Starting with the titmouse, seventy-two transformations

Chapter 7 Tiger Catastrophe? Man-Made Catastrophe?
As darkness fell, wisps of smoke rose from the chimneys of Baishui Village.

"Oh!"

As the white mist dissipated in the open space outside the village, Liu Sheng's figure came into view.

He carried the wild rabbit and mountain rat, glanced suspiciously in the direction of Black Wind Mountain, and decided not to go into the mountains for the time being...

Just hunt rabbits, pheasants, and rats on the outskirts.

That tiger in the mountains must be a big one.

"My dear grandson, you didn't find this one, did you...?"

At the doorstep, Granny Liu glanced at the prey in Liu Sheng's hand, her voice somewhat low.

A six- or seven-pound wild rabbit and two mountain rats weighing a total of four or five pounds are not much, but they are still worth more than a hundred coins, equivalent to a day's harvest for an ordinary hunter.

More importantly, both the hare's throat and the rat's forehead had wounds, indicating that they were clearly owned.

"Our family may be poor, but we can't do petty theft..."

She blocked the doorway, preventing Liu Sheng from entering the house, and for the first time, a serious expression appeared on her wrinkled old face.

Seeing this, Liu Sheng knew he couldn't get away with it this time, so he had no choice but to tell the truth:
"Grandma, I caught this behind the village."

After saying that, he drew a throwing knife and threw it without even looking at it.

"Shh!"

Seven or eight steps away, a moth was pinned to a tree trunk, its wings still fluttering.

Then, he helped Granny Liu to the tree and explained:
"A few days ago, after waking up, I don't know why, but I became incredibly accurate at throwing things. Today I bought a few throwing knives in town to play with..."

He didn't mention the cheat code, attributing all the reasons to his previous coma.

Grandma Liu stared wide-eyed at the moth nailed to the tree trunk, slightly lost in thought.

It took her a long while to come to her senses. She clasped her hands together and wept with joy.

"Thanks to the blessings of our ancestors, our grandson has overcome this hurdle and finally understood..."

Get it!
Perfect reason!

Liu Sheng's eyes flickered a few times, and he also pretended to put his hands together and bow.

From now on, we can openly bring game home to supplement our household income.

Don't ask why a farmer's son who only knew how to till the land suddenly became a hunter, reaping more kills every day than even seasoned hunters...

Asking a question means you've finally understood.

If you don't believe me, try to figure it out yourself!

Granny Liu happily went to process the game. After removing the offal and bones from the three animals, she could get five or six pounds of meat, and the hides would be worth six or seven coins...

Under the cover of night, the old woman's figure seemed to have grown several years younger, and her legs and feet were much more agile.

Grandpa, our good grandson has finally come to his senses and can now shoulder the responsibilities of the family!
There's hope for our family's future.

Liu Sheng's lips curled up slightly as he looked away and reached out to pull the throwing knife from the tree trunk.

The previous tests made him deeply appreciate the power of the mountain sparrow after its transformation.

With this incarnation and the two talents that empower his true self, he has no rivals among ordinary people.

But in this world, there are still powerful martial artists, such as the martial arts master in the Tong family compound…

A one-armed, powerful man who could roll up a stone lock weighing several hundred kilograms more than ten feet with his sleeve, and whose aura was more ferocious than that of tigers and wolves.

And then there's that tiger on Black Wind Mountain. With just one roar, it terrifies a whole host of small animals miles away, making them weak in the knees and urinate and defecate.

Therefore, I still need to practice martial arts!

Liu Sheng exhaled a breath of stale air, returned to the house, spread his legs, squatted down, swung his arms, and struck the Black Tiger Stance.

This was the first time the mountain sparrow had practiced standing meditation after advancing to the next level. After a few breaths, he clearly felt the difference before and after...

easy!

Previously, my body felt like it was filled with lead, heavy and clumsy. After ten breaths, my legs would tremble and my breathing would become disordered.

Now, 50 breaths have passed, and he is still very relaxed.

There was even a faint, unusual "aura" emanating from the soles of my feet...

"Could it be... blood and qi?"

Liu Sheng's heart skipped a beat, and he had a vague guess.

After the mountain sparrow's incarnation advanced, its physique was greatly improved, which in a sense was equivalent to... improving the original body's innate constitution?

hiss!
This is awesome!
Half an hour later, Liu Sheng finally couldn't hold on any longer, let out a sigh of relief, his head was steaming, and he was covered in sweat.

"This morning, I could only hold my stance for about 50 breaths, which is about 5 minutes, but this time I stood for an hour..."

Huge improvement!

He looked slightly tired, patting his aching arms and legs with his hands, but his eyes were terrifyingly bright.

According to that martial arts master, those with superior aptitude can sense their Qi and blood after standing in a meditation posture for ten to fifteen days.

Even those with average aptitude can sense qi and blood after practicing standing meditation for a month or two.

Even those with inferior aptitude can master the basics within three months if they are fed enough rice and meat.

If I practice for another three to five days, I should be able to get the basics down. So, I guess I have excellent aptitude?
Liu Sheng licked his lips, feeling sticky and uncomfortable all over. He was about to go out to get some water to take a shower...

Suddenly, a commotion came from the end of the village, with faint cries and wails mixed with words like "tiger," "eats people," and "escape back."

On a sudden impulse, he took his throwing knife, called out to the old woman, and headed towards the end of the village.

Halfway there, a large group of people came crying and wailing, and from a distance, you could smell the stench of blood.

In the firelight, the tall and imposing Master Qin was being supported by his two sons, his face pale and still in shock.

He was the best hunter in the village, always daring, having hunted wild boars weighing five or six hundred pounds and even dared to fight a bear weighing a thousand pounds...

But now he was trembling all over and couldn’t even stand up, clearly he was too frightened!
Two blood-red figures, resembling gourds, were being carried by their families. Judging from their clothing, they were also hunters from the village.

Behind them was a group of elderly people, women, and children wailing and lamenting—the Erzhu family, the Dashun family, the Zhou Heizi family…

They are all hunters from the village who went into the mountains today!
A large group of villagers who had heard the commotion rushed over and started talking amongst themselves.

Liu Sheng paused for a moment and then heard the gist of it.

Qin Wuye and his hunting families went into the mountains today, hoping to catch a big catch and collect this year's summer tax, so they ventured more than a mile deeper than usual...

As a result, it attracted a huge tiger, over three zhang long from head to tail, which pounced and covered more than ten zhang in one go.

The tiger's roar seemed to freeze a person's soul; even experienced hunters were rendered immobile by its roar.

It was only thanks to a lucky charm that Fifth Master Qin managed to escape with Uncle Changgen and Erniu that he managed to get back.

As for Erzhu, Dashun, and Zhou Heizi, who were farther away, they have probably already perished in the tiger's mouth.

"It's become a spirit! That giant insect has become a spirit..."

At this moment, Qin Wuye, who was being supported by his two sons, suddenly roared, his head lolled to the side, and he fainted.

The wailing all around grew louder and louder, carrying far into the night.

The villagers who were watching also looked distressed.

These families were considered to be in relatively good condition in the village, but now that they have lost their breadwinner, their future will be difficult.

"what!"

Liu Sheng stood in the crowd, glanced at Qin Wuye, and a strange look flashed across his face.

He has a gift called "bird's eye," an abnormal vision that allows him to spot details that others miss, such as...

Although Qin Wuye was trembling all over and looked terrified, and eventually even fainted, his breathing remained steady and without fluctuation!

His chest heaved, as if he were hiding something in his arms.

Moreover, the wounds on his body were blurry, quite different from the lacerations on Uncle Changgen and Erniu's bodies...

Was it a tiger attack, or... a man-made disaster?
Liu Sheng couldn't explain it, nor did he intend to get involved.

As for Zhao Lei, I should remind him to be careful of Master Qin.

"Fifth Master Qin?"

Zhao Lei was stunned for a moment, then said with a look of lingering fear:

"He asked me to come into the mountains with him yesterday too, and luckily I agreed to go to town with you..."

Liu Sheng's expression was somewhat subtle. Finally, he offered a roundabout reminder before taking his leave.

Without evidence, it's best not to say things directly.

However, Stone Brother's family had been kind to him before, and now that he has the incarnation of the Blade-Tailed Bluebird, they must protect him.

(End of this chapter)