NOVEL WEB 3. Archery
CHAPTER 3: Archery
Those greasy buns took almost half an hour to digest. In the meantime, Luo Ling sat cross-legged and meditated.
The Martial Master stage focuses on the cultivation of mental energy. Born in the depths of one’s consciousness, mental energy was sometimes called the crystallization of willpower. A capable martial master could move things with his thoughts alone. At their pinnacle, the mental energy, which was also called Inner Breath by the martial artists, could be manifested out of the body.
Luo Ling was still far from that stage. He had yet to tap into his innate mental energy, let alone strengthen it. Meditation was self-discipline he developed a habit of. Whenever he had free time, he would sit down cross-legged and meditate. Even after transmigration, that habit persisted. This diligence honed Luo Ling’s inner breath in his previous life, making its strength soar to new heights. Before his death, he held the record of lifting a small-scale mountain with his raw mental energy. For his current self, meditation only benefitted him in calming his mind and regulating his emotions.
As energy filled him once again, washing away the fatigue he felt from the intense practice from before, Luo Ling got up and stretched. The second round of the Iron Muscles Steel veins Body Forging was thus commenced.
After several minutes of intense workout, he stopped, gasping for breath and feeling drained. His stomach once again rumbled, demanding food. All those generously stuffed buns were burned away into energy and used up to strengthen his body. In the golden world located in the depths of his consciousness, proficiency of the body forging skill had risen by one.
Luo Ling wolfed down the remaining buns before peeking at the oven. The rabbit was only halfway cooked and still had an hour to go before it was done. Although its delicious smell was already making him drool, he had no choice but to wait. One thing Luo Ling noticed about this world was that the meats of the animals he hunted in the Hundred Beasts Forest were more delicious than the beasts of Murim world and contained significantly more energy. On average, it would take an entire night to digest their meats.
Crossing his legs, he sat down to meditate and regain strength. It took him less than thirty minutes to digest those buns this time. Feeling energized, Luo Ling got to his feet, ready to continue his labor.
But he didn’t persist in body forging exercises. Although doing it again would increase proficiency by one, he had to learn when to stop. His current body was that of a nine-year-old kid, still growing. Putting more stress than it could handle would prove counterproductive in the long run.
Picking up his bow, Luo Ling decided on some target practice. Archery was his bread and butter for the time being, and he needed it to hunt his game. Perfecting the craft was a must.
Luo Ling had a handful of sharpened bamboo arrows tucked away under one of the target dummies. Those were the special arrows made solely for training purposes. He didn’t use the same arrows he hunted the rabbit with as metal was an expensive commodity in Five Fragrance Village. Given his limited funds, he couldn’t afford to have those iron-tipped arrows dulled. Those fifteen-odd arrowheads he custom-made cost him a dozen bronze marbles.
As the clock ticked away, the sky gradually darkened. It was time for him to return to the orphanage.
Just as Luo Ling was about to put the bow down, a warm sensation enveloped him. A stream of electrifying sensation arose from his head and approached his face. Before he understood anything, mind-numbing pain assaulted his eyes. It felt like someone forcing a dull spoon into his sockets and forcefully scooping his eyeballs away. Luo Ling clutched his face and wreathed on the ground. It took every ounce of his willpower not to scream on the spot.
The pain vanished as soon as it came, leaving him spiritually and physically exhausted.
Back in his Jianghu days, he had been to many life-and-death battles. Many times, he sustained injuries that could kill an average human. But those injuries could not hold a candle to the few seconds of hell he endured just now.
Getting his bearings straight, Luo Ling forced himself to sit cross-legged and guided his consciousness into the depths of his mind. He had an inkling of what happened seconds ago and wanted to confirm his hypothesis.
The golden bathed world appeared and in its centre was the Records of Toil.
[Iron Muscles Steel Veins Body Forging Exercise (Second Level)]— Proficiency: 180/500
[Archery (Houtian)]— Proficiency: 1/500
He was right on the money. The sudden agony was due to Records of Toil adjusting his body after a new entry. Luo Ling knew how the golden tablet functioned, so he was not worked up about archery appearing on it. The surprising part, however, was despite his conscious efforts to avoid any named archery techniques in his memories, he still couldn’t stop it from entering the tablet.
Luo Ling’s face morphed into a frown. He was far from being thrilled. Records of Toil might be gigantic, but in the end, the space on it was limited. He would rather not fill it up with things he might give up in the near future. Luo Ling had not planned to stick with archery for longer.
At the moment, he was young and weak. Even though he had become a 2nd-rate martial warrior, his underdeveloped body couldn’t bring out the full potential of this stage. He would get tired within seconds if he exploded with the full might of a 2nd-rate martial warrior. Throwing hands with those animals in the forest in his current state was no better than asking for death. Hence, until he hit a growth spurt, the bows and arrows would become his tools for hunting.
But now, he would have to make adjustments to those plans. Since Records of Toil already accepted it as a martial technique, he had to stick to it until the end.
With his mind made up, Luo Ling returned to reality and opened his eyes… only to do a double take. A brighter and wider world greeted him. The trees looked denser, and the grasses looked greener. Even the target dummies appeared much closer and more defined.
Luo Ling suddenly recalled the momentary pain in his eyes and figured out the reason behind such drastic changes in his vision. It was his eyes; they had improved. Even a fool would know why it happened since the hints were so obvious. He had not expected a technique he avoided to have such hidden benefits. It was a welcomed surprise.
Unfortunately, the sky was about to turn dark, and he still had to eat the roasted rabbit. Given the size, it would take at least half an hour to eat. It was rich in energy, so he couldn’t subject it to the same fate as those buns from earlier— to be inhaled in a few bites. Otherwise, he would have liked to test his improved vision with a few target practices.
-~X~-
An hour later, Luo Ling left his secret training spot. The village streets were void of human presence as almost everyone retired to the safety of their homes. There was a rumor floating among the older folks that a terrifying presence would prowl the streets after the sun went down. While Luo Ling didn’t believe such things, he didn’t dare try his luck either. This world had people who could fly in the skies. It wouldn’t be too farfetched to have a demonic presence lurking around.
The orphanage was built to the south of the village. Sandwiched between the health clinic and the military barracks, it could be said to have occupied the safest place in the village. It was for this reason that the orphanage didn’t employ a guard.
Luo Ling had occupied a room closer to the gate so he could conveniently go in and out without disturbing anyone. As he was about to enter his room, an elderly woman walked over. She was tall with a head full of greying hair, and age folds filled her face. Yet, her blue eyes held sharpness that Luo Ling had only seen in seasoned martial artists.
“Ling, you are finally back.” Her voice carried hints of tenderness.
“Mother Yi.” Luo Ling nodded his head in acknowledgment. Everyone in the orphanage called her mother Yi. Luo Ling also addressed her in the same way even after awakening his memories. Furrowing his brows, he inquired, “Is something the matter?”
He doubted the usually busy headmistress would have time for idle chats with him. He wondered if she needed his help with something. It was not weird for her to ask for his help once in a while to carry out some delivery tasks as she knew of his usual escapades to the forest. Perhaps she wanted him to pass down some message to someone?
“There is indeed something important. Tomorrow, an exult guest will be here to appraise the children for their aptitude in cultivation. Stay in the orphanage, and don’t go anywhere in the morning.” Mother Yi said seriously. “If you are lucky enough, you might become a part of the true powerhouses of this world.” She added with a yearning gaze in her eyes.