by Lazy Bird
“I just don’t know whether these three orbs can be upgraded or not, otherwise I’d be running short of this blue one.”
With this thought, Li Siwen swiftly fell into a deep sleep.
All was well through the night until daybreak. His hunger had awakened him.
“I cannot go on like this, the matter of hunting wild boars has to be put on the agenda. Moreover, I have to get some staple food back here, otherwise, how will I get through winter?”
It burdened Li Siwen with worries, so he opened his Attribute Bar and as usual, first added five Vitality Points to Health, then three Vitality Points to Stamina and kept two Vitality Points in reserve. Then he took his axe and began his daily logging. Right now, he was already deeply aware that whether it was Vitality Points or Spirit Points, both weren’t enough for use, and even if they were, it could not resolve all troublesome problems, for example, going hungry.
After logging for an hour and filling the Vitality Points in the green orb fully, he went to speed up the maturation of two stalks of anti-inflammatory herb, two stalks of hemostatic herb, one stalk of iron wolf venom herb and he was done with his logging task. He would not touch the remaining nine Vitality Points and the Vitality Points that he would earn in the afternoon. They were to be kept till tomorrow morning before he distributed them. This was just in case, so he could have enough Vitality Points to preserve his life.
However, when he was logging today, Li Siwen had strolled around everywhere, yet he did not even find the shadow of a breakfast snake. This made him very depressed, because a breakfast snake could not only provide him the lowest security of survival, it could also provide large amounts of Spirit Points for him. To be honest, it’d been literally too easy gaining the Spirit Points these few days.
Next, Li Siwen placed these seven stalks of ripened herbs into the tree house to be air and sun dried, then he specially made a trip to the river to refill water. On this round trip, he actually still did not find even one breakfast.
“No way, I only grilled a few of them, and they’d gone extinct?”
Although he was confused, Li Siwen did not give much thought to it. His current stamina was still very ample. Even if he was hungry, he could still hang in there for two days. He was about to carry out his wild boar hunting strategy.
For the entire morning, he had been systematically chopping tree branches, chopping off the tree trunks, digging pits around the tree house using the hoe, placing the round logs vertically, tying them with vines, bustling about, not idle at all.
When it came to noon, north, south, east, west, another layer had reinforced all four sides of the tree house. Its defense capability saw a substantial growth.
Subsequently, he still planned on getting his hands on more vines, and along the outside of the tree house, he’d tie them all up. This way, it could continue to reinforce the strength of the house and also block the sizable holes, small gaps and whatnot.
Finally, there would be another stone wall outside and the inside will be stuffed with mud. While making defense stronger, it would also be even warmer, that’s right, making preparations for winter, it would never be too early.
Besides, the inside of this tree house was a good 70 to 80 square meters. It could be a bedroom and also a warehouse. Haha, feels great.
chapter 44
During the noon break, Li Siwen squatted in the treehouse, spacing out as he stared at the stove. He was considering whether to build a flue. Mm, in other words, a chimney.
After all, his treehouse currently did not have a capped top, smoke was free to surge upwards, but in winter, an unsealed treehouse would be an ice throne.
He had never made a chimney before, but he’d seen the big chimneys in the red brickyard, so he still understood the principles.
“Or build a heated brick bed? Light up the skill tree [1. Game reference] of a bricklayer/carpenter too? Mm, speaking about carpenters, should I cut some wooden spears, those wild boars are at least two to three catties, with just this stainless steel axe of mine, it really isn’t enough to hack them. I need to rely on traps for support.”
Doing it once it came to mind, vigorously and effectively, Li Siwen swiftly leaped out of the treehouse. Heh, it was mainly because he was too hungry.
He selected a few perfectly straight wood poles from the branches he’d chopped down. Only, once he pared them with the long knife, Li Siwen knew that it was bad.
These big trees that had their Vitality Points absorbed by him were though still very tough but ultimately lacking. For example, the few wooden poles that he’d selected earlier. Don’t mention the wild boars with rough skin and thick flesh, even himself, when he used strength in a single hand, some clear fingerprints were left behind on the wood.
This was solely the quality of the Chinese White Poplar [2. Tree species].
“If only I could go to the east side of the stream to fell some trees, the trees there are like steel. Hold on, there’s not right either. If they’ve had their Vitality Points extracted, they would no longer have the hardness. So the problem still lies with the Vitality Points.”
This was the first time Li Siwen felt a little vexed, extracting Vitality Points actually still had these drawbacks!
Standing under the blistering sun, his brows were tightly knitted, yet he had no way out either.
Opening his Attribute Bar, he found that the cooldown for his Level 3 logging skill had ended. He randomly found a big tree and just as he prepared to throw this skill out, when he was suddenly struck with a wild idea. What if he could choose not to extract Vitality Points?
The description of this was to ‘put it to good use’ right? What if this logging technique could allow Vitality Points to not be extracted?
This thought thoroughly sliced through Li Siwen’s entire body like a flash of lightning. All at once, he gathered his attention, reciting to himself, don’t extract, don’t extract, whoosh, the skill was thrown out!
Li Siwen immediately grabbed his axe and chopped, putting this tree down like a gust of wind. Then, he checked his Attribute Bar, oh yeah! The Vitality Points inside the small green orb remained as nine points, he’d succeeded.
For a moment, Li Siwen almost snorted out loud.
Sure enough, in life, it’s about feeling proud.
Haha, not proud, not proud.
A minute later, Li Siwen composed himself and decisively returned to the treehouse for his afternoon nap. Remember, at any time, recovering stamina is the first priority!
He had a nice and cozy sleep, replenished enough water, caught, grilled, and ate several hundred grasshoppers, then came to the tree that had not been extracted of Vitality Points. He was far more than ready for action.
31 points of full Stamina, this condition, wow.
After carefully examining this big tree that was as wide as a person’s embrace, Li Siwen first used the axe to chop off all the branches.
Speaking of which, once he did so, he was instantly shocked, because the hardness had been doubled, at least.
This was miraculous. Before these big trees had been chopped off and extracted of Vitality Points, their hardness was only so-so, compared to those strange trees east of the stream, they were much worse.
Equivalent to the old elm trees on earth.
But now, this hardness was definitely comparable to the worst strange trees on the east bank of the upper stream. Using them to kill wild boars was no problem at all. But here came the problem, was he going to pare one wooden spear or one wooden spear?
The ancient times had Li Bai’s grinding an iron bar into a needle. Could it be that there was going to be Li Siwen’s giant tree pared into a spear emerging today?
Weehoo~ so neatly done!
After pondering for a long while, Li Siwen just could not set to work, mainly because the wild boars across the flooding valley were too unusual. Thin wooden spears made of branches weren’t enough at all.
“They’ve got to be at least three meters long and as thic
k as a person’s arm. But how would I make them into a trap? Forget about digging pits, those wild boars wouldn’t even cross the flooding valley. And if I were to cross the flooding valley, I would be discovered quickly. The boars’ noses are real sensitive, so——”
Finally, Li Siwen still brought out a proposal. He planned to divide the trunk of this 20 meters tall, big tree into five parts, after removing the crown, each part would be about three meters. He first chopped it up with an axe before thinking further.
This was certainly a tough decision, and it was also a tough job. Now that the tree was harder, chopping it took quite some effort. Li Siwen used one entire hour to have it in pieces, he’d even spent 12 points of Stamina.
Too crazy.
And to make up for the excessive consumption of stamina and in the situation where he could not get any breakfast snakes, he could only go around catching grasshoppers, emptying bird nests, digging in rat holes, trying to scrape a living to restore his stamina.
However, at this time, he finally realized that something wasn’t quite right. This was because he’d expanded his search area to a diameter of one kilometer, yet he still didn’t see a single breakfast snake. Could this be normal!
In addition, considering that the herd of wild boars always gave chase till the flooded valley and would go no further, this instantly had Li Siwen even more alert.
Recalling the vague sense of being spied on from last night, he felt tremendously stressed more than ever.
But would he retreat and escape just like that, with his tail between his legs and find another area to settle down?
He directly shot down this thought at heart. This was his territory, even if the boorish Feudal Lord came——alright, at the worst, he would escape one more time.
No matter what, it’ll first depend on the circumstances. If he was no fighting match for him, of course, he’d know to run.
Leaving nothing untried, catching grasshoppers, digging in rat holes, and bird nests, he finally made himself 20% full. Li Siwen then squatted in front of the treehouse and looked at the five sections of round logs that couldn’t be considered neat. Then, he quietly went forward with his axe and swung down again and again. Who cares whether it’s a snake spirit or a madman. He was bent on eating the wild boar meat opposite!
Only when it was getting late, did he finally finish a ‘wooden spear’, if he could call this a wooden spear.
This thingamajig was three meters long, thick on one end and thin on another. The thick end was as big as a washbasin while the thin end was the thickness of a person’s arm. This was clearly a big wooden club.
Just this had spent 12 points of his stamina.
Li Siwen dragged this huge wooden club that weighed a good three hundred catties into the treehouse. He planned on working overnight. At the least, it had to have some sharpness.
Moreover, this was too heavy, it seemed like it was because of the Vitality Points not being extracted. It was more than twice as heavy as the usual wood.
Fortunately, carrying it with his 18 points of Strength didn’t take too much effort. If he were to reduce a hundred catties from it, there was no reason he couldn’t carry this gigantic wooden spear and begin a charge towards honor between knights with the wild boars!
chapter 45
In the night, the forest that was usually lively in the past became much quieter at once. It still appeared like a gentle breeze was blowing, giving a satisfying coolness with little change.
But Li Siwen knew that all the insects and small beasts in this area had become dormant. An indescribable pressure shrouded it, as if a storm was approaching.
He was feeling uneasy at heart too, but despite so, he forced himself to rest for a while. Even if he could not fall asleep, he had to nap, until his Stamina returned to the full bar.
Then, he opened the Attribute Bar and did his routine check.
Name: Li Siwen
Health: 40
Stamina: 31
Strength: 18
Agility: 9
Defense: 3
Spirit: Gray (Development 40%)
Talent: Level 4 Spirit Vision
Skill: Farming Level 3, Logging Level 3
Green Orb: 9/15 (Vitality Point)
Yellow Orb: 4/15 (Spirit Point)
Blue Orb: 3/15 (Heavenly Workmanship Point)
—
“A storm is coming.”
Li Siwen muttered to himself, then extracted all nine Vitality Points in the small green orb and added them to Stamina.
As for why?
Of course it’s so he could escape immediately if he found that things weren’t right. And without enough stamina, how far would he be able to run?
As for what sensational, burning his boats, fighting to the death, please, he was merely a rookie, an adorable little farmer. Even if he escaped without fighting, that could certainly be forgiven too, right?
After he was done preparing himself mentally, Li Siwen instantly felt relaxed throughout. To be honest, he was still rather torn previously, after all, this was a territory that he’d toiled over several days to build. To give it up just like that was too—— too embarrassing.
Then and there, he rested that huge wooden club with the small end above and the big end below on the southern side of the tree house and found a rock to lodge it in place. He then held the axe by the dim light of the stars and unhurriedly pared it again and again.
Presently, his felling means had long surpassed that of the past. As his axe landed, it could be as solid as Mount Tai, fierce as thunder but also gentle and light, with an imperceptible effect. If he said he was aiming for a one meter depth, it definitely wouldn’t be three meters deep.
Together with Li Siwen’s body’s spatial judgement, he had an illusion that he was being enlightened. Yes, it was an illusion.
At some point, the night wind became much colder. He seemed to be able to hear water; it was very amazing.
And before Li Siwen could react, snowflakes floated down from above his head. The temperatures of the whole tree house suddenly dropped. A layer of frost completely covered it, even the axe he was holding had a layer of frost and snow.
A gust of stiff wind infiltrated through the gap. Wherever it reached, there was a crunchy sound of ice freezing up.
Within mere seconds, the temperature fell from more than twenty degrees to negative twenty degrees.
This dumbfounded Li Siwen. A long while later, he then shivered involuntarily. Yeah, it shivered. Why could it be so nice and cool?
I’m so excited!
Until an enormous black snake head appeared above the tree house, a mouthful of cold fog sprayed down, the temperatures in the tree house dropped by another twenty odd degrees, just like a snow world.
Li Siwen jumped three foot high, oh dear, scared me to death.
As for this temperature of negative 40 degrees, mm, it seems a little cold now, but damn it, is my stamina of 40 points a joke? I can at least hold out for another few hours.
Letting out a roar, he turned and fled. He was obviously no match, let’s run.
Only, before he’d jumped out of the tree house, the black snake whose head was at least as big as a pail angrily knocked over the round logs above the tree house. Even the tree house became shaky and unsteady.
For a moment, Li Siwen didn’t even have the chance even if he wanted to escape. In his panic, he held a round log and threw it at the big snake’s head. In the end, the enormous snake opened its vast mouth and bit down on it. The round log did not break, but a path of frost swiftly spread over along the round log, frightening him that he hurriedly let go.
Without question, the cold fog and frost breathed out by this big snake was of the same property as the boorish Feudal Lord’s flames.
Presently, that big snake was probably using its body to cling onto the tree house. He only heard a creaking that made one alarmed. Li Siwen was virtually frightened out of his wits. If the tree house were to collapse, he would really be
doomed.
But a few seconds later, Li Siwen who thought he was bound to die started laughing.
To tell the truth, his tree house wasn’t sturdy, but the four trees used as support were truly hardy.
The big snake was no doubt formidable, but wanting to crush the tree house by wrapping itself around it was impossible!
At this thought, as if he was grasping his life-saving straw, Li Siwen grabbed a huge wooden spear that had yet to be felled into shape while the big snake was battling with the four big trees and when the big snake stuck its head into the tree house once more, at the moment it opened its mouth, he pierced forward directly!
This time, the big snake similarly spat out a block of frost and bit the wooden spear at the same time, but Li Siwen snarled, and ignoring the shrouded frost, a wooden spear penetrated through.
Only at this time, Li Siwen then abruptly remembered. Oh heck, I forgot to sharpen an end. The touch must be uncomfortable.
The scene was very awkward for a time!
A few seconds later, Li Siwen crawled out, trembling like a snowman. He was only made muddleheaded from the cold, but 40 points of high stamina ensured that he wasn’t frozen stiff.
“Uh, what happened? Who am I? Where am I?”
A series of questions that struck one’s soul, Li Siwen finally realized one thing.
The big snake was dead. It had to die. The wooden club that was as thick as a person’s arm directly penetrated its forehead. Such an appearance——hold on, Li Siwen suddenly recalled a matter at this time. He quickly opened the Attribute Bar, in the end his heart went cold.
The green orb, yellow orb, blue orb were unmoved. In other words, the death of this big snake, he could not get any benefits, even Spirit Points too.
That’s not right either, because he could still grill it!
Li Siwen excitedly struck with his axe, and in the next second, he was startled, because it seemed like he had struck a pile of cotton. The big snake body that seemed tough dissipated and melted into water.
He watched this scene with his mouth agape. It would be fake if he claimed that his heart wasn’t aching. This snake that was as thick as a pail was at least fifty to sixty meters long. How much meat was there?