Chapter 7: Midnight in the Tiger's Maw (Please Like and Recommend)
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“Xiao Chen, where exactly is this place you’re talking about? We’re already far from the village, close to the back mountain. There could be wild beasts lurking!”
Although Old Qin was led here by Mistress Chen under the sway of his lower desires, at forty years old he wasn’t completely foolish; a sense of caution stirred within him.
“Old Qin, it’s just ahead!”
Mistress Chen shook Old Qin’s arm gently, using the unique charm of a woman to coax him patiently:
“Actually, I wanted to come during the day, but if anyone sees us then, you know how dangerous it is to have something valuable in your possession. We wouldn’t be able to get that treasure!”
“What treasure exactly?”
Old Qin pressed on, half-believing, half-doubting.
“It’s a chest of gold. I can’t move it alone.”
At these words, Old Qin’s eyes lit up, but a chill immediately followed.
Though greedy and miserly, he was not a fool.
Even if there were a chest of gold, it couldn’t be a single solid piece—Mistress Chen could easily take it little by little.
Despite their close relationship and mutual understanding, he didn’t believe Mistress Chen would share the gold with him once she found it.
“Ah!”
Suddenly, Old Qin stumbled and fell to the ground, clutching his waist and groaning:
“My back! It’s no good, I’ve twisted my waist!”
“Xiao Chen, help me back!”
Mistress Chen’s eyes darkened, the surrounding air growing cold. Old Qin shivered as a bad premonition rose in his heart.
Prioritizing his life, Old Qin stopped pretending and scrambled up, running back toward the village.
“Roar!”
A tiger’s roar, shattering gold and stone, thundered deafeningly. Old Qin felt his eardrums crack, his head spinning, body trembling.
A blood-red maw rapidly enlarged before his eyes, filling his pupils—Old Qin was terrified.
“No…”
…
The night was deep and heavy, the mountains concealed in a misty darkness like a crouching beast, ready to seize its prey.
The beast’s roar and Old Qin’s screams failed to attract any attention from the villagers of Dahe Village.
The mountains at night were no stranger to the howls of wild beasts—completely normal.
The back mountain was the most dangerous place at night; villagers rarely approached it after dark.
“Good man, no more!”
By the fifth watch, the embarrassing noises from the night gradually died down.
Qin Hongyu’s cheeks flushed, her body trembling as if struck by electricity, breathing rapidly and softly:
“Brother Chen, I feel your strength has grown even stronger?”
“Because I train hard every day, tirelessly, day and night. Of course, my strength grows!”
Zhou Chen instinctively began pressing and massaging Qin Hongyu’s bones, but his eyes glanced at his personal panel.
After an entire afternoon and most of the night’s effort, he had gained fifteen Fengyue Points.
“Tracking, add points.”
A familiar, profound feeling surged through him once more—his tracking skill advanced to a minor breakthrough.
Not only were various tracking methods now second nature, but his senses had become far keener.
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[Fengyue Treasure Mirror]
[Owner: Zhou Chen]
[Skill: None]
[Realm: None]
[Divine Power: Thunderlight Ruyi Hand]
[Skills: Archery (Minor Breakthrough 0/80), Tracking (Minor Breakthrough 3/80), Traps (Proficient 2/20), Throwing (Proficient 18/20), Fishing (Beginner 6/10)…]
[Fengyue Points: 0]
“If the points needed for each subsequent level double, then perfection requires 160, mastery requires 320, plus 80 for full achievement—that’s a total of 560 points...”
Based on Zhou Chen’s experience these past two days, if he didn’t go hunting during the day and stuck close to Qin Hongyu all day, he could earn about thirty points daily.
That means it would take him nineteen days to raise tracking to mastery.
But he couldn’t spend every day clinging to Qin Hongyu; he also needed to hunt to sustain life. So a month should be enough.
“To reach mastery in one skill in just a month!”
Zhou Chen’s spirits soared. He thought of Old Cao, who had practiced archery all his life but never surpassed full achievement, always falling just short of perfection.
Not to mention mastery—something that couldn’t be attained by effort alone.
It required talent and opportunity.
“Let’s set a small goal: within two months, raise tracking and archery to the realm of transformation!”
Suddenly, Zhou Chen’s sharpened senses picked up rustling sounds outside.
It was the little fox!
It seemed to be gnawing on wood, whining and hopping inside its cage.
“Oh right, I forgot to feed the little fox!”
Zhou Chen got up from Qin Hongyu’s warm nest, went to the kitchen, and brought the leftover food to the little fox.
“Yip yip yip!”
Seeing Zhou Chen, the little fox cried out excitedly, but upon spotting the food—starving to the point its ribs showed—it immediately began eating happily.
The night breeze blew, and Zhou Chen suddenly felt a chill down below.
Like after a bath, when water clings to the body and the wind evaporates it, absorbing heat and causing cold.
Especially at night.
Zhou Chen quickly placed the food in the cage and returned to Qin Hongyu’s warm nest, holding her soft body close, his entire being warming up.
The two clung tightly together, inseparable.
Zhou Chen had hunted all day on the mountain and then spent time with Qin Hongyu until now; his eyelids were heavy.
Breathing in her faint fragrance, he drifted into a deep sleep.
By mid-morning, the two lazily got up to prepare food.
If their stomachs hadn’t been growling loudly, they probably wouldn’t have risen.
Qin Hongyu washed dishes and cooked.
Zhou Chen placed the little fox on his lap and gave it some gentle strokes.
No cats or dogs here—only the fox to keep him company.
[Fengyue Points +1]
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Zhou Chen noticed the little fox was growing more familiar with him, lying on his lap with eyes half-closed, thoroughly enjoying itself.
[Fengyue Points +1]
When Qin Hongyu finished cooking, Zhou Chen earned another point. In high spirits, he put the little fox back in its cage and gave it a large bowl of food.
Full and satisfied, he watched Qin Hongyu washing dishes in the kitchen, then approached and wrapped his arms around her soft waist from behind.
“Don’t fool around, I’m washing dishes!”
Qin Hongyu flicked away his playful grasp and asked with a hint of curiosity, “Brother Chen, aren’t you going hunting today?”
“We hunted enough yesterday to last seven or eight days. We’ll take a few days off and then go again for fresh game!”
Zhou Chen’s playful claw slipped inside her skirt again, smiling:
“Besides, I haven’t really spent time with you these past couple of days.”
“Just married, and we have enough to eat now, so I should make it up to you properly!”
“Brother Chen, you’re so sweet!”
Qin Hongyu turned her head, eyes full of affection, crossing her legs shyly: “Good man, just a moment, I’m almost done!”
“It’s okay, you do your thing; I’ll do mine!”
…
“Hey, I haven’t seen Brother Chen go hunting today!”
By the creek, a few women washed clothes.
Cuiflower from Erniu’s family was among them.
Cuiflower winked slyly: “Not only did Brother Chen not go hunting, but Lady Zhou hasn’t gone out today either!”
“So that’s why! Brother Chen caught several wild rabbits, pheasants, and even a wolf yesterday, so there’s no need to hunt every day!”
An older woman, mending a patched coarse cloth shirt, smirked:
“Brother Chen must be practicing mounted archery at home!”
“Before, when Brother Chen followed Old Cao, he never seemed this accurate with his bow. Getting married changes everything!”
“Archery needs real combat experience. Brother Chen had never practiced in battle before. His archery was all show. Now, practicing actual shooting daily, his skill naturally improves by leaps!”
“I’m telling you, Old Qin isn’t home again today. He must be at Mistress Chen’s place, still not back!”
“Both Old Qin and Mistress Chen are alone. Why sneak around like this? Why not just marry each other?”
“Probably because Old Qin is too stingy to share his money!”
…
Time passed slowly.
Three consecutive days.
Zhou Chen stayed home practicing mounted archery, barely stepping outside.
His hard work paid off greatly.
No pain, no gain.
Through tireless effort and countless sweat-filled hours, his points rarely broke past ninety.
“Add points for me!”
…