Two hundred meters away, Chen Fan stood firm, his left hand raising the bow while his right hand notched an arrow and drew the bowstring back slowly with his thumb and index finger.
"Squeak..."
As the bowstring tightened, Zhang Ren and Wang Ping's hearts leaped into their throats.
Could Chen Fan really draw the bow to its full capacity?
This was a bow with a one-hundred-catty pull!
Their eyes widened in unison, and shock washed over them as they witnessed the bowstring pulled taut like a full moon.
Then came a "pop," like a firecracker igniting and exploding.
In a flash, an arrow, too fast to be clearly seen, embedded itself deeply in the bull's-eye, its fletching quivering wildly in the air, creating a buzzing sound.
"Isn't this too powerful?" Wang Ping was flabbergasted.
"It was pulled effortlessly, and that sound..." Zhao Feng mused. "Even if it's a ferocious beast, how many arrows could it withstand head-on? Chen Fan is progressing at an unbelievable rate."
Even Zhang Ren was shocked. While the Wei family brothers could also draw a one-hundred-catty bow, their accuracy left much to be desired. They would be fortunate if two out of three arrows hit the fifth ring, and the coveted tenth ring was almost a rarity.
Chen Fan, on the other hand, was using a one-hundred-catty bow for the first time and hit the target accurately.
Envy welled up in Zhang Ren's heart; he wished he could shoot with such precision.
Unaware of the thoughts of those around him, Chen Fan eagerly glanced at the skill bar.
[Basic Archery: Level 5 (26.5%)...]
He narrowed his eyes slightly. Did his proficiency increase by 0.5% with just one arrow? It was indeed faster than Tai Chi, which required meticulous footwork and posture. Archery, however, demanded more physical effort, and the one-hundred-catty draw threshold set a high bar.
"It might be quicker with triple or quadruple shots," he thought, drawing the second arrow and nocking it.
There was a loud "snap."
Another deafening bang.
Before the sound subsided, the second arrow had already hit the bull's-eye. Following this, there was another thunderous blast, and the third arrow arrived in quick succession.
Triple shot.
Three arrows struck the bullseye in rapid succession.
Wang Ping watched, mouth agape, unable to find words. Could a one-hundred-catty bow be fired three times?
The next moment, another arrow appeared in Chen Fan's hand.
"???"
Their jaws nearly hit the ground in disbelief.
Again?
How much strength did this guy have?
However, to their relief, Chen Fan placed the arrow back and turned to smile at them. "Seems like I've reached my limit."
Wang Ping breathed a sigh of relief. "Even you recognize your limit after pulling it off three times in a row. We can't even manage it once."
"Indeed, I suspect it won't even budge if I try to draw it halfway."
"Brother Fan, you're unbelievably strong."
The group exchanged compliments and banter.
"Alright, enough boasting, or I'll get conceited," Chen Fan quipped. In truth, he still had more stamina left.
However, there was no need to push himself to exhaustion. The triple shot was ideal, offering significant proficiency gains, approaching 3%. In other words, twenty or thirty triple shots would suffice.
At that moment, Zhao Feng blushed and said, "Chen, Chen Fan, can you teach me archery?"
The atmosphere instantly grew silent.
Wang Ping and the others were genuinely surprised. Zhao Feng was known for his pride, so it was no small feat for him to make such a request.
"Of course," Chen Fan responded without hesitation. "What's wrong with that? If any of you want to learn, feel free to join in."
Anyway, after each rapid-fire session, he needed a short rest, and he had some free time on his hands. Besides, giving pointers didn't take up much time.
"Really? Can we learn too?"
"Wow, count me in."
Several people immediately became excited, but they still looked at Zhang Ren for approval.
"Watch and learn if you want to," Zhang Ren said, exasperated. It seemed like without his permission, they might not even have the motivation to practice archery.
However, there were also practical considerations. When Chen Fan wasn't hunting, the stockade had limited food, and practicing archery was quite demanding. Now, at least in the short term, there was enough food, and the conditions were right for archery training.
Of course, talent played a role as well.
During this resting period, Chen Fan explained some basic points for everyone to pay attention to. Zhao Feng was a little ahead, and he delved into more advanced topics.
Zhang Ren sat on the side, observing Chen Fan's demonstrations, feeling somewhat uneasy deep down.
Is this kid trying to take over my job?
It's fine if he does; learning archery is beneficial. After all, when the strength of two individuals isn't much different, the one with longer reach holds an advantage.
"How about I learn archery too?" a sudden thought crossed his mind.
"Wouldn't it be embarrassing to have this kid teach me?"
"What's there to be embarrassed about? People have their specialties, and besides, once I learn, the bow I use will be even better than his."
"No, it still feels a bit awkward."
Zhang Ren's mind was like a battleground where two conflicting voices argued incessantly.
The afternoon passed swiftly. Chen Fan returned to eat another two catties of meat, bringing his potential points to 42. He didn't rush to strengthen his body since he had just eaten and had plenty of energy.
Back at the warehouse's open space, he resumed practicing archery.
Three consecutive shots, again and again, visibly increased his proficiency.
During breaks, Chen Fan also focused on strengthening his body to ensure he stayed energized.
Finally, around ten o'clock in the evening, a surge of heat coursed through him, quickly spreading throughout his body, alleviating some of the fatigue in his arms.
Though the upgrade of [Basic Archery] produced less noticeable physical changes compared to Taijiquan, it was mainly a basic martial art that honed archery skills rather than physical fitness.
However, alongside the physical improvements, a brand new memory surfaced in his mind.
Chen Fan closed his eyes, savoring the sensation, then abruptly opened them.
This new memory was a new feature!
He hastily checked his skill bar.
[Basic Archery: Level 6 (0%), Characteristics: Physical Strength Level 6, Arm Strength Level 6, Slow Shooting Level 6, Riding Shooting Level 4, Rapid Shooting Level 1]
"Rapid Fire!"