Chapter 221: The Power of Words

"Little Ya, is there something you don't understand?"

Although Yun Li always complains in her heart that she hadn't noticed the cub's name was the same as someone else's, in fact, thanks to that name, Yun Ya was not only famous among the cubs, but also left a deep impression here in Ya.

The cub looked up at the old Beastman sitting beside him, shook his head slightly and said, "I've read all these bamboo slips; at home Mother and Father also taught me, there's nothing I don't understand, except…"

He hesitated a moment, then quietly asked Ya, "Uncle Ya, is learning to read and write important for Beastmen?"

Not every cub beside him can read, let alone understand the occasional books Mother writes.

What vocabulary, what children's stories, and personal biographies, tribal histories, and the like?

He thought Mother's creations seemed useless to everyone, but both Grandfather, Uncle Ji, and the Priests thought Mother's works were impressive.

But what made those books remarkable?

Ya listened in silence for a while, then rubbed his head and asked, "Little Ya, do you think that learning characters and reading in the tribe leaves you with nowhere to use them?"

Yun Ya nodded, then after a pause shook his head again, "I recall Mother, when she ran the workshop and the Tribe Treasury, would teach the Beastmen around her to read and write."

So reading and writing are indeed useful, but when he thought of Mother, who in the cold season couldn't leave home, writing books and telling them stories, Yun Ya felt that Mother's hard work behind everyone's backs seemed futile.

Because the tribe doesn't need this, even if Mother says those things will eventually be useful, when exactly is "eventually"?

In the cub's eyes, many, many seasons have passed since the last cold season, and the books Mother painstakingly prepared are still pressed at the bottom of a wooden box, never taken out.

"Your Mother is a very impressive Beastman."

Ya, to be honest, isn't sure reading and writing are that crucial for Beastmen; it's just that outside Beastmen know some characters, and only literacy can prevent constant deception.

After returning to the tribe, when the tribe sought contact with the outside world, he told the chieftain and the Priests what he knew, and teaching the tribe's Beastmen to read and write became the only thing he could do for the tribe in his old age.

Because it's useful to the tribe, Beastmen reading and writing is important.

However, in Mother's eyes, reading and writing had another meaning—it could allow Beastmen to live on in an unexpected way.

"She originally learned characters and writing just thinking that someday, when outside Beastmen came to the tribe, if they couldn't speak our language, perhaps writing could let us communicate with those outsiders."

But later, as she learned more and more characters, she began to create her own characters.

Not only did she create many characters, she also told us that every Beastman will eventually die, but if one can record that Beastman's life in writing for future generations—next, the next‑next, and the next‑next‑next generations—to read, that Beastman will live forever in this world through the record.

Except for the Beast God, nothing in this world can exist forever.

But your Mother says it's possible; even if a Beastman is tiny in the river of time, as long as there is writing that records our name, we won't be forgotten by later Beastmen.

She said, being forgotten by all Beastmen is true death.

Yun Ya didn't understand anything beyond the first sentence, but he listened hard.

Perhaps now he still doesn't grasp why Ya shows such a hopeful yet deeply melancholy expression when speaking of this, but as he grew up, walking step by step from Heiyan Shanmai to the outside world, living there for many years and witnessing human affairs,

only then could he truly understand that Ya's yearning and sorrow stem from his clear knowledge that, although writing can let a Beastman live on in another way, it can never let Ya himself live on.

Because Ya is only a respected elder Beastman in the Silver Eagle Tribe, placing him on the whole continent makes him too insignificant; few Beastmen would be willing to record him in writing.

……

Yun Li was completely unaware of her second‑born's conversation with Ya; she isn't a Beastman who likes to control every matter of the cubs. When a cub wants to confide in her, she listens; if not, she won't force the cub to tell her what's happening.

Before nightfall, after bringing several cubs back home, she took out the dozen‑plus bamboo slip books from the bottom of the chest and had Mu Qing deliver them to Ya.

"Tell Ya that after this, A Ao and the others will bring other cubs to him daily; if those teenage little Beastmen and adult Beastmen truly can't learn, let him spend extra effort teaching the cubs."

It's one thing that this generation of adult Beastmen are illiterate, but Yun Li doesn't want the next generation of cubs to remain illiterate.

The thought of developing the tribe while most of its Beastmen remain illiterate makes Yun Li feel dizzy.

"Alright, I'll send the items over right away. A Li, is there anything else you need to tell me?"

Mu Qing hadn't spent time alone with his female in ages; he said he'd deliver it immediately, but his snake tail still clung tightly around the person.

"Nothing else. Move gently; there are cubs at home."

Yun Li said this, a flush appearing on her face; when a Snake Beastman takes human form, its body structure matches other males, but under Half‑Beast Transformation it's clearly different.

The two messed around for a while, and finally Leng Xiu and Leng Xiao returned; hearing the commotion outside, they hurriedly ended the revelry.

"A Li, you and Mu Qing are sneaking again."

When Leng Xiao saw Mu Qing looking so satisfied, he instantly knew what they had just done, ignored the cubs in the yard, grabbed his female and cooed, "I want some too."

If not today, tomorrow will do.

Yun Li, both laughing and crying, looked at the male buried around her neck, then glanced at Leng Xiu who was already looking at her, and whispered, "How about tomorrow? I'm a bit tired today."

It's only Mu Qing, a Beastman, so he isn't that tired, but thinking of several consecutive Beast Husbands makes her feel sorry for her back.

"So A Li, do you want me, or my brother?"

Before Yun Li could answer, Leng Xiao lightly covered her mouth and said, "You can only take one of us."

He now no longer wants to share his female with other males.

The more he loves his own female, the stronger his possessiveness over A Li becomes.

This year Leng Xiao hasn't spent time with other males accompanying Yun Li in a long while.

"Then I choose A Xiao; you come the first half‑night, and let A Xiu come the second half‑night."

Yun Li's vague reply just made Leng Xiao happy, but the next second she said she also wanted his brother to come, and he instantly, in a fit of anger, bit the female's lip.

"You chose me and still want my brother to come—no way."

Look, when the time comes he'll make her completely forget that brother.