It wasn't just Chen Fan; everyone present was stunned, overwhelmed by the unexpected bounty that had fallen into their laps.
They had initially thought that bagging four antelopes was the limit, but little did they know that Chen Fan would take down another one, bringing the total to five. These antelopes, while relatively lighter than other beasts, still weighed nearly two hundred catties each. Five of them amounted to a thousand catties in total!
This haul could provide enough food for the village for half a month or more. If it were measured in rice, it would weigh at least three to four thousand catties, enough to sustain them for an even longer duration.
Just the thought of the joy this would bring to the villagers made them all elated.
"Hehe, Uncle Liu, you're not dreaming; this is all real," Chen Fan reassured them with a smile. He flexed his arms, feeling a bit of regret, and added, "It's a pity they were so fast; otherwise, I might have taken down another one."
"Five antelopes is plenty," the bald man responded, waving his hands. It was already a challenging task to transport five antelopes back to the village.
As he contemplated this, an ironic thought crossed his mind: Had he ever imagined that they would have so much prey that they couldn't carry it all?
The others also gradually regained their composure and shared in the excitement.
Chen Guodong, however, couldn't help but express concern, asking, "Xiaofan, is your arm okay?"
Pulling a 100-catty bow repeatedly was no small feat, even for the Wei brothers, who couldn't manage it five times. Chen Fan's safety was paramount to the group.
"That's right, Xiao Fan, you don't have to push yourself so hard," Gao Yang chimed in, his tone filled with worry.
Chen Fan was the team's primary asset, and while the others could afford to make mistakes, he couldn't. If they ever found themselves facing an unprecedented crisis, most of them wouldn't hesitate to stand in harm's way to protect him.
"I'm fine," Chen Fan assured them. He flexed his arm again, this time emphasizing, "I'm already at the first level of body tempering, and I'm among the stronger ones at that level. Drawing a bow with a hundred catties of tension continuously isn't difficult for me."
"First level of Body Tempering?"
"Musha?"
"What? Xiaofan, you're already at the first level of Body Tempering?" The group reacted with astonishment.
They were familiar with the term, thanks to the Wei brothers mentioning it earlier. Those two siblings had claimed to be close to the first level of Body Tempering, enabling them to use a 100-catty bow. However, even they needed some rest after just two draws.
Chen Fan, on the other hand...
"Yes," Chen Fan confirmed with a nod, smiling.
"No wonder, your face wasn't flushed or out of breath. You're already at the first level of Body Tempering," Gao Yang remarked, suddenly enlightened.
"Old Gao, did you hear what Xiaofan said? He's not just at the first level of Body Tempering; he's the strongest among those at the first level," another member chimed in.
"Stronger than the Wei brothers?" someone inquired.
"It's about the same, but in any case, he's quite powerful, even stronger than the Wei brothers," the speaker replied with a sharp intake of breath. Then, with a hopeful look in his eyes, he turned to Chen Fan and asked, "Xiaofan, now that you're a martial artist, can you really do all those incredible things?"
The anticipation was palpable in the air, shared by everyone, including Chen Guodong. They were all exhausted, having neither the time nor the mental capacity to practice martial arts. However, witnessing Chen Fan's performance and hearing his revelations had awakened a newfound interest in them.
"Well, it is really that powerful, and even more so," Chen Fan affirmed with a serious expression.
"Uncle Zhang mentioned that there's someone in Zhaojiabao who can draw a 300-catty bow and shoot with a range of over a thousand meters. That person is also a martial artist, likely in the Meat Refining realm."
"Zhao Da?" The bald man's smile faded, and he responded with uncertainty, "Rumor has it that he can take down a mid-level beast single-handedly without suffering any harm."
"So, that's true?" The disbelief was evident in the nearby expressions. They had previously thought the other party was bragging, trying to attract people from other villages.
"Even Zhang Ren confirmed it; I'm afraid it's true," Chen Guodong responded in a hushed tone, instinctively sensing that Zhang Ren was no ordinary person. Chen Fan's strength was undeniable to all.
"Uncles, there used to be a shortage of food in the stockade, and survival was tough. Now, with abundant prey, when you return to the stockade, you should also join us in practicing martial arts," Chen Fan encouraged, "Although the process may be lengthy, with perseverance, your strength will grow, and you'll become self-sufficient."
"Really, truly?"
"Since Xiao Fan said so, it must be true," Gao Yang affirmed firmly. "Alright, count me in; I'll start practicing martial arts when I get back."
"Count me in too."
"Let's all do it together."
"Hahaha, that's great; we'll practice martial arts together," the bald man exclaimed.
Chen Fan's words had once again moved them, igniting their desire to attain the strength he had displayed. It was the last sentence that held the most weight.
Rely on yourself.
In this world, you're your own ally. As elders, they couldn't perpetually depend on Chen Fan's archery skills to survive.
Chen Fan also wore a smile on his face. Even if Uncle Liu and the others didn't become warriors, enhancing their physical abilities would make transporting prey back much easier. Of course, having a vehicle would be even better, he mused.
Meanwhile, thousands of meters away, Zhang Ren suddenly sneezed. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss, although he couldn't quite pinpoint what.
Maybe I'm overthinking it, he thought.
The group of people gathered the prey, using their spears as makeshift poles and ropes to secure the animals. This made the journey back considerably more manageable. Chen Fan, on the other hand, effortlessly carried the extra animal. It took little effort for him to drag a two-hundred-catty prey.
Witnessing this, everyone became more resolute about practicing martial arts.
As they journeyed back, laughter and conversation filled the air, and the long return trip didn't feel tedious.
However, as they continued on their way, more than a dozen figures appeared ahead of them. At that moment, including Chen Fan, their hearts skipped a beat.
It couldn't be this unlucky, could it? Meeting people from other villages at this moment?
As the dozen or so figures in the distance approached, their gazes met.
"Oops!" the bald man exclaimed. "It looks like they're from Lijiazhai!"