Chapter 4: The Wisdom of Both Paths and the Marvels of Divine Skill (Please Support and Continue Reading)
“Could it be a fox spirit?” Zhou Chen rubbed the white fox’s head, studying it with curiosity.
If it were truly a fox spirit, how could he have knocked it down with just a single stone?
He flipped the fox onto its back and took a closer look.
“It really is a vixen!”
Zhou Chen’s eyes gleamed. It seemed that gaining Fengyue Points didn’t necessarily require a human woman; other female creatures might suffice.
“Yip yip yip!”
The white fox struggled and cried out in what seemed like a mix of embarrassment and anger, but its entire body was numb and it had no strength to resist.
[Fengyue Points +1]
Zhou Chen rubbed the fox’s belly and carried it down the mountain.
Along the way, he stroked the white fox as if petting a cat, but the Fengyue Points did not increase.
He wasn’t surprised. Despite his efforts last night, he had only gained sixty-nine Fengyue Points.
“Xiao Chen, did you catch a fox?”
“Hey, there’s also a rabbit and a pheasant. Quite the haul today!”
“Looks like Xiao Chen just got married and is full of energy!”
“I think the Qin family girl really brings him luck!”
Back in the village, Zhou Chen met many people along the way. Although he didn’t have close ties with them, there was no hostility in their greetings either.
He wasn’t fond of them, but as an adult, he still nodded and exchanged greetings.
[Fengyue Points +1]
When he returned home, after stroking the white fox for half an hour, Zhou Chen finally gained another Fengyue Point.
From his observations, the white fox did not seem particularly intelligent—though it could be cunning.
“Brother Chen!”
Qin Hongyu, busy tidying the house, came out happily when she saw Zhou Chen. Her smile grew even brighter upon seeing his catch.
“Brother Chen, you caught so many animals?”
Qin Hongyu was surprised and delighted. Most villagers made a living fishing, but there were about a dozen hunters. To catch two pheasants, two rabbits, and a fox in one morning was incredibly lucky.
“It’s nothing. There will be plenty more in the future!” Zhou Chen waved his hand. He wasn’t boasting. Once his tracking skills improved, he would be able to hunt even more prey.
Eventually, when he became stronger, he could hunt fierce beasts like tigers and wild boars.
“Brother Chen, you’re amazing!”
Qin Hongyu beamed with joy. Though Zhou Chen was young and handsome, seeing their family’s dwindling food supplies had made her worry.
Now, her heart was finally at ease.
Even if today’s luck was exceptional, being able to catch so much was a skill. Even if luck waned later, they wouldn’t starve.
Zhou Chen handed the prey to Qin Hongyu and placed the injured little fox in a cage before saying,
“Hongyu, we had wild rabbit yesterday and chicken today. I’ll go buy some rice.”
“All right!”
Zhou Chen grabbed a bag and left.
Dahe Village was not small and had a store selling grain.
---
Zhou Chen had earned two taels of silver from Wild Dog and Er Mazi, enough to buy four dou of rice.
In this world, one shi equaled two hundred jin.
One shi consisted of ten dou, so four dou was eighty jin—enough to feed him and Qin Hongyu for a month!
Zhou Chen carried the sack of rice home, and Qin Hongyu’s eyes widened.
“Brother Chen, where did you get so much rice?”
“I ran into Wild Dog and Er Mazi earlier. They wanted to cause trouble, but I talked sense into them. This is their congratulatory gift!”
Zhou Chen smiled casually.
“Wild Dog and Er Mazi!?” Qin Hongyu was shocked. Those two ruffians hardly ever listened to reason.
“I guess when I don’t make sense, they do!”
Zhou Chen set the sack on a stool.
His left hand was the Way; his right hand was Reason. Together, they made Reason.
“The Way and Reason…” Zhou Chen looked at his long hand and knew that for now, he could only reason with ordinary people. Against demons or cultivators, that wouldn’t work.
“Martial arts…”
His heart filled with longing. Since Fengyue Points could be used to upgrade skills, they surely could be used to learn martial arts.
If he could acquire a martial art manual, he could grow strong quickly.
But such things couldn’t be rushed.
No one in the village knew martial arts.
Though the Sanhe City had a martial arts school accepting disciples, it required silver.
“No rush. First, settle life down. Besides, improving archery and tracking skills takes time…”
Zhou Chen reined in his thoughts and glanced at the Fengyue Treasure Mirror in his mind. His current priority was to improve his life, enhance skills, and accumulate Fengyue Points.
With enough points, once he obtained a martial art, he could take off immediately.
“I earned sixty-nine Fengyue Points from a night with Hongyu, one from stroking the little fox, another from checking its gender, and one more from a half-hour petting session…”
Zhou Chen tried to deduce the pattern of earning Fengyue Points but had too little data to draw firm conclusions.
He returned one and a half jin of rice to Wang Erniu and prepared a meal with Qin Hongyu.
An hour later, the meal was ready. Zhou Chen ate heartily and happily.
Qin Hongyu touched her slightly rounded belly, her face glowing with satisfaction.
Being full and having meat was the greatest happiness for her—and for most ordinary people.
Their wishes were simple: to be well fed.
“Brother Chen, you’re really amazing!”
Qin Hongyu gazed at Zhou Chen with increasing admiration and affection. Seeing her husband’s capability filled her with joy.
“I have even more amazing things!”
Zhou Chen smiled mischievously, stepped forward, grabbed Qin Hongyu’s thighs, and lifted her into his arms.
“Ah, Brother Chen, what are you doing?”
Qin Hongyu’s cheeks flushed as she reached out to push against his chest, pouting,
“It’s still broad daylight. Don’t… don’t do that…”
---
The fiery sun slowly moved westward, the sky glowing with brilliant red clouds.
The sunset bled across the horizon.
“Yip yip yip!”
The little fox cried out loudly in its cage, apparently hungry.
Inside the room, the passionate couple continued their ardor.
Night fell, and a crescent moon hung high in the sky. Zhou Chen checked his personal panel.
His Fengyue Points had risen from twelve to twenty.
“Only eight points?”
He frowned. Could it be the timing was wrong? Was daytime counted as “daylight”?
“Probably not. Maybe it’s because it was the first time…”
Zhou Chen felt this was likely.
Like in games, the “First Blood” is always the best and yields the greatest rewards.
From a fantasy perspective, perhaps primal Yin energy could convert into Fengyue Points, so the first acquisition granted more points.
“Yip yip!”
The little white fox cried out. Zhou Chen glanced at Qin Hongyu, who was peacefully asleep in his arms, then quietly slipped into the kitchen to feed the remaining food to the fox.
With his current strength, he wouldn’t lack food in the future.
Since the little fox provided Fengyue Points, keeping it was no problem.
Rubbing the fox’s head, Zhou Chen returned to the warm bed, held Qin Hongyu close, and rested.
---
The next day, rays of sunlight slipped through the window and gently touched their faces.
Zhou Chen opened his eyes and instinctively checked the Fengyue Treasure Mirror’s personal panel.
[Fengyue Points: 26]
“Up by six points again!”
His eyes brightened. Last night he hadn’t done anything else, only held Qin Hongyu without leaving.
That still gained six points—quite good.
“Brother Chen!”
Qin Hongyu opened her eyes, cheeks flushed with happiness and a hint of shyness. The springtime charm in her brows deepened with a mature allure befitting a married woman.
She didn’t linger in bed but busied herself serving Zhou Chen as he got up and washed.
Suddenly, Qin Hongyu noticed her clothes seemed tighter.
Looking down, she was stunned.
“Ah!”
She could no longer see her toes!