Lady Yan felt a bit sour.
That wild pig weighed at least two hundred pounds, all meat, it was just too satisfying.
However, she also knew that her own man couldn't really compare with Brother Xiong.
Brother Xiong was a hunter who had taken down a black bear, whereas her own man was a hunter who had been chased by a wild pig and lay bedridden for days... There was just no comparison when it came to hunting skills.
And besides...
Lady Yan said somewhat sourly, "Brother Yuan, look at Brother Xiong, how hearty he is. He just pulled in a whole bunch of people to mingle with him, and from now on in our Little Ink Workshop, he'll directly become a prominent figure, someone who can stand up to the Qian Family."
Li Yuan, upon hearing this, felt a bit vexed, and retorted directly, "Then why don't you marry him."
Lady Yan was taken aback, pinched him with her hand, and said angrily, "I, Yan Yu, am not a fickle woman. Since I'm with you, I will not get involved with any other man in this life."
Saying this, she ran away angrily, sitting alone in the corner, her solitary figure facing Li Yuan.
Li Yuan ran over and sat next to her.
As soon as she sat down, Lady Yan's butt shifted a little away.
Li Yuan pursued relentlessly.
Lady Yan moved further in.
Li Yuan reminded, "Sister Yan, you haven't removed your makeup yet, being angry like this isn't pretty."
"Waa~~~" Lady Yan suddenly cried out, twisted her delicate body, and flung herself onto the bed, crying, "You say I think about other men, and now you despise me..."
Her body rose and fell as she sobbed incessantly.
Li Yuan didn't expect such an extreme reaction from her and leaned over to grab Lady Yan's hand.
Lady Yan didn't move, allowing him to hold it.
"Sister Yan?" Li Yuan called, her face buried in the bedding, she didn't respond.
"Sister Yan?"
Li Yuan called several more times, but Lady Yan still wouldn't respond.
Li Yuan said, "Sister Yan, if you want to eat pork, in a while, I'll also bring back a wild pig."
"Blowhard." Yan Yu finally mumbled, "Don't think I don't know that pheasant was just luck for you to stumble upon..."
After saying this, Yan Yu suddenly regretted it, quickly sat up, her pretty face smeared with tears as she softly said, "I'm sorry, Brother Yuan, I didn't mean it. I just said it in anger... My man is reliable, he can help manage the household, way better than others."
Li Yuan hugged his wife, saying, "Then next time, I'll also get lucky and bring back a wild pig."
Looking at his earnest demeanor, Yan Yu regretted and said, "No, I don't want to eat pork anymore... You being well is enough, I won't eat pork, I don't like it."
Li Yuan saw that she had stopped crying and only felt that Sister Yan was easier to please than those "Little Fairies" from before his crossing.
...
He glanced at his information, the "[Add Points]" section already had 36 points.
By tonight, he could raise "Advanced Archery" another level.
Since the wild pig's overall strength was only "3~4"...
Then he at least needed to learn a Cultivation Skill, to get his strength to "Ninth Grade", so he could hunt wild pigs and such fierce birds with peace of mind, without worrying about attracting trouble he couldn't handle.
With a mindset of "dead horse treated as a living horse", Li Yuan casually asked, "Sister Yan, you followed Yan Mu before, did Yan Mu ever talk to you about cultivation skills? For instance, do you know where to get some?"
"Black..."
"Black market, I know, but how can I go there now?"
"Huh? Brother Yuan, do you want to learn martial arts?" Yan Yu suddenly realized her man's intention, contemplating whether her man was stimulated by Brother Xiong to train and hunt wild pigs, she still had tears on her face but started laughing.
Li Yuan nodded and said seriously, "Yes."
Yan Yu looked at his serious look, silently considering.
When Li Yuan saw her thinking, he got excited, "Sister Yan, could it be that you have a cultivation skill? Think carefully!"
Yan Yu's eyes showed a reminiscent look, saying, "When you mention it, I do remember something.
Back then, Yan Mu once sent a little booklet home through someone, saying for my sister and brother-in-law to sometimes mimic the moves in it for longevity or something.
My sister also made me practice, but I didn't feel anything from it. Could it... be a cultivation skill?"
Li Yuan said, "Sister Yan, give it a try."
Yan Yu said, "It's a bit fuzzy... you, don't laugh at me."
Saying that, she started demonstrating along as she mentioned the heart skill.
Her movements were slow, but the postures were decent, it looked like she was swaying in the wind, sometimes swinging back and forth, her hands and arms sometimes stretching, sometimes folding, somewhat reminiscent of a broadcast gymnastic routine.
Li Yuan imitated along.
Yan Yu said, "Mainly about breathing, the force's center, and the heart skill to adjust your state... It actually looks quite like a cultivation skill.
However, this shouldn't be a cultivation skill, otherwise, how come neither I nor my sister saw any effects from practice?"
The couple closed the door, fumbling around inside the house.
They fumbled around until dusk, Lady Yan's cheeks flushed as she stopped, having eaten chicken last night and moved so much today, her complexion was much better.
"Brother Yuan, it's that simple, just practice on your own for fun, and I'll go cook."
"Go ahead, eat early and save some candle money."
"Mm..." Lady Yan responded sweetly, it was as if she wasn't the one crying during the day.
In the earth stove, the firewood made a gentle crackling sound.
Lady Yan crouched by the stove, cooking, her gaze occasionally sweeping over the half bowl of chicken oil nearby, feeling joyful, yet when thinking about the emergency money at home being gone, a tinge of worry flashed in her eyes.
Meanwhile, Li Yuan felt that what Lady Yan had just taught him seemed promising, thus he practiced repeatedly, but when Lady Yan called for dinner, he still hadn't figured out much.
While eating, he asked again, "Sister Yan, are you sure you remembered correctly?"
Yan Yu said, "No mistake, that little booklet only had a few moves and a bit of heart skill, how could I get it wrong.
Hey, Brother Yuan, I already said, this isn't a cultivation skill... just a way to stretch muscles and improve circulation, a kind of physical exercise."
Li Yuan didn't say more.
The two quickly ate their meal.
As night deepened, warm yet shy sounds came from the small room.
...
Early the next morning.
While Lady Yan was still asleep wrapped in Li Yuan's embrace, he was already looking at the points.
He already had 42 points.
He looked at the "+" mark next to Skills [Advanced Archery (0/40)], and clicked 40 times.
In that instant, a flood of experience and understanding rushed into his mind, though he did nothing, it felt as if he had completed countless archery sessions.
He had shot arrows mounted, hunted game, killed foes; he had shot an arrow through a will at the drill ground, mesmerizing everyone...
He had slept with arrows, waked with a bow. Through relentless effort and tireless diligence, he finally broke through in archery.
Li Yuan opened his eyes, gently withdrew his arm from under Lady Yan's forehead, stretched lazily, and a surge of strength surged within.
His muscles were firmer, and calluses had formed between the palm of his left hand and the tips of his right index and middle fingers.
Truly, true strength always comes from effort.
Li Yuan eagerly jumped out of bed, grabbed his bow.
Upon looking, the number by his side had turned to "7~8."
Rechecking, there were changes in the information:
[Name: Li Yuan]
[Add Points: 2 points]
[Realm: Unranked]
[Cultivation Skill: None]
[Skills: Expert Level Archery (0/80); Advanced Tracking (0/40)]
[Divine Techniques: Immortality]
[Equipment Bar: Unlocked]
However, the "7~8" value made him frown slightly.
It shouldn't be, he definitely felt a lot stronger.
Suddenly, he noticed the Earth Bow in his hand.
It must be a weapons issue.
A skilled woman cannot cook without rice, just as a good hunter cannot do without a fine bow.
But a good bow wouldn't just fall from the sky.
"Money, money, everything requires money, eating requires money, moving requires money, buying a bow requires money, buying cultivation skills also requires money..." Li Yuan sighed deeply. He decided to practice the Dharma Gate Yan Yu mentioned yesterday, to see if he might luck into something, then after eating, he'd head up the mountain to hunt.