Chapter 259: The Secret of the Snake Tribe and the Shoes

Twilight draped low, and a bright moon hung high in the clouds.

The news that the Ying Tribe had formed an alliance with the Snake Tribe had already reached Rongdi's ears; under the night, he stood pensively beside a reclaimed field.

In the night forest, crickets were chirping, and the corn stalks in the field had already grown to half his height, bearing some corn cobs; their appearance made him very pleased.

He comes to look at them every day.

I must say, Li Xiang really did him a great favor.

He will definitely keep him forever to help himself; Nan Qinghuan had been at Ying for less than a year, and the Ying Tribe had grown from a few hundred people to several thousand.

Rongdi also must change.

Only by changing can one become strong enough to contend with Ying.

Since his father died, he has been at odds with Ying, doing things he shouldn't have, and now he looks back and sees how foolish he was.

So he reflected on himself, and he will later face the danger of his tribe's extinction.

He and Ying have a life-and-death grudge; this war must be fought, but the prerequisite for war is to strengthen the tribe.

"Chief, aren't you going to rest?"

From behind came Ji Nü's voice; although Ji Nü had been granted to the lone wolf, in her heart she still loved Rongdi, and that would never change.

Hearing Ji Nü's voice, Rongdi turned his head to look at her, "Has Li Xiang fallen asleep?"

Ji Nü nodded, "He is asleep, Chief. This person is truly useful to us; he hasn't been here long, yet everything in our tribe has started to grow."

"Li Xiang is, of course, a treasure; take good care of him, fulfill whatever he wants, understand?"

Ji Nü gritted her teeth, "I heard the Snake Tribe allied with Ying; Ying wants them to give a treasure in exchange, and the Snake Woman was also rejected by Ying."

Hearing this, Rongdi remained calm, "Hmph, that Snake Woman isn't the type Ying likes, but Ying's succession to clan leader will take five years, right? Nan Qinghuan's pregnancy is still unreported, her trouble is also about to arrive."

Indeed, he prayed in his heart that Nan Qinghuan would not become pregnant; as long as she doesn't, Ying will soon cease to be clan leader.

Ji Nü's mouth twitched, "Nan Qinghuan is just useless; lacking the ability to bear offspring, she will eventually be abandoned by Ying."

Indeed, she despises Nan Qinghuan, so she has been probing for their news, hoping to hear about Nan Qinghuan's misfortune, but all she learns is how Ying dotes on Nan Qinghuan.

She coaxed A Hua to tell Ying's mother that Nan Qinghuan wouldn't get pregnant, hoping to make Ying reject Nan Qinghuan, but it failed.

Not only did it fail, Ying even cherished Nan Qinghuan more, willing to keep her even without a child; A Hua was also said to have been expelled from the tribe.

"Ji Nü, don't think I don't know what you've done behind my back. I warn you, the whole tribe is working now; don't meddle in useless matters. Nan Qinghuan's affairs are beyond your control, understand?"

Sure enough, even if Nan Qinghuan demanded his life, he would still speak up for her.

Ji Nü clenched her fist, her jealousy toward Nan Qinghuan deepening.

"Since you know what I've done, why don't you stop it?"

Rongdi lowered his head in silence; why should he stop? He also wanted to see Ying's choice, but now it disappointed him.

Ying will not abandon Nan Qinghuan, so he hopes the five years pass quickly; without a child, Nan Qinghuan's lack means Ying won't be clan leader.

"Step back"

Ji Nü, unwilling, had to step back; after she left, Li Xiang, who was behind, unexpectedly came forward.

"Chief"

"Aren't you asleep?"

Li Xiang had actually heard what they said; he hadn't been here long, but he had already figured out the place. He heard that the Ying Tribe also had a Goddess, Nan Qinghuan.

But he didn't intend to rely on this Beastman to help him, because he didn't trust him; he had deceived himself!

"It's too hot to sleep"

Li Xiang took out a hand‑made palm fan and kept fanning, "Too many mosquitoes. I had someone light some mugwort; in a few days I'll try making some mosquito coils."

"Mosquito coil?"

That's a new term.

Rongdi further believed that this man was together with Nan Qinghuan, but he wanted to ask where they came from.

How do they have so many things? "Indeed, Chief has probably never seen this. In this tiny circle there's not a single mosquito. The corn grows quickly; in two months it will be ripe. The sweet potatoes will be mature in three months. Chief, I want to go out tomorrow. I've been here so long without leaving the tribe; I want to see the world outside."

Li Xiang cautiously probed Rongdi; he wanted to go out. Indeed, he had heard Nan Qinghuan's name. He originally intended to ask where Nan Qinghuan was, but realizing the Beastman wouldn't tell him, he decided to find her himself.

He couldn't believe what kind of torment Nan Qinghuan would endure among these savages.

He dared not imagine it.

Hearing him, Rongdi squinted slightly, "Do you want to leave the tribe?"

At the fifth watch, the sky gradually brightened.

Inside the forest, Nan Qinghuan, without Ying's knowledge, led Youchao Xuan, ChaoJi, and Jingang in pursuit until they reached a place outside the tribe called Bai Shan Po, where they finally stopped.

"Goddess, the Snake Tribe people like to roam these woods; what exactly are you looking for?"

"Indeed, Heavenly Maiden, whatever you want, just have the Snake Tribe deliver it; they now depend on us, and they won't refuse to give anything."

"No need to chase all the way here."

Nan Qinghuan rolled her eyes at Youchao Xuan, "Didn't you see the shoes under the Snake Woman's feet?"

"Shoes?"

ChaoJi discovered it; indeed, it's quite something—it's a treasure of the Snake Tribe, highly prized by the clan, yet no one knows how to make it.

Originally, Ying had set a condition with Ada that they provide the method for making those shoes, but A Da said it was a tribal secret and refused, offering only to send some other treasures instead.

"So it's called shoes? We thought it was called 'ri' (footwear)."

"Ri?"

Indeed, in antiquity they were called shoes or 'ri'; the ancient term was the same.

"Yes, that thing is very comfortable; only the Snake Tribe can make it, other tribes cannot. Heavenly Maiden, what are you planning..."

"Instead of begging others, we should search ourselves. If we find that white‑as‑snow treasure, our people could wear cotton clothes and shoes, even cultivate that treasure. Come, let's see what lies in these woods."

Upon hearing this, ChaoJi was somewhat startled, "Heavenly Maiden wants..."

Make Shoes? Can she? "Let's go, we'll check whether it's what I think. If we find this treasure I'll have a way to make Shoes, do you two want to wear Shoes?"

She doesn't trust Ada; in her view his Tribe was bullied by others, which is why he came to the alliance, and Ada is heavy‑hearted and dishonest, perhaps he will betray us someday.

So she prefers to find this Cotton‑like crop herself.

If she finds it, her Tribe will have one more thing.

Only by mastering the technique herself can she avoid relying on others.

"Shh, keep it down, don't get discovered."

Here, the three of them and Jingang tiptoed cautiously into the dense forest, searching for the crop Nan Qinghuan guessed, something like Cotton.

Over there in the forest, the She Nü stamped her foot in anger, "Father, are we just being bullied by Ying like this? He doesn't want me yet embarrasses you in front of you, sending a few tribe members to drive us away—this isn't…"

"Shut up, what do you know? Once Quan Rong learns we've allied with Ying, he won't attack the Tribe, understand?"

Originally Ada wanted to properly ally with Ying, and of course he also wanted the techniques of Ying Tribe, but he discovered that Ying is not someone he can control.

So… hearing Father's words, the She Nü self‑deprecatingly said, "What about me?"

What should she do? Ada gave her a glance, useless thing.

"What are you afraid of? Once the Tribe is safe, Father will take you somewhere; we'll go find Rongdi. Ying dares to treat me like this, I won't stand on his side."

That made the She Nü a bit nervous; it turned out to be Father's hidden thought.

"Find Rongdi?"