Chapter 138: Overly Courteous Mountain Lord

Regardless of whether these two flying squirrels are the previous two, Chen Wuji just treats them as such.

Who made them look so alike?

The sharp arrow shot through the air, and a flying squirrel fell at the sound.

After several life-and-death trials, Chen Wuji's archery skill greatly improved.

He now handles moving targets with considerable ease.

"Hey you! Where are you running off to!" Chen Wuji nocked another arrow and locked onto the other one.

Because its companion died, that one was frightened into incontinence, panicking as it fled.

"Today I'll show you what 'killing rats to get cake' means!" Chen Wuji shouted angrily, releasing the sharp arrow.

The arrow sliced through the air filled with fresh plant fragrance and rotten odor, turning that gliding flying squirrel into a flying squirrel kebab.

Chen Wuji gave a cold snort and gracefully lowered his bow.

"This is the fate of daring to toy with me, you little monster."

When Chen Wuji and his two companions returned to the pond's edge, they unexpectedly found that the muntjac placed there had gone from one to two.

"Wuji bro, this muntjac seems to transform when it dies. I clearly remember there was only one; how did it suddenly become two?" Licentiate Yuan asked in surprise.

Chen Wuji looked around.

The woods were very quiet, with only occasional bird calls echoing.

He did not see the figure he wanted to see.

A dead muntjac certainly cannot transform and split itself from one into two.

There is only one possible explanation for this situation.

Someone has come again to return the courtesy!

Yuan Jinshi drew the knife from his person, holding it in hand, and said, "Wuji bro, there are still others on the mountain; they probably want to take our game for themselves."

He thought it was a muntjac shot by someone else.

"Don't worry." Chen Wuji shook his head.

"Licentiate, go down the mountain for a trip and call your third uncle to bring the ox cart."

"Oh."

Licentiate Yuan received Chen Wuji's order and quickly went down the mountain.

"Wuji bro, if it weren't for other hunters, how would a muntjac appear out of nowhere?" Yuan Jinshi was still pondering this, his face full of worry.

"A tiger sent it." Chen Wuji said lightly.

"Ah?!"

Yuan Jinshi was dazed.

He found it hard to understand what was said.

Tiger, giving game to hunters?

He had never heard such an outrageous thing in the stories told by the elders.

"You're surprised?" Chen Wuji asked, turning his head.

Yuan Jinshi lowered his head; how could he not be surprised?

"Being surprised is right; I'm surprised too." Chen Wuji chuckled lightly.

The people around Shenxian Ling regard the muntjac as the mountain god, but he feels that the tiger on this mountain should be the mountain god.

The tiger is originally the mountain lord, the sovereign of mountain beasts.

Moreover, this tiger's clever trick today makes it quite fitting to be the mountain god.

This fellow is overly clever.

"Come on, let's first take these game down the mountain." Chen Wuji said.

Yuan Jinshi was still deep in self-doubt, saying, "Wuji bro, why don't I take the load down while you keep watch here? If it's not a tiger but someone really eyeing our game..."

"Don't worry, this muntjac clearly died from a beast's bite, not a hunter's method." Chen Wuji hoisted the muntjac and, as an afterthought, picked up the sack packed with crickets.

Yuan Jinshi carefully examined the muntjac's wound; his doubts and worries vanished instantly, leaving only astonishment at not knowing how to reasonably accept it.

At the same time, his gaze toward Chen Wuji became admiring.

Wuji bro must have something extraordinary about him.

Although there aren't many hunters around, there are several; Yuan Jinshi has never heard of any hunter having such ability.

Chen Wuji and Yuan Jinshi made two trips down from the mountain, and Chen Bushi and Licentiate Yuan also came.

Seeing the pile of game as big as a small hill, even Chen Bushi was shocked, exclaiming, "Goodness, two muntjacs and six wolves—with your condition you just burst forth with divine power? If this continues, the wolves on the mountain will probably be wiped out by you."

Seeing the pile of game as big as a small hill, even Chen Bushi was shocked, "Goodness, two muntjacs and six wolves, with your injury you just burst forth with divine might? At this rate, the wolves on the mountain will probably be wiped out by you."

"Wolf meat isn't tasty; if you're willing to give me a muntjac leg, I'll have no complaints about you directing me to run errands." Chen Bushi said.

Chen Wuji gave a disdainful glance, saying, "The price for having you run these little errands is really high—wolf meat, eat it or not. However, I can prepare two jugs of wine for you."

"Eat! Whoever doesn't eat is nobody's grandson!" Chen Bushi shouted, "Pinching pennies, in this heat if you don't eat the meat soon it'll spoil. Don't skimp on the good stuff to eat the bad; you'll end up eating spoiled meat in the end."

"No problem, now we have the facilities at home to cure meat; this weather is perfect for making dried meat." Chen Wuji said, "Load it onto the cart, I'll rest a bit."

"It's fine, now we have the conditions at home to cure, this weather is very good for making wind-dried meat." Chen Wuji said, "Load it onto the cart, I'll rest a bit."

Chen Wuji and company pulled a cart full to the brim with game through the village, attracting countless villagers to watch.

Seeing again their revered mountain god turned into Chen Wuji's arrow prey, today no one spoke sarcastically, saying Chen Wuji would surely die tomorrow or such.

Seeing again their revered Mountain God turned into Chen Wuji's prey beneath his arrows, today no one spoke in a sarcastic way, saying that Chen Wuji would surely die tomorrow or such.

Since Chen Wuji turned the Yuan family brothers into two bald graves, it's been a long time since anyone called him Chen the fool; even unfamiliar villagers, upon seeing him, warmly greet him.

"Wuji, are you selling this wolf meat?" a villager asked, gathering around.

"Chen Wuji, are you selling this wolf meat?" a villager gathered around and asked

Since Chen Wuji went hunting in the mountains, the old custom has started again.

"For sale, four wen coins." Chen Wuji said.

Wolf meat really isn't tasty, but it's still meat.

Buying from Chen Wuji saves a lot more than going to the city.

Recently, meat prices in the city have risen as fast as grain prices; city folk can't afford it, let alone villagers. Even if they wanted to improve a meal, they can't even give their children a bit of meat.

A villager, a bit embarrassed, asked: "We have no spare money at home; can I trade eggs instead?"

"Sure, grain works too!" Chen Wuji shouted, "Those who want to trade or buy, come to my place later; I need to rest a bit first—I just fought a wolf pack, and my legs are still a bit weak."

The villagers again burst into astonishment and praise.

Once someone gains momentum, at least the unpleasant words on the surface disappear.

After sending off the onlooking villagers, Chen Wuji hurried home in his donkey cart, and left Chen Bushi behind in exchange for a jug of wine to help him process the game.

With so much meat, it needs to be skinned and processed quickly—what should be cured is cured, what should be air‑dried is air‑dried.

In this heat, even flies left out for a day will swarm.

Yuan Jinshi's two brothers were then sent by Chen Wuji to go shopping in the city.

Processing the meat requires plenty of spices and salt, plus the wine that Chen Bushi has been craving.

Chen Wuji and Chen Bushi unloaded the cart, didn't even go inside the house, and immediately set to work.

Hearing the commotion, Shen Youwei shook her head of black hair and came running out, "Husband, we have guests at home—don't busy yourself with this, go see them first."

"Who is it?" Chen Wuji asked, putting down the knife in his hand.