Chapter 7: Issuing Firearms (3)

  Spring goes and autumn comes, flowers bloom and fall. In the blink of an eye, three years have passed...

  "Hiss... Whoosh!"

  In the dense forest, a shrill cry rang out. A deer that had come out to forage was nailed firmly to the trunk of a tree, its four hooves twitching slightly before falling silent.

  "Junior brother, if Master finds out you're using this trick to hunt again, I'm afraid you'll get another good scolding when you return. You never want to practice archery skills properly, always taking shortcuts like this. When Master checks your work, how will you explain yourself..."

  "Hmph! Using a bow and arrow is killing, using a gun is also killing, what's the difference? What's wrong with this move? If you learn it, can't you use it? The more familiar you are, the more clever you'll become. Instead, let me ask you two, who dares to compete with me in this move now? Besides, I don't practice archery, but I do practice flying knives! Even if Master saw my flying knife skills and didn't say anything, I know he's secretly impressed with me, what do I need to explain for?"

  Deep in the forest, three young men walked out from among the branches and leaves. The first one was about fifteen or sixteen years old, with a straight nose and mouth, and a hint of a lazy smile at the corner of his lips. His skin had a slightly ancient copper color, and although he looked handsome, there was also an air of elegance about him that made people feel drawn to him at first sight.

  At this moment, with a slight smile and an air of complacency, he said to the two slightly older boys behind him, leaving them speechless and rolling their eyes.

  These three people were none other than Liu Zhang and Zhang Ren Zhang Xiang, who had followed Tong Yuan to learn the art.

  Three years have passed, and due to his martial arts training, Liu Zhang's appearance seems older than his actual age, looking more like a fifteen or sixteen year old. Moreover, this body originally had the soul of an adult from a later generation who had crossed over, and every word and action had an inexplicable charm that made it impossible for people to believe that this young man was only thirteen years old.

  Zhang Ren and Zhang Xiu were both eighteen years old at this time, but in their daily lives, they always took Liu Bei as the leader, without any feeling of being older than him, and were completely dominated by him.

  For three years, Liu Zhang had been counting the days with his fingers, knowing that the great chaos was getting closer and closer, and the time left for himself was decreasing by one day every day.

  It was a matter of course, whether it was martial arts training during the day or studying at night, he became more and more diligent. Adding to this, Tong Yuan's deliberate guidance, at this time, his martial arts skills had already reached perfection, and with one wave of his yellow bamboo spear, Zhang Ren and Zhang Xiang could only barely manage a draw against him.

  As for Liu Zhang's growth, Tong Yuan was quite satisfied. Although this guy seemed to be unable to play the bow and arrow well, perhaps it was because of his fondness for small knives when he was cutting bamboo spears in those years that he actually practiced a set of flying knife skills that hit the target every time, which made up for his shortcomings.

  What's driving Tong Yuan crazy is that the martial skills he taught this kid, especially the move Long Hong Guan Ri which he repeatedly warned not to use lightly, are being used by this kid all the time for hunting.

  Ever since Liu Zhang mastered that move, countless birds and beasts near Wuyun Peak have lost their lives to it. Each time Tong Yuan found out, he was furious and would scold him severely.

  But Liu Zhang always bravely admitted his mistakes, but firmly refused to change. He responded with a flattering face, and as soon as he turned around, he still had one long rainbow piercing the sun on the left and another on the right...

  So, birds flew away in a flurry, small beasts wailed, and the little man's home was still as it should be. In the bamboo house on Wuyun Peak, it wasn't long before Tong Yuan's angry shouts would erupt, and it gradually became a common occurrence.

  The four masters and apprentices spent three years in this noisy atmosphere. Zhang Ren and Zhang Xiang had also studied for five years, and it was time for them to leave their master and return to their hometown.

  Several people were reluctant to part with each other, but they also knew that there was no banquet in the world that would not disperse. Coincidentally, on the fifth day of next month, it was Tong Yuan's 60th birthday. Liu Zhang proposed a grand celebration for his teacher, which would also serve as a farewell ceremony for Zhang Ren and Zhang Xiang.

  Everyone nodded, and thus the three of them set out together. Firstly, they would hunt some wild game along the way, and secondly, they were going to head down the mountain to meet up with those guards and attendants who had followed Liu Zhang that day. After all, since they wanted to celebrate their master's birthday, there were some things that couldn't be just roughly prepared from the mountains, but needed to be purchased from outside.

  Tong Yuan understood the intention of his disciples and no longer interfered. For three years, due to a single strict order on that day, Liu Zhang's servants had been strictly following it, never setting foot on Wuyun Peak again.

  Conveniently, Liu Yan had some letters and other things sent over, but they were all handed over by the servant San Bao from afar, and taken back by Liu Zhang.

  For three years, the situation in the Han Dynasty has become increasingly chaotic. Disasters have occurred one after another in all places, and there have been continuous small-scale uprisings in the thirteen states and counties, including the Central Plains where the imperial court is located. All kinds of strange flags have filled the vast mountains and fields of the Central Plains, with bandits as numerous as hairs on an ox.

  For these messages, Liu Zhang didn't care. The Great Han was already at a dead end, and this kind of historical inertia couldn't be changed by anyone. What he had to do was just prepare as soon as possible, and when the great chaos arrived, take a big bite out of this cake.

  In his correspondence with his father Liu Yan, Liu Zhang deliberately inquired about the situation of the Taiping Sect. However, according to Liu Yan's reply, although the Taiping Sect had more and more followers, there was no unusual movement.

  Liu Yan didn't take his son's question to heart and just casually replied a few words. But Liu Zhang knew that Zhang Jiao, the big swindler, was just accumulating strength for now. Once he made his move, it would be like a thunderbolt. The great play of the Han Dynasty's collapse would be opened by that guy.

  There should be about five more years? Liu Zhang secretly calculated the time of the outbreak of the Yellow Turban Rebellion in history. With two more years to come out, the remaining time should be enough.

  Gently shaking his head, he threw away the messy thoughts. All the way down the mountain with Zhang Ren and Zhang Xiang, laughing and joking along the way. Along the road, Long Hong occasionally took out a small trick to add some minor annoyance to Zhang Ren and Zhang Xiang, who were carrying bows and arrows but had no room to play.

  They arrived at the place where San Bao and others were stationed, and after a busy order, when all the necessary things were ready, it was already late in the day. The three of them carried their loads on their shoulders and no longer walked through the forest, but followed the mountain road back to Wuyun Peak.

  Just as they were approaching the foot of the peak, Liu Zhang let out a soft "hmm" and gazed intently at something in front of him, his face filled with surprise.