By the time he had mastered both his skin and tendon training, he could be considered a second-class martial artist. With this level of strength, earning a living would be easy, and perhaps even, as Li Haomiao had suggested, he could join a powerful sect.
In the Great Zhou Dynasty, sects accounted for one-third of the world's total.
While not a direct descendant, becoming a disciple with skills was still far superior to those disciples who entered at the bottom of the hierarchy.
Becoming a guest official or an outer sect elder was a good option.
By then, he would have truly established himself.
In the woods at the foot of the mountain, Xu Yunfan could already see human tracks as he made his way forward, and could faintly hear the sounds of hunters hunting in the distant mountains.
He ignored them for now, simply following the increasingly chaotic trail of footprints.
The more footprints there were, the closer they were to a town. This wasn't a difficult task for him, with his hunting skills. He even gained a few points in proficiency from observing these footprints.
"You carefully observed the footprints, diligently distinguishing them. As expected, they were about 60% as you suspected. Your hunting proficiency has improved."
"You carefully searched for the tracks and discovered they were those of a wild boar. You carefully considered the direction and found that, as you expected, your hunting proficiency has improved."
"…"
Finally, after climbing over a small hill, he saw a village, a quaint village blanketed in snow.
The houses, all wooden structures with tiled roofs, were arranged in a staggered pattern. The heavy snow weighed down the tiles, and plumes of smoke rose from some of the chimneys, creating a uniquely pleasant atmosphere.
The village roads twisted and turned, their outlines blurred by the snow. Occasionally, a few tracks of varying depths, or hoof prints left by livestock, stretched into the distance.
A few villagers, wrapped in thick cotton coats, their heads hunched to avoid the chill wind, hurried by, carrying hoes.
Xu Yunfan always felt like tears welling up in his eyes when he saw this peaceful scene. Since arriving here, all he could see was either the desolate Arakawa glacier or the whips of the overseers. He was rushing all the way, so how could he have the leisure to appreciate the beautiful scenery?
Li Haomiao, on the other hand, was very leisurely. He talked about the beauty of this place and the wonders of that place along the way, and even composed a few poems on inspiration.
This really annoyed him for a long time.
He touched the brocade in his arms, and his heart was immediately at ease. At least this trip was not in vain. He had to find a place to stay first.
Leaning against the village, Xu Yunfan finally asked an old man and found the direction to the city.
Looking at Xu Yunfan's departing back, the old man took a breath, and the old pipe in his hand shook on the sole of his shoe.
"Oh my god, this guy's so burly, like a bear walking towards me. I'm scared to death."
Frankly, Xu Yunfan was wearing thick fur, and with the Red Copper Cloak and Wind Hammer fully developed, his physique had become incredibly sturdy, making him look quite bloated from a distance. Furthermore, the fur had only been preliminarily tanned, preserving much of its original characteristics. The hat he wore was made of bear fur.
At first glance, one could have mistaken a bear for staggering towards them.
"Beiye City!"
Xu Yunfan's face lit up with emotion as he gazed at the plaque hanging above the city.
He looked up at the heavy city gate, made of rustic solid wood, its copper nails mottled. Soldiers wielding spears on either side looked somewhat drowsy. The blue bricks of the city wall were covered in snow, with withered vines snaking across them.
Pedestrians, mostly wrapped in threadbare cotton coats, hurried by, some hunching their necks, others covering their ears.
The few elegantly dressed men and women hurried along, not stopping for long.
Almost without exception, everyone subconsciously avoided Xu Yunfan, who stood in the middle of the official road, surveying the city. Thanks to his advanced leather training, his height had been artificially increased by several inches, aided by the stats panel. Nearly 1.9 meters tall, he wore furs, and exuded a foul odor from his unwashed body.
Even on a cold winter's day, he still made people frown and cover their noses to avoid him.
If it weren't for Xu Yunfan's impressive size, someone would have complained.
Xu Yunfan naturally noticed this, but without further scrutiny, he quickly entered Beiye City under the vigilant gaze of the two soldiers.
The two soldiers breathed a sigh of relief only after Xu Yunfan had left.
After a while, one of the soldiers suddenly spoke.
"It seems they haven't collected the entrance fee yet?"
the opposing soldier said grumpily. "You can collect it if you want. This guy reeks of blood, he's a ruthless man."
"..."
Upon entering the city, Xu Yunfan quickly found a clothing store and sold all his furs, leaving only the Jidao slough to wrap around his body.
Intimidated by Xu Yunfan's unmistakable martial prowess, the owner dared not bargain down. He received twenty-six taels of silver, spent another four on a set of black clothing, and then, using the generous bucket of bath water the owner offered, washed and dressed.
As he emerged from the shop's backyard, the owner's eyes lit up, and he bowed, "You are so impressive, warrior."
Xu Yunfan's lips curled slightly, and he waved, "Alright, we'll take care of you with the mountain goods from now on."
The owner's face lit up with joy, and he bowed again and again.
"Thank you, hero!"
Xu Yunfan's two bear skins, properly tanned and made into overcoats, would net him at least ten taels of silver in net profit.
What a deal!
Xu Yunfan wandered aimlessly around Beiye City. The snow, trampled into mud by the passing pedestrians, blew a biting wind, piercing his robes.
With his mastery of leather training, his blood and energy surged, his vitality overflowing. Naturally, he felt fearless, even somewhat relaxed.
Furthermore, his proficiency in the flying sled had been rapidly improving lately, now reaching minor mastery. With diligent practice, he might only need a dozen days to reach the major mastery level.
As the tendons grow stronger, the strength increases, and the blood and energy naturally become more powerful.
Suddenly, he paused, his brow furrowed slightly, and he subconsciously glanced towards a dark corner of the alley.
What came into view were two bodies huddled in the corner.
The older one half-protected the younger one with its torso. Both wore tattered clothes, patch upon patch, looking especially frail in the icy snow.
The child's tiny hands clutched the hem of the adult's clothes tightly, their head buried in the adult's chest, motionless. The adult looked up at the sky, a trace of despair still lingering on his face.
Pausing for a moment, Xu Yunfan silently left.
This world didn't seem like what Li Haomiao had said, where the people lived and worked in peace and contentment, with ample food and clothing.
Finding a restaurant, he ordered a table full of dishes. Listening to the lively conversation around him, Xu Yunfan took a bite of food. It
was sour and spicy, delicious, and it whetted his appetite.
This is what people eat!
Xu Yunfan devoured the food in no time, wiped his mouth after finishing, and shouted like the person next to him.
"Waiter, please pay the bill."
"Sir, enjoy your meal! Two taels and three qian of silver."
Xu Yunfan's heart trembled, and he silently paid the bill and walked out of the restaurant, looking back.
Newbies, please read, collect, invest, vote, anything, thank you everyone!
(End of this chapter)