I picked up skill fragments in the demon world

Chapter 7 Mysterious Stone Tablet

Ten miles into the mountain forest,

Frost withers red leaves, a thousand forests thin, a few pines and cypresses stand out on the ridge.

Unopened plum blossoms scatter a faint fragrance, the warm days are short, it's early winter, chrysanthemums wither, lotus fades, camellias flourish.

The scenery before him is like a fairyland in a poem, but Zhang Chen has no mood to appreciate it. At this moment, Zhang Chen is carrying a Luoyang shovel on his shoulder and a large bamboo basket on his back, walking on a mountain path with Wang Wu.

"Speaking of which, your trap-making skills are getting more and more sophisticated. Your hunting skills have already surpassed mine," Wang Wu said, walking in front.

Zhang Chen has the knowledge of various wilderness survival skills from his previous life, as well as various advanced hunting mechanism techniques, which are naturally unmatched by the people of this world. Appreciating Wang Wu's kindness, he imparted the trap-setting techniques he learned in his previous life without reservation, not hiding anything from Wang Wu.

Hearing Wang Wu's words, Zhang Chen grinned: "Isn't it all thanks to Uncle's good guidance?"

"The little skill I've mastered is only enough to barely keep from starving. You've surpassed me, surpassing the master. I can't compare to your trap-making skills at all. I really don't know what's in that little head of yours. How can you come up with such ingenious traps?" Wang Wu's voice was full of emotion.

Zhang Chen looked at Wang Wu's back and replied with a smile: "Uncle Wang's skills are beyond my comparison. You're too modest."

"By the way, it seems that Master Li is going to increase the rent this year. You should prepare in advance and make sure you don't fall short on the rent," Wang Wu said quickly, as if he had remembered something.

Hearing this, Zhang Chen couldn't help but frown: "Increase the rent again? Last year, it had already increased to three taels of silver. If the rent keeps increasing like this, how can we survive? Although this mountain forest belongs to his family, the prey in the mountain forest doesn't belong to his family. The Li family is really too domineering!"

Zhang Chen's voice was full of dissatisfaction.

"The situation is stronger than people. What can we do except endure it?" Wang Wu's voice was full of grief and indignation.

The two separated in the mountains, each going to their own hunting grounds. Zhang Chen had a good harvest today, catching three pheasants and a roe deer. He simply set up a pot in the mountains, lit a fire, and stewed a pheasant. After eating his fill, he came to the mysterious tomb entrance again: "Perhaps I don't need to dig too big a hole, as long as I can squeeze in myself."

Zhang Chen looked at the tomb entrance he had dug and began to think about a more labor-saving way to dig the tomb entrance, but after thinking for a moment, he shook his head and rejected it: "If some fierce snakes and insects rush out of the tomb entrance, I won't even have time to react. Or if there are any fierce snakes and insects blocking the way outside, I'll only be eaten."

Although he doesn't have claustrophobia, he thought of this remote mountain forest, and what if some ferocious beast crawled out, and he couldn't turn around, then he would only be eaten.

Completely digging out a passage is troublesome, but it's safer.

"Safety is paramount." Zhang Chen pondered for a moment, carrying the basket and descending along the rope, continuing to dig along the dark tunnel he had dug yesterday.

Along with Zhang Chen's digging, a large amount of experience points were once again picked up by Zhang Chen.

[Experience + 7]

[Experience + 9]

[Experience + 5]

[Experience + 20]

[Experience + 7]

[Experience + 35]

[Experience + 50]

… …

Zhang Chen worked hard to dig, didn't go back at noon, but directly lit a fire on the spot and roasted the pheasant to eat. He needs to do physical labor now, digging soil consumes too much physical strength, and his appetite has also begun to increase.

While roasting the pheasant, Zhang Chen polished iron beads, thinking about making slingshot rubber bands.

"It's not easy to find suitable materials for making slingshot rubber bands in this world. It's best to use the large tendons of some ferocious beasts. After being soaked in special potions, they will definitely meet the needs of the slingshot. It's almost impossible to hunt tigers and bears. My small body isn't enough for those ferocious beasts to claw at."

After Zhang Chen finished eating the pheasant and rested briefly, he started digging soil again.

The hole that Zhang Chen dug was not wide, only one meter square, so that he could not only turn around easily, but also wield the dagger easily.

However, along with Zhang Chen's digging, Zhang Chen suddenly noticed a trace of strangeness, because there was actually a trace of frost in the cave in front. The frost was attached to the cave, and even turned the soil into frozen soil, making Zhang Chen's digging particularly difficult.

Zhang Chen stroked the frost, a hint of surprise appearing in his eyes: "It shouldn't be, it's the scorching summer now, how can there be frozen soil?"

Zhang Chen looked at the frozen soil covered with frost on the wall, the movement of the Luoyang shovel in his hand stopped, and a trace of caution appeared in his eyes, wondering whether he should continue digging.

Frozen soil in June is very unusual, full of strangeness, how can he not be cautious.

Just looking at the experience points flashing red light in the dark underground cave, Zhang Chen looked at his golden finger panel:

[Name: Zhang Chen]

[Skill (Second Order): Light of the True God (0/5000)]

[Points: 300]

How can the golden finger be upgraded without digging?

How can he get rid of the fox spirit without digging?

Now that a large amount of experience points is in front of him, he has no reason to give up.

"Continue digging!" Zhang Chen stroked the frozen soil for a while, and then continued to dig.

It's just that the frozen soil is hard, and the digging speed began to slow down, especially since it was very exhausting.

Moreover, the frozen soil is like ice, and bursts of cold, biting chill came, causing Zhang Chen's body to begin to stiffen, and his fingers began to become disobedient. Half an hour later, Zhang Chen had to climb out of the cave, basking in the warm sun in the sky, and the chill on his body gradually dissipated.

"Fortunately, it's hot weather outside, otherwise I'm afraid I can't withstand this chill. This is simply a big ice cave, it's going to freeze people to death!" Zhang Chen rubbed his stiff fingers, and the frost on his body also began to melt.

"I'm even more curious now, what treasures are there in this underground ancient tomb, and I haven't seen any strange things rushing out to trouble me after digging for so long, maybe there are more strange things underground similar to the golden book." Zhang Chen thought to himself.

After warming up on the ground for a cup of tea, Zhang Chen turned his head and continued digging underground, but this time Zhang Chen didn't dig for long when suddenly the Luoyang shovel 'clang' sounded, and the sound of iron and stone colliding came, causing Zhang Chen to be stunned: "Steel? Is steel buried underground?"

Zhang Chen stopped digging with the Luoyang shovel and used his hand to brush away the dust in front, and sure enough, a corner of steel was revealed.

"How strange, why is there steel here? Could it be a burial object?"

Zhang Chen was curious and quickly took out the small shovel tucked in his waist and began to dig around the steel, but along with Zhang Chen's shovel constantly digging down, the full picture of the mysterious steel also appeared in front of Zhang Chen.

"This is...?" Zhang Chen looked at the one-meter-tall iron lump in front of him, a hint of surprise in his eyes: "Looks a bit like a tombstone?"

The iron block was one meter tall and about ten centimeters thick, with a base at the bottom. The front was engraved with mysterious patterns that Zhang Chen couldn't understand. It seemed to depict someone riding a divine dragon flying in the sky, the figure and the dragon surrounded by layers of white clouds, looking very mysterious. On the back of the iron stele were countless mysterious runes, like small tadpoles, engraved on the iron.

"Using iron to make a tombstone?" Zhang Chen cautiously examined the shape of the iron stele, a hint of surprise in his eyes: "I wonder when this iron stele was buried underground. It shows no signs of decay. This place is permafrost, perhaps the power of ice prevented the iron stele from rotting."

However, the iron stele was covered in mud, and Zhang Chen couldn't see the patterns clearly. By this time, the sky was gradually darkening, and the Yang energy between heaven and earth was gradually decreasing. Zhang Chen didn't dare to stay any longer and had to retreat, planning to come back and investigate thoroughly tomorrow.

Climbing out of the cave, the sun in the sky was still three zhang high. Zhang Chen didn't dare to delay. After checking the traps in the mountains, he harvested another rabbit and two pheasants before hurrying down the mountain.

Zhang Chen went straight to Wang Wu's house down the mountain. He was afraid that his prey wouldn't last if he went home, and the fox spirit would take it all. Even if the fox spirit couldn't finish eating the prey, she could use it to exchange for money. Otherwise, where do you think that damned poor scholar next door gets the money for his studies?

By the time Zhang Chen returned from the mountain, the sun had completely set, with only the afterglow of the setting sun faintly visible.

Just then, a donkey cart passed by in the distance. The cart was piled with稻草 (dào cǎo - straw), and two people dressed as old farmers were driving the cart, one in front and one behind.

"Strange, a donkey cart actually came to the village." Zhang Chen looked at the somewhat skinny donkey, a hint of surprise in his eyes. In this era, not every ordinary family could afford a donkey cart.

You think a donkey cart is ordinary? In fact, even landlords use donkey carts when they go out. Horse carriages are for the nobility.

"This season is the time to harvest straw, but I haven't heard of anyone in the village selling straw." While Zhang Chen was secretly surprised, the donkey cart suddenly stopped, and the old farmer leading the donkey cart's eyes fell on the roe deer in Zhang Chen's hand: "Young man, are you selling this roe deer?"

"Selling! Of course, I'm selling!" Zhang Chen said quickly when he saw business coming.

"How much are you selling this roe deer for?" The old farmer's eyes fell on the plump roe deer in Zhang Chen's hand.

"If you give me six hundred copper coins, I'll sell it to you," Zhang Chen replied.

The old farmer was straightforward, paying the money directly, putting the roe deer on the cart, and then driving the donkey cart away, swaying.

Watching the donkey cart leave, Zhang Chen was surprised: "That old farmer looks poor, but I didn't expect him to be quite rich. He bought the roe deer for six hundred copper coins without hesitation."

Since the roe deer was given to the old farmer, there was no need to go to Wang Wu's house. Zhang Chen went straight home. Sure enough, he saw the fox spirit squatting in front of the gate in the sunset, bored and listless.

Seeing Zhang Chen, the fox spirit immediately perked up. At this time, she suddenly got up and looked forward to the prey hanging on Zhang Chen's shoulder, especially after seeing the plump pheasant. The whole fox's eyes began to shine.

Zhang Chen looked at the fox spirit lying at the gate, his teeth itching with anger. He walked into the house on his own and hung the pheasant on the wall. As expected, it didn't take long for Zhang Chen to wait. The fox spirit's soul left her body and directly took the pheasant away.

"She doesn't even bother to pretend anymore." Zhang Chen looked at the pheasant disappearing from the wall, his liver aching with anger: "Just wait, sooner or later, I will catch you. When that time comes, I'll make you go up the mountain to catch prey for me every day."

Zhang Chen washed up and went to sleep. Nothing happened overnight. The next day, Zhang Chen prepared a brush in advance and walked towards the mountain with his equipment.

After checking the traps, Zhang Chen was pleasantly surprised to find that what he had caught this time was actually a swan. This unlucky swan fell from the sky to rest and directly fell into his trap.

Today's prey: one swan, two rabbits, and one little squirrel.

Zhang Chen directly roasted the swan and ate it. Then, he came to the cave again and cleaned the iron stele with a brush.

After cleaning the dust off the entire iron stele, Zhang Chen looked at the patterns and symbols on both sides of the iron stele and fell into deep thought: "This should be writing. I wonder what's recorded on it. If I understand the meaning of the words above, will I get new skills!"

Zhang Chen looked at the mysterious tadpoles on the stone tablet, a gleam of light in his eyes. He seemed to see hope for obtaining new skills.

"Unfortunately, I don't know how to read." Zhang Chen looked at the words on the stone tablet with some difficulty: "It seems I still have to go to school to learn to read."

Literacy is a matter of time. You can't survive in this world if you can't read. After awakening his past life's wisdom, Zhang Chen has been struggling for food and clothing. Where would he have the time or opportunity to learn to read?

"I can first make a rubbing of the words on the stone tablet." Zhang Chen looked at the stone tablet for a while. After not being able to see any origin, he stopped caring and continued digging.

[Experience + 19]

[Experience + 8]

[Experience + 17]

[Experience + 50]

[Experience + 7]

[Experience + 5]

[Experience + 49]

… …

Time flies, another day has passed. Zhang Chen looked at the Golden Finger panel:

[Name: Zhang Chen]

[Skill (Second Tier): Light of the True God (0/5000)]

[Points: 800]

"This is only the second day. It seems that accumulating five thousand experience points is not very difficult. I might be able to slow down the digging speed for now and first find a way to make a rubbing of the words on the stone tablet. Try to decipher the words on the stone tablet and see if I can get new skills." Zhang Chen climbed out of the pit, facing the setting sun on the horizon. After shaking off the mud on his body, he began to check the traps on the mountain.

Today's harvest is still good. Zhang Chen actually caught a small wild boar. The small wild boar was not big, probably a piglet that had just been born, perfect for making roasted suckling pig.

"This little suckling pig is just right to give to Cui the blacksmith. Piglets are valuable goods. When they grow up, they can be slaughtered for hundreds of pounds of meat, enough to抵得上 (dǐ dé shàng - offset) the debts of the past." Zhang Chen carried the little suckling pig and walked towards Cui the blacksmith's house.

"Small wild boars are valuable goods, especially this small wild boar seems to be a sow. If managed well, it can also raise piglets, and maybe we can eat wild boar every year in the future. It's a pity that my family doesn't have surplus grain and can't afford to raise it at all. I can only give it to that old guy Cui the blacksmith cheaply."

Zhang Chen tied up the little wild boar and quickly disappeared into the mountains.

ps: Asking for recommendation tickets, old irons. Ga ga ga, asking for recommendation tickets.