Jian Mo mentioned he wanted to recruit apprentices in witch medicine.
The next day, Ye Luo, Min Dang, and Xi Lu visited his home together, expressing their interest in becoming apprentices.
Jian Mo looked surprised, causing the three of them to become nervous immediately. “Is that not okay?” they asked anxiously.
“No,” Jian Mo said with a smile. “I just didn’t expect the three of you to be interested.”
Ye Luo breathed a sigh of relief. “We’ve been wanting to learn from you for a while, but we never found the right opportunity to ask.”
Xi Lu and Min Dang nodded repeatedly.
Among the three, Ye Luo occasionally assisted Jian Mo with his work and was the most familiar with his medical practices.
“I’ve been learning from you for some time now,” Ye Luo said earnestly. “It doesn’t seem too hard. I’m confident I can do well.”
Xi Lu chimed in eagerly, “I’ve never studied this before, but my ancestors used to help heal people. I’m careful by nature, so I think I can learn it well too.”
Min Dang licked his lips nervously and added, “I—I’m very patient. Ran Wu was healed by you, and I want to learn how to relieve others’ pain and suffering, just like you.”
After listening to them, Jian Mo said, “As long as you’re confident. I’ll prepare some materials and let you know when the formal classes start.”
The three were a bit bewildered by how easy it was to gain approval.
“Aren’t you going to test us?” Ye Luo hesitated.
Jian Mo laughed. “We know each other well. I can’t be unaware of your qualities, can I? Ye Luo, you’re meticulous and bold, with an excellent memory, and you’re genuinely interested in this field.”
Ye Luo blushed, both embarrassed and excited.
Turning to Xi Lu and Min Dang, Jian Mo continued, “Xi Lu, you’ve even given me herbal recipes before. You’re empathetic and very diligent—if you study hard, you’ll do just fine. Min Dang, you’re skillful and patient. You set high standards for yourself and won’t stop until you get things right, even if it takes many attempts. Both of you have great potential.”
Xi Lu’s cheeks turned rosy as she received the compliment, while Min Dang’s eyes lit up, visibly encouraged.
Seeing their enthusiasm, Jian Mo said, “Initially, it was just an idea. To formally teach, I need to compile a textbook and organize my knowledge, so it will take some time.”
The three nodded fervently, showing no objections.
Jian Mo chuckled. “The learning period will be long. The wild vegetables and Mien Fruits outside are thriving this autumn. Let’s start the lessons in winter and focus on gathering herbs this fall.”
Ye Luo asked, “Should we collect some medicinal materials during autumn?”
Jian Mo thought for a moment. “Sure, I’ll make a list. It’s good to stockpile.”
Since Ye Luo and the others couldn’t read yet, they could rely on illustrations.
Jian Mo only needed to draw the corresponding herbs and provide explanations, which would suffice.
While sketching, Jian Mo’s pen paused momentarily. If this world lacked a written language, they might just create one through these drawings—a fascinating prospect.
However, with him around, the region didn’t need to start from scratch; they could adopt a mature written system right away. This realization made their work feel like an important milestone.
For now, the herb sketches and textbook couldn’t be completed immediately.
After Wu Jiong handled the tribe’s affairs, the two planned to visit the Yu Qi Tribe.
They had previously agreed to share chili peppers with the Yu Qi Tribe and felt it was time to fulfill that promise rather than wait until they came asking for it.
Compared to the distant Jungle Tribe, the Yu Qi Tribe seemed like a neighboring village to Jian Mo, making this trip feel effortless.
Riding Chirpy and Ying Ao, the journey would take only two days—not far at all.
Chirpy had grown fond of traveling. The moment it realized it was leaving with them, it hopped around excitedly. “Chirp-chirp-chirp!”
Jian Mo laughed. “Why are you so happy?”
“Chirp!”
“Alright, stop jumping around so I can secure the luggage, Chirpy.”
The bird nuzzled its large head against Jian Mo’s, responding with a soft chirp.
This time, they brought Chirpy and Ying Ao along again. On the return trip, they might visit the Jiu Nian Tribe to exchange tree cloth and cotton fabric.
Cotton fabric, ideal for making bandages, was essential for the increasingly busy days ahead. These medical supplies needed to be stocked in advance.
With Jian Mo and Wu Jiong each riding Chirpy and Ying Ao, they set out on their journey.
The first day passed without incident, and they reached their intended rest stop by nightfall.
On the second day, as Chirpy flew northward, instead of heading toward the Yu Qi Tribe, it veered toward the Bai Zhi Tribe.
Jian Mo quickly realized what was happening—Chirpy wanted to visit the Bai Zhi Tribe to play with the bird beastmen.
No wonder Chirpy was so excited back in the He’an Tribe; it must have been missing its friends.
Jian Mo hugged Chirpy’s neck tightly. “Chirpy, fly this way!”
Chirpy let out a long chirp, “Chirp—”
Jian Mo coaxed it, “Let’s finish our business first. After that, I’ll take you to play with the bird beastmen.”
Reluctantly, Chirpy adjusted its flight path.
The Yu Qi Tribe was still the same peaceful and serene community nestled in the forest. As Jian Mo and Wu Jiong arrived, the lynx beastmen greeted them warmly and quickly fetched their chief, Qi Ming.
Qi Ming walked briskly to meet Jian Mo and Wu Jiong. “It’s been a while! So, did you find the chili peppers you were searching for?”
Jian Mo grinned. “We did, and the results were beyond my expectations.”
Qi Ming replied, “Come in and have some tea while we talk. I’m curious about your journey.”
They followed Qi Ming into his home, sipping tea as they chatted leisurely.
Jian Mo began by recounting the adventures of their journey. When he mentioned the River Qin Fish, Qi Ming’s eyes lit up. “They sound like remarkable little creatures.”
“They are,” Jian Mo said, “but we don’t have a suitable place to raise them. Otherwise, I would have brought some back.”
Qi Ming chuckled. “That’s probably for the best. If you had brought them back, Chirpy might have been upset. We non-pet owners are better suited to the task.”
Jian Mo recalled how Chirpy had once frightened the Tou Tou Beasts with its large head when they first started raising them. It did seem like something Chirpy would do.
Still, Jian Mo defended Chirpy, saying, “Chirpy got along well with the River Qin Fish. It probably wouldn’t be an issue.”
Qi Ming, drawing from experience, said knowingly, “That’s only because you didn’t bring them home. If you did, there’s no guarantee. They might even fight over your attention.”
Their conversation shifted from River Qin Fish to the Salted Tribe and then to the Jungle Tribe. Jian Mo took the opportunity to mention how the Jungle Tribe refused to let chili seeds leave their territory.
“For now,” Jian Mo explained, “we can only offer you steamed dried chili peppers. If you need more in the future, you’ll have to trade directly with our tribe. Chili peppers should be easy to grow, and we’ll accept harvest goods in exchange. We won’t ask for too much.”
Qi Ming nodded in understanding. “That works. We’ll come to trade next year. Just make sure to plant more for us.”
Jian Mo smiled. “No problem.”
Qi Ming paused with his teacup midair, then asked, “I heard that Doctor Jian Mo has started accepting apprentices?”
Jian Mo replied, “That’s true, but I’m not ready yet. I plan to start formally in winter.”
Qi Ming immediately asked, “Can we send someone from our tribe to study under you?”
Jian Mo nodded seriously. “The study of witch medicine has certain requirements. You can send people, but I’ll screen them through an exam.”
Having dealt with mediocre apprentices before, Jian Mo had learned his lesson. He didn’t want to waste resources training someone who wouldn’t effectively heal others.
Qi Ming promised, “That’s fine. We also want reliable witch doctors.”
Jian Mo smiled. “Great. When the time comes, you can register, and we’ll handle the selection. Just to be clear, the exams will be fair and impartial. Let’s not let this affect our friendship.”
Qi Ming replied confidently, “Of course not! If our people can’t pass, it just means they need to study harder. There’s no reason to blame you.”
After settling the matter, Qi Ming offered to let Jian Mo and Wu Jiong stay the night to rest.
Jian Mo politely declined. “Chirpy wants to visit the Bai Zhi Tribe. We promised to take it there, and since it’s still early, we’ll head over now.”
Qi Ming stood up. “We were planning to visit the Bai Zhi Tribe too. Let’s go together.”
Jian Mo hesitated, glancing at Qi Ming’s calm expression. “You won’t end up fighting, will you?”
Qi Ming reassured him, “No, we get along well now.”
As the Yu Qi Tribe was part of the Friendship Alliance, Jian Mo and Wu Jiong couldn’t insist on leaving them behind. What was originally a party of two people and two winged beasts expanded into a group of more than a dozen.
The two winged beasts flew overhead, Wu Jiong transformed into a giant wolf to carry Jian Mo, and the lynx beastmen followed on foot.
It was Jian Mo’s first time seeing Qi Ming in his beast form. Among the lynx beastmen, Qi Ming’s frame was larger, and his narrower eyes gave him a particularly commanding presence, exuding the fearless aura of a feline predator.
Even without witnessing him in action, Jian Mo could tell Qi Ming was a skilled fighter.
After a brief glance, Jian Mo looked away. Qi Ming was a married man, after all. Besides, Jian Mo preferred giant wolves to big cats.
The group moved swiftly through the forest. As feline beastmen, the lynx warriors displayed impressive stamina, comparable to Ban Ming’s group.
They ran for the better part of the afternoon without showing any need for rest.
As they entered Bai Zhi Tribe territory but before reaching the settlement, they saw a flock of bird beastmen flying in the sky. They chirped loudly, seemingly hunting something.
The bird beastmen noticed Chirpy and Ying Ao first, then turned their attention to Jian Mo and his group. Flapping their wings, they flew over to greet them.
“Brother Jian Mo! What brings you here? We missed you!” they called out.
Jian Mo waved and smiled. “We missed you too, so we decided to visit and play.”
The bird beastmen chirped back, “Welcome, welcome! We’re hunting cave beasts right now. Give us a moment!”
“Cave beasts?” Jian Mo asked.
“They’re beasts from around here. They taste decent but are tricky to catch and very fast. Brother Jian Mo, just wait a bit—we’ll catch one soon.”
Qi Ming, still in lynx form, stepped forward. “Need any help?”
Though relations had improved, the bird beastmen weren’t ready to accept aid from their old rivals.
Wan Zheng, the leader of the bird beastmen, glanced at Qi Ming before politely declining. “No need, thanks. We’ve got this.”
The Pallas Cat beastmen saw the situation and didn’t step forward further.
The bird beastmen’s attitude toward the Pallas Cat beastmen was lukewarm—not hostile but not exactly warm either.
In contrast, their demeanor toward Jian Mo was completely different. They were genuinely welcoming.
The bird beastmen eagerly invited Jian Mo, “Brother Jian Mo, do you want to join us in hunting? It’s a lot of fun.”
Jian Mo, having never heard of cave beasts before, was brimming with curiosity. With nothing pressing to do, the idea of joining the hunt was perfect. He readily agreed, “Sure!”
The bird beastmen immediately flew higher to scout and called out, “This way!”
Flying above, they had an excellent view of the ground. It didn’t take long for them to locate a cave beast. Excitedly chirping, they signaled for the group to encircle the prey.
Chirpy and Ying Ao eagerly joined in the commotion.
The giant wolf carried Jian Mo closer, and from his high vantage point on the wolf’s back, Jian Mo quickly spotted the beast. It resembled a wild boar but was enormous, at least three meters long.
The beast charged wildly, but no matter where it ran, the bird beastmen were there to block its way.
After a while, the beast finally found an abandoned cave and attempted to burrow into it.
The bird beastmen panicked. “Quick, quick! Block it! Don’t let it get into the cave!”
The cave beast moved too fast. By the time the bird beastmen shouted, it had already darted into the cave.
The giant wolf carried Jian Mo forward, giving them a clear view of the beast’s rear end.
The large black rear completely blocked the cave entrance, resembling a door. It seemed the cave beast was too large to fully fit into the cave.
Jian Mo was reminded of the fruit-armored bugs they’d encountered earlier, whose heads were marked by a distinctive gummy coating, a sure sign of a fruitful find. Seeing the cave beast now filled Jian Mo with a similar excitement. He hugged the giant wolf’s neck tightly and urged, “Wu Jiong, hurry!”
However, the bird beastmen were alarmed. “Brother Jian Mo, get back! Don’t chase it—it can fart!”
But Jian Mo and the giant wolf were already too close. Hearing the warning, they didn’t grasp the gravity of the situation and were a step too slow, continuing to approach the cave beast.
Jian Mo even thought to himself, Plenty of prey fart; it’s not a big deal. Just hold your breath and avoid it.
What he didn’t expect was that the cave beast let out a fart at that very moment.
The fart resembled a sandstorm, complete with a visible hue, and it rolled toward them in a thick wave.
It was the first time Jian Mo had ever seen a colored fart, and he froze in disbelief.
The giant wolf leaped sideways with remarkable agility but couldn’t completely escape the smell.
The overwhelming stench enveloped Jian Mo and the wolf. Jian Mo instinctively held his breath but still found the odor so unbearable that he nearly fell off the wolf’s back.
What a stench!
It felt as though the stench had physically slapped Jian Mo twice.
Clinging to the giant wolf’s neck, Jian Mo was carried aside, where he took a long moment to recover.
He looked at the bird beastmen in bewilderment. “Did it thicken its fart with starch?!”
How could it be so thick and foul?!
What kind of beast in any tribe would fart like this, especially a large one? Did it have no shame?
The bird beastmen hurried over to check on him. When they heard his remark, they couldn’t contain their laughter. “Hahaha!”
The Pallas Cat beastmen behind them also burst into laughter. “Hahaha!”
