Second Layer Mountain was essentially a place where old hunters grouped together to go.
One reason was the danger; they had each other's backs.
Also, if they actually caught something as big as several hundred pounds, they would need help to carry it down.
Over time, this naturally formed a small community.
To join this group, it was best to have someone familiar show you the way.
Otherwise, if someone decided to take your belongings, deep in the dense woods, you might not even find the body.
"You're going to Second Layer Mountain?"
Zhao Qiao was somewhat surprised, "Little Stony, how long have you been hunting?"
"Isn't it that my family hasn't paid the taxes for this year yet?"
Chen Sansi honestly said, "Other than Second Layer Mountain, where else can I gather this amount of silver in such a short time?"
Hearing this, Zhao Qiao couldn't help but sigh.
These days, the government was as fierce as a tiger.
He hesitated for a moment, "Alright, but I have to say it upfront, if you come back empty-handed, you can't blame me."
"That's natural, Uncle Zhao, rest assured."
On the way up the mountain, Zhao Qiao began to explain the precautions, "It's true that you can get goods in the deep mountains, but it's also common for people to lose their lives; if you encounter Big Worm or Black Bear, you'd better run quickly.
"And the most important point—'avoid those in brocade clothes.'
"Avoid those in brocade clothes?" Chen Sansi queried.
Zhao Qiao explained in a grave voice, "Those who come to the mountain in brocade clothes to hunt are either martial masters from the Martial Arts Hall or children of the wealthy; we can't afford to offend them.
"There were instances in the past where hunters fought with nobles over game, leading to direct loss of life.
"So later on, our hunters' activity area was limited to the south side of Second Layer Mountain, and few dared to go to the north side anymore. Just remember that.
"Finally, if you catch something too big to carry by yourself, shoot a whistle arrow into the sky. Nearby hunters who are empty-handed will come over to help carry it down the mountain, but of course, you have to pay them depending on the situation."
"That's about all I have to say; be careful in everything, even villagers might try to trick you."
He took out a Bone Head Arrow from the Arrow Bag and handed it over.
The Bone Head Arrow, like the whistle arrow, belongs to the group of signaling arrows, but its head isn't made of metal; it's made of wood with hollows, making a loud noise when fired, having no lethal power.
"Thank you, Uncle Zhao."
Chen Sansi was very sincere.
A few salted duck eggs in exchange for this information was absolutely worth it.
During the conversation, the two of them had already arrived at the foot of Second Layer Mountain.
To avoid competing for game, hunters generally operated independently, unless they agreed to group hunt fierce beasts.
Second Layer Mountain was deep and dense.
The moment Chen Sansi stepped into the woods, he spotted many animal feces hidden in the soil, and footprints under the bushes within a ten-meter radius.
"Some hunting dogs can't even achieve what I do!"
"I might not have a hunting dog, but I am better than a hunting dog!"
"And this is just the entry level!"
He went all out, carrying bows and arrows, shuttling through the jungle, not missing the slightest movement.
Second Layer Mountain had plenty of game, but mostly small creatures like rabbits and wild chickens; large animals were similarly hard to find.
Moreover, due to consecutive years of poor harvests and excessive hunting, the hunters of Second Layer Mountain were barely making ends meet, and it was common to return empty-handed.
According to Uncle Zhao, the real abundance of game was on the north side of the mountain, but that was the hunting ground of upper-class people, and the poor, without martial arts skills, dared not venture there.
"Is even hunting oppressed?"
Chen Sansi didn't rush to hunt.
At his current level, he could hunt small creatures like rabbits at any time; it was better to look for something bigger, even a roe deer would do.
His focus was at full throttle.
Chen Sansi not only didn't feel tired, but he also felt the world becoming clearer and clearer in his eyes, as if he was about to enter another realm.
Indeed, after breaking through the critical point, the panel surfaced like ripples on water.
[Tracking Concealment (Mastery)]
[Utility: Insight Shocking, Light as a Feather]
After experiencing a mysterious sensation, Chen Sansi felt his senses were elevated to a new level.
Now, he could even clearly observe animal fur on the ground!
Some wild animals intentionally hide their droppings.
But they can't conceal the fur that falls off unintentionally!
Moreover, his enhanced perception was not only useful for hunting but also essential for archery, which requires excellent eyesight.
The palm-sized target center, eighty meters away, was merely a black dot, but if he could see even tinier things, naturally, his shooting accuracy improved.
All these skills complemented each other.
"Combining this with the 'failing to forget after glancing once' from reading, I feel like I've opened a Sherlock Holmes' memory palace, but it's specially tailored for hunting."
Chen Sansi bent down and picked up a black hair from the grass beneath his feet.
'This hair is half as long as a finger, fairly stiff, and not yet decomposed, indicating its owner was here not long ago.'
Every few steps, he found similar hairs, and after about a hundred steps, clear footprints began to appear.
He started following the trail.
The rugged, complicated mountain trail was exceptionally easy for Chen Sansi to navigate; his speed was surprisingly fast, and he hardly made any noise—an embodiment of being Light as a Feather.
'I wonder if this counts as Qinggong.'
He slowed his steps outside a bamboo grove, approaching the source of the sound within.
He suddenly came upon a strong, black wild boar.
In tow were five piglets; it was searching for food in the mud at the forefront, with the piglets grunting cheerfully behind, a family of pigs happily unaware of the looming danger.
"This sow weighs at least three hundred pounds, and the piglets are even more valuable!"
Chen Sansi visualized waving silver coins calling him, he repressed his excitement and crept as close to the wild boar as possible.
Though his shots were long-ranged, naturally, the closer he was, the more powerful they were, especially against the tough skin and flesh of a wild boar; too far, and it's hard to be lethal.
Only when about twenty steps away from the wild boar did Chen Sansi stop on an upward slope.
He quietly took the longbow from his back and notched a freshly made double-bladed barbed Wolf Teeth Arrow.
The Four-Force Bow now felt light as a feather in his hands, almost effortless to fully draw, feeling like he might even snap it with a bit more force.
The bowstring was released, and the arrow flew instantly!
Since it was a back ambush, the arrow directly penetrated the buttocks of the wild boar, causing a sharp scream, and a flock of birds flew away in panic.
Perhaps because the bow was too light, the arrowhead penetrated only about three inches into the flesh.
Instead of running away, the wild boar entered a frenzied state, ignoring the blood flowing nonstop from its body, and charged towards him with heavy grunts.
Wild boars are also a kind of fierce beast.
If an ordinary person was hit by a wild boar, they wouldn't die but would have to lie down for half a month!
Chen Sansi remained calm; the second arrow was already on its way.
Another arrow added to the wild boar's body, it visibly hesitated, but it didn't stop, just continued charging at a slightly slowed pace.
The third arrow followed closely, directly piercing its skull.
This time, the wild boar finally lay straight down, dead.
The five piglets, startled, scrambled in different directions.
With the complicated terrain and the small size of the piglets, any ordinary hunter would likely miss at least two, but Chen Sansi's archery skills were extraordinary.
"Whiz, whiz, whiz, whiz——"
In just a few breaths, all five piglets were pierced by arrows, dead beyond doubt.
The arrows in Chen Sansi's Arrow Bag were just used up.