The He’an Tribe held a meeting, ultimately deciding to trade their charcoal-making and metal furnace techniques with the Jintu Tribe.
Jian Mo explained that these techniques weren’t particularly complex. Even if they didn’t share them now, other tribes might eventually figure them out. At that point, holding onto the techniques wouldn’t be advantageous. Trading them now for a batch of metal ingots was a better option.
With a substantial supply of metal ingots, the tribe could produce various tools without raising suspicion about their sources. On the surface, everything would appear very appealing.
Everyone found Jian Mo’s reasoning sound and agreed to proceed with the exchange.
After the decision, some of the younger tribe members eagerly volunteered to negotiate with the Jintu Tribe.
Wujiong approved and even arranged for De Jiang to provide them with a few rounds of negotiation training. Once prepared, Ban Ming led the group and set out with his companions.
The young beastmen were gone for several days, but the tribe members carried on as usual, attending to their daily tasks.
Counting the days, Jian Mo grew worried. When the young group hadn’t returned after six or seven days, he asked Wujiong anxiously, “It’s been nearly a week. When will they be back?”
“They might have stayed in the Jintu Tribe for a few extra days,” Wujiong replied calmly. “If they’re not back after ten days, I’ll take a group to check on them.”
He patted Jian Mo’s shoulder reassuringly. “They’re mature beastmen. There’s no need to worry.”
Jian Mo admitted, “I suggested the trade for metal ingots. If anything happens to them, I’ll feel responsible.”
“There’s no need for guilt. They’re doing this for the tribe,” Wujiong said. “They’re strong, capable young beastmen. If anything went wrong, someone would have returned to report it by now.”
Wujiong’s confidence in the beastmen of the tribe proved accurate. Ban Ming and his group were indeed safe but were traveling slowly.
After departing the Jintu Tribe days ago, they had been carrying the metal ingots back toward the He’an Tribe. However, since the beastmen of the Jintu Tribe weren’t adept at running, their pace was frustratingly slow—only about a fifth of what the He’an Tribe’s beastmen could manage.
To accommodate their companions, Ban Ming and his team had no choice but to match their pace.
For the energetic young beastmen, this slow journey was excruciating, testing their patience. They joked that they would rather endure hardship and make the trip themselves than drag along the Jintu Tribe.
Unfortunately, the Jintu beastmen insisted on visiting the He’an Tribe, refusing to agree to any other arrangement.
One evening, after a day of travel, the group finally decided to rest in a sheltered spot.
The beastmen from both tribes split duties to hunt. Ban Ming’s team focused on land prey, while the Jintu Tribe specialized in fishing from the river.
After the hunt, they pooled their catches into a large clay pot, built a fire, and began cooking.
Exhausted from traveling and hunting, everyone sat around the fire, unwilling to move.
The Jintu Tribe’s chief, Jin Shi, sniffed the aroma wafting from the pot. “Your tribe’s seasoning powder smells amazing. We’ll have to trade for some when we return.”
Ban Ming, feeling proud, replied, “Brother Jian Mo gave it to us. He said we might not eat well on the road, so he specially prepared a bag of seasoning. It’s perfect for roasting or boiling meat—just sprinkle some on.”
Jin Shi commented, “Doctor Jian Mo is truly remarkable.”
If Ban Ming had been in his beast form, his tail would have been wagging. He nodded proudly but courteously added, “Your tribe’s clay pots are excellent—light, sturdy, and leak-proof.”
Jin Shi explained, “These came from the Tian Ning Tribe. They’re the best at pottery-making among all the nearby tribes.”
Now it was Ban Ming’s team’s turn to feel envious. “Having metal ingots must be great—you can trade for whatever you want.”
After dinner, everyone rested for the night.
The next day, they resumed their journey, eventually entering the He’an Tribe’s territory.
Having been away for so long, Ban Ming was thrilled to see their home ahead. Leading the way, he hardly paid attention to the Jintu Tribe following behind.
When they finally caught sight of the He’an Tribe’s buildings, Ban Ming and his group let out excited howls and charged forward.
The beastmen patrolling the tribe responded with similar howls.
The Jintu beastmen, trailing behind, watched with awe, whispering among themselves:
“Chief, weren’t we told the He’an Tribe only had stone buildings? Why does it look so clean and neat?”
“Their houses are beautiful.”
“And the people don’t look anything like I imagined. Didn’t they say this place is freezing, with no food in winter? That they have to eat frozen meat and are so starved their ribs show?”
“Everyone here looks healthy and full of energy. They don’t seem like they’ve gone hungry.”
“Ban Ming and his friends certainly don’t act like they’ve ever starved.”
Jin Shi, hearing the chatter grow more absurd, silenced them with a stern whisper. “Enough! Keep quiet before they overhear us.”
One beastman muttered, “We’re just curious. It’s nothing bad—we could say it to their faces.”
“Save it for later,” Jin Shi said firmly.
As they spoke, Wujiong appeared to greet them.
The beast forms of the Jintu Tribe were massive, even larger than those of the He’an Tribe. To accommodate them, Wujiong and his group also transformed into their beast forms.
The meeting of the two groups of giant beasts made the surrounding forest appear small.
Wujiong was the first to speak. “Chief Jin Shi, it’s been a while. Welcome.”
Jin Shi laughed. “Indeed, it has. Your tribe is so far away—it’s no easy task coming here.”
Wujiong replied, “You’ll get used to it. Let’s make an effort to stay in touch.”
The giant wolves and cats led the dinosaur-like beasts from the Jintu Tribe into the He’an Tribe.
From a distance, the Jintu Tribe had already found the He’an Tribe clean and orderly. But upon entering, they were struck by how refined and beautiful it truly was.
The wide roads, and the neatly arranged houses—most built against the mountains—exuded both aesthetic appeal and practical design.
The people, smiling and curious, created a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
At the tribe’s clearing, Wujiong invited the Jintu beastmen to unload their metal ingots and then led them to their accommodations.
He explained that they could rest before joining everyone for dinner.
In preparation for their arrival, the He’an Tribe had cleared and cleaned several houses, laying out soft fur mats and lighting charcoal fires inside.
Upon entering, the Jintu beastmen immediately felt as though they’d stepped into spring. Lying on the treated fur mats, they remarked in wonder:
“Chief, come try these mats. They’re unbelievably soft!”
“And they have a faint scent—like some kind of herb?”
“They put dry grass under the fur. No wonder it’s so soft,” one of the Jintu beastmen remarked.
“It really is comfortable. Why don’t we do the same when we get back? It’s soft and keeps out the damp.”
“Did you catch the smell of their cooking? It’s amazing! My stomach is growling,” another chimed in.
“Let’s get a drink first. It looks like they’ve prepared tea for us.”
Inside the house, two large clay pots filled with tea sat alongside a stack of clay bowls.
Unable to sit still, one beastman got up, poured himself a bowl, and quickly caught a sweet aroma wafting from the liquid.
He took a sip and was immediately captivated. “It’s sweet! Really sweet!”
The others quickly scrambled to try it too.
“Let me have a taste.”
“It really is sweet, with a faintly fragrant aftertaste.”
“What about the other pot? Let me try it.”
“This one seems to be plain water. They must have prepared it in case we’re not used to sweetened tea.”
“Who wouldn’t like sweet tea? It’s so good!”
“Pour me another bowl!”
“The pot’s almost empty! I’m going to ask for a refill.”
“Get back here! Don’t embarrass us!”
While the Jintu beastmen were chatting in hushed voices, Jian Mo and the others were having their own quiet conversation elsewhere.
Jian Mo couldn’t hide his astonishment. “Two hundred baskets of metal ingots? That’s way too much!”
His heart raced as he looked at the neatly stacked metal ingots. Two hundred baskets! That was enough to supply the He’an Tribe for years.
Wujiong explained, “The Jintu Tribe controls the mines. These ingots are just part of their recent yield. To them, trading some for upgraded technology is a highly profitable deal.”
Jian Mo glanced at the metal again and sighed. “I’m really not cut out for business. I’d never dare to negotiate something so bold.”
Wujiong tempered his explanation. “It’s not a done deal yet. If negotiations fail, they might just carry the ingots back.”
Jian Mo considered this and replied, “If they’ve brought them all this way, they probably have a strong desire to make the trade. It’s likely we’ll reach an agreement.”
Qing Kuo joined them, asking, “Did you bring any of our daggers? We’ll need to show them later.”
Startled, Jian Mo quickly recovered, nodded, and pulled out a dagger to show Qing Kuo. “This is the first dagger we forged. The ones made later are even better.”
“This one’s already great,” Qing Kuo reassured him. “When the meat is roasted later, make sure to slice it with your dagger where they can see.”
Jian Mo grinned. “Got it. I’ll make sure to put on a good show right under their noses.”
Qing Kuo patted him on the shoulder. “Exactly—show off as much as you can.”
The He’an Tribe had made up their minds to demonstrate their capabilities to the Jintu Tribe. They moved some of the charcoal-fired grills outside to roast the meat.
By the time dinner was ready, the entire tribe was filled with the mouthwatering aroma of food.
They even brought out some alcohol, determined to send their guests away tipsy and satisfied. Jian Mo contributed a jar of his snowberry wine for the occasion.
When the Jintu beastmen arrived at the bonfire, the He’an Tribe welcomed them warmly, inviting them to sit down and serving them a variety of dishes.
Some tribe members pulled out knives to slice the meat right in front of the guests.
The earlier batch of knives had mostly been crafted from ore, and Qing Kuo had instructed that only a few of the best ones be brought out for display.
As a result, the Jintu Tribe only saw the finest blades the He’an Tribe had to offer.
No one could resist such finely crafted knives—not even the Jintu Tribe, known for their abundance of metal.
Their usually composed chief, Jin Shi, couldn’t help but ask Ban Ming, “Can I see one of your knives?”
“Of course.” Following his instructions, Ban Ming feigned nonchalance as he handed over a knife, flashing a bright smile. “This is an example of our metalworking technique.”
Jin Shi took the hefty knife, examining it carefully. “Why didn’t you bring any of these on the journey?”
Ban Ming answered candidly, “The knives are too valuable. My father was worried I’d show off and insisted I leave them at home.”
Jin Shi rotated the knife in his hand. The gleaming blade reflected the firelight, radiating a dazzling brilliance.
He then pulled out his own knife for comparison. Both were made of metal, but his looked dull, weighed less, had a less polished blade, and was noticeably softer.
It was clear their metal was inferior to the He’an Tribe’s.
While Jin Shi studied the knife, Jian Mo stepped forward with his own. “This is the first knife we forged here. The ones Ban Ming and the others have are from later batches, made with improved techniques.”
Jin Shi looked up. “Doctor Jian Mo.”
Jian Mo smiled warmly. “You’ve come such a long way—welcome.”
Jin Shi chuckled. “Chief Wujiong already welcomed us.”
Jian Mo replied, “Then let me welcome you again. And if we can strike a deal, I’ll welcome you even more.”
Jin Shi laughed. “I hope we didn’t come all this way for nothing.”
Thanks for the chapter!