Chapter 6

Ah Feng couldn't help but say, "Wow! This thing is powerful!" After cultivating the Wheel Force, he indeed felt different, with both his strength and physical resilience greatly improved.

Lei Xingyao clapped and said, "Wow, that's amazing. I'll go get the arrows." She ran back to the room and came out with a quiver of ten arrows. These were made by the old man, using steel-wood and pure steel for the arrowheads, which were as long as a finger and very heavy. Each arrow weighed about one catty, and could only be shot with this black bow, not ordinary hard bows.

With the quiver and backpack on his back and the black bow in hand, Ah Feng finally bid farewell to the old man and his little sister, and came to the cliff alone, where Uncle Ke and two others were already waiting.

It was necessary to store enough food before the cold season arrived. Each household in Tiger Cliff Castle had one or two hunters, and some households had none, relying on growing cassava and rice to store large amounts of grain during the warm season. They would exchange grain for game and rely on the various wild animals within a few hundred miles of Tiger Cliff Castle, making life there not too difficult.

Seeing Lei Xingfeng come over, Ke Dashan smiled and said, "Ah Feng, how are you? Scared?" It was a common question for an old hunter to ask a first-time hunter.

Lei Xingfeng smiled and said, "Uncle Ke, Uncle Nanshan, Uncle Shi, I'm not scared at all. Hehe, I'll be with everyone from now on."

Ke Dashan, Ke Nanshan, and Ke Shi were a well-known trio in Tiger Cliff Castle. They had practically watched Lei Xingfeng grow up and liked him very much. Ke Dashan patted Lei Xingfeng's shoulder and said, "Let's go. This time we won't go far, just around Tiger Cliff Castle to see what we can get."

The four came to a protruding part of the cliff, entered a small stone fortress, and sat in a basket. With the sound of the pulley, they gradually descended to the bottom of the cliff.

This was the first time Lei Xingfeng had been outside Tiger Cliff Castle in his life. It wasn't that he didn't want to go out, but children who hadn't come of age were not allowed to leave Tiger Cliff Castle. This area was home to various fierce wild animals and barbarians, and entering the forest without being an adult hunter was almost a death sentence.

Every year, some hunters in Tiger Cliff Castle would die during hunting, so hunting teams were very cautious. If they were weak, they would hunt near Tiger Cliff Castle. Only the most skilled hunters dared to hunt far away. Since Lei Xingfeng had joined, Ke Dashan decided to hunt near Tiger Cliff Castle first, to assess Lei Xingfeng's strength before deciding where to hunt.

As a newcomer, Lei Xingfeng had no say. He couldn't claim that he was strong enough to hunt far away. Hunters were very practical; impractical hunters had all died.

Although Lei Xingfeng was a newcomer, he had lived in Tiger Cliff Castle for three years, which had given him a lot of experience. He wasn't a child and knew more than the people there. He had his own thoughts and understanding of the world.

Ke Dashan had four short steel spears on his back and a two-foot-long mountain cleaver in his hand, used for clearing the way. Ke Nanshan was a burly man with a full steel spear and a longbow and quiver. Ke Shi carried a large leather shield made of steel-wood and the skin of a wild bear, providing excellent defense. As the team's defender, Ke Shi was very strong, and his weapon was a two-and-a-half-foot-long three-edged steel spike.

Lei Xingfeng, as a pure archer, was mainly responsible for long-range attacks. The four had clear roles.

Ke Dashan led the way, Ke Shi followed closely behind, ready to block any wild animals. Ke Nanshan, with his long spear, and Lei Xingfeng were at the back.

Lei Xingfeng held the black bow, carrying ten specially made arrows and a few ordinary steel-wood arrows with regular iron arrowheads, which could only shoot ordinary game and were ineffective against powerful wild animals.

Besides clearing the way, Ke Dashan kept an eye on Lei Xingfeng, occasionally giving him quiet reminders and teaching him basic hunting knowledge. In fact, Lei Xingfeng had already learned the relevant knowledge and just needed to practice to quickly get into the role.

The four soon disappeared into the vast primeval forest.

...

Lei Xingfeng felt overwhelmed as soon as he entered the forest. It seemed like there were animals and sounds everywhere. This was due to his cultivation of the Thunder Wheel Force, which had enhanced his hearing, vision, and perception, as well as his strength. The comprehensive improvement made him feel extremely disoriented, and he hadn't fully adapted to the changes.

Each hunting team had their chosen hunting grounds. Ke Dashan's chosen ground was a pond. Since all animals need water, the pond was a good hunting spot, though it was also extremely dangerous. Who knew what powerful wild animals might show up? Some were beyond the capabilities of ordinary hunters.

The pond was kidney-shaped with a large shallow area. By Lei Xingfeng's estimation, it was nearly one square kilometer, with part of it extending into the forest. As they approached the pond, Lei Xingfeng felt a great sense of unease, sensing the danger ahead.

This was one of the best hunting grounds near Tiger Cliff Castle. As they neared the pond, Ke Dashan signaled for everyone to stop and whispered, "Nanshan, Xiao Shi, Ah Feng, be on alert. I'll go up the tree..." He inserted the mountain cleaver into his belt and climbed a large tree like a monkey.

Lei Xingfeng held a specially made arrow in one hand and the black bow in the other, on high alert. The dense branches and leaves made it impossible to see far, but with his cultivated Wheel Force, he could clearly sense the movements around him. He tried to adapt to his heightened senses.

Ke Shi placed the shield in front of him, tightly gripping the three-edged steel spike, and listened intently. The three formed a triangular defensive formation, each responsible for a direction, waiting for Ke Dashan's signal.

After a moment, Ke Dashan silently climbed down the tree and whispered, "Follow me!"

They soon came to a huge ancient tree. Lei Xingfeng looked up in surprise and said, "There's a treehouse here?"

Ke Dashan nodded and said, "This is a hidden spot. Hunters who come to this area all know about it. Let's go up and rest. The real hunting will be in the evening." He climbed up first.

Lei Xingfeng slung his longbow and followed.

The treehouse was about twenty meters above the ground, high up. It was simple but could protect from wind and rain. The treehouse also had a small wooden platform extending out, from which they could clearly see the animals by the pond.

Lei Xingfeng immediately saw a large herd of wild bulls drinking water and exclaimed, "A herd of wild bulls!"

Ke Nanshan laughed and said, "Don't even think about it. Even the barbarians wouldn't dare to provoke such a large herd. Once they go berserk, no one can stop them. If you're not in their charge path, you're dead."

This was one of the best hunting grounds near Tiger Cliff Castle. As they approached the pond, Lei Xingfeng felt a great sense of unease, sensing the danger ahead.

Ke Dashan nodded and said, "This is one of the best hunting grounds near Tiger Cliff Castle. As we get closer to the pond, I'll signal everyone to stop. I'll go up the tree..." He inserted the mountain cleaver into his belt and climbed a large tree like a monkey.

Lei Xingfeng held a specially made arrow in one hand and the black bow in the other, on high alert. The dense branches and leaves made it impossible to see far, but with his cultivated Wheel Force, he could clearly sense the movements around him. He tried to adapt to his heightened senses.

Ke Shi placed the shield in front of him, tightly gripping the three-edged steel spike, and listened intently. The three formed a triangular defensive formation, each responsible for a direction, waiting for Ke Dashan's signal.

After a moment, Ke Dashan silently climbed down the tree and whispered, "Follow me!"

They soon came to a huge ancient tree. Lei Xingfeng looked up in surprise and said, "There's a treehouse here?"

Ke Dashan nodded and said, "This is a hidden spot. Hunters who come to this area all know about it. Let's go up and rest. The real hunting will be in the evening." He climbed up first.

Lei Xingfeng slung his longbow and followed.

The treehouse was about twenty meters above the ground, high up. It was simple but could protect from wind and rain. The treehouse also had a small wooden platform extending out, from which they could clearly see the animals by the pond.

Lei Xingfeng immediately saw a large herd of wild bulls drinking water and exclaimed, "A herd of wild bulls!"

Ke Nanshan laughed and said, "Don't even think about it. Even the barbarians wouldn't dare to provoke such a large herd. Once they go berserk, no one can stop them. If you're not in their charge path, you're dead."

Lei Xingfeng stared enviously at the herd of wild bulls. Hunting just one would make this trip very profitable, and he couldn't help but feel excited.

Ke Shi, who was usually quiet, said, "Don't dream about it!"

Lei Xingfeng smiled bitterly and said, "Don't you want to hunt a wild bull?"

Ke Dashan explained, "It's impossible. To hunt a wild bull, you need at least fifteen to thirty people, and you must set traps and have favorable terrain. Most importantly, someone must lure the wild bull, which is extremely dangerous. No one would provoke a wild bull unless absolutely necessary."

Ke Nanshan also explained, "The skin of a wild bull is too thick and tough. Weapons find it hard to penetrate, and there are few weak points. The eyes, the underside of the belly, and the space between the two protrusions on the back are weak points, but they are hard to attack. So, when a hunting team encounters a herd of wild bulls, they usually avoid them."

Lei Xingfeng was unconvinced and asked, "What if we attack from the tree?"

Ke Dashan patiently explained, "Even if you hit a weak point, without enough strength, you still can't penetrate the wild bull's skin..."

Ke Nanshan added, "Even if you have the strength to penetrate... it might not be a fatal blow. You won't get a second chance, as the wild bull will be out of range. Ah Feng, you don't really want to hunt a wild bull, do you? It's good to have ambition, but you must know your limits." The three thought Lei Xingfeng was overestimating himself.

Lei Xingfeng didn't argue but quietly watched the herd of wild bulls drinking by the pond.

Ke Dashan said, "Ah Feng, come eat something and rest. We'll hunt in the evening. You need to be well-rested and full of energy, or it will be dangerous."

Lei Xingfeng returned to the treehouse, took out some dried meat from his backpack, and ate it slowly. After finishing his food, Ke Dashan lay down and closed his eyes to rest. Ke Nanshan and Ke Shi leaned against the wooden pillars and closed their eyes. Lei Xingfeng returned to the wooden platform, still observing the herd of wild bulls.

He still hadn't given up and hoped to find an opportunity to hunt a wild bull. He had great confidence in his Wheel Force and would act decisively if the chance arose.

Just then, the herd of wild bulls began to move away from the pond. Lei Xingfeng looked back at the treehouse, feeling extremely disappointed. He knew there was no chance to attack and sighed deeply, putting down his black bow and placing it beside him, thinking, "I can only wait until evening and see what we can get."

Suddenly, Lei Xingfeng noticed a small group of wild bulls moving toward their direction. He became excited and quickly returned to the treehouse, saying, "A herd of wild bulls is coming! Wake up... a herd of wild bulls is coming!"

Ke Dashan lazily said, "There's nothing strange about that. A herd of wild bulls, at least a dozen, is more than you can handle." He didn't even open his eyes.

Lei Xingfeng said, "How do you know if you don't try? I'll handle it!"

Ke Nanshan couldn't help but laugh, "Hehe, the kid has spirit. Alright, let's see how Ah Feng hunts." The three laughed and got up, coming to the platform, genuinely curious to see how the stubborn kid would fare.

Just then, Lei Xingfeng noticed a small group of wild bulls moving toward their direction. He became excited and quickly returned to the treehouse, saying, "A herd of wild bulls is coming! Wake up... a herd of wild bulls is coming!"

Ke Dashan lazily said, "There's nothing strange about that. A herd of wild bulls, at least a dozen, is more than you can handle." He didn't even open his eyes.

Lei Xingfeng said, "How do you know if you don't try? I'll handle it!"

Ke Nanshan couldn't help but laugh, "Hehe, the kid has spirit. Alright, let's see how Ah Feng hunts." The three laughed and got up, coming to the platform, genuinely curious to see how the stubborn kid would fare.