Chapter 201 Skill Overwhelms the Colorful Robe, Appreciating and Slaying the Dragon
"Aren't you going to follow?"
The lady spurred her horse, and the white steed galloped away, disappearing into the forest.
Li Xian only wanted to enjoy the hunt, not to compete. But what could he do in this situation? Holding the reins, he softly called out "Giddy up!" and immediately followed the bushes.
Madam Wen smiled and said, "Mountain hunting is much more difficult than hunting by a hunter. The terrain in the mountains and forests is complex, with slopes, pits, and trees blocking the way. You need to be skilled at driving a horse in order to spare the energy to shoot wild animals in the mountains."
"Only the best horses are allowed to go into the mountains and forests for hunting. Because ordinary, inferior horses will turn weak in the knees and be unable to run when they smell tiger urine or bear odor."
Lady Wen rode ahead on her horse, Baiyun, light and agile. Suddenly, she stomped her hooves on the ground and leaped up, soaring several feet into the air. Baiyun then pushed off a tree trunk, rising several feet higher still.
The lady took down her precious bow, nocked an arrow, and shot it. The arrow flew like a nimble snake, slaying a bear-like beast. White clouds drifted lightly to the ground, and snowflakes scattered. This accentuated the lady's heroic spirit.
More than a hundred feet away.
The giant bear fell to the ground.
Li Xian praised, "Madam, your archery is superb!" Madam Wen said, "I have already hunted a bear. If you catch nothing else, you will lose badly."
Just as he was about to speak...
Li Xian's ears twitched slightly as he heard a strange noise. Although his horse was of good quality and exceptionally handsome, it could not compare to "White Cloud." He stepped onto the horse's back, leaped high, drew his bow, and shot.
Several miles away, a large bear collapsed to the ground.
"What excellent archery skills!" the lady exclaimed, thinking to herself, "What a fine young man! What spirit and style! In terms of accuracy and archery technique alone, I am no match for him."
Overjoyed, she hunted every winter, and the hunt was bountiful, but she could only amuse herself. No one shared her prey, and no one saw her beautiful arrow.
Lady Wen, her competitive spirit ignited, said, "Good, only then can you truly compete with me. Hurry up and follow me." She then rode ahead on her horse.
The two rode one after the other. Hunting in the mountains and fields, the lady enjoyed herself immensely. Li Xian pondered, "It seems the lady is truly serious about the competition. In that case, I will go all out. If the lady is suppressing her full strength and only using archery, wouldn't it be utterly useless of me to lose again?"
Then another colorful deer appeared. Lady Wen exclaimed with delight, "What a colorful deer! What a lucky omen!" She immediately drew her bow and shot at it, but the arrow flew halfway through its flight.
Another arrow came, but it was faster than her and killed the colorful deer.
Li Xian laughed and said, "Madam, I'm so sorry, I've gotten ahead of you!" He rode away, passing his wife.
Madam Wen raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Good lad, you really don't hold back."
It is impolite not to reciprocate. The two rode their horses one after the other, traversing the mountains and fields. They then saw a tiger drinking water by a stream. Li Xian raised his bow and shot it, but his wife stepped forward and killed the tiger as well.
Madam Wen asked, "How is it?"
Li Xian said, "Why not give it to the lady?"
"Hmph, you can't beat me, so you say you let me win. You little rascal, you're so glib. I'll punish you severely after you lose." Madam Wen said with a smile and a hint of reproach.
His tone sounded angry, but he was actually enjoying the feeling.
The two chased after a deer. Night fell in the blink of an eye. The winter hunt lasted three days, and they sought a cave to stay in.
A temporary ceasefire is in effect.
Li Xian led his horse and beasts on a hunt all day, and both were sweating profusely.
Madam Wen said, "I will teach you the methods of geomancy. In the future, when you are away from home, you can use this method to find hidden caves in the mountains."
They arrived at a certain place. Madam Wen said, "Look at this place, the stone walls are mottled, eroded by wind and rain all year round. Look at the trend of this mountain range, there must be a cave here."
"But the cave is damp and stuffy, and there might be an underground river. It's also a place where snakes, beasts, and bats congregate. It's a good place to escape, but we don't need to go there."
She pointed to the mountainside. Following the path, they indeed found a cave. It was surrounded by poisonous snakes, and the stench was unbearable.
Lady Wen was highly skilled in geomancy. From the terrain and vegetation, she could discern where there were rivers and caves.
Li Xian had accompanied his father on hunts in the mountains and knew the tricks of finding mountains and caves, and exploring rivers and streams. But these were all based on experience, and he didn't know the underlying principles. Today, after listening to his wife's personal instruction, he suddenly understood, and the thought "So that's how it is" kept popping into his mind.
"Madam is so learned, when will I ever be able to acquire even a fraction of her knowledge?" Li Xian sighed.
Madam Wen chuckled: "You are very intelligent, and you will learn it soon. I'm just afraid that once you've learned it thoroughly, you'll become too independent and fly away."
“How could this be?” Li Xian retorted.
Mrs. Wen smiled but remained silent.
They soon found a cave, spacious and well-ventilated, with a bright, colorful glow inside, and stalactites of various shapes. It was like a fairyland.
I'll stay here for the night.
Madam Wen sat cross-legged on the ground, practicing martial arts inside.
Li Xian then peeled the deer's hide, sliced off the meat, and skewered it. He lit a fire to grill the meat, sprinkling it with salt, hay, and many other ingredients.
[Proficiency +2]
[Skill: Culinary Arts]
[Proficiency: 897/1500 Minor Mastery]
[Description: You can whip up delicious meals with just a little effort. You've mastered some culinary skills and know how to use everything to create tasty dishes.]
The colorful deer is a rare delicacy from the mountains, with tender and delicious meat. Li Xian carefully controlled the cooking time, resulting in a crispy exterior and tender interior, perfectly seasoned.
The aroma of meat wafts out.
Madam Wen stopped her internal practice and slightly raised her eyebrows.
Seeing Li Xian grilling venison, the firelight illuminating his face, making his youthful features appear quite mature, I thought to myself: "When this young man is spirited and exuberant, he is truly captivating. But when he is calm and composed, he is incredibly reassuring."
Li Xian roasted the venison and handed it to the lady. She chewed slowly and savored the sweet, fresh, and delicious meat. Though of noble birth and accustomed to delicacies, she found this simple roasted meat quite unique.
Madam Wen asked, "When did you learn to cook?"
Li Xian said, "I figured it out myself. Did you enjoy it, Madam?"
"Not bad." Madam Wen nodded gently.
Nothing was said that night.
It was morning in a blink of an eye.
Frost and snow fell, but the weather warmed up. Lady Wen rode on a white cloud and said with a smile, "The contest is not over yet. If you beat me, the matter of the hunt will be wiped clean. I will also reward you handsomely. If you cannot beat me, I will punish you severely."
On the first day, Lady Wen hunted four deer, seven tigers, and five bears. Li Xian hunted three deer, six tigers, and six bears. In terms of pure animal catches, they were roughly equal.
The next day, Li Xian hunted seven deer, seven tigers, and seven bears. His heroic spirit and chivalry were on full display. His wife hunted six deer, eight tigers, and five bears, falling slightly behind.
As they rested at night, Madam Wen scolded, "How dare you steal two of my bear beasts!"
Li Xian laughed and defended himself. After chatting for a while, Madam Wen said, "You, with your feathers still unfurled, dare to be so presumptuous. I wonder how you will treat me in the future."
Li Xian said, "I will definitely treat you well, Madam." He reached out and embraced her. Madam felt tenderness and joy.
In two days, Li Xian learned many geomantic techniques. Looking at the mountains and rivers, besides the beautiful scenery, he also noticed the terrain, the earth's veins, and the flow of feng shui.
Day three.
The day was the day to determine the winner. Although Lady Wen was highly skilled, she was truly sincere in her commitment to this competition. Preparations for the archery contest began as soon as dawn broke.
Xionghu Mountain stretches for dozens of miles, and some of its peaks no longer belong to anyone. Madam Wen said, "Baiyun, let this brat see what you're capable of."
With two hissing sounds, white mist rose from its body. Blue cloud patterns swirled around it, and with a thud of its four hooves, it gradually lifted off the ground. The potholes, snow-covered ground, and obstructing bushes along the way were all ignored.
As if flying through the mist, Madam Wen fired several arrows in quick succession, hunting down three strange bears in one go. Li Xian, not to be outdone, declared, "If Madam says to punish, then she will surely punish."
His eyesight was sharp, and he noticed that bears and tigers were gathered here, a strange number of them. With a quick glance, he knew there were traces of bears in the distance. He immediately drew his bow and fired three arrows in quick succession.
The three strange bears died instantly.
Madam Wen said, her tone a mix of praise and reproach: "Good lad."
The two fighters enjoyed their contest to the fullest, but it was the tigers and beasts in the mountains that suffered.
...
On the other hand...
The number of bears and other animals in Xionghu Mountain has increased, with scaly bears, giant bears, and rock-breaking bears appearing in large numbers. This is not due to natural population growth.
Rather, it was a month earlier. An uninvited guest arrived in the mountains and forests. He had his own plans, and through some means, fabricated a strange bear-like beast.
When he returned home that day, he saw that Xiong'er was badly injured and he cried out in shock and anger, "Who, who shot my beloved son?"
They moved with the ferocity of a raging beast, smashing rocks and trees with unstoppable force. After things calmed down, they learned that Xiong'er had died recently and that the culprits were nearby.
He rummaged around, climbing and leaping through trees, searching for the villain who killed the bear. He followed the path along the path, clinging to the animal carcass in the forest.
Finally, two figures appeared, riding horses and hunting. He cried out and said coldly, "You two dogs, you two dogs, I will make you put on bear clothes and become my bear cubs."
He leaped forward, grabbing at Li Xian with one hand and at Madam Wen with the other.
He moved with the speed of a flying dragon, possessing immense strength. His moves were simple and unremarkable, yet extremely powerful. Li Xian, quick-witted, knew he couldn't withstand him. He rolled off his horse, avoiding the deadly attack.
Madam Wen returned the gesture with a light palm strike. The figure was startled and, disregarding everything else, immediately defended itself. This palm strike, seemingly light, actually concealed a complex internal energy circulation.
The figure flew backward, landing steadily. Li Xian exclaimed in surprise, "I have never seen anyone withstand a palm strike from Madam. This opponent is extremely strong!"
He silently retreated behind his wife.
Lady Wen said, "Young Master Xiong?" Recognizing the man, she dismounted.
It turned out that this person who suddenly appeared was not an unknown figure. He was none other than the notorious villain on the Red List: Xiong Langjun.
He has an eccentric personality and is rumored to have been raised by a bear since childhood. Later, he had a strange encounter and embarked on the path of martial arts. After being cleansed of his fetal genitalia, he revealed a "red downy appearance," with his entire body covered in red down.
His appearance was so bizarre that it instilled fear in people. Therefore, he was disliked and spent his days associating with bears. Later, he held a high position in a heretical cult.
Madam Wen raised an eyebrow and said, "Since it was you, then most of the bears we hunted today were your doing? No wonder we encountered so many bears, it turns out it was your doing."
Xiong Langjun roared, "Wen Caishang, why did you kill my Xiong'er!"
Madam Wen said, "I killed him, so what? Do you want me to explain?"
"Fine, fine, since it's you, I can't do anything about it. I'll remember this grudge." Xiong Langjun turned and left.
Madam Wen's eyes flashed with a sharp light: "Young Master Xiong is quite strong. It's probably no coincidence that we've encountered him at this time. I'll try to get some information out of him, and if necessary, I'll kill him here."
She said, "Young Master Xiong, why are you in such a hurry to leave? I was hunting in the mountains just now and did not know that these strange bears were all your bear cubs. Cai Chang apologizes."
Xiong Langjun's expression softened, and he was greatly pleased. "Then you'll compensate me?"
"We're all on the same side, why hurt our feelings? We'll need each other's help at the grand banquet someday," Wen Caishang said. "If that's not enough, why don't you go to the county town and capture some strangers, dress them in bear costumes, and then they won't be obedient bear cubs anymore?"
"Pah, pah, pah!" said Xiong Langjun. "You're an amateur; how could you possibly understand the effort involved!"
He suddenly said, "You said you're on my side, could it be... you've also come for the Dragon-Slaying Feast?"
Li Xian thought to himself, "Another Dragon Appreciation Banquet, another Dragon Slaying Banquet! Madam once said that if I mastered the second level of the Sunset Blood Sword, she would take me to the banquet. What kind of banquet is this?"
Madam Wen said, "Indeed, I am the same as you..." With a flick of her sleeve, she suddenly unleashed a deadly move.
A long sword emerged from his sleeve, as supple as a silk ribbon. This sword was extraordinary; it could extend and retract, resembling both a whip and a sword.
The sword flashed, instantly carving a sword mark several feet long into the ground. Xiong Langjun exclaimed in surprise, "A white snake in his sleeve..." and tried to retaliate, but the white snake soft sword had already pierced his heart.
Xiong Langjun bled profusely, yet his blood was surprisingly fragrant. Lady Wen said proudly, "How could a mere villain be worthy to be my companion?"
Li Xian asked, "Madam, what exactly is the Dragon Banquet?"
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(End of this chapter)
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