Zhang Chen looked at the Hunting Falcon and decided to bring it back, planning to spend his recuperation period taming it!
The Fox Spirit had let him off recently, making it the perfect time for him to tame the falcon. As long as he kept the Hunting Falcon close, the Fox Spirit shouldn’t risk being severely injured by the Light of the True God by stealing his falcon.
Carrying his basket, Zhang Chen headed back. Taming a falcon wasn’t a simple task; he had many preparations to make, and he needed to consult Wang Wu. He had only heard about eagle taming, but he needed to learn the specific details and points of caution.
Zhang Chen came down the mountain earlier today, cutting some grass and waiting for Wang Wu at the village entrance. By mid-morning, Zhang Chen saw Wang Wu coming down the mountain with a fox and two rabbits.
The fox’s fur was fiery red, as beautiful as the evening glow, and shiny, making it perfect for a fine fur collar.
But looking at the fox in Wang Wu’s hand, Zhang Chen couldn’t help but feel uneasy, instinctively glancing towards the village.
"Today’s luck was good; I caught a fox. I’ll skin it later to make a fox fur hat, which should fetch a good price," Wang Wu called out, his voice full of joy.
Zhang Chen, however, couldn’t smile. The Fox Spirit lived next door, and if it knew they were plotting to kill a fox spirit, who knew what it might do in a rage?
"I was just looking for fox fur to make a hat for my little sister. Mr. Wang, why don’t you sell this fox to me?" Zhang Chen’s eyes fell on the fox in Wang Wu’s hand. He couldn’t let Wang Wu fall into danger, so he spoke up, hoping to buy the fox.
Wang Wu laughed, "If you want the fox, just take it. There’s no need for politeness between us."
Despite his words, Zhang Chen still took out some silver and handed it to Wang Wu. Although Wang Wu tried to refuse, he eventually accepted after Zhang Chen insisted, saying with a smile, "Consider it savings for your future wedding. You’re fourteen now; it’s about time to get married. You’ll need a good amount of silver then."
Zhang Chen took the fox and looked at Wang Wu with a touch of gratitude in his eyes. Then he patted the basket beside him, "Mr. Wang, I’ve caught something interesting this time. Come take a look."
"You’ve rarely called anything interesting," Wang Wu said with interest and approached. He opened the basket’s lid, and upon seeing the Hunting Falcon, his pupils shrank, and his eyes filled with excitement as he exclaimed, "A Hunting Falcon!"
"This is indeed something special! How’d you catch it?" Wang Wu’s voice was full of shock, his eyes fixed on the falcon with unwavering intensity and excitement.
"This unlucky thing fell into my trap, and I caught it alive," Zhang Chen replied with a smile to Wang Wu’s excitement. "If you like it, you can have it," he offered.
"That won’t do. This is a rarity! Do you know how much the hunter from the neighboring village sold a wounded Hunting Falcon he caught by accident eight years ago?" Wang Wu shook his head, and holding up two fingers, his eyes filled with excitement, he declared, "Two hundred taels of silver!"
Zhang Chen was stunned. Two hundred taels of silver was a significant sum, enough to support a family of five for ten years in this era, and they could live well.
"Can our friendship be measured in money? Just take it," Zhang Chen said dismissively. It was just a falcon; he could find a chance to catch another one whenever he found its trace.
"That’s not acceptable!" Wang Wu said, shaking his head. "If you sell this to a rich family in the city, you could easily get two hundred taels of silver. Then you could buy some good land, build a house, and marry a wife. This is not just a falcon; it’s your chance to change your fate."
Zhang Chen thought but shook his head. "I never intended to sell it. I want to keep it and learn eagle taming from you."
"Of course, I know how to tame falcons, but... selling it would be more profitable for you. A falcon following you up the mountains to hunt might not bring in fifty taels of game in its lifetime," Wang Wu advised.
"I’m young and have time to earn money. It’s rare to catch a falcon, so why not train it for a few years and sell it later at a higher price," Zhang Chen replied.
Wang Wu nodded in agreement and proceeded to teach Zhang Chen the techniques of taming a falcon.
One taught seriously, and the other learned patiently. By mid-morning, Wang Wu finished teaching the technique. He said, "Don’t worry about taming the falcon; I’ll keep an eye on your traps and take care of your prey to sell in the city for a good price."
"Thank you so much, Mr. Wang," Zhang Chen replied.
"No need for thanks between us," Wang Wu said, tousling Zhang Chen’s hair before they parted ways.
After Wang Wu left, Zhang Chen looked at the red fox, whose wide eyes were full of sorrow. Despite Zhang Chen’s sigh, "It has some Spirituality!"
He had used the Dharma Eye to check and determined it was an ordinary fox, albeit with significant Spirituality.
Carefully, Zhang Chen untied the rope, and the fox darted away like a cloud, vanishing into the mountains in an instant.
"Ungrateful thing! I saved your life, and you run off without a word of thanks," Zhang Chen muttered to himself, cursing playfully, and then returned home with the basket and bundle of grass.
At home, he heard the clinking of cutting meat next door. He didn’t need to look to know the Fox Spirit was cooking.
Zhang Chen fashioned a simple leather glove from animal hide, then used the glove to handle the Hunting Falcon, tying its legs with three hemp ropes to a nearby pillar. He then started a fire to cook, needing a full stomach to tame the falcon.
Taming a falcon is demanding work, so being well-fed is essential.
"I feel like there’s a fire burning inside me, and I don’t tire. It’s truly a divine opportunity!" Zhang Chen muttered to himself.
ps: I’m asking for your support in anticipation of the upcoming release. Please stay tuned for updates. Once published, I’ll be grateful and update rigorously to repay your support.