Chapter 251: The Ying Tribe Smelts Its First Iron Tool

The Ying Tribe was bustling.

Youchao Xuan's clan agreed to join the tribe, which made Ashu and the others very pleased; they immediately offered to help Youchao Xuan's people build new Tulou here to live anew.

With Ashu and the tribe members' help, they quickly excavated the foundation for a Tulou by the river; Youchao Xuan's tribe was established on the riverbank, and their Tulou stood far opposite the Ying Tribe's and Ashu's Tulou.

Here, the Tulou was being hurriedly built to expand the tribe, while there, Ying and Nan Qinghuan brought back a lot of Iron Ore; upon their return they immediately asked Na Yao to help smelt Iron Tools.

For people of that ancient era to produce Raw Iron was already impressive; considering it was the age of slash‑and‑burn agriculture, it was undeniably a feat. Though the craftsmanship was crude, the result was usable. Moreover, with Youchao Xuan and Na Yao's assistance, they could make Iron Tools, so Ying and Nan Qinghuan were waiting for a miracle.

The smelting site was a temporary structure built from stacked stones; beneath the raging fire stood the oldest Pull-type Bellows, made by Na Yao's men, which made the combustion faster.

The Iron Ore required a very high temperature to smelt, and ordinary firewood could not reach its melting point, so Na Yao surprisingly used a special treasure, making the blaze burn even more fiercely.

Nan Qinghuan never imagined that the treasure would be tung oil.

It turned out that those ancient people had long mastered certain knowledge; while modern people might consider it trivial, it was remarkable in ancient times.

Inside the steaming temporary structure, the Iron Ore was placed into a massive stone furnace. This was Nan Qinghuan's first time seeing Na Yao and Youchao Xuan smelt iron; she watched them mix Iron Ore with sintered ball ore, manganese ore, limestone, and some coke in proportion, feed it into the furnace, then send it to a blast furnace for smelting. Ancient times lacked modern iron furnaces, so this furnace was built of stone, and she truly admired the sight.

Presumably Na Yao smelts iron the same way in his tribe.

What emerges this way is the earliest Iron Tool, which they will forge as needed; it can become weapons or agricultural implements.

She had only known these things without understanding; she couldn't smelt iron, but fortunately Na Yao and Youchao Xuan knew how.

She had to admit, watching Na Yao and Youchao Xuan work made Nan Qinghuan feel as if she had seen the New Continent; they were shirtless, sweating profusely beside the furnace, the scorching furnace blazing, baking their faces bright red.

The scorching air felt oppressively heavy.

Na Yao and his companions muttered words under their breath, unclear whether they were praying or something else; in any case, it was mysterious.

She asked Axi to bring in some cool tea for them to rest, and the ceramic jar contained tea brewed from mint leaves and patchouli leaves that she and Axi had gathered.

It was refreshing and relieved the heat.

"Everyone, take a break and have some cool tea?"

She carried the jar hoping everyone would rest, but the men ignored her and kept working; only Ying, shirtless, walked over, his body drenched in sweat under the raging flames.

Seeing Nan Qinghuan's little face baked bright red, he furrowed his brow and immediately tried to push her out, "Why are you here? Go out quickly, it's very hot here."

Ying, protectively, said, "Out, out."

Nan Qinghuan thought she had arrived long ago; the man just hadn't seen her.

"Hey, Ying, this cool tea..."

"Put it aside; the first batch of Iron Water is about to emerge, it's very hot, you go quickly."

Ying, fearing she would be baked, hurriedly told her to leave; Nan Qinghuan didn't linger either—indeed, smelting iron truly wasn't a woman's job, and she saw Ying's head soaked with sweat.

She felt deeply pained.

She reached out to wipe him, but the man was too tall to reach.

"Ying, it's hard, isn't it?"

Ying sensed her concern, and with a bright smile showed a set of white teeth, "Not hard, go out quickly."

After being pushed out by Ying, the air outside instantly cooled.

It was still her first time realizing how arduous smelting iron was.

It truly wasn't easy.

But all this hardship was worth it; the tribe now had iron, and Ying would be pleased.

While she was daydreaming, a cheering voice from Dashan suddenly came from behind.

"The iron water is out, the red water is out."

Nan Qinghuan instantly turned to look inside; she didn't know the exact situation, but she understood that Iron Water was emerging.

She recalled reading in a book that the Iron Water was bright red like blood and was striking; she couldn't help but want to see the miracle.

She quietly crouched at the doorway, and indeed a bright red Blood Water streamed down.

Great!

The Ying Tribe has bid farewell to the era without Iron Tools.

Now they can forge more weapons and more farming tools.

Thinking of this lifted her spirits, and she hurried to turn and find Axi and A Mu to share the good news, when suddenly a crisp ding‑dong sounded in her mind.

"Host, Iron Ore Construction Tribe Achievement detected; reward Space Upgrade. Upgrade now?"

Oh my, if this space didn't appear soon she'd think she was just tying herself up in loneliness.

"Upgrade"

"Didi, please wait a moment"

Soon, the Space Upgrade completed; it was no longer on any particular level, and all her merits combined allowed her to obtain some needed supplies from the Dimensional Mountain City.

However, the space is stingy; you can't take whatever you want.

There are conditions.

The required condition is called Public Virtue Bean; she has now found Rice, merged the Youchao Tribe with the Cannibal Tribe, and now also found Iron Ore, becoming the largest tribe above the Ancient Nine Provinces.

It's too stingy; after doing so much she only has fifty Public Virtue Beans.

Although few, it's better than none.

She plans to go to the space when no one is around to exchange for some of the things she wants most.

Such as shoes for her tribe members and the medicines they need, and... thinking of this, she suddenly felt it had been a hard struggle, and now, through her own effort, there was finally some benefit.

Although few, she believes it will get better and better.

"Qinghuan"

While she was daydreaming, Axi and A Mu approached from not far away; A Mu, with a kind smile, said, "Qinghuan, have they finished smelting the iron?"

"A Mu, you know now, it's done; our tribe finally has its own Iron Tools."

Before we only had copper, but now it's different; we have both copperware and Iron Tools. Which tribe dares to harass us now? "Oh, that's wonderful, Goddess bless, Qinghuan, I heard Ying say you killed the Rongdi?"

Mother was overjoyed; if Ying was getting even stronger, she couldn't help raising her eyes toward the distance, her gaze plaintive, where a powerful Tribe lay.

How could that man's son be lacking? "Mother, what's wrong?"

Nan Qinghuan saw Mother looking strange, and Mother quickly averted her gaze, "It's nothing. You all made a great harvest this time. Did Rongdi die?"

Rongdi… she didn't know either.

"Mother, don't worry. Don't fear Rongdi. Our Tribe will become stronger and stronger; no one will dare to bully us."

Mother's eyes held anticipation, "Qinghuan, we are no longer afraid of being bullied. You don't know, since the Tribe became victorious, many small Tribes have envied us and want to join, but Ying refuses."

"Join us?"

How could she not know? "Yes, but I know what those people are thinking. They want to steal our techniques of farming and cultivating Rice. We won't give them that; if they steal it, they'll rebel."

Mother was very averse to outsiders, but she felt at ease with Ashu and Youchao Xuan, as well as Yao, because their friendship was as solid as iron, like family.

Nan Qinghuan saw Mother still quite cautious, "Mother, don't worry. Ying won't want everyone. Today is a good day; to celebrate that our Tribe now has an Iron Road, I have prepared delicious food to reward the tribe members."

Now the Tribe has rice, and she is preparing a grand feast to reward everyone.

Axi, standing beside her, was naturally also very happy, smiling brightly at Nan Qinghuan, "Qinghuan, whatever delicious dish you want to make, teach me."