Chapter 196: The Applicants
Min Ta and Tu Ming’s youngling was still too small and weak, so Jian Mo suggested they stay in the He’an Tribe for a few more days to nurse him back to health before returning home.
The couple gratefully agreed.
The other members of the Li Chi Tribe couldn’t stay long and returned to their settlement, leaving Min Ta and Tu Ming behind. The He’an Tribe prepared an empty house for the family of three, giving them a space to stay while integrating into the tribe’s daily activities.
The He’an Tribe members took good care of them, and Min Ta and Tu Ming quickly adapted to their temporary life there.
Since the youngling was allergic to beast meat, Jian Mo guided the parents to gradually introduce him to other foods. Over time, they discovered that while the youngling couldn’t tolerate beast meat or nuts, he had no issues with poultry, fish, bird eggs, or Tou Tou Beast milk.
Relieved, Min Ta and Tu Ming began rotating between hunting and foraging with the He’an Tribe. With the food they gathered, they fed their cub eight small meals a day. Before long, the little snow leopard’s belly was round and full.
The youngling grew quickly once he was properly fed, developing soft, chubby rolls. His fur became fluffy and silky, his large, round eyes sparkled, and his long, thick tail completed his transformation into a living plush toy. He no longer resembled the frail, wilted cub from before.
Jian Mo, who rarely interacted with such small younglings, found himself having a great time playing with the little snow leopard.
The cub also adored Jian Mo, climbing onto his lap whenever he could, curling up to sleep in his arms. Occasionally, the youngling would knead Jian Mo’s chest, his tiny paws flexing adorably.
Jian Mo loved the little snow leopard, often cuddling and playing with him. He never seemed to tire of taking care of the cub.
There were even times when Wu Jiong, unable to stand it any longer, would pick up the snow leopard himself and return him to his parents.
Watching Wu Jiong carry the cub away, Jian Mo sighed wistfully. “This is the best time for him—his fur is the softest, and he’s the chubbiest. Once his fur gets coarse and his muscles develop, he won’t be as fun.”
Wu Jiong glanced at him. “If he’s not as fun, will you stop playing with him?”
Jian Mo laughed. “Of course not. He’ll still be fun in other ways.”
Wu Jiong flicked Jian Mo’s forehead lightly with a finger.
Jian Mo caught Wu Jiong’s hand and held it. “Honestly, I’m not obsessed with playing with him. It’s just that this is the first time I’ve saved such a small youngling. I can’t help but pay a little more attention to him. Don’t worry, he won’t take up too much of my focus.”
Wu Jiong nodded. “I understand.”
Jian Mo leaned over and kissed him, his eyes curving into crescents. “So there’s no need to be jealous of the cub. You’re still my number one.”
Wu Jiong replied earnestly, “I’m not jealous of the cub. You’re my number one too.”
Jian Mo smiled at him warmly.
Wu Jiong’s ears turned slightly red. “Besides, Min Ta and Tu Ming are back. The cub should be returned to them.”
Jian Mo chuckled and kissed him again. “You’re right. Plus, Chirpy seems a little jealous too since I’ve been spending so much time with the snow leopard.”
Wu Jiong nodded seriously, his expression firm.
Being considerate of Wu Jiong’s feelings, Jian Mo made an effort to limit the time he spent with the youngling, especially when Wu Jiong was around. Instead, he focused on their time together and occasionally played with Chirpy.
The youngling’s dramatic recovery impressed the neighboring tribes. Even the Meng Shui Tribe, who were familiar with Jian Mo’s skills, couldn’t help but marvel.
“Doctor Jian Mo,” one of them said, “your medical skills have improved again!”
Jian Mo replied modestly, “Not really. It’s just experience. The more cases you handle, the better you understand the patterns. Besides, the youngling’s condition wasn’t that complicated. Once we identified the cause, treatment was straightforward.”
Recently, Jian Mo had started writing a book. It wasn’t a collection of advanced theories but rather his reflections and insights into medical practice.
His goal was to organize his knowledge into a system that combined traditional remedies with the local shamanic medicine practices, creating a teachable curriculum. So far, the work was progressing smoothly, and he expected to finish soon.
One day, while Jian Mo was writing in his courtyard, the younglings of the tribe gathered outside, peeking in curiously.
Taking a break, Jian Mo stretched his back and neck, then waved them over. “What are you all watching out there?”
Jiang Xing stepped forward, his head tilted inquisitively. “You, Brother Jian Mo! Are you writing a textbook?”
Jian Mo nodded. “Yes, it’s a textbook for shamanic medicine. Do you want to learn?”
The younglings pressed their lips together and shook their heads in unison.
Their synchronized response made Jian Mo chuckle. “You dislike studying that much?”
Jiang Xing replied, “Brother Jian Mo, you already taught us how to recognize herbs. That’s enough.”
He Feng added, “We also know how to bandage wounds. If we get hurt, we can handle it until we see you. Anyway, no matter how much we learn, we’ll never be as good as you.”
Amused by He Feng’s bluntness, Jian Mo smiled. “You have quite the perspective.”
He Feng proudly lifted his chin. “Of course! My dads say we should think for ourselves instead of blindly following others. Otherwise, living a lifetime would be a waste.”
Jian Mo praised him. “Well said. Keep that mindset.”
Youngling Bai Lu looked at Jian Mo curiously. “Brother Jian Mo, are you the best shamanic doctor in the area?”
Jian Mo asked playfully, “Are there any other shamanic doctors nearby?”
The younglings shook their heads.
Jian Mo smiled. “Since I’m the only one, that naturally makes me the best.”
Bai Lu frowned slightly. “Then, are you everyone’s shamanic doctor?”
Jian Mo noticed a hint of jealousy in the youngling’s tone. “Why do you ask?”
Bai Lu pouted. “Xing Yuan said you’re everyone’s shamanic doctor, not just ours. He told us not to hog you. Xing Yuan and his group are so annoying—they always act so smug.”
Jian Mo was very popular among the younglings, and those from other tribes often sought him out during lessons.
Some clever younglings, like Xing Yuan from the Meng Shui Tribe, would bring fresh wild herbs or vegetables to feed Chirpy and Ying Ao when they came for lessons.
When Jian Mo asked why, they claimed it was convenient and that they just wanted to help.
After delivering the herbs or vegetables, the younglings didn’t ask for any reward. They simply stayed to chat with Jian Mo.
Naturally, Jian Mo found these younglings endearing, but the He’an Tribe younglings thought the others were sneaky and overly ingratiating.
Jian Mo patted Bai Lu on the head. “Even though I treat people from other tribes, I charge them for the medicine. For our tribe members, I don’t charge anything.”
The younglings’ eyes lit up.
Jian Mo continued with a smile, “And when I treat other tribes, I just prescribe the bitter medicine. When I treat you, I prepare candied fruits to go with it. You’re different to me, after all.”
Hearing this, the younglings quickly cheered up.
Zhou Dao raised his hand, his eyes shining brightly. “Brother Jian Mo, I want to report something!”
Jian Mo chuckled at the new term. “Report what?”
Zhou Dao declared, “Gui Qin from the Bing Jiang Tribe has been coughing for ages. You should give him bitter medicine!”
Jian Mo raised an eyebrow. “Really?”
Jiang Xing, standing nearby, exposed Zhou Dao’s true intentions. “It’s true. Gui Qin keeps coughing during lessons. But Zhou Dao’s reporting him because they fought, and Zhou Dao lost.”
Zhou Dao’s face turned red. “That’s not it! I just noticed he wasn’t in great health and thought he should get better quickly. And anyway, I didn’t completely lose. He didn’t exactly win, either.”
Jiang Xing made a teasing face. “If he didn’t lose, then he won, right?”
Zhou Dao protested, “He didn’t win by much!”
The younglings quickly descended into a noisy argument while Jian Mo watched with a smile.
It wasn’t often that the straightforward younglings resorted to using such schemes.
Later that evening, after lessons, Jian Mo checked on Gui Qin. He called him over for an examination and found that the youngling had merely caught a chill, likely from running around in the autumn weather without enough clothing. It wasn’t serious, and the cough would heal naturally in time.
Jian Mo informed the beastman from the Bing Jiang Tribe who had come to pick up the younglings. The beastman promised to let Gui Qin’s parents know, so Jian Mo left it at that.
During this period, Jian Mo had been working on his book and was nearly finished.
He brought up his plans with Wu Jiong. “I’m thinking of starting classes and accepting students. What do you think?”
Wu Jiong replied, “I’ve been ready for this for a while. I have no objections.”
Jian Mo’s eyes sparkled. “Then I’ll ask Qing Kuo to spread the word so people can start signing up. I’ll screen the applicants and try to finalize things before the full moon this month.”
Wu Jiong nodded. “I’ll take care of it. Where should we send the message?”
Jian Mo thought for a moment. “Let’s try to reach as many of the nearby tribes as possible—dozens if we can. As for the more distant ones, we’ll leave it to fate. If anyone comes, I’ll accept them. If not, that’s fine too.”
Wu Jiong agreed. “I’ll ask the beastmen who come to pick up younglings to spread the message. It should reach all the nearby tribes in three to five days. The Bai Zhi Tribe will likely hear about it and might pass the message further.”
Jian Mo nodded. “That would be great. With the Bai Zhi Tribe helping, things will go much more smoothly.”
News of Jian Mo accepting students spread quickly. The He’an Tribe members were the first to inquire, with twenty or so people expressing interest, including Ye Luo, Xi Lu, Chen Yi, Jiu Yin, and even the lively orange cat, Ah Hu.
Jian Mo’s gaze landed on Ah Hu, and he looked a little doubtful.
Feeling awkward, Ah Hu scratched his head. “Brother Jian Mo, you can’t be biased! We beastmen want to be shamans too.”
Jian Mo said, “I’m not biased. Look, Jiu Yin is here, and I’m not saying anything. But don’t you dislike studying? Becoming a shaman means reading and memorizing texts.”
Ah Hu clenched his fists. “I can handle it!”
Seeing his determined expression, Jian Mo chuckled. “Alright, you’re officially signed up. But whether you pass the tests is up to you. I won’t go easy on you just because we know each other.”
Ah Hu puffed out his chest. “No need! I believe in myself.”
The He’an Tribe alone had over twenty applicants, while nearby tribes like the Meng Shui Tribe, Yi Gu Tribe, and Xiong Ying Tribe each sent around thirty people.
Two days later, even more distant tribes, such as the Qin Hai Tribe, Meng An Tribe, Tian Ning Tribe, and Yang Yao Tribe, sent applicants. Each of these tribes had about a dozen people wanting to sign up.
Before classes had even started, the He’an Tribe was already benefiting financially from hosting the applicants. Since many had traveled far, they needed to stay in the tribe for a few days while waiting.
Ban Ming, puzzled by the sudden popularity, widened his eyes and complained to Jian Mo. “Why does everyone want to be a shaman? It’s so much work—so much to learn and memorize. Isn’t it exhausting?”
Jian Mo teased, “You’re only saying this because Ah Meng wants to become a shaman, aren’t you?”
Ban Ming denied it. “No way! If Ah Meng becomes your student, my chances of getting him to be my mate will improve. I’m just worried he won’t pass the test.”
Jian Mo smirked knowingly. “You’re afraid he’ll have too much competition and fail, aren’t you?”
Ban Ming huffed. “Of course not! Ah Meng is smart and hardworking. If no one else passes, he still will. I just don’t get it—everyone has their own strengths. Why does everyone want to be a shaman?”
Jian Mo thought for a moment. “Maybe it’s the desire for knowledge?”
Ban Ming asked, “A desire for knowledge?”
Jian Mo nodded. “Yes. Everyone has a sense of curiosity and a desire to explore the larger world. Since there aren’t many subjects to study here, they’ve turned to medicine. If there were other courses, they might not all choose to study medicine. But it’s fine. I’ll have exams, and once they take them, they’ll be able to see whether they’re suited to becoming shamans.”
Ban Ming looked puzzled. “I still don’t quite get it. It feels like everyone is changing so much.”
Jian Mo smiled. “It’s normal. Don’t worry. As our civilization develops further, people will slowly find their own interests. Who knows? In the future, someone might want to go to the Tian Ning Tribe to learn pottery, the Jin Tuo Tribe to study metalworking, or come to our tribe to learn glassmaking…”
Ban Ming’s attention immediately shifted. “Wait, are we really going to teach other tribes how to make glass?”
Jian Mo shrugged. “Who knows? It depends on how the chiefs plan for the tribe’s future. For now, we probably won’t teach it, but things could change later.”
Skills and knowledge had to be passed down and improved. Jian Mo didn’t think the He’an Tribe’s methods could remain secret for hundreds or thousands of years, nor did he believe that the simple techniques he introduced would forever represent the pinnacle of technology.
With so many intelligent beastmen and sub-beastmen, they would continue learning and exploring, eventually creating a civilization unique to this world.
At best, Jian Mo saw himself as a guide. Underestimating the beastmen and sub-beastmen would be both arrogant and short-sighted.
Ban Ming thought for a moment and then nodded. “I get it. There’s nothing wrong with teaching skills, and there’s nothing wrong with people wanting to learn them.”
Jian Mo replied warmly, “Some people may feel uneasy because the tribe is changing so quickly. If anyone feels confused, it’s a good idea to talk about it with each other.”
Ban Ming nodded repeatedly. “Brother Jian Mo, you’re really great.”
Jian Mo smiled again. “I’m just okay. Everyone’s pretty great.”
Having resolved his doubts, Ban Ming looked at Jian Mo with a hint of embarrassment. Without another word, he transformed into a massive gray cat and bounded away, leaping off in just a few strides.
Wu Jiong appeared behind Jian Mo and wrapped his arms around him. “Only you would have the patience to explain so much to those silly kids.”
Jian Mo replied, “He’s not the only one asking. I’m guessing plenty of others don’t understand either. Having these conversations is a good thing.”
Turning to look at Wu Jiong, Jian Mo smiled. “Learning new skills can be a lot of fun. Ban Ming and the others might not be interested in medicine or pottery, but I bet if there were hunting lessons, they’d be the first to sign up.”
Wu Jiong remarked, “It depends on the kind of hunting. If it’s De Jiang teaching them how to hunt Arrowbone Beasts, they’d be there in no time. They’ve been wanting to learn De Jiang’s tricks for ages, but he refuses to teach.”
Jian Mo laughed. “True. Learning, in some ways, is its own kind of joy.”
Thank you for the update!