"..." The Village Chief.
The Village Chief raised his head and snorted proudly. "To fight them head-on would, of course, be... impossible to win."
"..." Wang Mu.
"But if it were in the Divine Wood Forest, and I used my Mountain-shattering Bow, I could kill them," the Village Chief added.
"Impressive!" Wang Mu genuinely admired him this time.
Truly the village's number one superhuman. Fighting Cultivators with mere physical strength.
"If you plan on pursuing the path of Cultivation in the future, you can have Aunt Hong help you skin and dissect these Hunting materials, or you can learn to do it yourself. For us hunters, this is also part of the craft."
"Gather all these materials; they may be useful later on."
Wang Mu nodded repeatedly.
The fish he caught, various ores, and all kinds of prey—these would all be useful materials in the future. He needed to stockpile them. After improving his Skills in Hunting and Mining, he could engage in different activities every day, accumulating materials daily.
「Time leisurely passed by.」
The month of Hunting had flown by before he knew it.
During this month, Wang Mu felt his skills had improved greatly! At least when facing various Fierce Beasts, even if he couldn't defeat them, he could escape with ease! Even without using Action Points, his Hunting had improved that month.
I feel that after another three months, my Hunting Skill should be able to reach over 15. Although not comparable to the Village Chief, I will be able to mine Spiritual Ores. That will be a safety guarantee! Next month, I should be able to master the Tiger Crane Seven Forms to its highest level, and then see if there are any Travel events... The Divine Wood Forest counts as a new location, and normally, new locations in games have new events.
「End of the month.」
Wang Mu quietly waited for his Action Points to recover.
As the hour passed Midnight, Wang Mu immediately checked his status.
[Action Points: 2]
[Cultivation: Chopping (15), Fishing (14), Mining (7), Hunting (4), Turtle Breathing and Life Nourishing Skill (10), Tiger Crane Seven Forms (6)]
[Travel: (!)]
"Oh ho, there's a Travel event!"
Wang Mu didn't hesitate and immediately used his Action Points.
[Travel: Divine Wood Forest (Dawn, Southeast)]
Dawn, southeast... This time the directions are very specific, Wang Mu pondered. The Divine Wood Forest was different from other places. Yunlai Creek could only be accessed by its edge, and the Pocket World Mine could be surveyed at a glance. The Divine Wood Forest, however, was much more vast. Since it was land, he could go anywhere. With a general location provided, it would be much easier to find. 'Dawn' refers to the time, meaning this Travel event could only be encountered during the early morning.
Tomorrow at dawn, I'll check the southeastern area of the Divine Wood Forest... With a Travel event and one Action Point remaining, I won't spend it on the Tiger Crane Seven Forms. Using it for Hunting would put me in a special hunting state where my proficiency would surge. If I encounter an overly dangerous Fierce Beast during this event, this state could also ensure my safe escape. As for the tenth layer of Tiger Crane Seven Forms, I'm not sure how strong the enhancement would be. It's safer to save the point for Hunting.
「The following morning.」
Wang Mu headed to the Divine Wood Forest alone.
After a month of training, the Village Chief had taught him almost everything he could. For the first half of the month, he had accompanied Wang Mu every day in case of danger. Later, realizing his presence was superfluous, he let Wang Mu train alone in the Divine Wood Forest, simply advising him not to venture too deep.
I seldom come to the southeastern area of the Divine Wood Forest. The sunlight is scarce here, visibility is poor, and the Fierce Beasts are very strong... Early in the morning...
The sky was just beginning to brighten. Wang Mu, his hair damp with dew, arrived at the southeastern side of the Divine Wood Forest and began his careful search.
After about an hour, he had found nothing of note. No special Fierce Beasts had appeared, nor had he found any of the rare materials for which the Divine Wood Forest was known.
Let's see...
Wang Mu stopped atop a tree, cloaked in a grayish-green straw raincoat, hidden among the dense foliage. He subdued his breathing and calmed his qi, becoming as still as a maiden.
Recently, I've felt that applying the Turtle Breathing and Life Nourishing Skill in this way would greatly improve my abilities. It has significantly enhanced my stealthiness. Combined with the gear on my head, even if a Spirit Beast appeared, it would be difficult for it to notice me unless it got very close. Stealth is also an essential part of Hunting. The Village Chief taught me many such techniques.
Suddenly, Wang Mu's ears twitched.
With frequent Hunting, his hearing had improved imperceptibly. His ability to locate by sound was growing day by day.
Three hundred meters away... It sounds like two Fierce Beasts are fighting?
Wang Mu made an estimate based on the subtle disturbances in the air and his experience. As for what kind of Fierce Beasts they were, Wang Mu couldn't tell.
Unless one were a Cultivator with Divine Sense, able to perceive it with a sweep of their spiritual power. Let's go have a look...
Wang Mu gripped his Purple Shuo Bow. His breathing changed, and with a light tap of his toe, he drifted like a willow catkin, landing on a tree branch tens of meters away. Another light tap, the branch barely quivering, and Wang Mu silently flew to another tree.
In my previous life, this movement technique would have made me a sort of Spider-Man.
The closer he got, the more distinct their auras became.
Soon, Wang Mu stopped on the trunk of a towering tree, hidden within the dense foliage, and quickly regulated his breathing.
Huh, why does this feel a bit familiar...
In the distance, Wang Mu spotted a pale golden rabbit.
He recognized it; this was the Thunder Light Rabbit, the Spirit Beast he had shot during his first Hunting expedition. The Village Chief had given him quite a lesson back then.
At this moment, the rabbit was letting out furious cries towards the somewhat gloomy sky.
In the sky...
Wang Mu's gaze shifted upwards, and he sharply inhaled. He saw a huge creature soaring past overhead. It was as large as a small passenger jet, obscuring the sky and sun. The shadow it cast plunged the forest below into an inky blackness.
Wait, this Fierce Beast is... Wang Mu's expression froze. Is that a Xuan Gu? It's one of the legendary Fierce Beasts the Village Chief described. In game terms, it would be the signature Fierce Beast of a Newbie Village.
The Village Chief's words seemed to echo in his ears: "Secondly, the Xuan Gu, a black, crane-like Fierce Beast that preys on the carcasses of dead Spirit Beasts and Cultivators. When it sees us humans, it's basically a one-peck affair. However, it doesn't fly very fast. If we run quickly, we can still easily escape."
Wang Mu stared ahead.
It seems this is an event of a Fierce Beast hunting a Spirit Beast. It preys on the carcasses of dead Spirit Beasts...
Wang Mu looked at the Thunder Light Rabbit. But isn't this one alive and well? Why would it want to pounce on this rabbit?
Being a Spirit Beast doesn't necessarily mean it's stronger than a Fierce Beast, especially some of the bloodthirsty Fierce Beasts that have lived for many years. Spirit Beasts simply possess high spiritual wisdom and can naturally cultivate, much like humans born with a Spirit Root. This Thunder Light Rabbit was young and of average strength, considering I managed to hit it with an arrow when I was just learning to Hunt. Its only advantage is its speed. In terms of raw power, compared to a sky-soaring fierce avian like the Xuan Gu, it's certainly no match.
As an event... how should I choose?
Wang Mu watched ahead.