It was quite similar to what Lin Qianxuan anticipated, a man with a sallow complexion, thin and about one and a half meters tall.

Clearly undernourished.

In fact, in this era, over eighty percent of people have not developed to the moderate level allowed by their genes.

"This is...."

Yu Yong stopped in his tracks, curiously observing the campfire and Lin Qianxuan beside it.

At this moment, Lin Qianxuan also stood up and cupped his hands in greeting, "This elder brother, in the dead of night, deep in the mountains and wilderness, what makes you travel in such haste?"

Standing at 1.8 meters tall, Lin Qianxuan's height was indeed intimidating in a society where the average height was around 1.6 meters.

Besides, in the darkness where his face was not visible, no one would ever guess that he was only nine years old.

This physique, even under the influence of growth hormones, wouldn't be this exaggerated.

Lin Qianxuan himself even predicted that if he continued developing like this, without any limitations, reaching over 2.3 or 2.4 meters would not be a problem.

With proper exercise methods, sufficient nutrition supply, and the attribute milestone support, his body had developed extraordinarily.

Yu Yong explained, "This hero, I am a medicine gatherer from Taoshan County, named Yu Yong. This time I missed the hour because of gathering herbs and encountered a fierce tiger, got so scared that I lost my medicine basket and stumbled until I reached this place...."

Being a medicine gatherer, accustomed to adventures in the mountains and wilderness, his courage would naturally be a bit greater. Additionally, his interaction with people from medical shops and pharmacies presumably gave him some knowledge, allowing him to speak in an orderly manner, unlike an ordinary villager who speaks incoherently out of panic.

"I see, Brother Yu, you must be tired. I happen to have some food here, it's rare to meet by chance, why not come over and have a bite," Lin Qianxuan invited.

"Thank you for the invitation, hero, then I shall not stand on ceremony," Yu Yong replied.

After speaking, Yu Yong boldly walked to Lin Qianxuan's side, and Lin Qianxuan handed him some food and a wooden container.

A bowl of hot soup with vegetable innards, a piece of meat, and a chunk of starchy root.

Lin Qianxuan's culinary skills were extraordinary, the food tasted even better than what Yu Yong normally ate at eateries.

Yu Yong quickly recovered and felt much more relaxed.

Initially, he was a bit worried, but since the other party offered him good food and there was nothing on him worth scheming for, he had nothing left to worry about.

Seeing Yu Yong had calmed down, Lin Qianxuan discussed the daily life of a medicine gatherer with him to get acquainted with each other.

Lin Qianxuan was very familiar with various herbs, and could effortlessly talk about the details of herb gathering, which made Yu Yong increasingly feel that Lin Qianxuan was extraordinary.

At this dead of night, living alone in the deep mountains with such a robust physique, he certainly wasn't an ordinary person.

"Brother Yu, may I ask where you saw that fierce tiger? How far is it from here?" Lin Qianxuan couldn't help asking as the time seemed ripe.

"It was over twenty miles away. I came face to face with that beast during the day. If it weren't for good luck, I would have been eaten clean after escaping from a cliff wall. However, I'm afraid to go back the way I came and don't know how long it will take to leave from here....." Yu Yong said.

He alone had no confidence, and his words implied he wanted Lin Qianxuan to accompany him back.

But he was hesitant to ask.

Moreover, he knew he couldn't offer any compensation.

"Brother Yu, I came here precisely for that fierce tiger. I heard it ate a child and injured a buffalo in Taoshan County earlier this year. Such heinous acts cannot allow it to live any longer," Lin Qianxuan said. "Once you've rested, please guide me there. I'll go kill it to rid the people of this threat! Afterward, you can join me in returning down the mountain."

"Ah!"

Yu Yong was shocked. It was such a struggle for him to escape, and yet Lin Qianxuan intended to return and kill it at night?

"Hero, think twice! Even though your martial arts are remarkable, that is a tiger, a beast of great strength! Furthermore, it's too dark to see ten feet ahead. Even if your archery is excellent, it may be hard to hit the target," Yu Yong advised, hoping Lin Qianxuan wouldn't act so bravely without thinking.

"Brother, you don't understand my abilities," Lin Qianxuan said confidently, patting his chest. "I can lift a thousand-pound boulder. Even barehanded, that tiger may not best me. Moreover, I can shoot an arrow four hundred paces. Even in the night, if I hear the wind or a falling leaf, I can hit the stem from two hundred paces. If the tiger faces me, it will be the unfortunate one."

Yu Yong thought Lin Qianxuan was boasting and wasn't convinced.

He only thought of persuading Lin Qianxuan to descend the mountain or wait until dawn to make plans.

But Lin Qianxuan didn't want to miss the opportunity.

The tiger would be tens of miles away. Chasing it at night would save a lot of trouble.

Finding it in the daytime, who knows how far they'd have to go?

"Brother, just lead the way. If we encounter the tiger, at worst, I'll hold it off. If it eats its fill with me, you'll be unharmed," Lin Qianxuan reassured.

"Hero, what nonsense! If anyone were to be eaten, it should be me, this useless person. I can't let a hero lose his life," Yu Yong sighed. "Since you insist, I have no reason to decline. Please allow me to lead the way!"

The endurance of a medicine gatherer can definitely be trusted.

Despite Yu Yong's thin stature, his endurance far exceeded imagination. If he really put his mind to it, walking a hundred kilometers in a day wouldn't be a problem.

Although he had walked a day earlier, after a short rest, walking tens of miles again was a minor issue.

With a pouch and bow and arrow on Lin Qianxuan's back, the two moved along the mountain path. In the moonlight, neither made any significant noise.

Yu Yong's thin physique, along with some restored energy, had him walking in his usual manner, purely driven by experience.

Lin Qianxuan relied purely on his high-level body technique skills.

Every step he took was solid on the ground, the strength from his feet being finely distributed to the earth, so there wouldn't be any footstep noise; even stepping on dead leaves created minimal friction sound.

They walked for a long time, arriving near the cliff where Yu Yong escaped during the day.

Lin Qianxuan carefully examined the surroundings, observing the situation.

This cliff face is about seventeen or eighteen meters high, with some sporadic protrusions, and the rest is so smooth it seems impassable. It looks like Yu Yong climbed down from here to escape.

After climbing up, there are woods on the opposite side.

Lin Qianxuan sniffed slightly, detecting the foul scent of a large animal.

The scent of these carnivorous animals is easy to identify. Without natural enemies, they often leave marks wherever they go without hiding them.

"Brother, let me give you a hand," Lin Qianxuan said.

Facing the cliff wall, Yu Yong evidently lacked the courage to climb again, and he no longer had the climbing tools.

Without giving Yu Yong a chance to argue, Lin Qianxuan grabbed him, his fingers hooking into the cliff's crevices, almost embedding the mountain stones half an inch deep. His fingers were like steel claws, climbing up in just a few moves.

"You scared me to death!!"

After Lin Qianxuan put Yu Yong down, Yu Yong panted and said to Lin Qianxuan, "Your skills are truly extraordinary!"

"Just some farming tricks, nothing worth showing off," Lin Qianxuan humbly replied offhandedly.

Then, he began seeking the tiger's trail following its scent.

The two walked a few more kilometers, and suddenly Lin Qianxuan stopped, stopping Yu Yong as well.

Yu Yong's mood instantly turned tense.

His vision, hearing, and sense of smell were not as good as Lin Qianxuan's, so he naturally couldn't sense the situation.

However, Lin Qianxuan could clearly see the massive figure resting under a big tree.

Not too far, not too close.

Just over five hundred meters.

Perhaps because it had no natural enemies, it appeared almost entirely unwary.

At this distance, Lin Qianxuan's bow and arrow couldn't reach it.

He needed to get closer.

Lin Qianxuan gestured for Yu Yong to wait here, while he moved, stepping into the tree shadows to get closer to the fierce tiger.

At this moment, Lin Qianxuan's steps almost blended with the surrounding environment, making slight noises like the wind rustling the leaves, with only faint rustling sounds.

The tiger was completely unaware, its ears twitching slightly but it still slept soundly.

Unknowingly, Lin Qianxuan had already gotten within two hundred steps of it.

About a hundred and fifty meters or so.

He was a bit overly cautious.

In fact, the bow Lin Qianxuan had modified now had an effective range of four hundred meters.

He got to this distance just to trigger the [Two Hundred Steps Piercing Poplar] milestone.

Draw the arrow, pull the bow!

Lin Qianxuan's breathing almost stopped, and then he gently released his hand.

Within two hundred steps, the kinetic energy of his arrow wouldn't diminish. If he aimed at a two hundred steps target, the bow's effective range could reach six or seven hundred meters.

"Whoosh~!"

The arrow flew out, instantly disappearing.

"Pfft~!"

The tiger's right eye was pierced, the arrow going straight into its brain.

A sharp pain suddenly attacked, the tiger instantly woke up.

"Rooar rooar~!"

It roared loudly, starting to run forward, but didn't go far. In just three seconds, its body stiffened, and it collapsed in place.

How could he not coat the arrow with poison?

In fact, these arrows had been soaking in the prepared poison inside the quiver all along.

It's a neurotoxin capable of paralyzing a water buffalo instantly, and with this arrow straight into the brain disrupting the central system, it couldn't move even if it didn't directly collapse.

Lin Qianxuan had a pharmacology milestone, which also included the skill of making poison; he even had a special "Poison Making +1" milestone to enhance it.

That achievement was obtained by poisoning over ten thousand fish, along with a [Fish Processing Expert] milestone.

He had led a fulfilling life over these three years!

[Tip: You shot and killed a fierce tiger at night, earning the "One in a Thousand" level milestone [Night Shooting Fierce Tiger].]

[Night Shooting Fierce Tiger: Night Shooting +3. (Note: If it chooses to melee with you, it will be even more surprising.)]

The Night Shooting +3 attribute increase enhanced Lin Qianxuan's vision, archery skills, strength, insight, and overall capabilities.

He sighed slightly in his heart.

He only feared that in close combat he might get injured, which was unsuitable for his future plans. Otherwise, he would have preferred to take down this tiger bare-handed.

The milestone achieved that way would have been more impressive.

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