Chapter 78

Suni was someone who always repaid kindness—perhaps because the sisters in her tribe had once wronged her, she now especially cherished those who treated her well. To her, Ye Baizhi—who had saved both her and her child—was nothing short of a benefactor—the person she trusted most.

Ye Baizhi gave Suni and Hei Ze a thoughtful look. The two of them genuinely seemed decent—eyes clear and sincere. She hadn’t saved them expecting anything in return. It had simply been the right thing to do.

But their heartfelt gratitude, their sincerity—it moved her. And from their expressions, their words, their quiet composure, she could sense a certain upbringing—refined, respectful.

After a moment of thought, Ye Baizhi handed them a small pouch filled with ten pieces of hong.

“This is called hong,” she said. “Steep it in hot water when you get home—it’s good for warming the body.”

Suni blinked in surprise. She had never heard of hong before—had no idea what it even was.

Once Suni came back to her senses, she waved her hands anxiously. “No, no—we couldn’t possibly accept something from our benefactor.”

They had come to express their gratitude, to give gifts—not to take anything in return.

Ye Baizhi gently responded, “Take it. Drinking red water is good for your health.”

Suni was deeply moved. “Thank you, benefactor.”

“You can just call me by name. I’m Ye Baizhi.”

Hearing that, Suni felt even more honored and flustered. “Yes… of course.”

After chatting a while longer, Suni and Hei Ze finally took their leave, reluctant though they were.

Once home, Hei Ze quickly stoked a fire and brought water to a boil. When the water was ready, he placed a few pieces of hong in a bowl and poured the hot water over them.

“Madam Ye said to wait until it infuses and turns into red water before drinking.”

They watched the ruby-colored blocks slowly dissolve, growing more curious about what it might taste like.

“Do you think it’s going to be like medicine?”

“I don’t know… she said it might be sweet. Back when I lived at the Su family estate, they used to buy honey often.”

Suni had always liked sweet things, but the market here didn’t sell any, and even the towns were too far. To save money, she’d long since stopped asking for anything sweet. In truth, it had been ages since she’d tasted something sugary.

Once the water cooled to a comfortable temperature, she scooped a spoonful and took a sip.

Hei Ze looked at her expectantly. “How is it?”

Suni’s eyes sparkled. “It’s sweet—so delicious! You have to try it too.”

Suni scooped up a spoonful and offered it to Hei Ze.

Hei Ze shook his head. “You drink it.”

Their household wasn’t well off, and he’d never been able to buy her honey. Now that they had something so precious, he couldn’t bear to take even a sip. But Suni knew exactly what he was thinking. “Just try it—it’s really delicious.”

Only then did Hei Ze take a sip—and his eyes lit up in amazement.

“It’s like honey… but even better. This must be incredibly expensive.”

Suni nodded. “Isn’t it? I wonder where Madam Ye even got it. It must cost a fortune—and yet she gave us so many pieces.”

“So this is called hong.”

Savoring the sweet flavor, Suni’s face blossomed with contentment. With each spoonful, her expression softened in delight.

Their hearts overflowed with gratitude for Ye Baizhi.

…

Meanwhile, Ye Baizhi examined the satin that Suni had gifted her and said to Ye Wulan, “The craftsmanship behind this fabric is quite intricate.”

“I wonder which tribe or family wove it.”

“If they’ve mastered such textile techniques, their people must have been blessed with remarkable wisdom.”

Many aspects of the Beast Continent felt backward, yet their textiles and clothing seemed oddly advanced—almost out of place in such a setting.

“Do nearby cities sell this kind of fabric too? Is it expensive?”

Ye Wulan asked. “Not really. This kind of satin is mid-range—about 200 blue spirit stones per bolt.”

“That works out to five blue spirit stones per foot.”

“If it’s wood-fiber cloth, it’s even cheaper—only 100 blue spirit stones per bolt.”

Ye Wulan seemed fairly familiar with fabric prices.

Ye Baizhi nodded. “That’s not too bad, actually.”

Ye Wulan continued, “But the tribes themselves didn’t develop the weaving techniques. It’s said that someone received an inheritance—that’s how they learned.”

“An inheritance?”

“You mean, like Da Bao, who inherited the Snow Wolf tribe’s memories?”

Ye Wulan shook his head. “No, this kind of inheritance is tied to an ancient forbidden land. Broken scrolls were found there—people studied them and gradually unlocked these skills.”

“But entering that place is a deadly gamble. It’s a barren wasteland, rumored to be a battlefield from ancient times. Most who enter leave behind only bones.”

“So those few who barely survive end up bringing vital knowledge back to their tribes. That, too, could be called a kind of inheritance.”

Ye Baizhi’s curiosity was piqued—she had never heard any of this before.

“The ancient era? The Beast Continent had an ancient era?”

“I didn’t know at all.”

Ye Wulan gently explained, “Some of the older tribes preserve such legends.”

“Scholarly institutions also contain records about the Beast Continent, but the average person isn’t aware of them.”

“They’re mostly rumors, but it’s said that in ancient times, the continent was rich in spiritual energy. Cultivation was faster, and many could ascend from the Mortal Beast Realm to the Transcendent Realm.”

“But now, the land is sparse in spiritual energy. Cultivation is difficult, and very few reach the Transcendent Realm.”

“There are hardly any left across the entire continent.”

That’s why, when so many transcendent-level figures suddenly appeared to break the Enchanter Demon tribe’s barriers, it had seemed unbelievable to him. Even now, it remains a mystery.

Ye Baizhi nodded thoughtfully. “I see…”

Ordinary beastmen had no access to the continent’s core knowledge—let alone any understanding of its ancient origins.

…

Ten days later, at the morning market—

A crowd had gathered in front of Ye Baizhi’s stall.

“One bowl of offal soup and two blue spirit stone’s worth of scallion pancakes, please!”

“We’ll take five blue stones’ worth!”

“Ten blue stones of pancakes for us!”

“Three bowls of offal soup over here!”

“Hey, do you think the pancakes will run out before it’s our turn?”

The line stretched long—

Ye Baizhi’s stall was officially the hottest spot in the market. What she sold couldn’t be found at other stalls, and everything she made tasted delicious, especially the offal soup—rich, comforting, and utterly free of any unpleasant smell. One bowl in the freezing weather, and your whole body warmed up.

And then there were the scallion pancakes. No one knew exactly what she put in them, but they were crisp on the outside, tender on the inside, and irresistibly fragrant.

Just waiting in line, people were already swallowing their drool from the mouthwatering aroma.

Ye Baizhi and Ye Wulan were bustling around behind the stall, working in seamless rhythm.

Nearby, little Da Bao sat obediently on a small bench, bundled up in thick clothes. The fabric and hides had been a gift from Suni—and Ye Wulan had personally made Da Bao a complete winter outfit, keeping him snug and safe from the cold.

Watching him craft that set, Ye Baizhi had been stunned. She had no idea Ye Wulan could sew—let alone so skillfully. The stitches were tight, the fit was perfect, and the design even looked stylish.

According to Ye Wulan, in the Enchanter Demon tribe, male beastmen learned these kinds of skills from a young age—so they could care for their wives even better.