Wen Ze’s first reaction was: Did Zhuo Mu change? 

Usually, he was either busy hunting or tending to his herbs. Even during his free time, he would quietly retreat to the underground level of the cave to rest. Wen Ze had never seen him take time to relax or enjoy himself. 

When the tribe gathered to work, he rarely joined in the conversations. 

So why was he suddenly thinking about visiting a hot spring? 

Chewing the slightly salty stir-fried bird eggs in his bowl, Wen Ze swallowed and exchanged a glance with Zhuo Mu. He quickly realized he had guessed wrong. 

Zhuo Mu wasn’t planning to relax at the hot springs. He was probably taking him to find a sulfur ore. 

“Sure, when are we going?” Wen Ze asked with a smile. 

Before Zhuo Mu could answer, Yin He pouted so much that it looked like he could hang an oil bottle on his lips. 

“Brother, you two just got back yesterday, and now you’re going out together again? It’s so boring being home by myself.” 

Wen Ze had to explain, “We’re not going out for fun. We’re going to look for a sulfur ore.” 

Zhuo Mu, however, calmly added, “If there’s enough time, we can stop by the hot spring.” 

Wen Ze: “…” 

Yin He’s eyes lit up with excitement as he eagerly pleaded, “Can I come along? I’ll milk the cow and clean up the manure right away. I’m really good at it, and I’ll finish in no time!” 

Afraid they’d turn him down, he quickly added, “I’m really not going just for fun. I’m strong and can carry loads of sulfur ore!” 

Wen Ze thought he’d probably been lonely staying at home for the past few days. And with the spinning tools rented out, there wasn’t much reason to leave someone behind to watch the place. 

“Alright, you can come with us.” 

Hearing this, Yin He cheered loudly. Wen Ze looked up at Zhuo Mu and asked, “Don’t you need to take the tribe out hunting?” 

Zhuo Mu spoke up, “We’ll head out in the morning and should be back by afternoon.” 

“Mhm,” Wen Ze nodded. “That works perfectly. I was thinking of turning over a plot of land in the morning. With the warm weather, it’s a good time to plant the tomato seeds I brought back from the Rainbow Sun Tribe.” 

The South Mountain Tribe’s territory experiences all four seasons. It’s summer now, so there’s still time to plant another crop. 

If he waited until autumn, the seeds wouldn’t germinate after planting. 

Yin He really liked the taste of tomatoes and volunteered, “Brother, I’ll help you.” 

“Sure,” Wen Ze agreed. Then he turned to Zhuo Mu, “That reminds me, Uncle Sang Hui mentioned earlier that they’ve been looking for a good place to build a kiln ever since they got back, but they haven’t found one yet.” 

Zhuo Mu nodded, “There are a few mountains near the hot springs. We can check them out while we’re there.” 

Talking to someone as sharp as Zhuo Mu was easy. Wen Ze chuckled, “That’s exactly what I was thinking.” 

After breakfast, Wen Ze took the initiative to clean the stove and wash the dishes. Yin He went off to milk the cows and feed them, while Zhuo Mu changed into a giant python and went away to hunt. 

The chores were quickly done. Wen Ze brought out the tomatoes he had brought back and asked Yin He to fetch some water. He picked a few ripe ones and cleaned them to get the seeds. 

After washing the seeds, he carefully sorted through them, discarding the shriveled or damaged ones and keeping only the plump, healthy seeds. 

“Yin He, could you start a fire for me and heat some water?” Wen Ze asked. 

“Got it!” Yin He replied enthusiastically. 

Soon, the water was ready, but Yin He noticed that Wen Ze took out a small bag of seeds from his space. 

“What about the seeds you just washed?” Yin He asked. 

Wen Ze tilted his chin toward the side. “They’re over there drying. Seeds have a dormancy period and need to be treated before you can use them.” 

Yin He asked curiously, “What’s a dormancy period?” 

Wen Ze explained, “It’s when seeds can’t germinate for a certain period, so planting them won’t work. But the dormancy period for tomato seeds is very short. This batch I’m holding was collected back when I was at the Rainbow Sun Tribe.” 

Yin He nodded as if he understood, though he wasn’t entirely sure. 

Nowadays, Wen Ze is a “large pottery owner,” and when using pottery, he doesn’t have to worry too much anymore. 

He generously took out a newly fired pottery bowl, poured in some warm water, tested the temperature carefully, then poured the seeds in and stirred them lightly before pulling his hand back. 

Yin He asked, “Is that it?” 

Wen Ze replied, “We have to soak them first. Let’s go; help me till the land.” 

Yin He eagerly said, “Got it! How do we do it? Should I change into my beast form?” 

Before Wen Ze could respond, Yin He had already changed into a two-meter-tall giant panda. His heavy footsteps stomped as he made his way outside. 

Wen Ze, a little slow to respond, said, “…Yes.” 

Tomatoes aren’t picky about soil, but they need a lot of sunlight. 

Wen Ze had observed earlier that the soil nearby was quite fertile, but the area where he planted the scallions didn’t get enough sunlight. 

So, he led Yin He to the riverbank, where he selected a piece of land higher than the riverbed and close to the water. 

On the way, he noticed their two cows, one big and one small. They had adapted well to life in the tribe, calmly munching on grass while occasionally mooing. 

“This will do,” Wen Ze pointed to the place he’d chosen. 

Yin He let out a shout: “Alright!” 

“Brother Wen Ze! Yin He! What are you doing?” A child’s voice came from downstream. 

Both of them turned around, and it turned out to be the tribe’s little ones who had come over to play. 

Leading them was a black bear, slightly shorter than Yin He, with a round head, round ears, and a round mouth. Although it was large, it gave off a cute, somewhat clumsy vibe when it walked. 

Behind the black bear, Wen Ze spotted a few familiar little ones, including Jia Yi. 

“Qin Shu!” Yin He waved his bear paw to greet them. “I’m helping my brother till the land.” 

The little ones playfully ran up to Wen Ze, and Qin Shu didn’t immediately change into human form but instead curiously peeked over. “What are you tilling the land for? Is Brother Wen Ze going to build a house here?” 

Yin He quickly explained, “No, my brother’s going to plant tomatoes here. You guys haven’t tried tomatoes, have you? They’re from the Rainbow Sun Tribe. They’re sweet and sour, and even Brother Zhuo Mu makes a great dish with tomatoes and bird eggs!” 

Wen Ze: “…” Something about that made it sound like he was saying Zhuo Mu’s cooking wasn’t the best, but he wasn’t sure, so he waited to hear more. 

The little ones were straightforward and just went along with what he said. “Wow! That sounds so tasty!” 

“I’ve never had tomatoes, Yin He, I’m so jealous!” one of them exclaimed. 

Yin He beamed with pride, enjoying the praise from the little ones. 

Out of the corner of his eye, Wen Ze noticed Jia Yi was wiping the drool from the corner of his mouth with his bear paw. 

Suppressing a laugh, Wen Ze said, “I’ve got some tomatoes left at home; I’ll bring you some to try later.” 

The older ones, like Qin Shu, politely declined. 

The younger ones, however, were all about food. Their bright eyes sparkled with excitement as they happily thanked Wen Ze. 

Two little bears were so excited that they rolled on the ground, and Wen Ze felt a strong urge to go over and pet them. 

The little ones always loved Wen Ze, who could make delicious food and come up with fun new things to do. None of them wanted to leave and all rushed to help him till the land. 

“I know how to till the land!” Jia Yi, the black-and-white ball of fluff, chirped in a little voice. “You just use your paws, dig through the soil, and pick out the stones and other things!” 

Wen Ze gave Jia Yi an approving glance. In just a few days, Jia Yi’s speech had become much smoother. 

“That’s right. Jia Yi is really smart.” 

“Then let’s get to work! I want to till lots of land!” 

“I want to till lots too!” 

“I said it first; don’t copy me.” 

“I’m not copying you!” 

In the middle of all the chatter, there was also the soft and coaxing voice of the young half-beastman. “Everyone, stop fighting; let’s get to work.” 

Wen Ze couldn’t help but laugh at their innocent words and encouraged them. “Once we’re done, come back with me, and I’ll give you some tomatoes and warm milk.” 

None of the cubs could resist the allure of milk. They stopped fighting and, with no further hesitation, began tilling. 

They treated tilling the land as a game, and with every swing of their paws, dust was kicked up several meters high, almost covering Wen Ze’s face. 

He stepped back a couple of paces and laughed, “This is tilling, not digging. If you throw all the dirt out, how am I going to plant the tomatoes?” 

Yin He immediately took charge. “Everyone, listen to me!” 

Under his instruction, the little ones still didn’t quite get it, but at least they calmed down a little. 

Wen Ze, along with a few half-beastman cubs, cleared the rubble, large tree roots, and other debris that had been dug up. 

Half-beastmen are born in human form, though some grow animal ears or tails. They will only be able to fully control these beast traits when they are older. 

The little ones had different hair and eye colors, but their skin was soft and fair. They wore their freshly made hemp clothes, which were somewhat dirty from running around and playing. 

From a distance, Wen Ze looked like he was leading a group of little radish heads. 

With their help, the land was quickly cleared. 

The young beastmen were still eager to continue digging downstream. 

Wen Ze stopped them. “Don’t dig anymore. There aren’t that many seeds.” 

“Alright, then I’ll just help pick up some rocks,” Qin Shu, the first to change back into human form, said. He was a cool and handsome young man who resembled Qin Shan but was a bit smaller. 

The other beastmen who could change followed suit and turned into their human forms. 

The ones who couldn’t change stayed by Wen Ze’s side. 

During the short walk, Wen Ze had to pick up Jia Yi, who was clinging to his thigh, three times. 

From a generational perspective, Jia Yi should call Qin Shu ‘uncle.’ 

Qin Shu himself was not very old, yet he put on a serious face and said to his ‘nephew,’ “Jia Yi, don’t cause trouble.” 

Jia Yi blinked his bright black eyes and said, “Okay.” 

When the land was nearly finished, Wen Ze took out a stone hoe from his space and neatly shaped the soil ridges. 

Seeing him working so patiently and carefully, the little ones skillfully hopped around, trying not to mess up his hard work. 

When the patrolling beastmen passed by, one of them called out, “Wen Ze, are you working? Do you need a hand?” 

Wen Ze stood up, squinting against the sun, and wiped the sweat from his forehead. 

“No need, I’ll be done soon.” 

The little ones rushed to speak. “Yes! We helped too!” 

The patrolling beastman laughed. “You’re really capable.” 

Before leaving, he still reminded the little ones not to cause trouble for Wen Ze. 

Around eight or nine in the morning, once the work was done, Wen Ze led the group of little ones and bears back home. 

He kept his promise and gave everyone some tomatoes, made milk for them to drink, and even added some honeycomb that he’d gotten that morning. The milk tasted rich and sweet. 

The kids held their bowls, drinking happily with satisfied looks on their faces. 

For a while, the only sounds around were slurping and sipping. 

Wen Ze told them to keep drinking while he went to check the seeds he’d soaked earlier in the morning. 

The water had cooled down, so he boiled more and poured it into the pot. Then, he stirred it for about ten minutes. 

After that, he was about to ask Yin He to help dig a manure pit when he heard someone sigh and say, “Wen Ze, why are you letting these little greedy bears drink milk again?” 

Looking up, he saw the gentle and handsome Li Shui, who was carrying a large bundle of freshly cut hemp stalks, walking toward him. 

Jia Yi, hearing his voice, perked up his bear ears and happily shouted, “Father!” 

Wen Ze smiled and said, “Came to cut some grass?” 

Li Shui nodded and caught the little bear who came rushing at him. 

Good thing Li Shui was strong, or Jia Yi might have knocked him over. 

“That spinning tools of yours is really great. It’s only been half a morning, and we’ve already run out of hemp at home. The nearby hemp has all been cut down, so I went further away. But then, I saw this little greedy bear burying its head in the bowl, drinking milk.” 

With a slightly embarrassed expression, he asked, “Your slow-moving beast only gets milk twice a day. Why don’t you save some for yourself?” 

Wen Ze replied, “Everyone helped me with the work today, and besides, the three of us already drank some in the morning.” 

Li Shui knew his child very well. It was good enough that the child wasn’t causing trouble, much less helping out. 

“Sorry to trouble you.” 

Wen Ze shook his head and replied seriously. “No, I really like having them around.” 

Li Shui asked, “So what are you planning to do next?” 

Wen Ze didn’t think much about it and answered, “I was thinking of digging a manure pit and piling up cow dung and such.” 

Manure is a great natural fertilizer, but it needs to ferment before it can be used properly. If he uses it right away, it can burn the plants. 

An open manure pile is both smelly and unattractive, so he’d been planning to dig a pit for a while. He also wanted to build a toilet, where the waste could be flushed directly into the pit with water. 

Hearing this, Li Shui set down the bundle of grass on his back and rolled up his sleeves. 

“I’ll help you dig.” 

Wen Ze was surprised. “Aren’t you supposed to be spinning the threads?” 

“That can wait.” He then looked at Qin Shu. “Get a few more people to help.” 

Qin Shu nodded without hesitation, changed into a black bear, and was about to leave. But just then, a few people were walking toward them from the distance. 

Wen Ze heard some of the little ones calling out “Father” and “Uncle.” When he asked, he learned that the patrolling beastmen had told them about the kids being here. 

The adults quickly understood the little ones’ “great deeds” and, just like Li Shui, felt a bit embarrassed. They apologized to Wen Ze for the trouble. 

Wen Ze told them not to worry about it, but they insisted, just like Li Shui, on staying to help dig the pit. 

Unable to refuse, Wen Ze agreed to let them help. 

Originally, his plan for the morning was to turn the soil and dig the manure pit. But with all the extra help, he asked everyone to assist him in building a toilet as well. 

It was a simple dry toilet, dug not far behind a cave with the ground raised a bit higher than the manure pit. 

Wen Ze packed the ground firmly and then dug a channel to bring a stream of water over. It flowed right through the middle of the toilet and down to the manure pit below. 

Next, he asked everyone to help him find stones and stack them on the left, right, and back sides of the dry toilet. The stones were about chest-high. 

Then, he extended the stone wall on the left a little further forward and built a return wall in the front. It not only provided privacy but also allowed easy access. 

Once they finished, Wen Ze clapped his hands, satisfied with the result. “Well, the basic toilet is done. Later on, I’ll get some tree resin or make some clay bricks to reinforce the walls and add a roof. Then it’ll be good, rain or shine.” 

Li Shui and the others stood behind him, staring at the stone toilet in surprise. 

Before coming to help Wen Ze, no one had expected to learn anything new again. 

One beastman sighed, “I think it’s really convenient like this. When you flush the water, it’s all clean.” 

Others nodded. “Yes, much better than going into the forest.” 

Li Shui turned to Wen Ze and asked, “When I go back, can I build a toilet like this too?” 

Wen Ze smiled and said, “Ofcourse, what’s wrong with that?” 

His generosity moved everyone even more. 

“Thank you, Wen Ze.” 

Wen Ze waved his hand. “I should be thanking you all for your help. It’s almost noon. Come with me; I’ll make some sweet soup for you.” 

This time, no one agreed. They either carried their children or hurriedly ran off into the distance. 

As a half-beastman, Wen Ze couldn’t keep up with them and could only sigh, feeling both helpless and touched, thinking he would return the favor next time. 

When the sun had just started to set, Zhuo Mu came back with three long-legged birds on his shoulder. 

These birds were mostly gray, resembling ostriches but with long, dense feathers. They could fly, and their meat was delicious. 

The birds were freshly hunted, and to keep their taste, they had already been killed and bled. 

Wen Ze knew that the beastmen from the South Mountain tribe weren’t skilled at hunting birds, so he was very surprised and reached out to take the game. 

Zhuo Mu handed him just one while carrying the other two by their legs and walking toward the cave entrance. 

“You managed to catch long-legged birds today? These birds are really tasty!” Wen Ze said, as if he could still feel the warmth of the bird’s body. 

Zhuo Mu nodded and asked what Wen Ze had been doing in the morning. 

Wen Ze quickly explained and then proudly showed him the toilet they’d built. “Everyone who’s used it says it’s great!” 

Zhuo Mu looked at him with a faint smile on his face. 

After checking out the work, they returned to the entrance of the cave. 

“We don’t know how long we’ll be outside this afternoon. How about we don’t cook at home and bring the long-legged birds with us? If we get hungry, we can cook them in the wild,” Wen Ze suggested. 

Zhuo Mu replied, “That’s fine. I’ll boil some water and pluck the feathers.” 

Wen Ze said, “I’ll bring the firewood!” 

Together with Yin He, the three of them managed to clean and prepare the three birds in no time. 

While plucking the feathers, Wen Ze couldn’t help but smile, thinking about how delicious the meat would taste. 

Curious, he asked Zhuo Mu about the hunt, and after Zhuo Mu briefly explained, Wen Ze asked, “Did you see any young birds while hunting?” 

“No, we didn’t see any that were too small. Why?” 

Wen Ze smiled. “Long-legged birds are so tasty. I was wondering if maybe we could catch some young birds and raise them. Once they’re grown, they could lay eggs, and whenever we want one, we could just kill it for meat.” 

Beastmen didn’t have the concept of “domesticating wild animals.” They usually just went out and caught whatever they wanted to eat. 

However, the bear beastmen couldn’t fly, so their attempts to catch birds often ended in failure. 

So, Wen Ze’s idea of raising birds immediately gained Yin He’s support. 

“That would be great!” Yin He said eagerly. 

Under the sunlight, Wen Ze’s handsome face radiated a soft charm. 

Zhuo Mu met his dark, beautiful eyes and didn’t turn down the idea by saying things like, “Next time, I’ll pay attention,” or “The birds will just fly away.” Instead, he seriously said, “I’ll catch them for you.” 

Wen Ze’s smile brightened, and his eyes curved as he softly replied, “Mm!” 

The long-legged birds that had been processed and marinated were collected by Zhuo Mu into his space. 

The tomato seeds still needed to soak a bit longer, so Wen Ze double-checked everything he needed to bring, making sure nothing was forgotten, and then told the other two, “Let’s go.” 

Zhuo Mu and Yin He changed into their beast forms in the open space. 

On their own, Yin He, a large bear standing around two meters tall, looked imposing, but next to the pure white giant python that was over fifty meters long with a head as big as a car, he seemed small in comparison. 

The giant snake lowered its head, its red, cold pupils flickering as it radiated a distinctly otherworldly aura. 

“Go ahead…” 

“Brother, I’ll carry you!” 

Yin He was very excited about this trip, shouting loudly enough that his voice drowned out Zhuo Mu’s. 

Wen Ze glanced at Zhuo Mu and smiled. “Alright.” 

Zhuo Mu didn’t say anything else. 

As they left the tribe, they encountered some patrolling beastmen. Wen Ze asked them to keep an eye on his two cows, and the beastmen eagerly agreed. 

Only Zhuo Mu knew the location of the hot spring, so he led the way, with Yin He carrying Wen Ze and following closely behind. 

The giant panda panted heavily, thinking to himself that it was no wonder the tribe warriors were so fast. 

As for Wen Ze… 

Since Zhuo Mu slowed down a lot to take care of Yin He, Wen Ze finally had time to enjoy the scenery. 

This time, they weren’t in a rush, so whenever they came across some delicious fruits, wild vegetables, or mushrooms, Wen Ze would hop down to gather them. 

About an hour later, they reached their destination. 

It was a fairly low mountain, with almost no vegetation, and the ground had a dark bluish-black color. 

Wen Ze slid off Yin He’s back and didn’t see the hot spring right away, but he noticed wisps of steam rising from the mountain. 

His nose twitched as he sniffed, and the air was full of the familiar sulfur smell from the hot springs. 

The other two changed into their human forms, and Zhuo Mu pointed ahead. “There are several hot springs on the mountain, and the biggest one is at the foot of it.” 

Wen Ze nodded. “Let’s look for the sulfur ore separately. We’ll start at the top of the mountain, and then we’ll look for the one at the bottom. You already know what it looks like, but if you’re unsure, just pick up what you find, and we’ll decide at the foot of the mountain.” 

The two men agreed. “Got it.” 

They reached the top of the mountain quickly. As Wen Ze passed by the steaming hot springs, he felt a strong urge to take a dip. 

Unfortunately, work came first. 

Since Wen Ze had the weakest fighting ability, Zhuo Mu suggested he take the middle path to make it easier to check on him. 

Wen Ze carried a basket on his back as he walked down, looking for sulfur ores along the way. 

There were plenty near the hot springs. 

Even when beastmen came to bathe in the hot springs, they didn’t care about the “stones” along the path, so collecting the sulfur ore was easy. 

By the time Wen Ze reached the bottom of the mountain, he had filled half his basket. 

After meeting up with the others, Wen Ze suggested, “How about we go to the hot spring at the foot of the mountain to sort things out?” 

Zhuo Mu glanced at the sky. “Sure, I’ll gather some firewood and start a fire.” 

Yin He quickly asked, “Are we cooking the long-legged bird? Should we roast it or stew it?” 

Wen Ze laughed. “You’re more excited about food than anyone! How about we try a new way of cooking today?” 

Yin He was even more interested. “What way?” 

Wen Ze gave a mysterious smile. “I’m going to make a dish called Beggar’s Chicken.” 

Yin He frowned and whispered, “Beggar’s… why not call it ‘grass bird’ or ‘insect bird’?” 

Wen Ze: “…” 

At the foot of the mountain, the largest hot spring indeed resembled a small lake. The rising steam created a misty scene in the nearby valley, making it seem like they had entered the clouds. 

Wen Ze asked Zhuo Mu, “There’s no danger in the hot spring, right?” 

Zhuo Mu replied, “No, just some small fish.” 

Wen Ze immediately relaxed, placed the basket on the edge of the water, and swiftly removed his straw sandals. He rolled up his pants and sat down, dipping his feet into the hot spring. 

Ah! It’s so warm! So comfortable! 

Wen Ze enjoyed the sensation, his eyes squinting as he let out a contented sigh. 

“I want to take a hot spring bath before heading back today.” 

Zhuo Mu smiled as he walked away, “Alright.” 

Yin He, who had been saying, ‘Brother, I’ll help you pick the sulfur rocks,’ in truth kept his eyes fixed on the hot spring. 

He had picked the most useless stones, so Wen Ze let him learn for a bit, making sure he understood before he stopped holding him back. 

“Alright, go enjoy the hot spring. I need to start getting dinner ready.” 

Yin He cheered, “Got it!” He quickly stripped off his clothes and jumped into the spring with a splash. 

Seeing that Zhuo Mu hadn’t come back yet, Wen Ze called out to Yin He, “I’ll go look for some suitable leaves nearby!” 

Yin He poked his head from the water, “Do you want me to come with you?” 

Wen Ze replied, “No need.” 

He stepped on the glow of the sunset and chose a direction to walk. 

The plants near the hot spring mountain didn’t have large leaves, so he walked a little further and stopped by a stream. 

As he looked around, a long, green stem flowed down the stream and appeared before him. 

Wen Ze looked closely. “Huh?” 

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