After listening to the wolf howls all night, Wufu woke up the next day to the chirping of birds throughout the forest. She performed a set of fist forms, and seeing that Liu Jin was still asleep, she thought for a moment, then shouldered her bow and arrow and strolled around nearby.
In the early morning, the prey in the mountains and forests all came out to forage, and Wufu’s haul was good – she had shot three pheasants and a young roe deer.
Returning fully laden, Liu Jin had also woken up and, seeing her with a harvest in both hands, his eyes lit up, but he said somewhat sheepishly, "Miss, this servant has overslept."
"Children should sleep more." Wufu pinched his face and said, "Pack up a bit, we’ll eat some dry food and then hit the road. Let’s head back early."
Liu Jin nodded in agreement.
After a bit of packing and eating a few cakes, the two of them shouldered their baskets and left.
After walking for a shichen, they suddenly heard the roar of a tiger.
Wufu immediately pulled Liu Jin behind her, her left hand clutching the bow and arrow tightly, her eyes as sharp as the edge of a knife, focusing into the forest.
A tiger, there was actually a tiger here.
"Miss, is it the big insect?" Liu Jin’s little face was pale as he clutched at Wufu’s clothing.
Wufu nodded, her eyes shining like stars, not from fear, but excitement at actually encountering a tiger.
The tiger, king of the beasts – if she could really hunt it down, they’d strike it rich.
"Miss, Miss, let’s hurry away then," Liu Jin’s voice trembled, a big insect, it could eat people, and the two of them, they probably wouldn’t be enough to fill its belly.
Wufu glanced at him; the little guy was shivering with fright, even more scared than when he had heard the wolf howls the day before.
After all, he was young and inexperienced, but how could he follow her with such timidity, looking forward?
"Liu Jin, are you still afraid with me here?" Wufu patted his shoulder.
Liu Jin was startled, looking into her eyes, how could he not be afraid, but...
The miss was going to do great things in the future, and he had set his heart on becoming the top servant, to be her left and right hand, so how could he afford to be afraid?
Liu Jin bit his teeth and declared, "Miss, this servant is not afraid!"
"Then pick up your long spear." Wufu smiled and said, "If we hunt down this fierce tiger, I will make you a set of fur clothes from its pelt."
Liu Jin nodded, gripping his long spear tightly.
The two pressed forward again, but after a short while, Wufu stopped, her eyes as bright as they could ever be.
This was incredibly lucky.
Ahead, in a pile of jumbled rocks, a tiger with a coat of many colors was entwined in battle with a python as thick as an arm, the snake coiling around the tiger’s neck, moving up and down.
Liu Jin also saw it, his teeth chattering but remaining silent.
Wufu’s mind worked rapidly, tigers were fierce, confronting it directly wouldn’t promise a large chance of success.
Now, however, that python was entangled with it, presenting a good opportunity.
Wufu assessed the terrain quickly and instructed Liu Jin to climb up a nearby tree as thick as a man – he was young and inexperienced, and she was concerned that rather than helping, he might become a hindrance.
"Miss?" Liu Jin was puzzled.
"You stay in the tree and don’t move, I know what I’m doing," Wufu said, looking up at him.
Liu Jin suddenly understood her intent and immediately felt anxious, his eyes reddening as he choked up, "Miss, you..."
"It’s fine, you being here would only hinder me." Wufu reassured him with a look, "Wait for me to come back for you."
She then walked towards the front, looking for a concealed spot to prepare for a surprise attack.
Liu Jin watched her slender yet incredibly resilient silhouette, wiped away his tears, and held onto his long spear tightly, silently vowing that if anything went awry, he would rush to join the fray.