Inside the main hall, his father, Teng Yongfan, smiled, "Qingshan, we were just waiting for you. Frankly, practicing with your spear for three or four hours every day is more than enough." At this moment, Teng Yongfan, Yuan Lan, and their daughter Teng Qingyu were already gathered around the wooden table. Teng Qingshan leaned his spear against the wall, sat down, and began to eat.

"I know." Teng Qingshan took two bites, then looked up, "Father, Mother, I want to join the Hunter Squad."

"The Hunter Squad?" Yuan Lan looked at her husband, Teng Yongfan, with hesitation.

Teng Yongfan frowned, "Qingshan, you're only nine years old, and you want to join the Hunter Squad?" The Hunter Squad was composed of the bravest men in the clan, led by Teng Yinglei. They frequently ventured into Great Yan Mountain to slay game, ensuring that every household in Teng Family Village had meat to eat. Furthermore, the animal pelts could be sold for coin.

"My strength should rank in the top ten within the village," Teng Qingshan said with a smile.

Mentioning this, a hint of a smile touched Teng Yongfan’s face.

During his Ninth Year Coming-of-Age Ceremony, Teng Qingshan had lifted a massive stone weighing six hundred jin, and it was clear that this was not his limit. In terms of sheer strength, Teng Qingshan could indeed rank in the top ten of Teng Family Village.

"Haha... Your talent is great, and it's time you sharpened it!" Living in this harsh world, Teng Yongfan was pragmatic and smiled, "Starting tomorrow, you'll join the Hunter Squad! I'll go tell your maternal grandfather this afternoon. By tomorrow morning, go straight to the training grounds and link up with the clan's Hunter Squad!"

"Thank you, Father!" Teng Qingshan was overjoyed.

Nearby, Yuan Lan couldn't help but shoot Teng Yongfan a glare, seemingly resentful that he had agreed to his son's request.

"Brother, can you bring me back a little wild rabbit?" Qingyu stared at Teng Qingshan with her pure, wide eyes.

"No problem," Teng Qingshan replied with a smile.

"Brother is the best to me," Qingyu giggled.

"Qingshan," Teng Yongfan suddenly said, "I notice you often carry a few throwing knives. Have you been practicing throwing knives often in the western woods?"

"Just practicing casually," Teng Qingshan smiled. His father was a blacksmith, so taking ten throwing knives from the forge was very simple for him. In his previous life, he had invested significant effort into mastering throwing knives; now, he merely played with them during breaks from spear practice to keep his touch—after all, throwing knives offered a ranged option that could perfectly complement his long spear.

"I’ll just remind you, when you practice something, dedicate your focus," Teng Yongfan said casually.

The next morning, before dawn broke.

His younger sister, Qingyu, was still fast asleep, but the family of three—Teng Yongfan, Yuan Lan, and Teng Qingshan—were already in their courtyard.

"Qingshan, although you have talent and your spear technique is decent, there are many ferocious beasts and poisonous snakes in Great Yan Mountain. You must be cautious. When truly fighting a fierce beast, you must not harbor the slightest trace of timidity." Teng Yongfan still cautioned him solemnly. He knew well that many people possessed good strength and spear skills, but when faced with a life-or-death struggle, seeing blood could turn their legs to jelly, rendering their skills useless!

If fear paralyzed them, they couldn't utilize their strength!

"Qingshan," Mother Yuan Lan also urged, "Don't overexert yourself. Stay with the other clansmen. Here, put on this beast-hide vest."

He wore leather boots and was also clad in a beast-hide outer robe, fashioned from the processed skins of thick-furred wild beasts. Wearing this robe was equivalent to wearing light armor, offering protection.

"Don't worry, Father, Mother! I'm leaving now."

Teng Qingshan grasped a dark green nanmu long spear and strode out of the courtyard.

...

On the training grounds, because it was still very early, just before dawn, morning practice had not yet begun, so the grounds were not crowded. However, the members of the Hunter Squad were already starting to gather, many of them laughing loudly and discussing things; they all exuded a robust and dashing air.

"Haha... Here comes the future number one hero of Teng Family Village!" As soon as Teng Qingshan entered the training grounds, he heard a voice from afar and walked toward it with a smile.

"Qingshan!" Teng Yinglei strode over, laughing loudly, and clapped Teng Qingshan heavily on the shoulder. "Good lad, joining the Hunter Squad at nine years old. In the history of our Teng Family Village, you are the first!"

"I only joined when I was thirteen. Qingshan is truly formidable," said a sturdy youth, well over seven feet tall, also wearing a beast-hide outer robe, with a smile.

"Cousin," Teng Qingshan greeted him with a smile; this person was none other than Teng Qinghu.

Other clansmen were diligently training on the grounds, and their gazes toward the members of the Hunter Squad were tinged with envy. To be a member of the Hunter Squad meant one was absolutely a notable hero within the clan, each possessing strength that could not be underestimated.

The Hunter Squad, including Teng Qingshan who joined today, numbered thirty-two men.

"Good, everyone is here. Set off!"

The thirty-two hunters of Teng Family Village, each carrying a long spear, a bow on their backs, and clad in beast-hide robes, left Teng Family Village.

"Qingshan, once we are in the mountains, you must not fall behind. Many people get lost on their first trip up the mountain. Furthermore, they don't understand some of the dangers. Since it’s your first time, watch and listen carefully!" Teng Yinglei guided and instructed Teng Qingshan along the way as he listened attentively.

In truth, in his past life, wilderness survival skills were mandatory learning for an assassin.

However, Teng Qingshan was uncertain if the forests in this world were the same as those in his past life, so he dared not relax his vigilance.

In the early morning, the Great Yan Mountain was quiet, as a team of hunters advanced deep into the mountains.

"There aren't many fierce beasts in the outer periphery of the mountain; mostly just wild rabbits and pheasants. The real ferocious beasts are deep in the mountains!" Teng Yinglei spoke as they walked. Just as he spoke, a small wild rabbit in the nearby thicket seemed startled by the crowd and was about to bolt away with a 'whoosh.'

Teng Qingshan’s eyes lit up, and his spear shot out like a venomous snake toward the rabbit.

"Thwack!" The spear tip grazed the rabbit's side, then rebounded off its body, sending the rabbit tumbling. Teng Qingshan rushed forward, snatched it up with one hand.

"Good spear work," several clansmen nearby praised upon seeing this. Being able to catch a rabbit without injuring it required a certain level of skill.

"Why catch it alive?" Teng Yinglei chuckled.

"My Qingyu asked me to bring back a wild rabbit for her to play with, Big Uncle," Teng Qingshan explained, then tied up the rabbit and placed it directly into the sack on his back.

The surrounding clansmen all chuckled. They had not yet reached the deep mountains, and the team was clearly relaxed. Along the way, they had also shot two pheasants. After nearly an hour, the Hunter Squad finally entered the dangerous zone—the area with the most prey.

"Everyone, get serious!" Teng Yinglei said in a low voice.

Around noon.

Deep within Great Yan Mountain, the hunters of Teng Family Village were roasting a Bristle Wolf near a water source.

"Our luck today is rather average; so far, we only have two pheasants, one Bristle Wolf, and one wart-hog," Teng Qinghu muttered to himself. Teng Qingshan glanced at the already skinned and roasting Bristle Wolf: "Indeed, perhaps due to the local spiritual energy, the wild beasts in this mountain, even of the same species, are larger than the beasts in my previous world."

In his past life, a Bristle Wolf was about fifty to sixty jin, but this one weighed over a hundred jin.

The thirty-two clansmen consumed more than half of the Bristle Wolf roast.

"Rest for a while, then we move on," Teng Yinglei rubbed his nose. "Hmph, we need at least two or three more wild boars to bring back, then it will be sufficient." The two thousand-plus residents of Teng Family Village couldn't sustain themselves on the meager amount of game collected so far. A wild boar weighed several hundred jin, and securing two or three would be enough. Wild boars were large and yielded good meat, but they were difficult to slay—after all, the wild boars in the mountains were no less aggressive than fierce tigers.

"Hm?" Teng Qingshan's ears twitched, and he turned to look at a spot not far away, where a streak of white flashed and vanished.

"It’s a Snow Ferret!" a cry went up from the clansmen.

"Chase it quickly!" Teng Yinglei sprang up.

All thirty-two clansmen, abandoning the wart-hog they had just killed, scattered and gave chase after the white streak!

That was a Snow Ferret!

Ordinary ferret pelts fetched thousands of taels of silver in the city, but a complete Snow Ferret pelt was worth at least three thousand taels of silver. If they could kill this one ferret, it was equivalent to killing a hundred large wild boars. Encountering a Snow Ferret in the mountains was a rare, unlooked-for fortune. All thirty-two clansmen scrambled in pursuit.

"Whoosh!" "Whoosh!" "Whoosh!"...

While running, the clansmen shot arrow after arrow, but the Snow Ferret was extremely agile and easily dodged them. The ferret moved farther and farther away.

"Catch it!" Teng Yinglei urged anxiously.

"We can't catch up," Teng Qinghu's face was also filled with anxiety; the Snow Ferret was too swift.

At this moment, the only one who could barely keep pace with the Snow Ferret was Teng Qingshan! Teng Qingshan moved with the agility of a nimble monkey, leaping and weaving at high speed, his gaze sharp, fixed on the ferret darting through the brambles and weeds ahead. No matter where the ferret fled, Teng Qingshan tracked it relentlessly.

"Now's the moment!" Teng Qingshan's eyes brightened, and he flicked his right hand!

"Whoosh!" A cold gleam sliced through the air instantly.

The spirited Snow Ferret let out a 'squeak,' and its speed increased further, but it was too late; a throwing knife was embedded directly into its rear leg.

"Well done," Teng Yinglei and the others chasing rapidly from a distance cheered excitedly. Considering that Teng Family Village paid the 'White Horse Gang' an annual tribute of only 1000 taels of silver, this Snow Ferret was worth at least three thousand taels—that was thirty thousand strings of cash, equivalent to three million copper coins, with each copper coin capable of buying a meat bun. This was a massive windfall!

"Still trying to escape?" Teng Qingshan leaped, reaching out with his right hand.

"Hiss—" The Snow Ferret violently twisted around and lunged to bite. Its teeth, sharp as serrated blades, could easily sever swords.

Teng Qingshan flipped his hand, effortlessly dodging the bite, and slapped his palm directly onto the ferret’s head.

Blood seeped from the corner of the Snow Ferret’s mouth, and it collapsed limply.

Pulling out the throwing knife stuck in its leg, Teng Qingshan grasped the Snow Ferret and straightened up, smiling.

"Haha... Qingshan, well done." The other clansmen had gathered around, all staring at the beautiful Snow Ferret, their faces alight with excited smiles.