txolops Chapter 89 A Wilderness Scroll, The Promise of Fireflies
Chapter 89 A Wilderness Scroll, The Promise of Fireflies
Chapter 89 A Wilderness Scroll, The Promise of Fireflies
"Gu Yan! Wake up!"
A delicate cry, like that of a nightingale, seemed to come from the clouds, carrying anxiety and anger, piercing through the thick fog and directly into Gu Yan's ears.
Gu Yan suddenly opened his eyes from the bed.
Before him was no longer the gloomy and terrifying underground palace, nor the bronze door carved with faceless human faces.
Instead, it was a girl's face that was very close to hers.
She has a high nose bridge, and her eyes are big and bright, like the clearest mountain stream. A few strands of slightly messy black hair hang down beside her ears, making her look wild.
The girl's tone was filled with exasperation: "The sun's already high in the sky, and you're still sleeping in! Grandpa Village Chief said if you don't get up and practice archery, there won't be any meat for dinner tonight!"
She reached out and grabbed Gu Yan's ear without any hesitation, twisting it hard.
"Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!"
The pain brought Gu Yan back to reality, causing him to cry out instinctively.
Gu Yan covered his ears, sat up in bed, and looked around blankly.
This is a simple wooden hut with walls made of rough logs, the gaps filled with dry grass and mud to keep out the wind.
The roof was high, with several dried animal hides and strings of red chili peppers hanging from it.
Sunlight streamed in through the window, which was only half a person's width wide, illuminating the swirling dust and creating an atmosphere of exceptional tranquility and peace.
"Ayan, are you still half asleep?"
Seeing Gu Yan lost in thought, the girl reached out and touched his forehead with some concern. Her palm was rough and warm, with a faint herbal scent.
"You don't have a fever—why are you acting like a complete idiot?"
Ayan?
The name was familiar, yet it was as if there was a veil between them, making it impossible for him to recall anything more.
Gu Yan shook his head, trying to clear his mind, but his mind was blank, with only his instinct as a hunter remaining, deeply ingrained in his bones.
"I'm fine—"
Gu Yan spoke, his voice dry: "You are—Aman?"
The name came out as if it had been uttered a thousand times.
"Nonsense! Who else could it be but me?"
Aman rolled her eyes, the worry in her eyes fading away. "Get up! That blacksmith Achen has been waiting for you outside for ages. He said he made you a new bow and insists you go try it out."
Ah Chen?
It's another familiar name.
Gu Yan climbed out of the bed covered with animal hides and found himself wearing a coarse linen garment with the trousers rolled up to his knees, revealing a pair of strong and powerful calves.
He walked to the corner and picked up the old wooden bow hanging on the wall.
The bow had been worn smooth and shiny, and the bowstring, made of animal sinew, had turned yellowish over time.
The moment you grasp the bow, it feels like you're grasping an extension of your own body.
He instinctively drew back the bowstring.
"collapse!"
It produced a clear, crisp sound.
On Gu Yan's retina, a line of extremely faint, transparent text appeared.
Basic archery proficiency +1
Current Level: Beginner (99/100)
Gu Yan blinked, but the words didn't disappear; instead, they became clearer as he focused his attention.
"What are you standing there for! Let's go!"
Aman, somewhat impatient, grabbed his hand and dragged him outside.
Stepping out of the wooden house, a scent mingled with the fragrance of earth and the aroma of cooking smoke wafted towards you.
This is a small village nestled in a valley.
Dozens of households are built against the mountain, arranged in a staggered and orderly manner.
At the entrance of the village stands a huge ancient locust tree, its canopy covering most of the square.
Under the tree, several elderly people were sitting on stone stools, basking in the sun, sewing shoe soles and chatting idly.
Several children, naked, rolled around in the mud, chasing after a few clucking hens.
Further away in the terraced fields, young and middle-aged men are wielding hoes and working the land.
Everything was so real, so vivid.
"Ayan! Over here!"
In front of a blacksmith's shop not far away, a tall, shirtless boy was wielding a huge iron hammer that seemed disproportionate to his size, smashing it down hard on a red-hot iron blank.
"clang!"
Sparks flew everywhere, and the sound of metal clashing was deafening.
Hearing the shout behind him, the boy stopped what he was doing and turned around.
His face was covered in coal dust and sweat, but his eyes were clear and bright, revealing a sense of perseverance and determination.
"Ah Chen".
Looking at him, Gu Yan felt a surge of kinship.
This is his best friend who grew up with him. Although he is usually quiet and doesn't like to talk, he always rushes to the front in every fight to protect the still weak him.
"Give."
Ah Chen put down the hammer, wiped his hands with a cloth, took a brand-new longbow from the shelf behind him, and handed it to Gu Yan.
The bow is entirely black, made of some special kind of black wood, with iron plates covering both ends of the bow body, and simple cloud patterns carved on it.
"This bow was forged overnight, using the sinew of the black bear from the back mountain."
Ah Chen's voice was low and concise, his words few: "Give it a try."
Gu Yan took the longbow. It felt heavy and solid, with a cool metallic feel to it.
He nocked a practice arrow without an arrowhead, held his breath, and aimed at an old willow tree a hundred paces away.
The wind gently rustled the willow branches, causing the leaves to flutter down.
Gu Yan's breathing became long and steady.
In his eyes, the willow tree swaying in the wind came to a standstill, leaving only that one willow leaf about to fall.
"Whoosh!"
The moment Gu Yan released the bowstring, the arrow transformed into a black shadow, slicing through the air, precisely piercing the willow leaf, and embedding itself in the tree trunk.
The arrow was powerful, penetrating deep into the wood, its fletching trembling slightly.
"Excellent archery!"
A-Man, standing nearby, clapped her hands excitedly, her eyes sparkling with admiration, and exclaimed, "A-Yan is the best! Now let's see if that big ox from the next village still dares to brag that he's the number one marksman!"
Basic archery proficiency +1
[Basic archery skill level increased to: Proficient (1/500)]
[Acquired Trait: Eagle Eye (Basic)]
As his level increased, Gu Yan's eyes felt refreshed, and the world before him became clearer.
The sense of confusion caused by the discomfort dissipated considerably after the arrow was shot.
Although he didn't know the reason for this strange panel, he had a premonition that as long as he kept practicing and getting stronger, he would be able to unravel all the mysteries.
"Well enough."
Ah Chen nodded, a bright smile spreading across his face. "You've improved since last time."
"That's right, don't you even look at who fired this bow?"
Gu Yan laughed and punched A Chen lightly. "Thanks, bro."
The three sat on the steps in front of the blacksmith's shop, watching the sunset paint the mountains in a golden-red hue.
Ah Man rested her chin on her hand, gazing at the few clouds on the horizon that looked like they were on fire, her eyes somewhat unfocused.
"What do you think is on the other side of the mountain?"
She suddenly asked, "Grandpa Village Chief said that beyond the mountains lies the Great Wilderness, with man-eating monsters and an empire called the Great Abyss."
"empire?"
Upon hearing this word, Gu Yan's heart inexplicably twitched a few times, and an inexplicable sense of disgust welled up in his heart.
"Whatever it is."
Ah Chen wiped the iron hammer in his hand with a white cloth and said calmly, "As long as we are strong enough, no one can bully our village."
"Yes! We must become very, very strong!"
Aman waved her little fist excitedly, "Then I'll lead you all to adventure in the Great Wilderness, drive away all those monsters, and become the most powerful female warrior!"
Gu Yan smiled but didn't say anything.
The days that followed were ordinary yet fulfilling.
Gu Yan's daily life consists of just going between three points.
I practice archery in the morning, help with village chores at noon, and go hunting in the back mountains with Ah Chen and Ah Man in the afternoon.
That strange panel became his biggest secret.
Every time you draw the bow, every time you swing the sword, or even every time you breathe, the number on that panel will jump up.
Basic archery proficiency +1
[Basic knife skills proficiency +1]
[Basic breathing technique proficiency +1]
This instant feedback that rewards effort made Gu Yan addicted to it.
Even in his dreams, he kept repeating the action of drawing the bow.
His archery skills became increasingly refined, from initially only being able to hit stationary targets to now being able to hit sparrows in flight.
His physical strength is also getting better and better, and he doesn't feel tired even if he runs in the mountains all day.
As his proficiency increased, strange fragments would occasionally flash through his mind.
For example, a version of yourself dressed in a Taoist robe, holding a hand seal; or a version of Ah Chen flying on a sword, his sword energy crisscrossing.
The images were blurry, like a fleeting dream, or bubbles in water, leaving him feeling disoriented between dream and reality.
But he didn't investigate further.
Because I am truly happy now.
Aman is like a little sun that is always full of energy, revolving around him and Achen.
She would mend Gu Yan's torn clothes, even though the stitches were crooked and looked like a centipede crawling; she would bring A Chen the rice balls she made herself, even though she put too much salt in them, making them so salty that it made people want to cry.
But when they saw her expectant eyes, the two of them would still smile and say it was delicious.
Three months later, the autumn wind rose, and the leaves turned yellow.
This day is the village's annual harvest festival.
The moonlight was beautiful that night, and the fireflies flew very slowly.
A huge bonfire was lit in the square.
Elders, sipping their homemade rice wine, told ancient stories with hazy, drunken eyes; young men and women danced around the bonfire, their laughter and songs echoing through the sky.
Gu Yan sat to the side, watching A Man wearing a new red dress and a wreath of wildflowers on her head, looking like a red butterfly flitting through the crowd.
She laughed so happily, so carefree.
"Ayan! Come quick!"
Ah Man ran up to him, grabbed his hand, and said, "Dance with me!"
"I can't dance—"
Gu Yan was somewhat resistant, but when she saw A Man's sparkling eyes, she couldn't bring herself to refuse.
He clumsily followed Ah Man's steps, jumping for quite a while.
Only when the drumming gradually subsided did the two of them, panting, squeeze out of the crowd and sit side by side on the smooth, large blue stone at the village entrance.
Ah Man's face was flushed, like a ripe apple.
"Look, Er Ya over there is secretly watching A Chen."
Aman pointed at Achen, who was drinking with someone in the distance, and said with a grin, "Do you think that blockhead Achen will ever come to his senses?"
Gu Yan took a bite of the sweet potato; its sweet and soft texture warmed her heart.
"He'll probably spend the rest of his life with Iron Hammer."
Gu Yan smiled and shook his head.
"And what about you?"
Aman suddenly turned her head, her large eyes shining brightly in the firelight. "Ayan, what kind of wife do you want to find in the future?"
Gu Yan was taken aback.
He had never thought about this question.
"I have no idea."
Gu Yan scratched his head awkwardly, "Maybe—it will be someone who can practice archery with me and go hunting with me."
""
"Hmph, boring."
Aman pouted, not quite satisfied with the answer.
She was silent for a moment, then suddenly took out something tied with a red string from her bosom and handed it to Gu Yan.
"For you."
"What is this?"
Gu Yan looked at it by the moonlight.
It was a black scale.
It is only the size of a palm, semi-circular in shape, with sharp edges like a knife.
It feels icy cold to the touch, with natural patterns on its surface, and it exudes a faint sense of awe.
This feeling —
So familiar.
It seems that a long, long time ago, he also possessed something similar.
"I found this by the deep pool in the back mountain."
Aman lowered her voice: "I heard from Grandpa Village Chief that this is the hardest reverse scale on the legendary black dragon's body, which can protect people and ensure their safety and longevity."
"I'll give it to you."
The girl looked up, her eyes reflecting Gu Yan's image, as well as the starlight of the sky.
"Ayan, you must always keep it with you."
"No matter what happens in the future, no matter where you go, you must take it with you."
"When you see it, you should think of me."
Gu Yan looked at the scale in his hand, then at the girl in front of him whose ears were red and who seemed a little uneasy, and a warm feeling welled up in his heart.
"Aman————"
"Oh dear! Stop being so wishy-washy!"
Ah Man seemed a little shy, suddenly stood up, patted the dirt off her bottom, and said, "Keep it safe! If you lose it, I'll—never talk to you again!"
After saying that, she turned and ran, disappearing into the bustling crowd like a startled fawn.
Gu Yan held the scale in his hand, remaining silent for a long time.
Just then, a message popped up on the panel.
[Rare material detected: Black Dragon's Reverse Scale (Complete).]
[Uses: Can be used to craft high-level defensive magical artifacts, or as a breastplate for top-tier puppets.]
Upon seeing this line of text, a thought inexplicably flashed through his mind: "So that's where the Black Dragon Gang's name comes from—the founder of this gang probably really did see a dragon-like monster—"
'