Chapter 496: with translation of chapter title

The newly built house still only had the middle room, divided into three small rooms; the two sides were each a bedroom, while the middle room was used to build a stove. In winter, not only could food be cooked inside the house, but it was also connected to a heated brick bed for heating.

At this time, the tribespeople had gathered around the outside of the house, watching the Beastman Warriors build this house, and everyone was very curious.

"This house is really big; won't it be cold in winter?"

"Besides, why divide it into three rooms?"

Bulun and Yingfei also saw this rather different house, and they too had the same doubts as the Snow Moon tribespeople.

"Or should we build it into a courtyard?"

Wu Yue looked at the Beastman Warrior beside her and said.

Yuan Lang nodded: "The courtyard can be bigger; you like planting things, and drying herbs also needs open space."

Wu Yue smiled and nodded: "It seems I need to find time to teach the tribespeople here how to weave grass mats and baskets."

After building the heated brick bed, laying dry grass to sleep on it would not be good.

The next day before dawn, when it was still dark, a rustling sound came from inside the cave; moments later, two tall figures appeared outside the cave.

"Tsk, getting up this early for the first time is really a bit cold."

Teng Kun rubbed his arms, seemingly trying to use this method to get rid of the goosebumps that had erupted on his exposed skin from the cold.

Yuan Lang turned his head to look at him: "I'm going hunting; you protect Yue. The hunting party will wait for me to return before setting out."

Teng Kun nodded: "Don't worry, boss; I'm not unreliable like my older brother."

Yuan Lang gave him a deep look; this kid really had a big misunderstanding about him.

Immediately, a few flickered and disappeared into the tribe.

The beasts were obviously much more diligent than the tribespeople; after just wandering around the recent hunting party, Yuan Lang brought back an entire large-antlered deer.

Teng Kun, who had just added fire to the hearth in the cave, looked incredulously at his own boss, then touched his face: "Could it be that the game also likes to find good-looking ones?"

When Wu Yue got up, the cave was already filled with a rich meat aroma.

"Come eat."

On the stone beside the simple stove, two corn cakes were being roasted; the golden corn cakes turned slightly charred from the flame's roasting, yet smelled even more fragrant.

"Are you going hunting today?"

After taking a bite of the golden, crispy corn cake, Wu Yue asked.

Yuan Lang glanced at the pot where the beast meat was boiling: "They've already returned."

The open space outside the cave was very lively; at that moment, the tribespeople of the gathering and hunting teams were preparing to set out.

"Yesterday's wild boar beast was given to you; today, we will definitely gather the most food."

"You must still be half-asleep!"

"What did you say!"

Such conversations continued nonstop.

"I'll continue building the house later; call me if anything comes up."

The Beastman's voice was low and deep, his eyes like two small black holes trying to suck a person in.

Wu Yue nodded somewhat dazedly: "Today I will teach the females to weave grass mats and baskets."

The females left behind in the tribe were very puzzled; usually they stayed in the tribe to process the shelled corn or wash the beast pelts brought back by yesterday's hunting team.

But today, Shaman Wu Yue actually had them go gather dry grass and vines.

A Yun put the dry grass and vines from his back onto the open space, then sat down right beside it.

"A Yun, you gathered this much?"

A female beside her stared in surprise at the piles of dry grass and vines before her.

A Yun smiled and nodded: "I was afraid I wouldn't do well, so I prepared extra."

As the two spoke, the tribespeople gradually returned, even including some males.

They also carried more dry grass and vines than the females and sat down in the open space.

"Tribespeople, today I had you gather dry grass and vines; you're all probably wondering what this is for."

Seeing the tribespeople ready, Wu Yue picked up a basket loaded with things and stood up.

Taking from the basket a piece the length of an arm, the moment the grass rope was undone, the object instantly elongated from the wide part in her hand, hanging straight down to the ground.

"What is this?! It was just a tiny bit a moment ago, and now it's this long—could it be Shaman Wu Yue's sorcery?"

Everyone looked up at Wu Yue standing at the head, full of admiration.

"This item is called a grass mat, made by weaving the dry grass in your hands."

The grass mat in her hand was about as thick as a female's palm; laid on the grass, it was smooth and attractive, making both females' and males' eyes light up.

They looked at the dry grass stalks before them, each shorter than an arm, then at the beautiful-patterned thing called a grass mat, and their hearts surged.

"This grass mat can be woven huge; this one I have is just a small piece—you can weave it big enough for all your family to sleep on."

"Today I had you gather dry grass in order to teach everyone how to weave grass mats."

As soon as her words fell, the open space filled with excited murmurs.

Wu Yue smiled and raised her hand: "There's another item."

Pointing to the basket placed at her feet: "Everyone has seen this basket; we brought it from outside. It can hold a lot of food. If each of the tribespeople going out to gather had one like this, the amount of food they bring back each day would increase greatly."

"Shaman Wu Yue, is this basket made of vines?"

A childish voice rang out from the front of the tribe; it was A Yu, sitting together with little Aima.

The little one blinked his big eyes, curiously stroking the few vines before him, which A Mu had given him to play with.

Wu Yue smiled and nodded: "A Yu is really smart; this basket is woven from vines, though weaving it is harder than a grass mat, so today I'll teach you to weave grass mats, and tomorrow to weave baskets."

Those who learn can come to me for assessment; as long as the grass mats and baskets they weave meet my standards, they can become the captain of a weaving squad, and I will assign some tribespeople to you, with the squad members under your charge.

After teaching all the tribespeople to weave these two items, the grass mats and baskets you produce can be used to exchange food with other tribes.

The eyes of A Yun sitting in the front row lit up.

In the following time, Wu Yue began to explain while teaching the tribe members how to weave grass mats and baskets.

"Lady Wu Yue, does my woven grass mat meet the requirements?"

A Yun, who had been full of confidence before, now stood somewhat nervously in front of his family's shaman, carefully bowing and asking.

Just moments ago, several females who thought their weaving was decent brought their grass mats and baskets to show Shaman Yue, but none passed.

Seeing Shaman Yue carefully examining her woven items, A Yun's heart also rose to her throat.

"Not bad, your grass mat passes, but the basket still doesn't."

Saying that, she stood up, walked to the side, and placed half a basket of corn fruits into A Yun's woven basket; just as she was about to lift it, a crack split open at the top of the basket.

A Yun's face flushed; she indeed was not very familiar with finishing the rim.

"I see, your rim work isn't good, so this basket cannot be used properly."

Saying that, she gestured for her to come over and explained the technique again in detail.

After listening, A Yun immediately ran back to her spot, grabbed a few vines, and sat on the open ground beside Wu Yue, awkwardly starting to finish the rim again.

"Shaman Yue, please look at my grass mat; why does it always feel prickly to the touch?"

A tall, slender female walked over somewhat dejected, holding a small piece of grass mat that seemed to be covered in thorns.

Wu Yue laughed helplessly: "Before weaving, you must first treat the dry grass properly; your treatment time is insufficient and your method is wrong—go ask the other tribe members."

The female gave a dry laugh and scratched her head; she indeed lacked patience, so she spent much less time treating the dry grass than the other tribe members.

"Shaman, my basket is finished!"

An excited murmur sounded nearby; Wu Yue lowered her gaze and saw that the rim of A Yun's basket in her hand had been made very well.

She smiled and nodded, then rose to look at the tribespeople on the open ground: "A Yun's weaving technique for grass mats and baskets has passed the test, making her the squad leader of the first weaving team; tribe members who wish to join this squad, please stand up."

Upon hearing this, everyone cast envious glances at the flushed-faced A Yun standing there, and then one female after another rose to their feet.

Wu Yue selected ten females and assigned them to A Yun, then let them choose their own open spaces to practice.

Buren and Yingfei, who had returned from hunting with the tribe, looked puzzled at the Snow Moon Tribe members sitting on the open ground, fiddling with dry grass and vines.

"Shaman Yue, what are they doing?"

Buren, being more familiar with Wu Yue, naturally stepped forward and struck up a conversation.

Wu Yue slightly raised her delicate chin, pointed to the nearby basket and grass mat, and said: "We are currently weaving grass mats and baskets."

Buren, Yingfei, and the members of the Dong Sang Tribe behind them instantly had their eyes light up.

Upon seeing that basket, they were already eager; if they used it for gathering, would they still worry about bringing back too much food?

However, there are only a few such baskets in the Snow Moon Tribe, so they assumed this basket was brought over by Shaman Yue and her companions from the opposite shore.

But they never expected that they actually had a method for making baskets, and that grass mat...

It is not only neat, but also has an attractive pattern; if laid in a cave for sleeping, it is far more usable than that prickly dry grass.

Buren fawned over: "Shaman Yue, we, we can..."

"No..."

"Can we..."

"Cannot!"

Being repeatedly interrupted, Buren also grew a bit angry, suddenly turning: "I'm talking to Shaman Yue, you! Who! Ah! Ow ow ow! Um, Yuan Lang... hahaha, what a coincidence, how come you're here?"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than he wished he could dig a house out of the ground with his toes.

This is their tribe; if they're not here, where are they?

"Let's first process the game."

Just then, Yingfei beside them spoke up.

Watching the backs of those few as they left, Wu Yue smirked: "The Dong Sang Tribe isn't exactly easy to get along with, either."

Yuan Lang's deep eyes narrowed slightly: "That Yingfei has many thoughts, but he didn't expect that you didn't teach the tribe the method for making corn cakes, which will disappoint him."

Wu Yue smiled at him: "Eating corn flour as is tastes fine too; want to give it a try?"

Yuan Lang's handsome face stiffened: "Hehe."

"I'll give you two words; feel them yourself."

By the river at the campsite.

Buren shook off Yingfei's hand, his brows furrowed tightly.

"I don't know why, but ever since we came back, Yingxuan and the others don't seem as friendly toward me as they were when we stole the herbs; aren't we good friends?"

After all, having experienced the pursuit by the Wuke Tribe, Buren felt quite displeased about the rift that had arisen between them.

Yingfei's eyes flickered with a hint of meaning, then he spoke lightly: "After all, we and he are ultimately not from the same tribe; they were nice to you before only because they wanted you to lead them to find herbs, whereas we are true tribe members."

Upon hearing this, Buren felt very uncomfortable; after all, even when we fled after stealing the herbs, Yingxuan never abandoned me, even carrying me on his back while running.

He still disagreed with Yingfei's words in his heart, and besides, since returning, he always felt that Yingfei and the remaining tribe members were acting mysteriously, and they kept liking to wander around the Snow Moon Tribe.

What especially puzzled him was that the aloof Yingfei would occasionally even chat with ordinary tribe members.

A suspicious little gaze locked onto the nearby Beastman Warrior in an instant: "Did you do something bad that the Snow Moon Tribe discovered?"

Yingfei's heart tightened, then he frowned at Buren: "The Dong Sang Tribe is one of the largest tribes in this forest; as a Beastman Warrior, what bad thing could I possibly do to this tiny Snow Moon Tribe?"

He then lifted his foot and kicked him: "Have you forgotten what your identity is?"

After Buren muttered a few times, he sighed and together with the tribe members began to process the game.

Meanwhile, Yingfei's heart grew tense; Buren's words just now reminded him that perhaps his desire to secretly learn the Snow Moon Tribe's new food had been discovered by Shaman Yue and a few Beastman Warriors.

"For the remaining days, it's best to just stay properly in one's own room."

Since we already know how to process the corn fruit, making it into food should be taken back to let the clan leaders worry about it.

All we can say is that this Shaman Yue is truly brilliant—she actually didn't teach the tribe the method for making the new food.

After dividing all tribe members learning weaving into small teams taught by the guild's team leaders, the tribe members' learning efficiency greatly improved; starting the next day, gathering team tribe members began exchanging with these weaving team tribe members for baskets.

And when the gathering team tribe members who had obtained baskets brought back food far surpassing that of other tribe members, the number of people exchanging for baskets grew even more, and the still-unskilled weaving team tribe members simply could not meet the demand.

And the females, seeing their extra food, all broke into happy smiles.

Even the first words exchanged in greetings became, "Have you gotten a basket?"