Chapter 120: Reincarnation of the God of Archery

Upon hearing Bai Feiyu suggest they head back, Liu Xuan felt as if he had suddenly grasped the truth. In his mind, Bai Feiyu was clearly feeling guilty, his previous success nothing more than a stroke of luck—a mere coincidence. Seizing on this perceived weakness, Liu Xuan immediately set out to manipulate the situation: "Why leave now? The Fourth Princess is finally having a wonderful time; why spoil the mood?"

Liu Xuan was already impatient to see Bai Feiyu make a fool of himself. After all, the higher the expectations, the greater the disappointment. Once the Fourth Princess realized that Bai Feiyu couldn't hit a single target—or perhaps missed entirely—her admiration would surely turn to utter disgust. *You fraud, just wait until I expose you!* Liu Xuan thought to himself.

Bai Feiyu, hearing this, broke into a cold sweat. He looked at Liu Xuan as if gazing at someone mentally deficient. He understood Liu Xuan’s petty schemes perfectly well, yet he chose not to call him out. Bai Feiyu felt trapped in a dilemma; this damned Liu Xuan had imagined so much, and now that the system had activated "Archery God Mode," he feared it would be impossible to keep a low profile.

"Yes, Bai Feiyu, why are you in such a hurry? Let’s continue deeper into the mountains. It’s so much fun here," the Fourth Princess said, her interest piqued, showing no desire to return.

Seeing this, Bai Feiyu had no choice but to bite the bullet and follow. Along the way, he tried desperately to minimize his presence, hoping to avoid further attention from the Princess. Although she knew he had a partner, she was the type who didn't view their friendship as anything untoward. However, that did not mean Qian Shuang would be so forgiving. Given how capably Qian Shuang managed his "White Alliance," she was clearly a woman of great ability and ambition. He couldn't help but wonder if she would overthink the situation if she knew he was out with the Fourth Princess.

"Roar—"

A Crimson Flame Tiger appeared ahead. After letting out a few growls, the beast spotted the humans and immediately turned to flee. The monsters here had long ago learned that encountering humans boded ill, so they preferred to run rather than fight.

"Bai Feiyu, aren't you supposed to be a great shot? It’s your turn!" Just as Bai Feiyu was trying to fade into the background, Liu Xuan taunted him. The implication was clear: *You’re just a layman who doesn't know the first thing about archery. You wanted to show off earlier; now, let's see you humiliate yourself in front of the Princess.*

The Fourth Princess looked at Bai Feiyu with sparkling eyes. She had witnessed his archery skills firsthand—a technique that could only be described as divine. Now that they had exposed their position too early and the tiger was bolting, even she would struggle to land a shot under these conditions. She wondered if Bai Feiyu could pull it off.

Biting the bullet, Bai Feiyu took aim and released an arrow.

*Whoosh—*

The arrow flew true, and the Crimson Flame Tiger collapsed instantly. Bai Feiyu had hit the mark again. The Fourth Princess and the others cheered, while Liu Xuan was left utterly stunned. *What is going on? How is this possible?* He had observed closely earlier and was certain Bai Feiyu was a total amateur. Yet, he had succeeded once more.

Jealousy burned in Liu Xuan’s heart; he was nearly losing his mind with resentment. *Why?* How could a novice keep stealing the limelight and winning the Princess's favor? It was incomprehensible and infuriating. Suddenly, he convinced himself he understood why: the monsters here must have eaten something that slowed their reflexes. *Yes, that must be it; there is no other explanation for such skill.*

Convinced he had found the truth, Liu Xuan sneered. He would show the Princess his own prowess. If a hack like Bai Feiyu could hit the target, he certainly could too. This would be his moment to shine.

He stepped forward, looking at the Princess and Bai Feiyu. The Fourth Princess, still reeling from the shock of Bai Feiyu’s performance, was showering him with praise. "Bai Feiyu, I never imagined you were so talented. To make a shot like that!" she exclaimed. "Are you the reincarnation of an archery god? You are truly incredible. I must ask you to teach me how to shoot in the future."

Hearing this, Liu Xuan’s eyes turned red with envy. "Alright, alright, let's keep moving. I’m sure there are plenty more monsters ahead," he interrupted. "Let me take the lead this time. Bai Feiyu must be tired, and I intend to bag one myself!"

The Fourth Princess looked at him with skepticism. "Are you sure? I recall your hit rate never exceeded ten percent in the past..."

"That was in the past!" Liu Xuan laughed confidently. "A man changes after three days apart. I have been training diligently and have become a master. Just watch how I take down these monsters. Don't worry, Princess, I won't let you down!"

Though still doubtful, the Princess nodded. Since he had requested it, she decided to give him the chance to save face. She simply couldn't fathom what had gotten into him to make him so confident, knowing full well that his previous failures were due to a lack of innate talent that short-term training could never overcome.

Liu Xuan marched ahead, carefully navigating the brush, terrified of spooking his prey. He had already decided that he would impress the Princess. He was infatuated with her, and more importantly, he hoped to marry her to elevate the status of the Tianxuan Palace and advance toward the center of power.

*Heaven is helping me,* he thought. *If I hadn't been smart enough to realize these monsters have gone dim-witted, I never would have stood a chance at this glory.*