Chapter 38 Shooting a Louse Through a Poplar (Seeking for Follow-up Reads on Tuesday)

Li Clan Fort.

The layout wasn’t too different from Gu’s Manor. The Li family was the primary clan, though many others had gradually merged in.

A small courtyard with blue-brick walls.

The wails of a woman echoed continuously, her cries sorrowful enough to bring tears to anyone’s eyes.

Looking up, one could see a voluptuous woman in a crimson dress kneeling on the ground, her appearance delicate yet seductive, disregarding all decorum.

In front of her stood an ordinary-looking man, but his broad shoulders and upright posture set him apart with a distinctive aura.

"Husband, you... you must seek justice for Xiao Yan!"

Li Yu wept uncontrollably, her eyes swollen and red, her hand clutching her chest as her face turned pale.

Since hearing the news of her brother Li Yan’s death, her heart was riddled with grief. Before his passing, their father had entrusted her to care for her younger brother, and now that their family line seemed to have ended, her sorrow was mixed with panic.

"Xiao Yan died under mysterious circumstances. He was extraordinary in archery and experienced in hunting. He was even accompanied by Shunzi and the other two that day. There’s no way he could have been killed by wild beasts!"

"Someone must have killed him, someone must have! Jiangbo, for the sake of him being my only brother, find out who did it and avenge him. Otherwise, Xiao Yan cannot rest in peace!"

Tears gushed down Li Yu’s face once more, her distress stirring pain and helplessness in Du Jiangbo.

He quickly helped Li Yu to her feet, softly comforting her:

"My dear wife, I am also heartbroken by Li Yan’s death, but how do we even begin to investigate in these deep mountains and forests?"

Li Yu leaned against Du Jiangbo, her sobs quieting as she said:

"Start by questioning the hunters who went into the mountains that day. Those who hunt in Cang Mountain are mostly hunters from nearby villages and forts. With your connections, Jiangbo, you can ask them one by one."

Du Jiangbo’s head instantly felt as heavy as a boulder, and he let out a bitter laugh:

"Yu’er, you overestimate me. I’m just a Martial Artist in the Refining Skin Realm. If it’s the hunters of Li Clan Fort, I can ask. But as for the hunters from other villages and forts, they wouldn’t give me the time of day."

Li Yu was about to reply when Du Jiangbo interrupted her, lowering his voice:

"Moreover, you must have heard. Someone said they saw members of the Black Sand Gang entering the mountains that day. If Li Yan was killed by them..."

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! Xiao Yan may have been arrogant at times, but he knew his limits. There’s no way he would have provoked the Black Sand Gang!"

Li Yu immediately became agitated.

"Even if it’s the Black Sand Gang, I’ll make them pay for his life!"

Du Jiangbo’s expression darkened at once.

"Li Yu!"

The harsh scolding startled Li Yu, making her realize the words she had just spoken. Instantly, her face turned to one of fear and guilt.

"Husband, I..."

Du Jiangbo snorted coldly. But seeing Li Yu’s delicate and frightened expression, his heart softened once again. He said in a low voice:

"Yu’er, you must never utter such words again. If Li Yan was truly killed by the Black Sand Gang, we must pretend this never happened. Otherwise, disaster will befall us. Even the lord of the fort won’t be able to protect us!"

"Rest assured, I’ll investigate this matter quietly. If someone else is responsible, I will not let the culprit go. But if it’s the Black Sand Gang, we’ll have to swallow our pride for now and wait for the right moment..."

Li Yu nodded numbly. Du Jiangbo let out a sigh and called for a maidservant to escort Li Yu to rest.

As Li Yu’s figure disappeared, Du Jiangbo massaged his temples with a headache.

"Liuzi, come in," he called toward the courtyard entrance.

A young man in simple, rough clothing rushed in immediately.

"Master, your orders."

"Call in all the hunters from the fort who went into Cang Mountain five days ago. I want to ask them about Li Yan."

"Understood!"

Liuzi hesitated briefly, then asked:

"What about the other villages? Should we inquire about the Black Sand Gang as well?"

Du Jiangbo shot him a sharp glare.

Liuzi shivered at once, hastily apologizing as he withdrew.

Du Jiangbo snorted inwardly.

To be frank, he had never thought much of his brother-in-law Li Yan.

In the past, Li Yan had caused trouble in the fort, ruining the reputation of a young woman, a matter Du Jiangbo had been forced to clean up.

Later, Li Yan often used Du Jiangbo’s name to flaunt himself publicly. Du Jiangbo despised such behavior, knowing it would eventually lead to trouble.

And now, trouble had finally come, claiming Li Yan’s life in the deep mountains.

Du Jiangbo knew it was highly likely Li Yan had been murdered—and not necessarily by the Black Sand Gang—but he had no desire to get involved.

Calling in the fort’s hunters for questioning was merely a gesture to placate Li Yu. He had no intention of going to other villages, let alone probing the Black Sand Gang. That would be akin to courting death.

In his eyes,

losing such a troublesome brother-in-law was, in fact, a relief.

...

Gu’s Manor.

Since the hunters’ banquet that day and the news of Li Yan’s group’s demise, the hunters of Gu’s Manor had grown increasingly vigilant, reducing their trips into the mountains.

Aside from a few who remained greedy and overly optimistic, many had given up chasing after the silver fox and were even planning to take half a month off to rest at home.

Gu Sheng, naturally, was among the latter group. It fit his usual character—unremarkable and unassuming.

He was more than happy to stay home and rest.

It gave him the perfect opportunity to focus entirely on honing his archery to the Perfect Realm!

In the forest.

Gu Sheng continued his habitual archery practice.

After reaching the Great Achievement Realm in archery, his daily practice only increased his proficiency by just over 1%.

It didn’t seem like much.

But in truth, it was remarkable progress. Daily, visible improvement was the rarest and most precious thing.

Most people spent decades without seeing notable advancement, making even small progress a monumental reward.

For an ordinary person, achieving the Great Achievement Realm in a lifetime was a stretch. Yet Gu Sheng, in just over two months, was ready to ascend from Great Achievement to Perfect.

Practicing his archery relentlessly every day, a few days later—

Gu Sheng stood with a longbow in hand, his stance as firm as an ancient pine tree, his eyes as sharp as a hawk’s—piercing and focused. The arrow was nocked, but the bowstring was yet to be released.

His vision was unlike that of ordinary people.

A hundred meters away, the falling leaves and fluttering insects were crystal-clear, as if playing out in slow motion. He could even make out every leaf vein and insect wing etched into his view.

This was the hallmark of exceptionally enhanced dynamic vision.

Archery was more than just shooting. Accompanying techniques in exertion and eye training were just as crucial—these were the true essentials of secret techniques.

By now, Gu Sheng had refined both to levels that even Gu Erniu couldn’t dream of reaching.

After a moment of stillness, Gu Sheng’s energy, focus, and spirit reached their apex.

Whoosh!!

The arrow screamed through the air, its force concentrated at the tip, rotating faintly, whipping through the air like lightning—an incomparable burst of speed!

The arrow pierced through a leaf with precision, then skewered a flying insect—and finally buried itself in the bull’s-eye a hundred meters away.

One arrow, three targets!

A perfect blend of technique and power, a masterpiece of archery.

Gu Sheng felt a rush of unparalleled satisfaction, tinged with lingering exhilaration. He didn’t even need to check his stats to confirm it.

His archery had reached the Perfect Realm: absolute mastery!