Chapter 61

Chapter 61

As dusk settled, the Brown-eared Leopard Tribe kindled a ring of bonfires to welcome their esteemed guests. The firelight danced across the stone tables, and the wind rustled the camp’s tent flaps.

“Are they… using what they’re holding to start fires?” Bing Qiu, unfamiliar with this method, found it quite novel.

Observing the Brown-eared Leopard Tribe’s fire-starting technique, Xue Tuan realized they had mastered a way to preserve embers.

The Brown-eared Leopard beastmen placed embers into a type of fungus called birch polypore, roughly the size of two fists. Due to the natural properties of its internal mycelium, the ember could smolder for an extended period—at least a day or two—making it ideal for preserving fire.

The beastmen gathered around several low stone tables in front of their tents.

On the tables lay the day’s meal: grilled horned sheep, boiled wild vegetables, stewed beans, and coarse wheat porridge. Beside each table, small pottery jars held sauces of varying shades, exuding a rich, savory aroma.

Xue Tuan was relieved the Brown-eared Leopard Tribe wasn’t serving their guests a “hodgepodge stew.”

Yet, what appeared before Xue Tuan and the others was not wheat porridge, but rare rice porridge. At this time, rice was likely scarcer than wheat; thus, the Brown-eared Leopard Tribe served rice porridge to their guests while their own people ate wheat porridge.

Before stone mills became widespread, dehusking wheat was time-consuming and laborious. Though barley was easier to dehusk, its texture left much to be desired. Only after rice and flour gained popularity did barley become more commonly used for brewing alcohol.

Thus, the Brown-eared Leopard Tribe currently followed the typical “wheat porridge and bean soup” model—a quintessential “poor man’s meal.” Yet, in the beast world, beastmen were still far from being able to be picky about food, making this diet entirely unremarkable.

Steamed rice only began gaining mainstream popularity after the invention of the pottery steamer; the Brown-eared Leopard Tribe still primarily cooked porridge.

In reality, both stone grinding and mortar-and-pestle pounding faced serious efficiency limitations. The water-powered mortar—“using water to pound”—applied hydraulic principles and was clearly far more convenient. Any task requiring hulling or crushing could be accomplished with it.

As for why Xue Tuan had Elder Grandpa begin with a stone mill rather than jumping straight to the water-powered mortar, it was simply because the stone mill was easier to produce and operate.

By first demonstrating some tangible “advantages” of the stone mill, everyone would naturally aspire to improve upon it. At that point, introducing the method for constructing a water-powered mortar would likely be far more readily accepted by the beastmen.

“Guests, please make yourselves at home—and eat heartily,” said Chief A Li, seated at the center. To his right sat Feng Yan and his family.

“Thank you for preparing this meal for us,” Feng Yan replied, gazing at the abundant spread before him. He knew the Brown-eared Leopard Tribe had invested considerable effort into it.

This was likely the most lavish feast the Brown-eared Leopard Tribe could offer. Xue Tuan could tell from the expressions of the other Brown-eared Leopard beastmen—especially the cubs’ reactions. He’d already spotted several cubs unconsciously staring at the food on their table, trying hard not to drool.

The main dish was horned sheep—one of the few large beasts the Brown-eared Leopard beastmen could hunt and consume before their migration. Moreover, regarding sheep as a delicacy had long been a cultural tradition, evident in Chinese characters like *xiān* (fresh), *měi* (delicious), and *gēng* (soup). It was thus perfectly fitting for the Brown-eared Leopard Tribe to serve horned sheep to their guests.

Not only were the stone tables laden with sheep liver, heart, kidneys, and other organs, but a beastman was also grilling a massive horned sheep nearby.

Once the meat on the bottom was nearly cooked, the Brown-eared Leopard beastman sliced off a sizzling, fatty piece and placed it directly onto the stone table.

A Li personally used a bone knife to cut the meat into portions—cutting smaller pieces for the cubs—and arranged them before Feng Yan and the others. “Please try our *hǎi jiàng* (sauce)—just spread it on the meat,” he said.

Another beastman approached, portioning different sauces into stone bowls for the guests’ use.

“Alright—thank you,” Feng Yan replied, distributing the meat from the stone slab to his family and the little black lion beside him, signaling with his eyes for everyone to dig in.

The sauce was the same variety A Li had shown them earlier—stored in those large jars. The Brown-eared Leopard beastmen seasoned their grilled food with no spices at all, pairing it solely with sauce after cooking.

Xue Tuan knew these sauces typically contained extremely high salt content—acting as a preservative and ensuring a long shelf life. He’d heard from Da Er and Xiao Er that their tribe had originally risen to prominence thanks to salt flats. With salt once abundant, it was no surprise the Brown-eared Leopard beastmen could produce such large quantities of sauce.

Yet, as the ancestral salt flats yielded diminishing returns, the salt content in their current sauce had likely declined. Xue Tuan estimated they no longer possessed surplus salt to sustain large-scale sauce production.

He suspected the large jars Chief A Li had displayed might well be their last remaining reserves.

Guided by the belief that “anything can become sauce—and every food pairs with sauce,” the Brown-eared Leopard Tribe used their sauces with meat, vegetables, and porridge alike.

The sauce had become an indispensable seasoning in their daily lives.

Ant Sauce (*chí hǎi*) was made from ants, Snail Sauce (*wō hǎi*) from snails, and Fish Sauce (*yú hǎi*)—naturally—from fish. Among these, Xue Tuan could stomach only the Fish Sauce.

Bing Qiu, however, was different. Since meeting Xue Tuan, he’d grown bolder in his culinary choices. So, without hesitation, he boldly sampled each sauce—earning Xue Tuan’s quiet admiration.

Worried Feng Yan and the others might not understand the sauces, Da Er stood up to introduce them:

“This jar contains Fish Sauce—made from fermented carp,” Da Er said, scooping a small spoonful and gently spreading it over a tender, grilled lamb rib before placing it in Xue Tuan’s bowl. Having spent two days among the Mountain Water Tribe, Da Er knew something of Xue Tuan’s preferences—and deliberately selected the smallest piece for him.

Noticing Da Er’s kindness, Xue Tuan smiled. “Thank you, Brother Da Er.”

“You’re welcome,” Da Er replied, his lips curving into a smile as he looked at the cub’s face. He continued enthusiastically:

“This jar holds Ant Sauce—made by crushing large black ants and fermenting them with salt.” Da Er’s introduction was tactful—he omitted the precise preparation details, so the chief didn’t interrupt, yet he named the key ingredients, allowing the Arctic fox family to know exactly what they were eating.

“Ant Sauce has a milder aroma—I prefer it with wild vegetables. You should try it too,” Da Er added, sliding the stone slab piled with wild vegetable leaves closer to Feng Yan and the others for easy access.

“Of course, it pairs well with meat too,” he continued, mixing a spoonful of Ant Sauce with a piece of sheep breast and placing it in Bing Qiu’s bowl.

After thanking him, Bing Qiu wasted no time—he took a large bite. His eyebrows furrowed briefly, then relaxed as he said, “The flavor is strange at first… but after chewing, it’s actually quite tasty?”

Hearing this, Da Er let out a quiet sigh of relief. He’d genuinely worried the Mountain Water Tribe members might find their food unfamiliar—especially since, to him, their cuisine tasted exceptionally delicious.

But having grown up eating Brown-eared Leopard fare, Da Er was thoroughly accustomed to it—and believed it fully worthy of serving guests. After all, everyone hoped their tribe’s food would be appreciated.

Next, Da Er prepared sauce pairings for the others, carefully observing their reactions. If anyone showed even the slightest sign of distaste, he wouldn’t press further.

Fortunately, the Mountain Water Tribe guests displayed no discomfort whatsoever.

“It’s actually quite good,” Rong Shan remarked, savoring lamb leg with Snail Sauce. The interplay of meaty richness and deep umami on his palate was entirely acceptable.

“Would Hui Hui like to try something?” Xiao Er asked, seated beside Xue Tuan—making it easier to assist the young cubs, unfamiliar with their tribe’s cuisine, in portioning their food.

Xiao Er already knew Hui Hui was a Spirit Beast—but since Xue Tuan and the others hadn’t brought it up, he refrained from prying.

Xue Tuan rubbed Hui Hui’s forehead and shook his head. “No need—Hui Hui already ate his fill earlier.” In the wild, Hui Hui usually hunted his own food—proving himself a remarkably low-maintenance Spirit Beast.

“Chirp.” Hui Hui nuzzled Xue Tuan’s neck and flapped his wings twice—as if urging the little cub to focus on his meal.

“That’s good,” Xiao Er nodded, scooping more Fish Sauce into Xue Tuan’s bowl. “I like Fish Sauce best too—Xue Tuan, have more.” Noticing the cub ate only this sauce, he generously added a few extra spoonfuls.

“Zhong Yan, you have some more too,” Xue Tuan said, scooping some for the little black lion lying nearby after Xiao Er served him.

“Okay,” the little black lion replied.

As for why the black lion cub hadn’t shifted into human form to eat with them—the Brown-eared Leopard beastmen didn’t ask, showing proper respect by refraining from prying into others’ affairs.

And the little black lion was already accustomed to eating from his “special bowl” beside Xue Tuan. With no one questioning it, he felt no sense of awkwardness.

Seeing the Mountain Water Tribe guests enjoying their meal—and accepting their tribe’s sauces so readily—Chief A Li couldn’t help asking, “Would you like to try Bee Sauce—or Insect Sauce?” These were among the rarest sauces the Brown-eared Leopard Tribe possessed.

…Feng Yan glanced at the expressions of those beside him and responded almost instantly: “Thank you for your kindness, Chief—we’re quite full already. No need for more sauce.”

A Li nodded, slightly disappointed… He glanced toward another pot being prepared by his tribesmen behind him and added, “The soup is nearly ready. Please have some more.”

A stone pot simmered with rich meat soup—the sinewy parts of sheep bones cooked until the meat fell cleanly from the bone. An elder from the Brown-eared Leopard Tribe personally ladled several bowls and handed them to the guests. “Have some hot soup to warm up.”

The Arctic fox family—including the little black lion—each received a steaming bowl of lamb soup. After drinking it, they all felt wonderfully warm.

After the meal, Xue Tuan felt that the fish paste he had eaten was pretty good—aside from a slight fishy taste, it was mostly savory. Plus, having eaten rice porridge again after a long time, he found the meal very satisfying.

Bing Qiu, with his exceptional adaptability, never skimped on eating no matter what food he ate, so he thoroughly enjoyed himself.

As for the little black lion, needless to say, he was well-fed with Xue Tuan’s extra helpings at every meal.

"Thank you for your hospitality." At the end of the meal, Feng Yan led the others in thanking the leader of the Brown-eared Leopard Tribe. They could all sense the effort the Brown-eared Leopards had put into preparing the meal, which demonstrated their friendliness and sincerity.

"You're welcome, it's the least we could do." Leader A Li also responded for his tribe, "You saved Xiao Er, and we once again express our gratitude to the Mountain Water Tribe."

Da Er and Xiao Er beamed at Feng Yan and the others. Da Er was truly grateful to the Mountain Water Tribe for taking them in. If it had been another tribe, he couldn't imagine whether he would ever see his younger brother again. Without Xiao Er, he couldn't fathom how heartbroken his fathers would have been.

Through this meal together, although A Li couldn't fully understand what kind of person the leader of the Mountain Water Tribe was, he could still somewhat discern Feng Yan's character.

The nature of a tribe reflects the nature of its leader. At least, that's what A Li believed, so he felt that the Mountain Water Tribe had reached a level where they could be considered good people to befriend.

Next, Leader A Li had intended to arrange for the Mountain Water Tribe to rest in the caves, but Feng Yan declined.

"No need to trouble yourselves, we’ll set up tents outside." In the wild, the arctic fox family was already accustomed to staying in their own tents and didn’t want to put out the Brown-eared Leopard Tribe by taking up their sleeping space.

Since Feng Yan and the others insisted, A Li said, "I understand, please follow me."

A Li led Feng Yan and the others to a sheltered area near a cave. Xue Tuan took a quick look around and thought it was indeed a good spot to set up tents.

Xiao Er, due to his leg injury, wanted to help but couldn’t, so he had already been taken home by his father, A Xin, and was probably getting an earful.

After setting up the tents, A Mu helped light the fire in front of them. Smiling at Feng Yan and the others, he said, "Before sleeping, take off your fur clothing and warm up your belly and back by the fire. It helps you sleep deeper." This was a bedtime habit of the Brown-eared Leopard Beastmen, who liked to use this method to relieve the day’s fatigue.

It did sound like a good idea. Xue Tuan thought that Uncle A Mu’s suggestion might be worth a try sometime.

Rong Shan nodded and said, "Alright, thank you for the advice."

"Brother Feng Yan, Brother Rong Shan, my father and I will head back now. See you tomorrow." Da Er waved goodbye to the group standing in front of the tents.

"Yeah, see you tomorrow." Feng Yan also bid farewell to A Mu and Da Er, the father and son.

The young cubs stood beside Feng Yan and Rong Shan, waving as well. "Thanks for all your help!"

Bing Qiu’s voice was loud, and even from a distance, Da Er could hear him clearly. He laughed heartily in response, "No trouble at all!" Da Er genuinely liked everyone from the Mountain Water Tribe. After the trade tomorrow, Brother Feng Yan and the others would probably head back soon, and he was really sad to see them go.

Da Er’s assumption was correct—Feng Yan and Rong Shan had already decided that after completing the trade the next day, they would prepare to return to their tribe directly. They wanted to get an early start and head back quickly, not planning to delay too long here.

After everyone entered the tent, except for Feng Yan, they all transformed into their Beast Forms. A giant arctic fox held Xue Tuan in front of him, gently rocking him. The giant arctic fox lifted his head and asked Feng Yan, who was checking their supplies:

"Have you figured out how you want to handle the trade?"