Gu Sheng's eyes revealed a hint of surprise.
This arrow, truly a masterpiece!
Hitting the hind leg of a silver fox while it's moving at high speeds is no easy task. It's far harder than merely hitting the fox's body—several times more difficult!
If it were any other hunter, someone like Gu Erniu, whose archery skill is at the Small Success realm, they might have a decent chance at hitting the silver fox's body. But hitting its constantly springing and flying hind leg? That's almost impossible unless blind luck strikes.
As for why Gu Sheng chose to aim for the hind leg.
It's quite simple.
The more intact the silver fox's fur is, the higher its value. If the body has no arrow holes, the value could even double!
Up to twenty taels!
At this moment, one of the silver fox's hind legs had been pierced through by the arrow. Although it was still desperately fleeing, the gnawing pain and the long, slender arrow shaft severely hampered its speed, making it slower than Gu Sheng.
Gu Sheng was overjoyed.
The choice at this moment was obvious. Without sparing another glance at the deer carcass, Gu Sheng sprinted madly, accelerating with all his might!
The current Gu Sheng was hardly the frail figure he had once been. His muscles were firm, his body lean and tall. Running through the forest, he was as agile as a leopard.
The silver fox shrieked in a panic, its cries piercing and sharp, filled with pain and terror.
None of its former pride and elegance remained.
"It does show some semblance of intelligence, almost reaching the level of the demon-blood beasts."
Gu Sheng thought to himself.
His movements remained swift and decisive, quickly closing the gap to within a hundred meters.
He bent his bow and nocked an arrow, precise like threading a needle.
Gu Sheng focused intently, his eyes locking onto the silver fox's figure, which seemed to slow down once again. Although his archery wasn't yet at the Perfect realm, and his dynamic vision hadn't reached its peak state, his extreme concentration allowed for partial enhancement.
This arrow was aimed at the silver fox's eyes!
Whoosh!!
A sharp sound sliced through the air—the arrow whistled like thunder, tearing through the sky!
The silver fox, enduring the excruciating pain in its hind leg, leaped with all its might. The long arrow grazed the fur atop its head.
Gu Sheng's expression remained focused, calm as still water.
Though the silver fox managed to dodge this swift arrow, its desperate leap threw its body off balance, and the intense pain caused it to stagger.
Gu Sheng grasped another arrow, faintly seeing fear and the plea for mercy in the silver fox's eyes.
But he remained unmoved.
Another arrow!
This time, there were no surprises.
Squelch!
The long arrow penetrated the eye, tearing through flesh and burrowing into the skull—the sound unmistakable and vivid.
The faint green glow of its fox eyes exploded instantly, blood spraying around.
Though sharp pain struck again, the silver fox no longer had the strength to scream. The arrow embedded deep in its skull drained its last lifeline, pinning it firmly to the tree root.
Gu Sheng let out a light breath.
In the span of just two arrows, the continuous use of dynamic vision enhancement had noticeably drained his energy.
But luckily, it had all been worth it.
Looking at the dead silver fox, the corner of Gu Sheng's mouth curled into a genuine smile.
One arrow pierced the hind leg, one arrow penetrated the skull—the silver fox's body remained intact, its fur unblemished, doubling its value!
With this wealth.
Gu Sheng's martial arts training plan finally had solid footing. No longer just an unrealized dream, it had become a tangible goal within reach.
Remaining vigilant of his surroundings, Gu Sheng vowed not to repeat past mistakes.
He plucked out both arrows and examined the silver fox closely.
No wonder it was one of the most coveted pelts among wealthy households.
A dazzling silver-white coat covered its entire body, and even the blood splattered upon it refused to stain—forming beads of blood that could simply be wiped clean.
Unlike other pelts that required tanning and dyeing, the silver fox's fur was already complete; it needed only minimal processing.
And the tactile sensation was exquisite—warm, soft, and as smooth as silk coated in oil.
Gu Sheng placed the silver fox carefully into a leather pouch, sealing it tightly without leaving a single trace exposed.
After completing his task.
He turned and headed back to the spot where he abandoned the deer carcass.
Fortunately, it was only a hundred or two hundred meters away. Soon, Gu Sheng spotted the deer carcass once again. In such a short span of time, no predators had arrived—only some insects and ants nibbling at the flesh.
Gu Sheng promptly dealt with the insects and ants, then hoisted the deer carcass over his shoulders once more.
"This time, it's truly a bumper harvest!"
His heart swelled with joy.
Without exaggeration, this was the largest haul he'd ever achieved since he started hunting in the mountains!
Carrying the entirety of his spoils, totaling nearly fifty pounds, naturally imposed a heavy burden on Gu Sheng. He looked skyward; with all the scrambling back and forth, the sun had already begun its descent.
"Time to head down the mountain—better to avoid any unforeseen complications."
Suddenly burdened with a fortune, even Gu Sheng's steady mindset showed traces of urgency, fearing any potential mishap.
Cautiously, he advanced, steadily making his way out of Cang Mountain.
...
At the outskirts of Cang Mountain.
Gu Erniu was running desperately; the sharp pain in his left leg twisted his face into a grimace. A broken arrow pierced through his calf, and despite rudimentary treatment, the blood continued to seep through.
Each step was accompanied by heart-wrenching agony, but stopping wasn't an option—several figures pursued him relentlessly.
Rage and murderous intent swirled in his heart; his eyes burned as if they might ignite.
"Damn Li Yan!"
Gu Erniu cursed inwardly.
From sheer joy to utter despair had taken mere moments. Initially, he was marveling at his good fortune after days of tracking, finally spotting the silver fox.
But he hadn't anticipated.
Just as he discovered the silver fox, another group emerged—Li Yan and his men had also located the silver fox!
Enemies meeting ignited instant fury.
Just moments earlier, Gu Sheng had humiliated him. Now, faced with Gu Erniu, Li Yan's murderous intent surged, even disregarding the silver fox entirely as he began hunting Gu Erniu down.
Alone and vulnerable, with four men on the opposing side—how could Gu Erniu possibly fend them off?
Without a second thought, he turned and fled!
The silver fox, originally cornered by both parties, seized the moment to escape. Bewildered, it watched as the humans began chasing each other instead.
Gu Erniu's archery was at the Small Success realm, but Li Yan's skills were no less. With three accomplices, Gu Erniu stood no chance at all.
During the chase and exchange of shots.
Gu Erniu's left leg was struck by one of Li Yan's arrows, while Li Yan sustained an arrow wound to his left arm.
Huff! Huff! Huff!
Gu Erniu panted heavily; the arrow in his calf slowed his pace significantly, consuming vast amounts of stamina. The figures pursuing him drew closer with each moment.
He could already hear Li Yan's venomous voice echoing:
"Gu Erniu, keep running! Let's see how far you think you'll get!"
His face grew pale, sweat dripping like beads, his calf convulsing uncontrollably. The initial numbness of the wound had passed—now waves of searing pain flooded him relentlessly.
Gu Erniu's lips curled into a bitter smile as a trace of despair crept into his thoughts.
"This scoundrel—even hunting a silver fox, he brings an entire gang."
He regretted in his heart, cursing himself for being blinded by the silver fox's value, tempted by greed, and thereby falling into this trap.
But he hated Li Yan even more. Ever since he married Li Lian, Li Yan had hounded him repeatedly; now the man wanted to take his very life!
Gu Erniu slumped behind a tree, striving to hide his figure. Resolute determination flickered within his eyes.
"Even if I die, I'll make sure to take someone with me!"
His gaze hardened, steely and fierce, as he began plotting how to lure Li Yan into a trap. If he could ensure Li Yan shared his fate, only then could he taste satisfaction.