Abandoning literature for martial arts, starting by unleashing the beauty's bow.

The next day, before dawn.

Lu Fengnian carried a longbow on his back, tied a hemp rope to his short knife, opened the door, and walked into the courtyard.

Surprisingly, there was light coming from the kitchen.

With a creak, the kitchen door opened, and Lu Xiaoyu quickly walked out.

"Xiaoyu, why are you up so early?" Lu Fengnian asked in surprise.

Lu Xiaoyu, her hair disheveled, yawned. "Big brother, you're going hunting in the deep mountains today, you can't go hungry, so I made you some pancakes."

As he spoke, he stuffed a cloth bundle into Lu Fengnian's arms.

Inside were two flatbreads, mixed with chopped wild vegetables and grain husks, and still noticeably warm.

"Big brother, take this water bottle with you too. Keep an eye on the sky. We must be back before sunset." Lu Xiaoyu tied the water bottle tightly to Lu Fengnian's waist.

He tugged at it again to make sure it was secure and wouldn't hinder Lu Fengnian's movement.

Lu Fengnian looked down at Lu Xiaoyu's tangled and dry hair, which was caused by malnutrition and had not been properly washed in a long time. He sighed inwardly and said softly, "Xiaoyu, it's still early. Go back and get some sleep."

Lu Xiaoyu hummed in agreement and nodded obediently, "I'll go back to sleep after I see my older brother leave."

Lu Fengnian didn't linger. He pushed open the door and walked out of the courtyard. He turned back and waved to Lu Xiaoyu, who was leaning against the door, before striding into the night.

…………

Follow the mountain road behind Mao'er Village and keep going for about twenty miles. Then take the left fork in the road and walk another ten miles. The towering mountain range in front of you is Heishui Ridge.

Beyond the Blackwater Ridge lies a deep mountain area where wild animals frequently roam. Many hunters in Mao'er Village have seen tigers and bears there.

Widow Tian's husband, Zhang the Hunter, died under the palm of Black Bear.

Don't think you're the only one who's early; there are always those who are earlier.

Lu Fengnian walked thirty miles in one go, and was covered in sweat.

Just as we arrived at the foot of Blackwater Ridge, we heard low voices coming from the woods ahead.

Lu Fengnian hesitated for a moment, then continued forward.

After walking about twenty paces, they saw an old man and a young man squatting by a fire, talking in hushed tones.

The sound of Lu Fengnian's footsteps made the two of them look up almost simultaneously.

The old man wore an old cloth jacket, his face was deeply wrinkled, and he carried a long hunting bow on his back.

Squatting next to him was a boy who looked no more than fifteen years old. He was thin and small, and carried a slightly shorter bamboo bow on his back.

These two people should be grandfather and grandson, not from Mao'er Village.

The old man's eyes lit up with wariness when he saw Lu Fengnian, and he shifted his body slightly closer to the young man.

Lu Fengnian quickly glanced at the grandfather and grandson, then looked away and continued walking forward at a moderate pace.

They passed in front of the grandfather and grandson and walked about six zhang (approximately 33 meters) further.

The old man suddenly said, "Young man, if you want to cross Blackwater Ridge, you must wait until dawn."

This is the time when the wild beasts on the Blackwater Ridge hunt.

It would be extremely dangerous for you to go there now.

Lu Fengnian turned around and chuckled, "I'm not going beyond Blackwater Ridge; I'll just try my luck there."

The old man said "Oh," and added, "You still have to be careful. Sometimes, the wild beasts from over there come over here too."

Lu Fengnian thanked him and continued on his way.

After he had walked another three zhang (approximately 10 meters) forward, the young man lowered his voice and said, "Grandpa, didn't you tell me that when hunting deep in the mountains, we should try to avoid other hunters? Why are you reminding him of that?"

The old man patted the boy's head, his eyes cloudy. "Your father was about this age when he first went hunting in the mountains. This young man's physique and appearance are somewhat similar to your father's."

Upon hearing this, the young man fell silent, his eyes dimming.

The grandfather and grandson sat side by side by the campfire, silent.

…………

Blackwater Ridge stretches across the land, and it took Lu Fengnian nearly half an hour to climb from the foot of the mountain to the top.

The little bit of porridge I drank last night is almost all gone, and my stomach is starting to rumble.

He found a rock by the mountain path, squatted down, took out the pancake that Lu Xiaoyu had made in the dark, and forced himself to swallow it with water.

I looked up at the sky; it should still be more than half an hour before dawn.

After a short rest, he got up and started going downhill towards the deep mountains.

Going uphill, I'm out of breath; going downhill, my legs tremble.

The downhill walk was significantly faster than the uphill walk, and in less than fifteen minutes, Lu Fengnian crossed the Blackwater Ridge.

Having arrived at the hunting area, he gripped the short knife at his waist tightly, slowed his pace, and cautiously made his way towards a grove of trees.

Although it was dark in the forest at the moment, his body had been strengthened and modified when his archery skills improved from beginner to first level. His senses were far superior to those of ordinary people, and he was still able to see.

This is why he dared to cross the Blackwater Ridge in the dark.

The old man at the foot of Blackwater Ridge was right; this was the time when wild beasts hunted.

Lu Fengnian walked about half a mile through the woods before finally spotting his prey: a plump mountain lemur, munching on dew-covered wild grass in a grassy patch.

They encountered prey just after crossing the Blackwater Ridge.

What great luck!

Lu Fengnian estimated that this mountain leopard weighed at least five pounds. If he could get his hands on it, the Lu family would finally have some meat on their dining table.

Suppressing his excitement, he slowly took the longbow off his back.

Just then, a huge black shadow suddenly leaped down from a mound not far from the grass and pounced on Shan Tiao. It was a leopard with brown fur.

Before Shan Tiao could even react, the leopard snapped his neck in one bite.

Lu Fengnian had already nocked an arrow on the bowstring. It was a bamboo arrow, originally intended for shooting down mountain jumpers.

At this moment, the bamboo arrow was already aimed at the back of the leopard's neck.

This position is the leopard's Achilles' heel.

Leopard skins are quite popular in the county. If you can shoot and kill this leopard, the skin can be sold for several hundred coins if it's in relatively good condition.

In this way, the problem of tax revenue can be solved.

However, Lu Fengnian did not fire his arrow until the leopard leaped out of the forest with the mountain in its mouth.

Why?

He had not yet tested the power of the bow in his hand.

Furthermore, while bamboo arrows can kill mountain leapers without issue, whether they can kill ferocious beasts like leopards is a big question mark.

If an arrow fails to kill or seriously wound the leopard, given its speed, it can charge over in a few breaths.

With only a short knife and a body that was clearly malnourished, Lu Fengnian's chances of winning against a ferocious leopard were slim.

Ultimately, he did not choose to take the risk.

Although it is said that fortune and wealth are found in danger.

But Lu Fengnian, having transmigrated, desires a wealth far more than a small leopard skin.

Meanwhile, just after crossing the Blackwater Ridge, one can see a fat mountain leopard and a leopard, indicating that there is plenty of prey in the area.

Be patient, there will definitely be other opportunities later.