Chapter 197: The Selection Process
More and more people arrived at the He’an Tribe to learn medicine.
One day, Jian Mo carried a heavy load of ingredients on his back to find Qing Kuo. The weight of the load bent his back with each step.
Qing Kuo quickly helped him remove the baskets. “Goodness, why are you carrying so much stuff? Isn’t the chief home? Why didn’t you ask him to carry it? Or just have any beastman you meet along the way carry it for you.”
Jian Mo wiped the sweat off his brow. “It’s fine. The distance wasn’t far, and I managed. These ingredients are for you. Use them when you’re cooking.”
Qing Kuo said, “We already have plenty of ingredients. Every evening when the tribe distributes food, they set aside a portion specifically for us.”
Jian Mo waved him off. “This is from me personally. There are some special seasonings in there that might come in handy.”
Having so many people coming to the He’an Tribe to learn was a good thing. Once formal lessons began, the tribe would provide food and lodging for everyone using communal resources, and no one would need to contribute their own supplies.
Jian Mo knew this was a decision by the tribe, but he still felt a bit guilty. That’s why he brought extra food today—to ensure everyone ate well.
Qing Kuo patted Jian Mo’s shoulder and sighed. “You and your stubbornness.”
Jian Mo smiled. “It’s fine. I’ll head back now—I still need to feed Chirpy and Ying Ao.”
Qing Kuo nodded. “Go on. And don’t bring any more food next time. If we need anything, I’ll let the tribe know.”
Jian Mo waved goodbye and started walking back.
On his way, Jian Mo passed the arena and saw a group of young people sparring.
Currently, Dan Guan and Jiu Yin were in the ring. Dan Guan, whose skin ailments had significantly improved, had only just arrived yesterday but was already participating in the matches today.
From a distance, Jian Mo observed for a while. He suspected that Jiu Yin had the upper hand.
The onlookers cheered, rooting for both sides and encouraging them to keep fighting.
With so many people in the He’an Tribe, the place felt especially lively.
Jian Mo wasn’t surprised to see the sparring matches. He had anticipated some commotion. Burning off excess energy wasn’t a bad thing.
Soon, it was time to begin the selection process.
In total, 327 people had come from other tribes, and with 14 participants from the He’an Tribe, there were 341 candidates altogether. Of these, only 72 were beastmen, while the rest were sub-beastmen.
Jian Mo had already informed everyone that they needed to pass an evaluation before being accepted as students, and no one objected.
On the first day of the evaluation, the candidates were divided into ten groups and taken into the mountains. Jian Mo carried a notebook, prepared to grade each person based on their performance.
Qing Kuo and Wu Jiong assisted Jian Mo.
Seeing the large group, Qing Kuo felt daunted. “So many people—are you sure you can remember them all?”
Jian Mo waved his notebook and whispered back, “If I write everything down, I’ll remember.”
Qing Kuo sighed. “This is a lot of people. If we hadn’t hosted that hunting tournament before, I doubt we could manage this many.”
Jian Mo reassured him, “Don’t worry. Most people don’t understand how hard studying medicine is. They only see the prestige of being a shaman. Give it two days—half of them will leave on their own.”
Qing Kuo glanced at the orderly line of people ahead, skepticism in his eyes, but he nodded nonetheless.
Once they reached the mountain and gathered everyone, Jian Mo began by showing them how to identify medicinal herbs. He held up a plant as he explained, “This herb is called Yang Bai. It’s used to clear heat and detoxify the body. Notice its long, pointed leaves. The underside of the leaves is white, while the top is dark green. Its root resembles a flattened pancake and has many fine fibers.”
As he spoke, Jian Mo distributed samples of the herb, allowing everyone to inspect it closely.
He continued, “Today’s task is to collect this herb. Autumn is when its medicinal properties are at their peak. Dried herbs collected now can be stored for up to a year. While you can collect them in other seasons, autumn is the best time to stockpile.”
The candidates nodded earnestly, taking notes and examining the herb.
Jian Mo added, “When harvesting herbs, only collect the mature ones. Leave the seedlings. Additionally, only harvest about half of what you find, leaving the rest to regenerate. As we shamans say, ‘If you don’t leave some behind when gathering herbs, your medicine won’t work.’ If you lack respect for the plants, they might not heal when you need them.”
Everyone responded seriously, promising to follow the guidelines.
Jian Mo concluded, “The first part of your evaluation is to gather these herbs. I’ll be grading you based on your process. Now, head into the mountains and start collecting.”
The candidates split into small groups of two or three, while some ventured off alone. The area was relatively safe, and Jian Mo had stationed Chirpy and Ying Ao in the sky to patrol. If someone were seriously injured, the winged beasts would raise the alarm, giving Jian Mo and the others time to respond.
As the candidates dispersed, Jian Mo and Qing Kuo stayed behind to rest.
Qing Kuo handed Jian Mo a water pouch. “You’ve been talking nonstop. Just listening to you made me feel parched. Teaching is harder than it looks.”
Jian Mo’s voice was a little hoarse. “It’s not so bad. Everyone’s cooperative. No interruptions or side chatter. If there were, it’d be much harder.”
Qing Kuo shook his head. “I definitely don’t have the patience for it.”
The candidates returned as the sun began to set. Jian Mo, notebook in hand, evaluated their performance.
Some had poor memory, only bringing back one type of herb—and often the wrong one.
Others lacked care, yanking out plants by the roots and leaving the leaves and stems broken.
Some didn’t discriminate at all, harvesting every plant they came across, regardless of size or maturity.
All these mistakes earned failing marks.
As Jian Mo graded, he thought to himself that Qing Kuo’s concern was unwarranted. At this rate, he wouldn’t need two days to thin out the crowd—more than half of them would be eliminated by the end of the day.
While grading the candidates, Jian Mo also inquired if anyone was injured and instructed Qing Kuo to prepare medicine for them.
The injuries varied: some had scratches from leaves and branches, others had minor falls, and a few had bites from poisonous insects.
Although beastmen and sub-beastmen were generally tough and didn’t mind minor injuries, Jian Mo insisted on treating them and deducted points as needed.
Harvesting herbs and practicing medicine involved certain risks, so carelessness wasn’t acceptable.
After spending the entire day in the mountains, the group didn’t get to rest immediately upon returning. They had to process, clean, and dry the herbs they had collected.
This wasn’t Jian Mo trying to make things difficult—it was a necessary part of being a shaman. Many herbs needed to be handled while fresh, and there was no room for laziness. Since Jian Mo intended to teach the candidates the realities of the trade, he ensured they experienced it firsthand.
That evening, after dinner, Jian Mo sat by the campfire with his notebook and summarized the day. He invited the candidates to share their reflections one by one.
Many realized that being a shaman was nothing like they had imagined. It wasn’t exciting, and it didn’t make them feel important or heroic.
Jian Mo shared stories about Lian Ke, a renowned shaman, to explain why the standards for becoming a shaman were so high and what consequences might arise without these rigorous requirements.
By the end of the day, a combination of eliminations and voluntary withdrawals reduced the number of candidates by two-thirds.
The next morning, when Jian Mo called for everyone to gather, only 113 people showed up.
Jian Mo turned to Qing Kuo. “So? I told you not to worry.”
Qing Kuo sighed. “I didn’t expect this. You always look so kind and approachable, but you’re really strict with your students.”
Jian Mo replied, “Of course. Lives are at stake. I have to be strict.”
Jian Mo didn’t show favoritism during the elimination process, regardless of a candidate’s tribe or personal relationship with him. Even Ah Hu and Dan Guan, along with most of the He’an Tribe’s applicants, were eliminated on the first day.
For many, it was their first taste of the harsh reality of exams. Jian Mo hoped it didn’t leave a psychological scar.
Qing Kuo asked, “What’s the plan for today?”
Jian Mo replied, “More herb gathering, but this time with a significant amount of memorization. Being a student requires strong memory and comprehension skills.”
Qing Kuo raised an eyebrow. “Teach and test them on the spot? Failures get eliminated?”
Jian Mo nodded. “Pretty much.”
With only 113 candidates left, managing the group became slightly easier. However, after spending half the day teaching, Jian Mo’s voice became hoarse again.
In the afternoon, the candidates took turns presenting the herbs they had collected and explaining their uses. Jian Mo evaluated them while clarifying points as needed, which strained his voice even further.
The candidates fared no better—many broke out in sweat, admitting they felt more nervous than when facing wild beasts.
By the end of the day, fewer candidates were eliminated directly by Jian Mo, but more chose to withdraw voluntarily.
It became increasingly clear that being a shaman was far more challenging than hunting or foraging. Those without strong resolve decided to leave after Jian Mo’s gentle persuasion.
After revising the student roster, Jian Mo was left with just over fifty candidates—a manageable class size.
Jian Mo, his voice raspy, turned to Qing Kuo. “Well? Feeling less pressured now?”
Qing Kuo handed him a water pouch. “I was never the one under pressure. Look at yourself—your voice is almost gone.”
Jian Mo waved it off. “It’s nothing. I’m not used to talking so much, so it’s normal for my throat to be sore. It’ll be fine by tomorrow.”
Qing Kuo suggested, “Why don’t you brew some medicine for your throat? Otherwise, you might lose your voice completely by tomorrow.”
Jian Mo grinned. “No need. With fewer people left, it won’t be an issue.”
Many of the eliminated or withdrawn candidates didn’t return to their tribes immediately. Instead, they lingered in the He’an Tribe, curious to see who would make the final cut and eager to enjoy a few more days of leisure.
Seeing the situation, Wu Jiong and De Jiang were intrigued.
Most of the remaining candidates—beastmen and sub-beastmen alike—were capable and proactive individuals with diverse skills. Wu Jiong had observed them closely during the exams and remembered several who left a strong impression.
Since these individuals were no longer competing, Wu Jiong approached some of them with invitations to teach short lessons to the tribe’s younglings.
The invitations surprised the candidates.
“Chief Wu Jiong, are you sure you want me? I’m good at making traps, but I’m not the best.”
“I can only identify birds, not other animals. That’s such a niche skill—do the younglings really need to learn it?”
“I only know ground grappling techniques for combat. If the opponent is too large, my methods won’t work.”
Wu Jiong replied calmly to each of them:
“Mian Ya, your traps are excellent for catching small prey. They’re simple to make and perfect for beginners and younglings.”
“Heng Wu, you’re the best bird identifier I’ve ever seen. You can even tell a bird’s mood from its call. That’s an invaluable skill.”
“Jiang Xie, your grappling techniques are ideal for younglings starting combat training. They’ll learn a lot from you.”
The invited individuals were flattered and readily agreed. “Chief Wu Jiong, if you think I’m up to it, then I’ll do my best.”
Some even asked, “Can we bring younglings from our tribe to join the lessons?”
Wu Jiong responded, “Of course, but they might find it challenging to keep up. I recommend that tribes interested in sending their younglings here first send adults to learn. Then, you can set up courses tailored to your younglings back in your own tribe.”
Hearing this, the questioners were thrilled. “Then we won’t hold back. Thank you, Chief!”
Wu Jiong nodded. “No need to thank me. If running courses for just one tribe is too much, you could also collaborate with neighboring tribes to create a joint class. It’s more convenient and efficient that way.”
Thanks for the chapter!