taciturn man's eyes were slightly red at this moment: "Xiao Chen, don't worry about things at home. With your third uncle and me here, we'll protect your grandparents and this family with our lives on our side. You... please take good care of yourself!"

He knew that his nephew's trip was not just a simple "business trip." The food in the bicycle basket and the increasingly composed, even somewhat austere, demeanor of his nephew made him vaguely sense that something was different. But he didn't ask. He simply suppressed his worry and gratitude in his heart and turned it into the simplest words of advice.

Uncle Wei Laishun stood a little further away. He had eaten some food these past few meals and was feeling a bit better, but his back was still hunched.

He looked at Wei Chen, his lips moving for a long time before he finally managed to squeeze out a sentence: "Xiao Chen... Third Uncle... Thank you. When you come back in the spring, Third Uncle... Third Uncle will catch you the biggest wild rabbit!" These words were spoken without much confidence, but they were the most solemn promise a man could make to the family that gave him hope in his desperate situation.

Aunt Wang held Wei Chen's hand, repeating over and over, "Make sure you eat well and dress warmly on the road. Stay at a large inn, don't skimp on the money..." As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes again. Beside her, the two little ones, Wei Guo and Wei Min, looked up at Wei Chen with eyes full of dependence and reluctance. Wei Min even reached out his little hand and tugged at the hem of Wei Chen's clothes.

Wei Chen squatted down, patted his two younger cousins ​​on the head, and said gently, "Guozi, Minzi, listen to your parents at home and help with whatever chores you can. When I come back, I'll bring you something delicious."

"Yes!" The two children nodded vigorously, their eyes shining.

Finally, Wei Chen once again reminded everyone to hide the grain well and take care of their health, then resolutely hopped on his bicycle. The wheels turned, grinding through the frozen dust at the village entrance, and he rode back the way he came. He looked back; his relatives were still standing under the old locust tree, their figures appearing so small against the gray backdrop, yet so resilient, like withered grass huddled together in the cold wind, waiting for spring to arrive.

Only after rounding the bend in the mountain valley and disappearing from sight did Wei Chen exhale a long breath, his eyes sharpening. Warmth and responsibility were temporarily set aside; now it was his turn to fight alone.

Instead of returning directly to the city, he rode his bicycle onto a desolate path that led deeper into the Western Hills, a path already covered in snow and rarely visited by people.

The road was bumpy and uneven, with gravel and potholes hidden beneath the snow, making it difficult for the bicycle to move forward. But Wei Chen, with his superb physical strength and control of the vehicle, still managed to move steadily forward. He needed to find a completely safe place where no one would disturb him to begin his planned "mountain expedition."

After cycling for about an hour, there was no trace of human activity to be seen. All around were endless, barren mountains covered in thick snow, with withered bushes resembling clusters of black hedgehogs dotting the vast white landscape. The sky was low, thick with leaden clouds, seemingly brewing another snowstorm. The temperature was so low that breath froze instantly, and the biting wind cut like icy knives, slicing through exposed skin.

That's about it.

Wei Chen stopped the bicycle and instantly stored it in his backpack. Then, he checked his equipment: he was wearing thick cotton-padded clothes, and underneath he was actually wearing tight-fitting soft animal skin armor (from the game world). On his feet were new cloth shoes with thousand-layer soles made by his mother, and on his back was a quiver containing the hunting bow that had been with him for a long time and a quiver of arrows.

A sharp dagger, also from the game, was tucked into his waistband. He also carried a small canvas backpack containing a water bottle, a small packet of salt, a tinderbox, a small piece of oilcloth, and some emergency rations and medicine. He was lightly equipped, but sufficient for ordinary wilderness survival. This was for dealing with strangers when there were people around; when no one was around, it could be quickly stored away in the backpack.

He took a deep breath of the icy air, and the faint but tenacious true energy in his dantian slowly began to flow. A warm feeling rose from his lower abdomen and quickly spread to his limbs and bones, dispelling most of the biting cold.

The benefits of the "Nine Heavens Sun-Shooting Technique" were becoming apparent at this moment. The sub-zero temperatures, which would be a deadly threat to ordinary people, were no longer an obstacle for Wei Chen, who had just begun to enter the realm of cultivation.

He determined his direction, then set off towards the deep forests where he remembered prey being relatively plentiful. The snow was deep; each step went above his knees, making walking extremely difficult.

However, Wei Chen circulated his true energy, lightened his body, and took each step firmly and lightly, leaving a series of footprints of moderate depth and even spacing on the snow. His speed was surprisingly not slow.

On the first day, he searched along familiar ridges and ravines. His eyes, sharp as a hawk's, swept across the snowfields, forests, and cliffs. He looked for any possible trace: footprints, droppings, signs of grazing, burrows...

However, as far as the eye could see, there was almost nothing but endless, deathly white and trees bent or frozen to death by the weight of snow.

Occasionally, on a sunny slope, you might find a few small, messy footprints, like those left by wild rabbits or mountain mice, but they are quickly covered by the newly fallen snow or disappear into the crevices of the rocks, making them impossible to trace.

Once, he heard a few faint bird calls in the distance. When he rushed over, he saw only a few thin sparrows hopping on the bare branches. They quickly flapped their wings and flew away, disappearing into the gray sky.

As dusk fell, Wei Chen found a sheltered crevice in the rocks and slipped into the hunter's hut. The warm hut was a world apart from the outside. The first day was fruitless. But he wasn't discouraged; hunting in the dead of winter was always difficult, and he was mentally prepared.

The next day, he expanded his search area, venturing deeper into canyons and primeval forests that were usually less frequented by humans. The environment there was even harsher, with deeper snow and dangerous snowdrifts in some places. The biting wind howled through the valleys, whipping up snowflakes that stung his face.

He climbed to the top of a towering cliff and gazed into the distance. The mountains were covered in snow, the forests a vast expanse of white, a desolate and barren landscape. The wild boars, deer, roe deer, pheasants, and rabbits that once roamed these forests in spring, summer, and autumn seemed to have vanished. Nature had taken back its gifts in the cruelest way. The extinction of birds and beasts was not an exaggeration, but a stark and brutal reality before his eyes.

"It seems the nearby hunting grounds have really been thoroughly looted..." Wei Chen muttered to himself, his brows furrowing even more. He remembered what the village elders had said: in previous years, no matter how difficult things were, they could always find something in the deep mountains, but this winter was exceptionally cold and long-lasting, and even the most cold-resistant wild boars had retreated to the deepest burrows and rarely came out.

He searched the vicinity meticulously for most of the day, finally finding a half-frozen, emaciated wild rabbit under a sheltered thicket of bushes. The rabbit, upon seeing humans, lacked the strength to even run away, its red eyes wide with terror.

Wei Chen sighed, not shooting it, but instead lifting it from its snowdrift and placing it in a relatively dry spot before turning to leave. This rabbit was meaningless to him; killing it would only add to his sins.

As dusk fell, Wei Chen stood on a mountain ridge, gazing at the gradually darkening sky and the faint outline of the city in the distance, and he already understood.

Two days of fruitless searching definitively confirmed his judgment: relying on conventional hunting in the deep mountains surrounding Beijing to obtain enough meat before the New Year to complete the factory's arduous task was simply impossible. Staying here would only be a waste of precious time.

Recognizing reality and decisively adjusting strategies are essential qualities for survival and success. Wei Chen is not a pedantic person, nor does he harbor any illusions.

The spiritual energy of heaven and earth in the real world is so thin that it is almost non-existent. No matter how hard he tries to breathe in and out, the amount of energy from heaven and earth that he can absorb and refine into true energy is negligible.

The growth of the true energy within his dantian was frustratingly slow. He finally understood why legendary cultivators sought out blessed lands or relied on elixirs and spirit stones. Cultivating in this "Dharma-ending" environment was twice as difficult, half as effective, and sometimes even impossible.

"No wonder my cultivation progress is so slow, and I can't even cultivate..." Wei Chen sighed inwardly. Although daily hunting and fighting can slightly hone the foundation of the physical body and temper combat awareness, it has limited help in improving true qi cultivation.

However, there's always a way out. He still had his greatest asset—that mysterious game world.

Since the real world is locked in the mountains during the dead of winter, making hunting impossible, this period originally planned for hunting has become a rare "free window." Instead of wasting time in the freezing cold, why not take this opportunity to concentrate and immerse yourself in the game world for a while!

There, unaffected by the seasons, the mountains and forests are evergreen, wild animals roam in herds, and resources are virtually inexhaustible. More importantly, there, he can fully dedicate himself to cultivating the "Nine Heavens Sun-Shooting Technique," where there is "spiritual energy" to absorb, making his cultivation efficiency far surpass that of reality!

Having made up his mind, Wei Chen no longer hesitated. After confirming that the surroundings were safe, he focused his thoughts into his sea of ​​consciousness and communicated with the floating, ancient hunter's emblem.

Light and shadow shifted before his eyes, and a familiar dizzying sensation washed over him. The next moment, he found himself inside the hunter's hut.

The warm, dry air carried the faint smell of burning firewood, mixed with the aromas of leather and herbs. Outside the window, the scene remained the same: bright sunshine and lush forests—it was as if they were two completely different worlds.

Wei Chen let out a long sigh of relief, feeling a sense of relaxation wash over him. Here, he was the true master, able to control his cultivation and his gains.

He wasted no time and immediately checked his status. Hunter Level: 19. His experience bar was almost full. The main factor limiting his leveling was the limited number of monsters that spawned each day.

Now, he's almost level 20, and at level 20 he can learn a new life skill! Higher levels also bring new abilities, new maps, or new skills. He's decided to focus his efforts on grinding monsters and leveling up over the next few days!

He walked to the weapons rack, carefully inspected his hunting bow and arrows, and sharpened his dagger. With enough supplies, he pushed open the wooden door of the hut and stepped into the familiar, vibrant forest.

Hunting in the game world is completely different from the brutal search in reality. Here, the breath of life is everywhere. Birdsong is melodious, squirrels leap from branch to branch, and in the distance, the growls or running sounds of wild beasts can be heard from time to time.

Wei Chen moved swiftly and silently through the forest like a seasoned hunter. His senses seemed even sharper in the game world; his sight, hearing, and smell were amplified, allowing him to easily spot his prey.

A plump hare had just peeked out from the grass when it was pinned to the ground by a sharp arrow. A rustling sound came from behind the bushes; he approached silently, and with a swift stroke, dispatched a wolf that tried to ambush him. By the stream, several deer were drinking; he held his breath, concentrated, and fired an arrow, striking the lead stag squarely in the neck…

He no longer pursued hunting skills and perfection, but instead focused on clearing out the various spawn points radiating outwards from the hunter's hut with maximum efficiency. Experience points steadily increased with each fallen prey.

Once the day's "refresh quota" was used up and the mountains and forests returned to peace, Wei Chen did not rest. He would return to the hunter's hut, enjoy a delicious meal, then sit cross-legged and fully circulate the "Nine Heavens Sun-Shooting Technique".

While the "spiritual energy" in the game world cannot compare to the legendary blessed lands, it is far superior to that in the real world! The real world can hardly absorb any spiritual energy!

As he circulated the cultivation technique, he could clearly feel a cool and pure energy being separated from the surrounding air, flowing along specific meridian routes into his dantian, where it was greedily absorbed and refined by that wisp of true qi.

His true energy grew and condensed at a visible rate. The feeling of being filled with power intoxicated Wei Chen.

At the same time, he did not neglect honing his archery skills and agility. He would practice rapid-fire, continuous-fire, and projectile shots at distant leaves and swaying branches, striving for perfect accuracy and perfect aim. He would also repeatedly leap and dodge through complex forest terrain to hone the flexibility and explosive power of his footwork.

Cultivation, hunting, and more cultivation... Time seemed to fly by in the game world. Wei Chen was completely immersed in the thrill of rapidly increasing strength, forgetting to eat and sleep.

After a period of focused cultivation, the progress of the "Nine Heavens Sun-Shooting Technique" is gratifying. The true qi in the dantian is nearly twice as thick and condensed as before entering the game world! It circulates more smoothly and powerfully, and the enhancement to physical fitness is becoming increasingly obvious.

He felt that his strength, speed, endurance, and reaction time had been enhanced in every way. His mental strength had also become more stable and refined, allowing him to be more focused when aiming, his archery skills to become more accurate, and he even had a faint intuition to "predict" the prey's movements.

His close-combat ability has increased dramatically. Previously, he mainly relied on bows and arrows, and his close combat depended on brute force and reflexes. Now, with the enhancement of his true energy, the power of his punches and kicks has greatly increased. Combined with his increasingly skilled dagger techniques and agile movements, even two or three wild wolves would probably find it difficult to get close.

In just a few days of "seclusion," Wei Chen's overall strength underwent a qualitative leap.

On this day, after Wei Chen cleared out another area of ​​wild beasts, a familiar light, visible only to him, flashed from the hunter's emblem.

Level up! Level 20!

A warm current instantly flowed through his body. It wasn't just the enhanced physical attributes brought about by the increased experience; Wei Chen also felt that his senses had become even sharper, and his control over his muscles had become more refined and precise. A large amount of spiritual energy was also replenished, directly merging into his body and strengthening his internal energy.

As that familiar and warm energy flow, accompanied by the notification of the hunter's level increase, thoroughly cleansed his limbs and bones, and finally returned to his dantian, Wei Chen clearly felt that the true qi within his body had undergone a tremendous change.

No longer as slender as before. Now, it has grown strong and solid, like a small stream that is beginning to take shape, flowing slowly within the dantian, containing abundant vitality and power.

The True Essence rapidly grew to 210 years!

Open the properties panel.

Attributes:

Name: Wei Chen (Hunter)

Level: 20 (1/70000)

Cultivation Technique: Nine Heavens Sun-Shooting Technique

True Yuan: 210 years

Skills: Piercing Arrow; Armor-Piercing Arrow

Pet: Dog (Big Yellow) lv20

Life skills: Fishing, Planting