Chapter 405: Stiff as a Hide

Wu Yue heard that and froze, reaching out to feel the beast hide on Qingcao's body; it felt stiff and hard to the touch.

She also felt the somewhat softer hide on her own body: "But the hides Yuan Lang gave me and the ones I traded for on the Chiyan Plains were quite soft."

Qingcao looked at her with an envious expression: "Of course, because the method to soften hides is only known to the big tribes outside the forest."

She now understood why, when she first traded food for hides, the Beastfolk of the Rock Salt Tribe and the Poison Scorpion Tribe looked pained—it turned out these hides weren't ordinary at all.

She pursed her lips; in fact, the method of using plant ash to tan hides was something she had happened to see in a book, but since she never had a chance to try it before, she didn't know whether it would actually yield soft hides.

But she wasn't planning to say anything yet, after all, she still didn't know if it would succeed.

"Looks like I'll have to use my hide sparingly—I just realized how precious this soft hide is."

Qingcao, imitating an old grandma, patted her shoulder: "Yue, hides are precious; we must cherish them."

Wu Yue gave her an annoyed look: "I know now, Granny Qingcao."

Although she herself had an old-fashioned air, being called "grandma" still made Qingcao shiver involuntarily.

"I'm going to find a Beastman Warrior to have him make something for me; in a few days I'll need the materials—will you come?"

Qingcao waved her hand: "I'm not going; today I promised Grandma I'd gather those spiny fruits, and if I haven't finished by dinner, I'll be the one getting scolded."

While saying that, she also gave Wu Yue a pitiful look.

Wu Yue rubbed her arms: "What are you staring at me for? I don't have time to help you; I'm busy too."

The gray fruit ripens too quickly—just split it open overnight and it turns into fiber; although it still contains enough moisture, who knows if the moisture will completely disappear in a few days.

So her sugar-making venture definitely needs to be put on the schedule.

Seeing her little companion really had things to do, Qingcao sighed disappointedly: "All right, then go quickly; tomorrow I'll bring you some spiny fruits—they're tasty, but they're a pain to gather, and I always get hurt."

Saying that, she still flicked her lips with lingering fear.

Wu Yue laughed, hehe, and patted her shoulder: "Sis, take care; I hope to see you again tomorrow."

Qingcao gave Wu Yue a big eye-roll, then swung her arms and walked away.

Wu Yue said she was going to find a Beastman Warrior, but knowing that the Beastman Warriors in the tribe were all busy now, she went straight to Shi Lin's home.

Shi Lin wasn't in the courtyard; instead, Uncle Shi was there washing beast hides.

Wu Yue didn't try to hide her footsteps; the Beastfolk's sharp hearing let Uncle Shi look up right away.

His sharp eyes instantly filled with a smile upon seeing Wu Yue outside the door: "It's Yue, come in quickly."

His blood-stained hands wiped on a nearby hide as he smiled and walked toward the doorway.

Wu Yue hurried a few steps: "You don't need to come out; I have something I want to ask Shi Lin to help with."