"Do you want to learn Tai Chi?" Chen Guodong had just settled in when he heard these words, and his eyes widened with surprise.
"Yes," Chen Fan nodded, explaining, "I've heard that practicing Tai Chi can strengthen the body. I want to use it to improve my strength so that I can draw a heavier bow."
He firmly believed that Tai Chi could enhance attributes. After all, even basic archery had improved his physical strength attributes. As a renowned internal martial art in his previous life, Tai Chi couldn't be useless.
"I see," Chen Guodong's eyes cleared, and he thought for a moment before replying, "There doesn't seem to be anyone in the village who knows it."
"None?" Chen Fan felt a tinge of disappointment.
Chen Guodong glanced at him, sympathizing, and reassured him, "Maybe there is someone, but we haven't found them yet. How about this? I'll ask around after lunch. Perhaps someone will know..."
He stopped abruptly, a thought striking him. "Wait, maybe your Uncle Zhang knows?"
Chen Fan was taken aback.
Could it be true? Since Uncle Zhang had taught the village youth how to use spears, he must have some martial arts background. If he had a foundation in martial arts, it was unlikely he wouldn't know traditional martial arts like Tai Chi.
"I just remembered," Chen Guodong continued, "Shortly after Uncle Zhang arrived in the stockade, he attempted to teach us ways to strengthen our bodies. However, everyone was too preoccupied with hunger and getting out of the stockade for hunting. They couldn't spare the time to practice stances or punches. Later on, it faded away."
"Is that so? That's great," Chen Fan exclaimed with joy.
"Yeah, at the time, the Wei brothers often visited him, probably seeking his advice," Chen Guodong reminisced. "Like you, they started with a sixty-pound bow. After two or three years of hard work, their bows reached eighty pounds, and eventually, they reached a hundred pounds. Martial arts likely played a role in that progression."
"I also heard that before the Wei brothers left, they approached Uncle Zhang and seemed to want to take him with them, but he declined," Chen Fan added. This revelation tied together with what he'd heard Uncle Zhang mention a couple of days ago, suggesting that the Wei brothers might not have stayed for long.
Everything seemed interconnected.
From this perspective, Uncle Zhang was indeed a remarkable individual. If not for his injured leg, he would have been a key asset to the hunting team.
"Dad, who is this Uncle Zhang? How did you meet him?" Chen Fan asked curiously.
Chen Guodong looked somewhat embarrassed. "Well, he's not from our village."
"Really?" Chen Fan was surprised.
"It all began three years ago," Chen Guodong began. "On our way back from a hunting trip with Uncle Liu and the Wei brothers, we stumbled upon a man covered in blood lying in the grass. He was wounded, and the blood attracted a couple of Steppe wolves, lurking nearby."
"At first, I thought he was dead, but Uncle Liu went to check and found he was still breathing. So we brought him back. His ability to survive such severe gunshot wounds was truly remarkable."
"Gunshot wounds!" Chen Fan exclaimed.
"Yes," Chen Guodong replied, with fear in his eyes. "I've never seen a person with more than ten bullets in their body. This incident caused a dispute among us. Some believed we shouldn't save him."
"But we did save him," Chen Fan interjected.
Chen Guodong chuckled, a mix of laughter and exasperation. "Yes, you were the one who rescued him, so we couldn't just leave him behind. He lay by the roadside, and nobody saw who had brought him there, so I made the decision to keep him."
"Fortunately, he wasn't a threat. After he woke up, he stayed in the stockade. Initially, we were cautious, but over time, we realized he was trustworthy."
"Right," Chen Fan nodded in agreement, understanding why the Wei brothers had decided against taking Uncle Zhang with them.
While his father's leadership style and personality might not retain ambitious and capable individuals, it did create a loyal following.
"What are you two so engrossed in discussing?"
A woman's voice chimed in as she placed the cooked rabbit meat on the table. The preparation was simple, just a sprinkling of salt, yet the meat exuded a mouthwatering fragrance.
"Let's eat," Chen Guodong grinned, addressing Chen Fan, "Xiaofan, thanks to you this time. Eat to your heart's content."
Chen Fan chuckled and didn't immediately dig in. Instead, he picked up several pieces of meat and placed them in his younger brother's bowl. The boy's excitement was palpable, his saliva almost flowing like a waterfall.
"Wow, thanks, brother," Chen Chen exclaimed happily.
Both Chen Guodong and his wife smiled warmly at the heartwarming scene.
Chen Fan then picked up a slice of rabbit meat and savored it slowly. Although he was eager to increase his potential points by consuming game meat, relishing the process of eating meat was an enjoyment in itself.
After swallowing a mouthful of the tender meat, a piece of information flashed in his mind.
"Potential point +0.1."
Time passed slowly. Chen Fan consumed nearly a pound of meat before feeling reasonably satiated.
"Dad, Mom, I'm full," he declared, patting his satisfied stomach and setting his chopsticks down.
It was perhaps the most contented meal he'd had in days.
His parents, however, hadn't touched their food at all.
"Is this enough?" the woman smiled, her eyes narrowing playfully. "There's still plenty left; eat more."
"Yeah, you need the strength for archery practice later," Chen Guodong added.
"I'm really full," Chen Fan chuckled. "I'm going to find Uncle Zhang."
With that, he disappeared in a flash.
"This child seems to be much more sensible," the woman remarked.
"Yes," Chen Guodong nodded in agreement.
Chen Fan strolled along the dirt path leading to the storage shed, glancing at his attribute panel:
Potential points: 5.6 (1 point/1 day)
He had accumulated enough potential points for another body strengthening session. However, he decided not to rush it. Right after lunch, he was full of energy, and it would be a waste to strengthen his body immediately. It made more sense to do so later when he was tired from archery practice.
Of course, not just archery.
When he arrived at the open space in front of the storage shed, his presence caused a stir. Wang Ping and the others surrounded him, brimming with excitement and eager to chat.
"Brother Fan, I heard you shot and killed the prey this time! That's incredibly impressive!"
"I always knew your archery skills were top-notch, Brother Fan. You're going to shine in the wilderness!"
"Brother Fan, you're my idol! Take me under your wing!"
"Brother Fan, if I were a woman, I'd marry you!"
"Alright, alright," Chen Fan chuckled, nearly choking on his lunch, then asked, "Where's Uncle Zhang?"