The Mountain-shattering Bow—Wang Mu found the name quite ordinary.
However, the moment he held it, Wang Mu's body instantly slumped, visibly sinking a few centimeters.
"So heavy!"
Wang Mu looked at the bow in surprise.
It appeared plain and unadorned, and he couldn't tell what materials it was made from.
The patterns on the bow's body were lifelike, emitting a special aura.
"The Mountain-shattering Bow. Its limbs are made from the rare Thousand-year-old Purple Shuo Tree, mixed with Mystic Iron and Blood Jade. The bowstring is made from the Dragon Sinew of a Flood Dragon from Yunlai Creek with several hundred years of cultivation, and the ends are fixed with thousand-year-old fire cotton. The patterns on the limbs are Talismans carved by a Cultivator—the Wandering Dragon Talisman—using the blood of a Spirit Beast."
"The entire bow is a harmonious unity of the Five Elements, which interact and counteract each other. Even without an arrow, simply drawing the bow could shatter mountains."
"It's considered the most powerful weapon in our village, almost comparable to the Spiritual Artifacts used by Cultivators."
Now he understood. A divine artifact of Newbie Village, right? Previously, Wang Mu hadn't noticed anything special. Once the village chief explained it this way, Wang Mu suddenly felt that this item seemed more and more extraordinary…
"Normally, the Mountain-shattering Bow requires powerful Spiritual Power from a Cultivator, who must channel it in a special manner to draw the bow," the village chief continued.
"Otherwise, no matter how strong a mortal is, they would hardly be able to pull it even slightly."
At this point, the village chief sounded quite proud. "I have honed this art for decades, and I can draw this Mountain-shattering Bow somewhat."
"Impressive!" Wang Mu said, his face full of admiration.
The village chief seemed rather pleased.
"When your hunting skills are about the same as mine, you should also be able to draw it!" The village chief patted Wang Mu on the shoulder. "Don't lose heart. Right now, you're basically unable to draw it."
"Alright, I'll try it then," Wang Mu said.
After speaking, Wang Mu gripped the bowstring, intending to give it a try.
The village chief watched nonchalantly.
Wang Mu took a deep breath, his eyes narrowed.
He had been hunting all day and had no idea how far he had run. He didn't have much stamina left, but he could still muster all his strength for an attempt.
The village chief watched motionlessly.
When Wang Mu's fingers touched the bowstring, he strained with all his might. The veins on his arm bulged, yet he didn't manage to move the string at all.
Seeing this, the village chief nodded slightly.
However, after a moment, just as the village chief thought Wang Mu wouldn't be able to draw it, the bowstring suddenly twitched.
The village chief's expression changed instantly. If this young man could actually draw this, he truly possessed monstrous strength! His own decades of practice might have been for nothing!
However, it only moved that little bit. Wang Mu put down the bow and arrow, drenched in sweat, and shook his head. "I can't draw it," he said. "Compared to that, the Purple Shuo Bow suits me better!"
The village chief inwardly breathed a sigh of relief, a smile breaking out on his face.
"Don't rush, young man. How long has it been? Practice for a few more years before you say that!"
"Alright, that's enough for today. When you're able to draw it, I'll pass this bow on to you."
"This is one of our village's treasures, after all."
Wang Mu handed the Mountain-shattering Bow to the village chief.
Back in the village, he gave some of the game he had hunted to Aunt Hong.
Seeing so much game, Aunt Hong was beaming. She chided the village chief for becoming lazier while simultaneously praising Wang Mu.
After dinner, Wang Mu returned to his wooden hut.
I didn't expect that Mountain-shattering Bow to be so powerful...
Wang Mu reflected on the Divine Bow.
He truly couldn't draw it. If he were at full strength, he might only manage to pull it back by half a finger's length. To draw it to a full moon, he reckoned his strength would need to be several times greater.
Nonetheless, Wang Mu felt that even if drawn only slightly, an arrow shot from the Mountain-shattering Bow would probably be more powerful than those from the previous two bows.
Cultivators are truly strong. Such a formidable bow isn't even a Spiritual Artifact, just barely comparable to one.
Wang Mu's desire for Cultivation grew stronger in his heart.
He had been transmigrated for so long and had not yet begun to cultivate...
He had no idea how far he still was from reaching the Qi Cultivation Stage...
After transmigrating and getting a cheat, to still be progressing this slowly... I must be the only one, right?
I've brought shame upon my fellow transmigrator predecessors...
Dispelling the thoughts from his mind, Wang Mu practiced the Tiger Crane Seven Forms a few times, then fell into a deep sleep.
「The following days were uneventful.」
Every day, Wang Mu followed the village chief, chasing various kinds of game in the Divine Wood Forest.
The village chief, over a hundred years old, had lived a long time and was incredibly knowledgeable.
If Grandpa Yu had a complete mastery of all things aquatic, then the village chief was a walking encyclopedia of terrestrial birds and beasts.
He knew everything about things like what effects the flesh and blood of certain Fierce Beasts had when eaten, or what abilities they granted.
Some rare Fierce Beast meat was rich in Spiritual Energy and very nutritious. Consuming it could enhance one's attributes or special talents, much like some top-grade fish species. It could even provide certain types of resistance.
"The Smoke Water Boa—such a mellifluous name. It's a highly venomous fierce snake whose spit creates a mist resembling smoke-like water. Its meat is quite good. The gallbladder can supposedly be used in Alchemy to enhance our bodies' resistance to certain types of magic. Sadly, we aren't Cultivators..."
"The Great Sword King Lion is an anomaly among Fierce Beasts, said to have mutated after birth. Its entire body is a treasure, but it's extremely tough to hunt. Its sword-like teeth are especially prized; when ground and made into a broth, they are said to enhance swordsmanship talents. Though not as legendary as some more mythical Fierce Beasts, it is still among the rarest and most powerful anomalies."
"The Angry Blood Barbarian is a breed of bull with red horns and a red, whip-like tail. It is naturally lascivious and bloodthirsty. Consuming its beef and blood can enhance one's constitution and strength. The most valuable part of its body is likely the bull's pizzle, which, when consumed, can enhance a male's aptitude and ability in bedroom techniques."
Hm? There's even something like this? Wang Mu listened as the village chief spoke in the Divine Wood Forest.
"Yes, this is a treasure." The village chief nodded. "Beneath the Huangtian Continent, besides Gu Yun Mountain, there are other Sects. I don't know many of them, but there's said to be a Cultivation Sect called the Fengyue Sect that treasures this item. I didn't know much about the external Sects before I entered Anle Village."
Fengyue Sect.The name sounded rather flamboyant.
"You're still a young virgin, so you shouldn't consume this," the village chief said, stroking his long beard. "Otherwise, you might find yourself unable to sleep at night. When we hunt one, give it to me."
"Village Chief, haven't you also not taken a wife?" Wang Mu asked, puzzled.
"But I am old now, and my vitality is waning. I need this to replenish myself," the village chief explained, even as he swatted a wild boar larger than himself into the air with a single slap.
GRUNT. GRUNT.
The dark grey wild boar looked to be at least seven to eight hundred pounds. It was as big as a small wooden cabin and rolled on the ground, making furious noises.
"..." Wang Mu.
"The Divine Wood Forest isn't Gu Yun Mountain. Gu Yun Mountain mostly harbors Spirit Beasts and is guarded by Disciples of the Immortal Sect, so those Fierce Beasts generally don't dare to venture onto the mountain without reason. Thus, they usually only scurry and hide among the nearby smaller peaks."
"Furthermore, the materials from these Fierce Beasts are very useful to those Disciples of the Immortal Sects. Consequently, some Cultivation Sect Disciples often hunt Fierce Beasts deep within the Divine Wood Forest."
"However, most of these Disciples rely heavily on their proficiency in magic and have little experience with hunting techniques, so their actual efficiency isn't as high as mine," the village chief occasionally boasted.
"So, Village Chief, you're so formidable! Surely you can defeat those Cultivators!" Wang Mu said, looking at him with admiration.