Chapter 719 - 33: Strong Arrow (Part 2)
The giant beast had chased him for such a long time that its stamina had greatly diminished. In contrast, Gao Yao seemed to be in no danger.
So, Bi Kai turned his gaze towards Chen Zhou.
...
This unique battle had lasted so long that even Gao Yao, known for his strength, showed signs of fatigue. Yet this unknown expert still maintained the swiftness and agility he had at first sight.
It was only at this moment that Bi Kai saw the male mammoth standing still, struggling to move, its hind legs bloodied and its body covered with wounds.
Thinking of Chen Zhou wielding a simple long spear and recalling his own treasure sword being crushed by the giant beast, Bi Kai finally had a clear understanding of the difference in their strengths.
In the Martial World, strength has always been what people rely on.
Even if you’re from Wudang Shaolin, if your skills aren’t sufficient, they aren’t sufficient. At most, you can only make people wary of you, but in a life-and-death struggle, no one spares any mercy.
Although Chen Zhou never showed any sect techniques from beginning to end, just his achievements today meant no one in the martial world would dare underestimate him again.
Realizing Chen Zhou’s strength, driven by the curiosity typical of someone from the Martial World, Bi Kai almost gave up looking at Gao Yao, fixing his eyes on Chen Zhou, hoping to catch some unusual traces.
...
Chen Zhou could feel Bi Kai’s gaze but didn’t mind.
He knew that fighting bears and battling elephants wasn’t about technique, but purely about physical prowess, which, unlike technique, cannot be learned.
Just like a hundred-meter sprint, someone might have techniques akin to Bolt, but without the same physicality, no one can surpass Bolt.
Some things are innate, cannot be taken or stolen.
The longbow was already firmly in his hand. Unfamiliar with ancient strong bows, Chen Zhou didn’t intend to shoot directly but first tested the bow’s strength.
Using the Mongolian-style draw, he gradually pulled the bow open, silently estimating the bow’s poundage. After nearly reaching a full-draw state, he slowly eased the bowstring back.
"About 220 pounds. Didn’t expect this guy to have some strength."
Thinking to himself, Chen Zhou didn’t really care.
pounds, approximately 100 kilograms, was an unreachable weight for the average person but barely a challenge for him.
...
Running swiftly, familiar with the feel, Chen Zhou turned around and drew a long arrow. He released the string almost without aiming, shooting purely by feel.
The arrow flew like a bolt of lightning, reaching its target instantly.
The mammoth, still in relentless pursuit, didn’t even see the trace of the flying arrow before its world suddenly turned dark—
The arrowhead pierced with terrifying precision into the mammoth’s right eye, deeply embedded within.
The arrows shot by Gao Yao could barely penetrate the mammoth’s hide, only the arrowheads going in.
But Chen Zhou’s arrow almost completely buried itself within the mammoth, leaving only a small portion of the shaft and fletching visible.
Although the angle wasn’t perfect, this arrow didn’t pierce the mammoth’s brain, but it completely destroyed one of its eyes.
This not only rendered the mammoth a cyclops but also stripped it of its fighting ability—
The excruciating pain close to its brain tormented the giant beast, and continuing the chase was now impossible; even taking a step was incredibly hard for it.
A sorrowful cry sounded from the female mammoth as she desperately tried to reach the long arrow lodged in her eye socket with her trunk.
Its companion, the male mammoth still standing in place, responded with a pained cry, followed by the other female mammoth abandoning its attack on Gao Yao and turning to join its companion.
Chen Zhou remained in his stance, poised with the bow and arrow, observing the three mammoths resembling tall buildings.
The mammoths glared at him with hatred-filled eyes, showing both anger and fear in their small, brown eyes.
Pulling out another long arrow, he took aim at the one mammoth that was only lightly wounded and shot at its ear.
This shot was equally precise, piercing through the mammoth’s ear and pinning it firmly to its neck.
At that moment, the fear within the three mammoths reached its peak; they, led by the ear-pierced female mammoth, wrapped their trunks around the male mammoth and slowly retreated from the blood-stained grassland, leaving behind Bi Kai and Gao Yao, who were still in shock, and Chen Zhou, remaining calm and composed.
...
Phew~
Letting out a breath, watching the slowly retreating giant beasts, Gao Yao felt lingering fear.
He cautiously took two steps forward, confirming that the mammoths didn’t turn back to attack, and only then felt assured they truly had been driven off.
With some energy left, seeing blood at the corner of Bi Kai’s mouth, Gao Yao ran straight over, supporting his companion as the two of them came before Chen Zhou.
"We have no way to repay the life-saving grace; we offer our gratitude with a bow!"
Saying this, Gao Yao, along with Bi Kai, knelt down, with Gao Yao supporting his injured companion, and gave a bow to Chen Zhou.
Having indeed played a decisive role in the struggle between humans and beasts and having truly saved these two, Chen Zhou stood without dodging and received their bow. Then, putting the longbow on his back and securing the quiver at his waist, he calmly found the spearhead that had fallen to the ground and walked towards the deer carcass—
His shuriken is still inside the deer’s body.
...
"Benefactor, benefactor, please don’t leave. We still don’t know your esteemed name."
Seeing that the expert had little interest in him, Gao Yao hurriedly supported Bi Kai, and after making sure he could stand steadily, quickly chased after him.
Running to Chen Zhou’s side, although he was asking for Chen Zhou’s name, his eyes didn’t blink as they were fixed on the longbow on Chen Zhou’s back—
The longbow was his.
...
Using the hand axe to slice open the deer’s chest and breaking its ribs, he reclaimed his shuriken according to the wound on the lungs. Chen Zhou glanced at Gao Yao but responded with an unrelated question.
"Which of you knows beast taming?"
Hearing this, Gao Yao hesitated, wanting to inquire when the benefactor would return his bow but, being mindful of the life-saving grace, felt embarrassed to speak. He could only answer honestly.
"I have a little knowledge of beast taming."
"Very well. After you both have healed, tame two more deer like these for me as soon as possible.
We are all heading towards the beacon; as long as you are willing to search, you will definitely find me. As for the life-saving grace, let’s consider it settled through this!"
Saying that, Chen Zhou pointed to the longbow on his back and walked away with large strides.
"By the way, my name is Chen Zhou. Next time we meet, if you have brought the deer, then I will ask for your names."
While speaking, Chen Zhou exerted force from his feet, leaping three to five meters with each step, heading straight for the bonfire on the distant mound, quickly disappearing from Gao Yao and Bi Kai’s sight.
...
A bitter smile lingered on Gao Yao’s face as he watched his family heirloom, the treasure bow, being taken away. Yet he dared not utter a word of opposition.
Firstly, Chen Zhou was his life-saving benefactor.
Life-saving grace is greater than the heavens; not to mention a mere bow, even if he wanted his life, he had to give it.
Children of the Martial World have always been like this; since they depend on the word "faith," they must abide by it for a lifetime. Otherwise, not to mention being ridiculed by others, he wouldn’t be able to get past his own emotional block.
Secondly, Chen Zhou’s strength was also witnessed by him. Not to mention the life-saving grace, even without such kindness, had Chen Zhou forcibly taken it from his hands, Gao Yao couldn’t take it back. In a head-to-head confrontation, he might even lose his life here.
After pondering, Gao Yao thought he might not be able to retrieve that bow in his lifetime, he could only sigh and shake his head, then walk towards Bi Kai.
Cough~
Bi Kai was pale, still clutching his chest while coughing. Seeing Gao Yao approaching, he barely opened his mouth.
"Brother Gao, has the benefactor left?"
"Gone."
"Alas, I had hoped to pass on the Yue Family Spear Technique to the benefactor. I see the benefactor has extraordinary bones, nimble movements, innate divine power, and a fondness for using long spears. This Yue Family Spear Technique, which I have studied for many years without achievement, would be perfect for the benefactor.
However, I do not have the diagrams or formulas on me, and now with an internal injury, I cannot demonstrate it..."
As Bi Kai spoke, he inquired further.
"Why did the benefactor leave in such haste? I saw him exchange some words with you; did the benefactor leave other instructions?"
"Yes, our benefactor entrusted me to tame two more deer for him.
Brother, do not worry, first recuperate well. Once the deer are tamed and handed over to our benefactor, we will naturally meet again."
Despite losing the family heirloom bow this time, and though he had to tame deer for Chen Zhou, upon seeing Bi Kai’s pale complexion, Gao Yao did not reveal his inner grievance and comforted him.
"Yes, having narrowly escaped death, good fortune surely awaits. We have encountered a noble person, escaping a perilous situation, in the future we shall surely turn misfortune into blessing."
Bi Kai nodded, a glimmer of spirit returning to his eyes and clasped his fists.
"I am currently unable to move. Could I trouble Brother Gao to retrieve my treasure sword?
The sword has accompanied me in the Martial World for years; I do not wish for it to meet its end here.
I wish to bury it here, to erect a monument so that future generations know that this world once possessed such a treasure sword..."
...
The shining stars on the prairie could not overshadow the beacon’s brilliant light, the wind howled and distant bonfires flickered.
The two segments of the long sword, stained with dirt, emitted a clear and melodious sound upon collision, which accompanied Bi Kai’s mournful song drifting into the distance—
Frost and edge tempered by snow for ten years cold, suddenly a fallen star sinks into the ninth underworld.
Buried in a box in the great desert, the wind howls at bones, each night dragon cries are heard with blood...