After learning the news about the silver fox.
The frequency of hunters from Gu's Manor entering the mountains increased noticeably—each harbored a sliver of hope, thinking, "What if I get lucky?"
At least ten taels of profit.
To anyone, it was an enormous fortune!
And it didn't require taking too much risk.
Although the silver fox was quick, it wasn't highly aggressive. Many hunters from Gu's Manor believed they had a chance to catch it.
Thus, in the next mountain expedition.
People unanimously avoided teaming up. After all, there was only one silver fox; why bother partnering with others when you could hunt alone? It also avoided unnecessary disputes.
Gu Sheng entered the mountain to hunt with fiery determination.
If he could catch the silver fox, then silver coins would no longer be a worry, and resources for martial arts training could finally be prepared in abundance.
Unfortunately.
The silver fox wasn't so easy to capture.
In the blink of an eye, more than ten days passed.
Hunters from Li's Castle and Dahe Village had been going into the mountains intermittently, but none of them had any success. Even with the hunters from Gu's Manor joining in, it wasn't proving to be any easier.
The silver fox was incredibly fast and innately vigilant; as soon as there was even the slightest disturbance, it would flee immediately.
If not for someone rediscovering traces of the silver fox, everyone might have begun to suspect that the hunters from Dahe Village had been playing tricks on them.
...
Night fell.
Gu Sheng took a deep breath and reviewed the results of his previous mountain trips, frowning slightly.
"Something's off. The prey I've caught over these days has dropped by at least thirty percent."
"Focusing solely on the hunt for the silver fox has made me overlook the tracks of other animals, which significantly impacts my hunting yield. This won't do."
"After today, I'll lower the priority of hunting the silver fox and let things take their natural course. Otherwise, the losses will be greater in the long run. My focus should remain on other game. As for the silver fox, I'll leave that to luck."
Realizing his greed had negatively affected his hunting returns, Gu Sheng immediately adjusted his strategy.
He silently warned himself against excessive greed, knowing it could sometimes backfire.
If even he felt this way, the others must surely be worse off.
Numerous hunters roamed the forest, faces smeared with dirt, gaining little reward. Fortunately, Cang Mountain was vast enough to accommodate all these people, but there were also increasing conflicts and friction among the hunters.
Having figured things out, Gu Sheng felt noticeably lighter-hearted.
...
A few more days passed.
A group of hunters from Gu's Manor went into the mountains again, and among them were Gu Sheng and Gu Erniu.
The party walked together to the edge of Cang Mountain, exchanged goodbyes with smiles, and each chose a direction to leave.
Though Gu Sheng had resolved not to prioritize the silver fox anymore, the others had no such intention—the allure of ten taels of silver was simply too seductive!
Even Gu Erniu couldn't resist. He needed to save up resources for Gu Wan's martial arts training and naturally wouldn't let this opportunity slip by.
"Brother Erniu, take extra care."
"You too."
Gu Sheng and Gu Erniu bid each other farewell, then each went their chosen way.
...
Gu Sheng walked through the dense forest of Cang Mountain, feeling relaxed. Without the overwhelming expectations weighing on him, he found himself able to focus better on hunting other game.
Soon.
Gu Sheng made a catch.
Swish!
The arrow flew swiftly, pinning a plump hare to the root of a tree.
Gu Sheng slipped the hare into his leather pouch, a smile spreading across his face.
This feels right!
He had rediscovered that indescribable rhythm of hunting.
"Keep going!"
Gu Sheng ventured deeper. Occasionally, he spotted traces of wild animals, but most of the time, the leads went cold. It wasn't easy to track prey based only on faint signs.
Sometimes, the traces were left by animals some time ago. Moreover, with countless hunters flooding into Cang Mountain at the same time, many beasts had become exceedingly cautious.
But this was no challenge for Gu Sheng.
With frequent trips into the mountains, constant practice, and scientific analysis, his skills had grown rapidly.
After several failed attempts.
Gu Sheng's eyes lit up; he spotted traces beneath a tree root.
Dark, oval-shaped pellets about the size of soybeans.
Without needing to sniff them, Gu Sheng knew these were fresh droppings from a wild deer!
"There's a deer nearby!"
Excited desire surged within Gu Sheng—wild deer carried considerable value. Deer antlers, deer blood, deer meat, deer bones… all were treasures.
And the weight of a wild deer, only a few dozen pounds, was manageable for one person without drastically affecting mobility.
Definitely one of the best choices for a lone hunter.
"Follow it!"
Gu Sheng didn't hesitate, moving swiftly and adeptly through the forest, occasionally spotting more signs of the deer.
Droppings, chewed-up leaves and grass, hoofprints, lingering scents…
These signals were unmistakable to an experienced hunter.
"It's a doe."
Gu Sheng reached his verdict.
Shortly after.
Gu Sheng confirmed his suspicion.
Distantly, a faint sound of deer calls reached him. He quietly pushed aside the foliage in front of him—a hornless doe appeared, happily munching on tender branches, occasionally letting out soft, content chirps.
Gu Sheng's expression grew grave as he nocked an arrow to his bowstring, taking aim at the prey.
The doe seemed to sense something amiss, growing restless.
But it was already too late.
Buzz!
The taut bowstring snapped free, emitting a resonant hum. The arrow zipped through the air, crossing nearly a hundred meters in an instant and slicing through with a sharp whistle.
The bow stretched like a full moon; the arrow shot forth like a meteor!
The doe managed only a mournful cry before the arrow pierced its heart, sending it tumbling to the ground under the powerful impact.
With his archery skills nearing perfection, Gu Sheng could hit targets from a hundred meters away as if they were right before him.
If it weren't for the limitations of his hunting bow's power, the arrow would have been even faster!
Seeing the doe felled, Gu Sheng's eyes gleamed with joy.
Freeing himself from the obsession with the silver fox brought immediate success, affirming his change in mindset.
Rather than chasing the mirage of a silver fox, it was far better to grasp tangible rewards.
Gu Sheng stowed his longbow and carefully approached the doe.
He retrieved the arrow and confirmed the doe was truly dead.
The doe looked to weigh around forty pounds. Fortunately, Gu Sheng was now physically strong and had bulked up considerably. Carrying it would slightly affect his movements, but it wouldn't pose a serious problem. If danger arose, he could simply put the doe down.
He glanced at the sky; though nightfall was still far off, he decided to head down the mountain. Carrying a deer carcass would hinder further hunting and could make him vulnerable to danger. Better to descend now.
"Today's harvest is great—this doe alone makes it worthwhile. I'll come again next time!"
Hoisting the doe onto his shoulder, Gu Sheng prepared to leave.
Suddenly.
A cold voice rang out from a distance:
"Kid, put down the deer!"
Gu Sheng's senses sharpened instantly; he'd just made his catch and grown momentarily complacent.
Looking up, he saw a familiar scarred man standing amidst the distant foliage. Behind him, three hunters emerged from the undergrowth, all staring at the deer on Gu Sheng's shoulder with fervent eyes.
The scarred man had already begun nocking an arrow to his bowstring.
"It's Li Yan! A hunter from Li's Castle!"
Gu Sheng's heart tensed. Without hesitation, he rolled to the ground, dragging the doe's carcass with him to take cover behind a red cedar tree.
A sharp whistle followed—a stray arrow precisely pierced the spot where he had just stood, its feathers quivering aggressively.
Li Yan's sinister voice echoed:
"Kid, that's just a warning! If you don't drop the deer, the next arrow will pierce your skull!"