Jian had been staring at the sword for the past five minutes.

It was a very ordinary sword, looking like all the other swords from the Ming dynasty.

Sharp, double sided and great balance, just like all swords should be.

‘Time to take it out on a real journey.’ Jian thought as he remembered all the times he hunted animals in the forest.

‘Won’t be as easy, anymore.’ He lamented as he picked it up, and put it in the scabbard on his side.

As he started moving and exited his house, he stopped to look at it for one last time.

‘I wonder who the lucky fuck will be that takes my things.’ Jian thought as he snickered at the thought.

He roamed his hand over the bandage and winced as he remembered how easily the guard slashed him.

‘If I see him again, I will give him a good scar to pay him back.’

Then he started slowly walking into the huge and dense treeline.

As he entered, the first thing that he noticed was the fresh scent of vegetation and constant rustling of leaves.

Like a quiet melody, it continued constantly.

‘This is why I loved hunting. It feels like the wind is singing songs.’ Jian thought as he ventured in a specific direction.

As he continued moving, he constantly heard sounds of all kinds of animals, some far away.

Some sitting on top of the branches and just watching him, letting out melodious chirps here and there.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

‘I must make use of the forest as much as possible. In some time, the Ten Thousand Mountains start.’

Jian though, becoming slightly anxious as he has heard tons of rumours about the place/

‘First priority. Food and water.’

As he decided the natural, his steps started becoming quieter.

Something someone naturally learns after hunting for a long time.

No martial arts as he has no internal energy, but External Arts.

Something that everyone can use if practiced enough.

External Arts differ from Martial Arts as they don’t have the need for Internal energy.

They exist is all different types, just like what Jian is using.

It’s a Three Star External Arts called Hunters Step.

The stars specify what rarity the various Arts have.

With 1 being the least and 10 being the most.

Three stars are all Intermediate Arts, which are harder to get and even harder to master.

Hunters step is perfect for hunters, just like the name implies as it teaches you how to control the muscles in your body and your balance to make the least amount of sound as possible.

It took Jian around three years to master the technique, but when he did his hunting game became so much better.

‘There, time to get some food.’ Jian though as he heard the crisps of something stepping on a small branch.

He quietly hid behind a tree and peaked out to identify the animal.

‘Great, a lone deer.’ He smiled maliciously as he quietly unsheathed his sword.

His eyes locked onto the deer as he analysed the surrounding and its behaviour.

‘It’s about fifteen meters away, my own scare tactic should work just fine.’ Jian told himself as he quietly picked up a small rock.

And without a second delay he threw the rock above the deer, so it hit a tree on the other side of it.

‘Perfect hit.’

Which of course scared it to make a run in the opposite direction.

Also, right in the direction of the tree Jian was hiding behind.

’10 meters, 7, 5, 3, Now!’

And then he exited the shadow of the tree right in front of the deer which had no time to react before a sword had been swung right against its skull.

With a sickening crunch to the normal persons ear, the head was split in two.

Jian smiled broadly at the scene, a shudder running through his entire body.

He has always felt so good after a successful hunt and he knew it wasn’t normal, But why care?

‘Now, before the scent of blood alerts the more dangerous animals.’ Jian though as he put away his sword and pulled out a small knife.

With a couple of clean motions, he had skinned the deer and cut out the parts that he wanted.

Jian was so used to it, so it didn’t take a long time at all to make a fire and grill the meat.

The aroma of the freshly grilled meat made him quickly take a huge bite, and the juicy taste of it made him smile in pure content.