Chapter 183: Spicy Hot Pot
This year’s Hunting Festival was held in the He’an Tribe.
The swift-footed youths like Ban Ming had gone out days in advance to notify neighboring tribes of the event.
According to history, the grandest Hunting Festival had once boasted the participation of twenty-seven tribes.
Although this year’s festival couldn’t compare to that legendary scale, it was still far larger than the recent gatherings, with nineteen tribes attending. Each sent their most capable beastmen, sub-beastmen, and even cubs ready to compete in the arena.
By the day before the official start, people from various tribes had begun arriving.
The He’an Tribe had prepared vacant houses for the guests, but there were far too many arrivals for the accommodations to suffice. Apologetically, they invited the overflow to camp in the open spaces within the tribe, asking everyone to make do for a couple of days.
No one minded; in fact, the visitors cheerfully agreed.
To feed the crowd, the He’an Tribe set up over a dozen hot pot stations throughout the area. Most pots contained a mild broth, and anyone could approach and cook their own food with the help of the tribe members, free of charge.
Thanks to these arrangements, the He’an Tribe was bustling with activity the evening before the festival officially began.
Even as night fell, tribes continued to arrive, the noise and excitement growing steadily louder. Familiar faces gathered into clusters to chat and catch up, adding to the lively atmosphere.
Among the throng was Yan Dun, chief of the Zheng Chi Tribe, chatting with his old friends.
“Chief Yan Dun?” someone called out from behind. “Why are you here so early? You live so close.”
Yan Dun turned to see a group of tall, robust beastmen and sub-beastmen. Squinting for a moment, he recognized them. “Chief Jin Shi? You’ve arrived too?”
The newcomers were indeed the chief of the Jin Tuo Tribe and his people.
Yan Dun, being one of the older chiefs, had interacted with the Jin Tuo Tribe on many occasions and was well-acquainted with them.
Jin Shi chuckled. “We heard the He’an Tribe has undergone big changes, so we wanted to see for ourselves. We didn’t expect the neighboring tribes to arrive so early.”
Yan Dun grinned. “We’re all looking forward to the Hunting Festival. Staying at home feels dull, so we came early to chat and mingle. Most of the nearby tribes have sent people already.”
Jin Tuo Tribe’s members looked around.
Yan Dun began introducing them. “Over there are the people from the Ice River Tribe. That group is from the Qin Hai Tribe, and the ones beyond them are the Tian Ning Tribe. All nearby tribes.”
Jin Shi’s gaze settled on a burly beastman.
The man held a bowl and was noisily slurping its contents. In just a few gulps, he finished his steaming bowl of spicy hot pot, then tilted it back to drink the last drops of broth.
After finishing, the beastman thrust his bowl forward toward the He’an Tribe member manning the hot pot station. “Brother Ye Luo, another bowl! More meat, extra spicy, and lots of nut paste.”
The He’an Tribe member, Ye Luo, laughed as he scooped up a generous portion of meat slices and meatballs with a ladle, then added various seasonings from the row of condiment bowls before handing the bowl back.
The beastman stirred the seasonings with his chopsticks and resumed his hearty slurping.
Jin Shi, watching the scene, felt his already-hungry stomach growl louder. He couldn’t take his eyes off the food.
Yan Dun explained, “That’s spicy hot pot, a specialty of the He’an Tribe. Ingredients are cooked in bone broth and then seasoned. It’s delicious, hot, and filling. You should try some.”
Jin Shi asked, “We can just join in?”
Yan Dun laughed. “Of course! Eat as much as you like. That kid from the Ice River Tribe has already had seven bowls. If you’re not full, just get more. And if you’re idle, you can help hunt for more ingredients. Otherwise, they might run out of food to serve everyone.”
Jin Shi chuckled. “All right, we’ll give it a try.”
Yan Dun waved them off with a smile. “Go ahead and eat first. We’ll talk later.”
The beastman’s enthusiastic eating was too tempting to ignore. Jin Shi led his group to the hot pot station. “Hello, we’re from the Jin Tuo Tribe.”
The beastman glanced at them, scooting over to make room. “Ice River Tribe. Mu Chu.”
After the brief introduction, Mu Chu immediately focused back on his food, slurping down another bowl and requesting another from Ye Luo.
Jin Shi stepped up. “We’d like a bowl each as well, the same as his.”
Ye Luo glanced up. “Mu Chu’s bowl has chili peppers. You might not be used to the spiciness. Should I leave the chili out for you?”
The younger beastman behind Jin Shi, Ying Ji, couldn’t contain his curiosity. “What’s chili?”
Ye Luo explained, “It’s a seasoning Jian Mo brought back. It burns your tongue, but once you get used to it, the flavor is quite good.”
Ying Ji, intrigued, said eagerly, “Then give me a little! I want to try it.”
Ye Luo chuckled at his enthusiasm. “All right. One moment.”
The spicy hot pot was quick to prepare. Thin slices of meat were dropped into the bubbling broth, along with meatballs, sausages, and tubers. A few swirls in the pot, and they were perfectly cooked. Ye Luo ladled the steaming food into bowls, adding condiments and handing them out.
For Ying Ji, Ye Luo included a small spoonful of chili oil.
Jin Shi looked at the creamy white broth with curiosity. After mixing the seasonings, he tried a slice of meat. His eyes widened. “Delicious! How does something so simply cooked taste this good?”
Ye Luo replied with a smile, “It’s not as simple as it looks. The broth takes a lot of effort to prepare, and the condiments are made with care.”
With mushroom powder, shellfish powder, salt, sugar, ginger, garlic, fried shallots, pepper bud powder, chili oil, and nut paste, the hot pot here surpassed even many on Earth.
Moreover, the ingredients were fresh—thinly sliced meat, handmade meatballs, and sausages. Everything was natural and free of additives, making it both flavorful and healthy.
The chili oil and nut paste, in particular, were exceptional.
Chili oil, made by frying animal fat with a generous amount of garlic powder, was intensely fragrant.
The nut paste, hand-ground from pure nuts, had a savory flavor reminiscent of sesame paste but richer and more aromatic.
When Jian Mo first developed the spicy hot pot, it immediately won the praise of the He’an Tribe. They quickly decided to make it the standard meal for the entire Hunting Festival.
After all, there weren’t many dishes that were both delicious and easy to prepare.
As long as the broth and seasonings were ready, anyone could handle the cooking without much trouble, allowing everyone to take turns resting.
The introduction of spicy hot pot was a resounding success, earning enthusiastic approval from all participating tribes.
Even nearby tribes came early, lured not only by the chance to chat with old friends but, more so, by the promise of this mouthwatering dish.
News of the hot pot had spread through the cubs attending lessons at the He’an Tribe, and the tantalizing descriptions had drawn many visitors eager for a taste.
The Jin Tuo Tribe, unaware of this backstory, could only marvel at the unexpected richness and savoriness of the dish.
Jin Shi, the tribe’s chief, praised, “When our tribes first interacted, your meals were similar to ours. I never imagined that, in such a short time, your tribe would offer not just great food but also such scenic beauty.”
Ye Luo smiled. “It’s all thanks to Jian Mo.”
Jin Shi responded, “Even with Jian Mo, you must have worked hard for this. Oh, I’ve finished my bowl. Could I trouble you for another?”
The other members of the Jin Tuo Tribe also held out their bowls, politely requesting second servings.
Despite the burn of the chili oil, Ying Ji, still intrigued, said, “I’d like another too, with the chili again, please.”
Seeing his persistence, the others in the Jin Tuo Tribe grew curious and asked for chili in their servings as well.
Ye Luo chuckled. “All right, please wait a moment.”
The spicy hot pot wasn’t just a hit with the Jin Tuo Tribe. Other arriving tribes were equally astonished by the He’an Tribe’s transformation—their sturdy, beautiful houses, clean and orderly settlement, and, most impressively, the extraordinary flavors of their cuisine.
“What kind of magical tribe is this?”
Members of the Fan Bing Tribe couldn’t help but ask their chief, “Chief, was the He’an Tribe always like this? I thought they were just a small, remote tribe.”
The chief replied, “They were a small, remote tribe. I don’t know how they changed so much.”
“People say it’s all thanks to Jian Mo. He introduced new building materials and helped renovate the houses, which made the tribe what it is today.”
“Have you visited the Meng Shui Tribe? I feel like the He’an Tribe is even more impressive now.”
“Hush, keep your voice down. Both tribes are strong in their own ways; there’s no need to compare.”
“True. I’ve noticed that the tribes near the He’an Tribe seem to have a different energy. I heard they send their cubs here for lessons, which is how they’ve learned so much.”
“What’s the He’an Tribe’s school like? Could we ask them to give us a demonstration?”
Such conversations echoed throughout the visiting tribes.
Unable to contain their curiosity, groups approached Wu Jiong and his leaders to request a demonstration of their school and the changes in their tribe.
The He’an Tribe’s transformation had been too extraordinary for others to ignore, and many were eager to learn.
Wu Jiong gathered Jian Mo and the others for a discussion.
Qing Kuo sighed after hearing the requests. “I never thought the He’an Tribe would have a day like this. We used to be such an insignificant little tribe.”
De Jiang added, “Since last autumn, everything has changed for us.”
Everyone’s eyes turned to Jian Mo.
Qing Kuo patted Jian Mo’s shoulder. “All thanks to you.”
Jian Mo waved off the praise. “I didn’t do much. If I’d ended up in a tribe that didn’t listen to me, I probably wouldn’t have survived the winter.”
Qing Kuo grinned. “It’s what you call mutual growth, right?”
Jian Mo coughed lightly. “Let’s move on. About the demonstration—I think it’s fine to show our classes to everyone. We already welcome other tribes to send their cubs here, so a broader demonstration won’t hurt.”
Back when he had proposed so many ideas, Jian Mo’s primary goal had been to prove his worth. He hadn’t expected the He’an Tribe to evolve into what it is today.
Wu Jiong nodded. “I agree.”
De Jiang added, “No objections from me.”
Qing Kuo, looking around, concluded, “If no one objects, I’ll start making arrangements. By the way, Yun Long and the others said they wanted to help. Should we let them?”
Wu Jiong’s low voice affirmed, “Yes, we’ll need the help. There’s too much to handle on our own.”
Qing Kuo nodded. “Then I’ll coordinate with them. As planned, we’ll have our tribe take the lead and guide volunteers from other tribes who want to help?”
Jian Mo considered this. “That works. Let’s also create a symbol for the volunteers—maybe a small accessory for them to wear.”
Qing Kuo paused, intrigued. “An accessory? Like a strip of cloth?”
Jian Mo’s eyebrows twitched. “Not white cloth—too unlucky. Let’s make pins instead. The Dian Xin Tribe is here; we can ask them to help. Once the event is over, the pins can be souvenirs for everyone to take back.”
Everyone found this idea appealing.
The pins would help keep things organized, and the added personal touch would make the event more memorable.
Jian Mo thought for a moment longer. “Let’s engrave a year on the pins to make them even more special. What year is it now?”
De Jiang and the others looked puzzled, but Wu Jiong understood. “There’s no official calendar. We track time by the moon cycles.”
Jian Mo suggested, “Then let’s call this the first year.”
Wu Jiong nodded. “Agreed.”
Qing Kuo approved as well. “Marking the year will make it easier to look back on.”
Jian Mo smiled. “Exactly.”
He approached the Dian Xin Tribe with his idea, explaining the concept of the wooden pins and even providing fish bladder glue to help craft them.
The Dian Xin Tribe, skilled and enthusiastic about making ornaments, embraced the idea wholeheartedly.
One member proposed, “We could carve a beast form onto the pins to represent each tribe.”
Another asked, “What about tribes with mixed beast forms?”
“Then we can ask their chiefs what symbol they prefer. If one isn’t enough, we can carve two or three forms or even choose a unique design.”
The idea quickly gained traction, with everyone agreeing it would help avoid confusion.
None of them realized that the tribe emblems they casually created would one day become iconic symbols of unity, laying the foundation for a sprawling, interconnected region.
But that was a story for the future.
For now, everyone’s attention was fixed on the exciting, bustling Hunting Festival.
Thank you for the chapter!