Chapter 7

As the herd of wild oxen slowly approached, they continued to graze on leaves and grass along the way. Wild oxen have many natural enemies, but few wild beasts dare to attack a herd. To kill a wild ox, it's best to wait until it is alone, or old and sick, unable to keep up with the herd. This is the kind of ox that hunters and large carnivores target, understanding this simple truth.

Ko Dashi said, "You're using a bow and arrow?"

Lei Xingfeng nodded, "Yeah, I'll give it a try with the bow and arrow." He was full of confidence in the black bow and firmly believed that it was not something an ordinary person could draw. Its offensive power would surely surprise him.

Ko Nanshan and Ko Shi both smiled. They knew the wild oxen well and had successfully hunted them before. However, they had never seen anyone successfully hunt a wild ox alone. It wasn't that they were narrow-minded; after all, a hunter who had never left the mountains could never imagine that there were other kinds of people in the world—people who controlled wheel power. Their world was too small.

It took the herd of wild oxen half an hour to reach the base of the tree. From the treehouse platform, they could see the oxen's backs appearing and disappearing among the trees. Ko Dashi, Ko Nanshan, and Ko Shi watched Lei Xingfeng with grins. Ko Nanshan whispered, "You can shoot now... hehe."

All three smiled, and Lei Xingfeng nodded. He held the black bow and placed the specially made arrows his grandfather had made on the wooden platform. He spread his legs, one foot on the platform and the other on a thick branch. Below were the oxen. Lei Xingfeng grinned at the three and then nocked an arrow, drawing the bow with a sudden, powerful motion.

The black bow was drawn silently. Ko Nanshan, also an archer, glanced at the black bow in surprise and whispered, "What a bow!" He knew that a regular hard bow would make a creaking sound, but Lei Xingfeng's bow made no sound at all. He didn't believe Lei Xingfeng would bring a soft bow, as a soft bow could only shoot birds and rabbits. Lei Xingfeng wasn't foolish; using a soft bow to hunt a wild ox would be too stupid.

In an instant, the bow was fully drawn. Lei Xingfeng had already aimed at the central depression on the high back of a wild ox, a weak point. His eyesight was always the best, and he was famous for it in Hu Ya Fortress. He could see things from great distances, a natural talent.

Holding his breath, he suddenly released the arrow with a metallic twang, *bang!*

The three didn't even see the arrow fly, not even a trace of it. It was clear how powerful the shot was.

*Moo!*

The arrow, over a meter long, had almost completely penetrated the ox's back, leaving only the tail visible. The ox fell to its knees and entered a near-death state almost immediately, without even alarming the herd.

Ko Dashi, Ko Nanshan, and Ko Shi watched clearly. Ko Nanshan rubbed his eyes hard and, after a moment, clutched his chest, "You... you... how is this possible?"

Lei Xingfeng didn't speak, just drew another arrow and shot it. *Bang!*

*Moo!*

Another ox fell to its knees.

Ko Dashi's eyes nearly popped out. When had the skin of wild oxen become so fragile? Ko Nanshan and Ko Shi were speechless, looking at the two kneeling oxen and then at Lei Xingfeng, their eyes filled with shock.

Lei Xingfeng drew a third arrow, and Ko Dashi quickly stopped him, "A Feng, stop! Don't shoot anymore... two are enough. Any more, and we won't be able to carry them back!"

Actually, even two oxen were impossible to carry back. One wild ox weighed several tons, and the four of them couldn't possibly carry it.

Lei Xingfeng finally reacted, sighing, "What a pity." By then, the herd had passed, and the two oxen were almost dead.

Ko Dashi waited a moment and said, "Let's go down!" His voice was filled with excitement. Two wild oxen, just the horns and hides alone were worth a lot, not to mention the meat.

The four descended the tree happily, knowing they had to act quickly. Fortunately, the oxen had bled little, so the smell of blood was minimal. If there was more blood, the strong smell would quickly attract dangerous beasts, so they had to act fast.

When the four reached the oxen, both were already dead. Ko Nanshan jumped onto the back of one ox and saw the arrow feathers clearly. Only the feathers were visible; the arrow had almost completely penetrated the ox, four-fifths of it buried. He exclaimed, "How much strength does it take to shoot that deep? Scary!"

Ko Dashi said, "Quick, tie up the oxen. We'll hoist them up to the treehouse and deal with them there!"

As the faint smell of blood spread, the area became increasingly dangerous.

Lei Xingfeng first pulled the arrows out of the oxen's backs. These specially made arrows were too valuable to waste and could be reused after a quick clean. He grabbed the hind leg of one ox and tested his strength. "Uncle Ko, you tie up that ox. This one... I'll try."

Ko Dashi asked, puzzled, "What are you trying?"

Lei Xingfeng didn't answer, just grabbed the hind leg of the ox and used a bit of wheel power. He grunted, "Hey!" and began dragging the ox step by step toward the giant tree.

Ko Dashi exclaimed, "What the hell!"

Ko Nanshan clutched his chest, "This kid... how can he have so much strength..."

Ko Shi shook his head, "A monster!"

The next scene left the three speechless. Lei Xingfeng actually dragged the ox up the tree. The ox weighed several tons, and this superhuman strength left the three stunned. Lei Xingfeng, still able to speak, said, "Uncle Ko, you need to hurry!"

He took out a prepared bowstring, tied one end to the ox's hind leg, and the other to his wrist, then began to climb the tree with great effort.

Driven by wheel power, Lei Xingfeng felt full of strength. His fingers dug into the tree trunk as he dragged the ox, inching upward.

Ko Dashi shook his head, thinking Lei Xingfeng was too crazy to drag such a heavy ox up the tree. This superhuman strength was terrifying.

Ko Nanshan said, "Alright, stop watching. This kid isn't human... let's hurry."

Ko Shi also said, "Hurry!" He began tying up the ox, while Ko Dashi climbed the tree quickly, surpassing Lei Xingfeng and reaching a large branch. He then threw down a rope, using the sturdy branch to hoist the ox.

Lei Xingfeng, despite the effort, managed to drag the ox to the treehouse platform. He then helped Ko Dashi and the others drag the second ox up. They didn't dare put the second ox on the platform due to its weight, so they placed it on a nearby branch.

The four were drenched in sweat and lay down in the treehouse to rest. Once up the tree, they felt safer. Even if some beasts could climb, they weren't afraid. Here, the beasts were no match for them.

After resting for ten minutes, Ko Dashi said, "Nanshan, keep watch. Let's start. The oxen were hunted by A Feng alone. He gets the hide and horns, and we'll divide the meat."

Lei Xingfeng said, "No need to divide it that way. Let's share equally. If it weren't for Uncle Ko bringing me out, I wouldn't have hunted the oxen." The hunting teams in Hu Ya Fortress generally didn't like bringing new members, as it meant less for them. So, it was already a big deal for Ko Dashi to bring him out.

Ko Dashi said, "How about this: you take a complete hide and horns, and we'll divide the rest. Don't refuse; we've already benefited a lot."

Ko Nanshan and Ko Shi nodded in agreement. With Nanshan on watch, the three began skinning and cutting the meat. They took out a large wooden basin from the treehouse, and Ko Dashi used a sharp knife to start skinning. The smell of blood quickly spread.

A complete hide was hung on a branch, needing at least two days to dry. They also applied a tree sap to eliminate the strong smell of blood. The two ox horns, each over two and a half feet long, were cut from the head and placed aside.

Ko Nanshan suddenly said, "Be careful, a big leopard is coming!"

Lei Xingfeng looked down and saw a large black leopard on a nearby tree, staring at them. He was surprised to find that this leopard was different from those in his previous life, more robust and larger, about four meters long. He knew leopards were excellent climbers and stopped to grab the black bow.

Ko Dashi said, "Don't worry, A Feng. Throw the ox's innards down. If it has food, it won't come up."

Lei Xingfeng nodded and immediately dumped the innards. The sound of them hitting the ground was followed by roars. He realized there were not only leopards but other carnivores below, fighting over the food. The black leopard on the tree had disappeared.

After processing the two oxen, they began salting and curing the meat, hanging it in the treehouse to dry. The bones were thrown down, to be dragged away and eaten by animals.

They worked until nightfall. Ko Dashi and the others then set traps on the tree, as the night was the peak time for beast activity. The drying ox meat was a prime target, so they had to be prepared.

Lei Xingfeng didn't stay in the treehouse but climbed to the top of the tree to practice, keeping it a secret from Ko Dashi and the others.

Finding a wide branch, Lei Xingfeng sat against the tree trunk and began to practice.

...

The next morning, the four woke up. The night had been filled with strange sounds from the beasts below. Lei Xingfeng, having practiced all night, hadn't slept well, but the wheel power had nourished his body, leaving him refreshed.

Ko Dashi laughed, "How was it? Your first night in the wild, not used to it?"