Yu Ji looked at Shen Nong. Did this person know that the orcs in the tribe were watching them?
When did you find out?
However, no matter when they found out, the person in front of them seemed indifferent. Could it be that they were really just there to trade with the Yu tribe?
However, trade between tribes usually involves transactions between neighboring tribes. He had never heard of any Wood Tribe here, and it didn't make sense for Yu Ji to have traveled so far just to trade.
Yu Ji did not let his guard down; instead, he gestured for the patrol team in the shadows to keep a close watch.
He then looked at the basket on his back and asked, "What's the use of this earthenware jar?"
"It is used in the same way as the stone jar, but our tribe's pottery jars are lighter and have a larger capacity than stone jars."
Shen Nong looked at Bao Qiu, "Give one to them to see."
Leopard Autumn took out a pottery jar from his basket and was about to step forward when he saw the Feather Tribe members holding stone spears, their faces showing vigilance.
Yu Ji stared at Shen Nong, whose expression remained unchanged, a faint smile always on her lips.
Yu Ji couldn't quite understand this person, but he didn't want to start a conflict. Although there weren't many of them, he could sense that their orcish levels were quite high.
Each of them was taller and stronger than the Feather Tribe members, and Yu Ji could sense the kindness emanating from the fair-skinned one. After a moment's thought, he waved to his tribesmen behind him, telling them not to worry too much.
Leopard Autumn then carried the pottery jar forward, but Yu Ji was more interested in the animal hide he had glimpsed earlier. "Bring the animal hide over here and take a look too."
Leopard Autumn turned to look at Shen Nong, and after receiving a nod of approval from the other party, he turned around, picked up the animal skin, and handed it over to the Feather Tribe along with the pottery jar.
Yu Ji held the animal hide in his hand and touched it again and again, sighing inwardly, "It is indeed very soft."
He took a light sniff and noticed a faint fragrance in the air. He then lifted the animal hide and held it to his nose, the delicate aroma making him feel pleasant.
It's like the fresh air after rain, invigorating and refreshing.
Yu Ji thought of the animal hide beneath the chieftain; it was dry and hard, and even had a faint odor when smelled up close. But it was the best animal hide the Yu tribe could find, and Yu Ji cherished the hide in his hand.
Thinking that if the chieftain's animal hide were replaced with this one, he would be more comfortable lying down.
He returned the animal hide, then took the pottery jar and examined it carefully; it was indeed better than the stone jar.
"Animal hide and this..." Yu Ji paused, recalling what the fair-skinned boy had called the jar earlier, "...a ceramic jar, how do we exchange them?"
In this era, there are no energy sources, nor interstellar currencies. Not even the coins, gold, or jewelry of ancient Earth exist.
Since bartering was the only option, Shen Nong had already decided what he wanted to exchange. He said, "One pottery jar and three animal hides. Animal hides of the same size made in our tribe require five hides to exchange for one."
If he gets a hide from another tribe, he can take it back and tan it.
As trade routes were established, the Wood Tribe gradually set up rules, and from then on, goods from the Wood Tribe had to be exchanged using "currency" made by the Wood Tribe.
Take it one step at a time, Shen Nong has plenty of time.
However, he didn't come all this way just to exchange for animal hides. Shen Nong asked Ze to take the wooden board he had drawn with wheat, rice, sweet potatoes, and other crops to Leopard Autumn, who was standing on the Feather Tribe's side.
After being handed over to the Feather Tribe by Leopard Autumn, Yu Ji returned the pottery jar to them, took the wooden board with suspicion, and looked at the pattern outlined in black lines on the board.
Then his gaze fell on one of them, and Yu Ji heard the fair-skinned boy say, "I can exchange any of the things drawn on these with you."
Shen Nong was afraid that the beastmen had only seen a certain stage of these crops, so she drew the entire growth cycle of the crops on the wooden board, showing what they looked like at each stage.
Yu Ji looked at the wooden board with wheat painted on it, then gave Shen Nong a strange look.
They seemed to find it hard to believe that Shen Nong would trade such fine animal hides and a pottery jar for this item.
"Are you telling the truth?" Yu Ji pointed to the animal hide and pottery jar in Bao Qiu's hands and confirmed, "Any of the items on the wooden board can be used to exchange for these?"
Shen Nong's eyes lit up when she heard the other party's question; there was hope!
"Of course, which one of them has the Feather Tribe seen before?"
Yu Ji pulled out the wooden board. "This one."
Shen Nong couldn't see clearly, but Bao Qiu glanced at it. Shen Nong had told the caravan about the crops they were looking for. It could be said that everyone in the caravan remembered every change in these crops throughout their entire growth cycle perfectly.
He cried out, “Priest, there are ears of wheat! It’s wheat!”
wheat!
That means we can eat noodles, steamed buns, mantou, and dumplings!
Shen Nong did not show her joy, but instead asked Yu Ji where she had seen him before, as she wanted to see him.
Yu Ji returned the wooden plank to Bao Qiu. Looking at the animal hide in Bao Qiu's hand, he hesitated but still agreed.
But is this thing called wheat?
They survive by eating this, but I've never heard of such a name.
Yu Ji looked at Shen Nong and said, "This thing isn't available now; it's only available in the autumn. But we still have some in our tribe. You can come with me to the tribe to see it."
He glanced at the others who were also going to follow and emphasized, "No one else can get close."
Before Shen Nong could speak, Ze Bian frowned and said, "I want to come along, otherwise I won't go."
Yu Ji remained silent, only glancing at Shen Nong. Shen Nong sighed helplessly, "Look at me? Look at him."
This is really not something Shen Nong can decide. This child is very clingy; if he doesn't follow him, he might tear down the Yu tribe.
After a silent standoff, Yu Ji, considering the excellent quality of the animal hide, nodded. "Only you can come with me. Everyone else is not allowed to move from here."
Knowing he could follow, Ze ignored what the other person said next. Some people from the Yu tribe stayed behind, while the others followed Yu Ji back to the Yu tribe.
Ze walked beside Shen Nong, constantly watching the surrounding movements to ensure that he could protect the priestess in his arms at the first moment.
As Lang Yu watched the two figures from behind, images began to uncontrollably flood his mind again.
Why does this look like he's carrying a priest?
However, Wolf Rain quickly dismissed this thought: Stop thinking about it! That's a priest!
The Feather Tribe built a low wall with stones, and as soon as Shen Nong got close, a stench wafted into her nose.
The smell reminded him of when he first arrived at the Wood Tribe. Back then, the Wood Tribe was also incredibly smelly. The beastmen ate, drank, and relieved themselves all within the tribe. How could it not smell bad?
Later, it was only after Shen Nong ordered the burial to be carried out regularly at designated locations that the situation improved.
After receiving the new task, they built a public outhouse not far from the wasteland, which could also be used as manure.
Having not been exposed to such a foul odor in a long time, Shen Nong felt dizzy and lightheaded after suddenly smelling it.
Ze felt the smell was unbearable and waved his hand to try and dispel it. This action made Shen Nong laugh, "Don't fan it, it already smells bad, and if you do that, the smell will spread even faster."
Ze, who was obedient, stopped what he was doing, walked in front of Shen Nong, and half-squatted down.
Shen Nong didn't understand what this fool was going to do for a moment, but then she heard Ze say, "Priest, I'll carry you on my back, and you can rest your head on my shoulder so you won't smell anything."
Shen Nong thought about how she would lie on Ze's back, burying her face in his neck and shoulder, and talk business with Yu Ji.
He shook his head. No, that's too stupid.
Shen Nong patted Ze lightly and smiled, "It's spring now, the smell isn't too strong, just bear with it."
He nodded, agreeing to whatever Shen Nong said, and then, just like at the beginning, he protected her by his side.
Yu Ji was unaware of what was about to happen; he thought of his clan chief lying in his cave.
So he led Shen Nong and the other person to the clan chief's cave, and then had someone bring them the leftovers from the winter.
A moment later, a beastman with long white tail feathers stuck in his head and carrying a large stone jar walked in.
Yu Ji had the man hand the stone jar containing wheat to Shen Nong, saying, "This is bran grain, which is the wheat you mentioned."
Ze looked at the large stone jar, stepped forward, and took it from Shen Nong. Under Shen Nong's questioning gaze, he said in a deep voice, "Heavy."
Shen Nong: ...Okay.
Looking closely, it is indeed quite heavy, but you can put it on the ground; you don't necessarily have to hold it in your arms.
Seeing that Ze was holding onto the big jar tightly, Shen Nong chuckled. He wanted to see when this stubborn guy would finally come to his senses.
Shen Nong, seized by a mischievous impulse, stopped looking at Ze and instead asked Yu Ji, "Prickly grains?"
Yu Ji looked between the two of them and, upon hearing Shen Nong speak, replied, "When this thing is harvested, it has a prickly texture. It feels prickly to the touch and tastes prickly too. It's also made up of small grains, so they all call it 'Prickly Grain'."
However, the name "Wheat" sounds better than "Spirit Grain," so from now on, their Feather Tribe will also be called Wheat.
"It has a pungent texture?" Shen Nong asked, turning to the side and taking a handful of wheat from the stone jar Ze was holding. It really was wheat.
It's still unhulled wheat; no wonder the Feather Tribe finds it prickly. Of course it's prickly!
Chapter 42 Eagle Creek
The little black leopard, baring its teeth and claws, looked fierce and menacing.
The wheat grains were well preserved; they were not moldy or damp.
It's perfect for making seeds. Considering the time it would take to get back and the time it would take to clear another piece of wasteland, the final planting time was a bit late.
But it's okay, he can use his wood-type ability to stimulate it a little, and it won't be a big problem.
Since transmigrating to this era, Shen Nong is so sick of eating meat that she's almost sick of it.
If it weren't for the fact that species need to fully absorb nutrients from the soil to retain their original flavor, Shen Nong would have preferred to accelerate ripening directly.
The interstellar soil is polluted and lacks the nutrients needed by plants, so they can only be accelerated to grow by wood-type ability users.
Crops ripened by superpowers taste bland and are hard to swallow; even nutrient solution tastes better.
Shen Nong was delighted at the thought of tasting the pure flavor of wheat in just a few months. Looking at the seeds in the stone jar, he felt it wasn't enough; these would probably only plant half an acre. So he asked Yu Ji if there were any more.
Yu Ji shook his head, "No, this is what we ate in the winter. Apart from what we gave back to the sacred mountain, all we have here is thorny wheat."
Shen Nong asked, "Give back to the sacred mountain?"
Upon hearing the words "sacred mountain," Yu Ji's expression became serious and reverent. He nodded and said, "This is the food that the sacred mountain bestows upon the Yu tribe. We rely on it to fill our stomachs, and no beastman will starve to death in any season. Therefore, in the spring, we must sow the wheat left over from the winter back into the sacred mountain, and in the autumn, the sacred mountain will give it to us again."
Shen Nong understood; this was how it was done—sowing seeds in spring, and then leaving everything to fate.
This tribe, by sheer accident, had already started planting long ago.
Shen Nong asked, "Could you take me to see the sacred mountain?"
Knowing that Yu Ji would definitely not agree, after all, it was the sacred mountain of the tribe, how could it be allowed to be viewed by outsiders at will.
Before Yu Ji could even furrow her brow, Shen Nong added, "I can make your sacred mountain bestow upon you even more wheat this autumn."