Shen Nong sighed softly. If this kid were really left outside, he could fight several rounds by the time he came out.
“Tell your priest that he won’t let me bring anyone in, so I’ll come out myself.”
The Salt Department finally experienced what it felt like to be choked up. How could their supreme priest possibly come out to meet people so casually!
There was nothing else he could do but go back in.
This trip took even less time. Before Shen Nong could even check if Ze had been accidentally injured by the salt department's stone spears, the other party came out to inform her, "The two of you go in together."
The cave of the Salt Ministry priest was very large, with torches hanging on both sides. Shen Nong smelled the oily odor.
As expected of a large tribe, before he arrived, the Wood Tribe relied on lightning to strike wood for fire, and the Salt Tribe even knew how to make torches for lighting using animal fat.
"You guys made this?"
The priest of the Salt Department was a thin, old man.
He wore a leopard-print animal skin hat and held a cane in his left hand, the top of which was inlaid with a fist-sized luminous pearl.
Inside the somewhat dark cave, a faint orange-red glow emanated.
Shen Nong's eyes lit up. To see natural luminous pearls in interstellar space, one would have to explore and search for them on special volcanic planets.
Shen Nong had only seen pictures of her and had never seen her in person.
I never expected to see you here today.
Shen Nong noticed that the other person's right hand was gently stroking a perfectly intact pottery jar that had just been brought in. "What does the High Priest think of this pottery jar from our Wood Tribe?"
The salt priest paused slightly in his work. "Clay pot? That's a good name."
"The earthenware jar is acceptable."
Shen Nong raised an eyebrow. It seemed this old priest knew his stuff. Unlike that clan chief, who was a blockhead.
Being knowledgeable about goods means that the Salt Department can swindle money.
The salt priest stared at Shen Nong with his cloudy eyes, then asked, "Did you draw the things on this pottery jar?"
Shen Nong said nonchalantly, "Yes, I've been practicing for quite a while. I heard you can do it too, High Priest?"
"You also studied in Beast City?"
The salt priest's gaze was fixed on Shen Nong, not missing a single expression of hers.
Shen Nong did not answer directly, but only said, "Where did you learn this, High Priest? I learned it from you. Recording is not difficult, just practice more."
The old priest withdrew his gaze from Shen Nong; what the other party said was true.
In Beast City, recording things with drawings is the most basic practice.
The high priest there would record things in writing.
Words are the most powerful thing in the world; they are the only thing capable of recording the myriad things in the world.
However, in this remote wasteland, one priest from the Beast City is enough.
The old priest subtly observed the two men, but he could not detect any beast blood on them.
There are only two possibilities in this situation: either he hasn't awakened, or he's too powerful for him to perceive.
"Why did you come here from Beast City?" The old priest probed Shen Nong, trying to figure out whether he was hiding his true abilities or just putting on an act.
Shen Nong sneered inwardly; this old man practically had the words "I want to kill you" etched on his face.
Deceiving the Wood Tribe is deceiving, deceiving the Salt Tribe is also deceiving, Shen Nong began to make up a story, "Old Priest, don't you know?"
After saying that, Shen Nong looked knowing. "That's right, it's terribly far from Beast City. The old priest must not have returned to Beast City for a long time."
The old priest was kept in suspense by Shen Nong, feeling neither excited nor frustrated.
Unable to resist, he tapped the ground with his cane, shouting, "What is it? Tell me!"
Shen Nong then slowly said, "The High Priest of Beast City has instructed us, the substitute priests, to spread his wisdom across the land, and to return to Beast City every three winters to report to the High Priest on the progress."
When Ze, who had been standing behind Shen Nong, heard this, he couldn't help but look at Shen Nong.
Will the priest leave after three winters?
The old priest grasped the meaning behind Shen Nong's words, "Every three winters, you still have to return to Beast City?"
Shen Nong said in a serious tone, "Yes, otherwise how would the High Priest know how we spread his wisdom?"
“If we don’t go back, the high priest will send people to find us.”
The old priest frowned. "Why?"
“That’s definitely because they’re afraid we’ll slack off and not want to go back,” Shen Nong said logically. “Look, which is more comfortable, being a priest in a tribe outside or competing with a bunch of other priest candidates in the Beast City?”
The old priest had the answer in his heart; he himself would rather be a respected priest in the Salt Department than return to the Beast City.
It seems that he cannot kill this person yet.
Since we can't kill, let's choose to cooperate.
The old priest began to caress the pottery jar again. "I need you to tell me how to make this pottery jar."
Finally getting down to business, Shen Nong smiled and said, "What will the High Priest offer me in exchange?"
The old priest had never heard anyone speak to him like this before, and his intuition told him that he was not someone to be trifled with, not someone who could be easily dealt with. "Saltstone."
"Salt stones..." Shen Nong seemed to be pondering, somewhat troubled, "Then how many salt stones does the High Priest want to exchange with me?"
The old priest was annoyed by Shen Nong's questions; he had never encountered anything like it before.
Feeling uncertain would frustrate him, so he cut to the chase: "How much do you want?"
Shen Nong laughed even more heartily, "Let's take whatever we can, okay?"
The old priest frowned. "How many of you have come?"
"Not many, just eleven."
The old priest was secretly pleased, but he also set a condition: "Orcs are not allowed to transform into their animal forms."
Shen Nong nodded, "Okay."
"good."
Looking at the smile on Shen Nong's face, the old priest didn't know whether to call her foolish or clever.
Without transforming into animal form, how much could eleven people possibly carry?
Unable to contain his smile, he leaned on his cane as he left the cave and said to the guards outside, "To Yanshan."
Following Shen Nong's instructions, the old priest ordered someone to bring Hu Xiao and the others, who were guarding outside, into the Salt Department.
"You guys come in with us."
Tiger Roar waved his hand and said, "Wait a minute, one of our tribesmen is sleeping. I'll go wake him up."
The man waved his hand impatiently, "Hurry up, don't keep the priest waiting."
Without saying a word, Tiger Roar turned around and transformed into his beast form, rushing towards the mountains and forests.
"Boom!" "Boom!"
The ground trembled slightly, followed by the sound of huge footsteps.
This is something only a giant beast could do.
Unaware of the danger, the salt-producing guards immediately went on high alert.
Until the black bear stood not far from the salt department.
Tiger Roar transformed into human form, picked up the animal hide that had fallen to the ground, and wrapped it around his waist again.
He said considerately, "Our people have arrived, but your Salt Tribe is too small for them to enter, so they will stay outside."
The old priest stood before the salt mountain, flaunting the immense wealth of their salt ministry.
Shen Nong knew that the Salt Department had a salt mine, but it was much larger than he had imagined, enough to feed tens of thousands of people for nearly a hundred years.
If he's that big, the old priest probably won't hate him too much...
"Priest! A behemoth!"
The guards outside the Salt Bureau rushed over to tell the old priest what had happened in front of the tribe.
Upon hearing this, the old priest glared at Shen Nong.
"Of the eleven people you mentioned, is one a giant beast?"
Shen Nong nodded, "Yes, it is a member of our tribe."
"Priest, are you going back on your word?" Shen Nong feigned surprise. "The High Priest said that the Beast God hates people who don't keep their promises. Such people cannot be summoned by the Beast God after they die."
The old priest gritted his teeth, "I didn't!"
Shen Nong smiled innocently, "Then I'm relieved."
He waved, beckoning Hu Xiao and the others who had rushed over, "Come and move the salt!"
Ze, who had been feeling down because of Shen Nong's impending departure, couldn't help but smile when he saw Shen Nong's bright smile.
He decided that after three winters, he would go with the priest.
He goes wherever the priest goes.
Because of the black bear, a piece of the salt mountain in Yanbu has been missing.
The old priest looked at the missing piece, his heart aching with pain.
"If your method doesn't work, the Wood Tribe will cease to exist."
Shen Nong exclaimed in surprise, "How could that be, High Priest? Although there may be failures, success is certain. The Beast God dislikes liars."
"That would be best!"
The old priest clutched his aching chest and left, leaning on his cane.
Shen Nong felt that she could see the shadow of someone furious even from the old priest's back.
This is nothing.
If this isn't called a major hemorrhage in the Salt Department, then he's not surnamed Shen.
"System, don't forget to fill half of my warehouse after we've gone far away."