Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Xue Tuan's mind raced. He recalled the dried-up hot spring he had found earlier and connected it to the recent earthquake. Could there be a volcano near this small tribe?

The drying of hot springs is linked to underground heat sources, and Xue Tuan suspected the earthquake was connected to shifts in nearby volcanic activity.

Settling near a volcano was like living with a ticking time bomb—there was no telling when tremors might strike again.

But Xue Tuan was quickly distracted by something else.

During this large-scale migration, most Beastmen had transformed into their Beast Forms. Those too weak or hungry to transform were carried by others. In this moment, everyone stood united.

Xue Tuan had only one thought: Oh my! So many fluffy creatures!

He couldn't take his eyes off them, especially the furry little cubs, which he found utterly irresistible. Once they rested, he planned to make some friendly overtures—maybe he could pet a few?

There were also Beastmen specifically tasked with carrying supplies. Their Beast Forms resembled mammoths, capable of carrying large loads while remaining stable on the run. They were likely responsible for transporting important tribal possessions that couldn’t be left behind.

Xue Tuan’s gaze shifted to the little black lion running ahead, keeping pace beside a tawny lion—likely Elder Mushi.

Had the little black lion noticed that he never transformed into his Beast Form? Xue Tuan was the only cub in the tribe who couldn’t. But he remained optimistic—perhaps once he fully recovered, he’d be able to transform too.

The little black lion truly considered him a friend. Having a fluffy friend who remembered him made Xue Tuan happy, and he resolved to spend more time playing with him when he had the chance.

Unaware of how long his father had been running, Xue Tuan, who tended to doze off easily, grew drowsy and soon fell asleep swaying inside the bundle.

When he woke again, he found that the "great escape" had come to a halt.

The tribe had been on the move for most of the day before the aftershocks finally subsided.

In the distance, the mountains were bathed in a soft golden glow as the sun began to dip below the horizon.

Led by Shi Hu, the tribe stopped in a vast, open area.

Shi Hu called out clearly, "Let’s rest here for now." Everyone immediately began preparing meals to fill their stomachs.

"So exhausted—haven’t been this tired in years."

"I’m skipping food; I need sleep first."

"Our family is setting up a tent here—make some space."

…

Though he had slept soundly while being carried by his father, Xue Tuan crawled out of the bundle now that they had stopped, eager to contribute in his own small way.

His first task was to start a fire. Normally, the tribe had fire tenders, but given the sudden evacuation, they likely hadn’t had time to preserve the flame.

Still, he wasn’t sure if the tribe even knew how to preserve fire.

Without the tribe’s perpetual flame, everyone had to start their own fires in the wild or borrow from others. Once one person succeeded, the fire would spread quickly.

Bing Qiu and Feng Yan went to gather firewood and wild vegetables, while Rong Shan prepared the fire pit. Their family had brought most of their fresh meat but had to leave behind dried meat and rattan baskets.

Xue Tuan took out his small bundle, retrieving sulfur powder he had stored in a little gourd and some resin he had collected—both highly flammable.

He brought these to his father, who was trying to start a fire with flint, placed some resin on the piled-up dry grass, picked up a spare piece of flint, dusted it with sulfur powder, and handed it over.

"Dad, use this," Rong Shan heard Xue Tuan’s soft, sweet voice beside him.

They usually carried extra flint stones. Without high-purity iron stones, starting a fire with flint wasn’t easy—sometimes it worked quickly, other times not so much.

Rong Shan had noticed his cub’s actions. Honestly, since Bing Qiu mentioned that Xue Tuan’s unusual behaviors came from dreams, he and Feng Yan had often speculated wildly.

Not only was Xue Tuan’s health improving, but he was also more clever and well-behaved than other cubs. It made them wonder—was their child perhaps a reincarnation of the Beast God? After all, some of Xue Tuan’s actions didn’t seem typical for a young cub.

But no matter what Xue Tuan was, he and Feng Yan would never abandon him.

Now, watching his obedient cub hand him the flint dusted with yellowish powder, Rong Shan accepted it readily. Though puzzled, he began striking the flint immediately.

With a "clink," sparks flew as the flint struck the stone, instantly igniting the dry grass!

It worked on the first try!

Staring at the slowly growing flames, Rong Shan froze for a moment before scooping Xue Tuan into his arms and kissing his cheek. "Good boy, you’re amazing!"

He then launched into a stream of praise, making Xue Tuan’s ears turn red, though a small smile tugged at his lips. He still wasn’t quite used to such direct affection.

"Wow, your fire started so quickly—mind sharing?" It was the Leopard Beastmen family next to them.

The leopard family had struggled with their flint, failing to start a fire. Seeing the Arctic Fox family succeed, they came to ask for help.

While some preferred drilling wood for fire, many opted to try their luck with flint first.

"Of course," Rong Shan set Xue Tuan down, took a burning stick, and helped the neighbors light their fire.

The leopard family grew even fonder of the helpful Arctic Fox family, thanking them repeatedly. Later, they even shared some fruits with Bing Qiu and the others.

The clever Xue Tuan quietly followed his father, helping light fires for other families in need. Along the way, he sneakily petted a few little cubs in their Beast Forms, feeling delighted.

The cubs behaved well around Xue Tuan, never resisting his approach—his harmless appearance made it impossible for any Beast-Form cub to refuse his affection.

Exhausted Beastmen spontaneously helped one another, and soon the area was dotted with fire pits. Everyone busied themselves with starting fires for warmth and cooking to replenish their energy.

After helping nearby families, Rong Shan returned to their own camp with Xue Tuan. He picked up the small gourd, applied a bit more yellow powder, and successfully started another fire.

His eyes thoughtful, Rong Shan asked the little cub softly, "Xue Tuan, tell Dad, what is this yellowish stuff? Where did you find it?"

Just then, Feng Yan and Bing Qiu returned with firewood and wild greens.

Bing Qiu, who knew where Xue Tuan had found these items, explained, "He found them in a small cave."

So, while playing with flint, Xue Tuan had discovered that these materials could help start fires faster and brought them for his use? Rong Shan pondered.

In mere moments, Rong Shan’s mind had already run through several scenarios.

If these items were only found in caves, they must be rare. Scarcity meant they’d be highly sought after.

It wasn’t that his family didn’t want to share the yellow powder, but such a useful resource could easily become a point of conflict.

Unless it belonged to the tribe as a whole or was controlled by figures like the Chief or Priest, ensuring fair distribution, disputes were inevitable.

If it was yellow powder now, what about other rare finds in the future? The mere thought of his cubs being interrogated by malicious Beastmen if he and Feng Yan weren’t around made Rong Shan’s heart ache. He couldn’t bear the idea.

Perhaps he was overthinking, but until they could ensure safety, he and Feng Yan would never reveal that Xue Tuan had found these items.

Lowering his voice, Rong Shan spoke with unusual seriousness to both cubs, "When you’re outside, don’t mention that our family has this yellow powder. Understand?"

Bing Qiu and Xue Tuan were still a bit out of it, but the two youngsters obediently nodded.

Rong Shan knew that his children were usually well-behaved; if he drove the point home with a stern and serious expression about such matters, they would understand his face and naturally know where to draw the line.

His two youngsters, most of the time, were typical kids, but sometimes they displayed a maturity beyond their years.

Bing Qiu: "Don’t worry, Dad, I’ll definitely keep an eye on Xue Tuan’s mouth."

Xue Tuan raised an eyebrow and nudged Bing Qiu’s heel with his foot: Clearly, my brother's the one who's always showing off, so why does he need to watch my mouth?

Author's note: