Practicing is easy when one has infinite skill points.

Early the next morning, Zhong Lin and Little Shi ate their fill, loaded their belongings onto a wheelbarrow, strapped hunting knives to their waists, slung bows and arrows over their backs, and strode out of Xiahe Village under the rising sun.

They didn't have much luggage—just an iron pot, a few tattered clothes, and some smoked meat. That was pretty much all they owned.

Having transmigrated here, Zhong Lin had no real attachment to Xiahe Village beyond the memories left by his predecessor.

Little Shi, being just a child, was enveloped in the excitement of venturing far from home. He had no idea they might never return.

At the village entrance, under the big locust tree, Uncle Yutou watched the brothers' departing figures and let out a sigh.

…

The weather was clear—blue skies, white clouds, and rays of sunlight stretching across the horizon.

Little Shi scampered along with his short legs, darting to the roadside to pick a flower one moment, then diving into the grass to catch bugs the next, bubbling with excitement.

Zhong Lin pushed the wheelbarrow while pondering the future, heading south.

"Heishan County Town lies directly south of Xiahe Village—forty kilometers away, across four mountain ridges. Of course, that's just the straight-line distance. Measured by foot, it's probably a hundred and fifty or so kilometers. Truly a remote, impoverished place!" Zhong Lin mused with a sigh.

This world wasn't like his previous one. Here, travel relied entirely on walking, and communication depended on shouting. A distance of a hundred and fifty kilometers could take days to cover.

One big figure and one small, with a single wheelbarrow, they gradually moved farther away. Xiahe Village slowly faded from sight on the horizon.

They followed the riverbank without stopping. When Little Shi got tired, Zhong Lin let him sit on the wheelbarrow, pushing it along. By noon, they'd covered a full twenty kilometers.

At midday, they stopped to build a fire and cook. They drew water from the river, chopped dry wood, gathered some wild vegetables, and added a bit of smoked meat. The flavor wasn't great, but it was enough to fill their stomachs.

After resting for an hour, they set off again.

Two hours into the afternoon, a small hill appeared ahead—not too high, about two hundred meters.

"Shi, don't sleep. Keep an eye on our surroundings. Tell me right away if anything seems off," Zhong Lin instructed.

Mountains were full of wild beasts. Though this hill wasn't tall, who knew what dangers might lurk? Better to stay cautious.

Little Shi nodded solemnly, like a little adult. He sat up straight, his eyes scanning the area like radar.

Zhong Lin placed his bow on the wheelbarrow within easy reach, staying vigilant.

Up the hill, down the hill.

All was peaceful.

Zhong Lin breathed a sigh of relief. No trouble was the best outcome.

At the foot of the hill, they came to a fork in the road, shaped like a "Y"—one path veering left, the other right.

"Second Brother, which way do we go?"

Little Shi nibbled his fingernail, turning to Zhong Lin.

"This way."

Zhong Lin adjusted the wheelbarrow and headed straight for the right fork.

His predecessor had never been to Heishan County, but he'd heard the route from his father and brother. They wouldn't get lost.

Without stopping, they pressed on along the mountain path as the sun began to sink in the west.

They hadn't found a spot to camp, but it wasn't a concern. This road was traveled often enough that it wasn't like other places teeming with nocturnal predators. As long as they stayed alert, the night should pass without major issues.

Of course, camping out at night was a last resort. Beyond the threat of nighttime predators, a sudden wind, rain, dew, or frost could be miserable. In this era, there were no miracle drugs—a simple cold could be deadly.

Fortunately, tonight was clear with a bright moon and sparse stars—no risk of extreme weather.

They gathered a pile of dry wood, lit a campfire, and the brothers rested side by side.

Little Shi fell asleep quickly, but Zhong Lin didn't dare. This was the wilderness—he wouldn't risk both of them sleeping, not even with twice the courage.

He had no intention of sleeping tonight, planning to catch a nap at dawn instead.

He draped an old garment over Little Shi, then stood and gathered a pile of small stones by his feet. He began tossing them at a eucalyptus tree about ten meters away.

At first, he missed every shot due to poor angle and strength. But with constant adjustments, he soon hit the target three or four times out of ten.

While tossing stones, Zhong Lin occasionally glanced at his system panel.

The skills section still listed only "Archery" in solitude. Unable to learn new skills directly, he had to experiment with other methods to see if he could unlock something new.

Like the "Stone-throwing" he was practicing now.

"In Outlaws of the Marsh1 there was a hero nicknamed 'Featherless Arrow2' who used stones as weapons. His flying stone technique left many Liangshan heroes helpless. With my system panel, as long as I can get started and form a skill, I can use skill points to max it out. I wonder if this will work."

Whether it worked or not, with no other way to learn skills, he'd resort to this clumsy method.

*Whoosh!*

*Whoosh, whoosh!*

*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!*

Zhong Lin kept throwing stones. When he ran out, he picked up more and continued. When his right hand tired, he switched to his left.

By morning, his eyes were bloodshot, dark circles turning him into a panda, but a grin spread across his face.

"System."

**Host: Zhong Lin**

**Skills: Archery (Max Level), Flying Locust Stone (Beginner)**

**Skill Points: ∞**

A night of effort had indeed formed a new skill.

"Flying Stone would've been fine, but Flying Locust stone? Is it to make it sound cooler?" Zhong Lin grumbled inwardly.

Grumbling aside, he knew the name came from how the stones flew through the air like locusts—hence, "Flying Locust Stone."

As a concealed weapon, Flying Locust Stone was among the most convenient and cost-effective. stones were everywhere—no need to buy them or spend time crafting them. An endless supply, inexhaustible, picked up and thrown at will—utterly practical.

With a thought, the "∞" symbol in the skill points section flickered. In an instant, "Beginner" behind Flying Locust Stone changed to "Max Level."

Before Zhong Lin could react, a flood of illusory memories poured into his mind. In them, he spent every day picking up different stones and throwing them.

First, he aimed at a tree trunk three meters away, then four, five… ten meters…

After mastering dozens of meters with ease, the memory shifted to smaller targets.

Decades passed in the memory, until he could casually pick up a stone and, from dozens of meters away, knock a flying bird out of the sky with a single Flying Locust Stone.

Zhong Lin slowly opened his eyes, awe written across his face. "No wonder it's the system. I feel like I've practiced Flying Locust Stone for decades—point and hit, effortless."