Wen Ze saw how happy everyone was and hesitated before saying,  

“It’s not that I don’t want to tell you, but making a large amount of charcoal isn’t as simple as piling up a fire pit or burning it directly in the stove. The charcoal-making method I know requires a lot of time and effort, without even considering gathering the wood. Just the burning process alone is already tiring. Besides, out of ten pieces of firewood, we might not even get five pieces of charcoal in the end.” 

He looked up at the pottery kiln. “Charcoal takes up less space than firewood, but based on this ratio, the amount of firewood needed to gather enough charcoal for just one kiln firing would be several times what we have now.” 

“That’s why I originally thought the pottery from the Rainbow Sun Tribe was good enough. If we can successfully fire our own, we wouldn’t have to go through the trouble of making charcoal.” 

Everyone nodded thoughtfully after hearing his words. 

Sang Hui then said, “You make a good point. But since we can’t fire pottery as good as the Rainbow Sun Tribe’s right now, I think we should still try making charcoal.” 

Wu Ye quickly added, “I agree. Our tribe has enough people, so as long as it doesn’t affect our hunting and gathering, we can collect firewood and make charcoal. If it leads to better pottery, we’re willing to put in the effort.” 

Zhuo Mu looked at Wen Ze and also said, “You’re the only one who knows how to do it. If we really start making charcoal, you’ll definitely have the hardest job. Can you let us handle most of the work instead?” 

Wu Ye sincerely added, “Yes, exactly! We Beastmen have plenty of strength. Just tell us what needs to be done and how to do it—we just don’t want you overworking yourself.” 

Sang Hui nodded. “I’ll bring the half-beastmen along to help as much as we can.” 

Wen Ze’s dark eyes swept over everyone before finally landing on the tribe leader, Yi Yan. 

The elderly beastman looked at him with pride and approval, saying, “Good child, for the sake of better pottery for the tribe, I also believe we should give it a try.” 

Wen Ze felt reassured. “Alright, then I’ll lead everyone in making charcoal.” 

Yi Yan solemnly praised him, “It’ll be hard work for you again.” 

Wen Ze felt a little embarrassed and replied, “I’ll do my best.” 

With the decision made, Sang Hui and Wu Ye talked about when to do it. 

Starting today, they would assign people to collect firewood from the forest. 

“Is there any specific type of firewood needed for making charcoal?” Sang Hui asked Wen Ze. 

Wen Ze thought for a moment before replying, “Broadleaf hardwood is best—dense, sturdy, and rich in resin. In our territory, isn’t there a tree called oilwood? Just looking at it, the bark looks dark and oily.” 

Sang Hui nodded. “Yes, oilwood meets all those criteria. But there aren’t many oilwood trees in our territory. I can think of a few other types of trees that might work too. How about I cut a couple and bring them back for you to check?” 

“Sounds good,” Wen Ze agreed. 

“Then I’ll take some people to chop trees later. Once we confirm which ones to use, we’ll start collecting large amounts of firewood tomorrow.” 

After discussing a few more important details about charcoal-making, Zhuo Mu, who had been silent, suddenly asked, 

“Wen Ze, earlier you said you thought of something. What was it?” 

“Oh,” Wen Ze showed them a piece of broken pottery in his hand. “I was originally planning to use rammed earth bricks to build houses, but after seeing this, I think we can try firing bricks instead. They should be better than earth bricks.” 

Sang Hui was surprised. “Bricks can be fired too?” 

Wen Ze nodded, thinking to himself that in modern society, fired red bricks were used for a long time in construction. 

Later, due to high resource consumption, pollution, and health hazards for workers exposed to the process, the practice was phased out and replaced with compression technology. 

But compression wasn’t an option here—not only did they lack specialized equipment, but he also didn’t know the exact formula ratios. 

“This shard already has the characteristics of a brick,” Wen Ze said, turning it in his hand. “It’s hard and has tiny air holes, which means houses built with it will be sturdy, durable, and well-insulated.” 

Everyone exclaimed in amazement, “So that’s how it is… I never expected such small shard to be so useful!” 

Hearing this, someone grew even more curious, “Now I’m even more interested in seeing what kind of house you’ll end up building.” 

Wen Ze smiled and said, “I heard you talking about repairing the kiln. Once it’s fixed, the pottery should turn out differently. When I want to fire bricks later, can the kiln be changed back? Oh, and can I use the pottery kiln for firing bricks?” 

This time, Yi Yan responded seriously, “Of course! You played the biggest role in getting this pottery kiln built. Besides, the kiln belongs to the entire tribe. As long as the tribe isn’t collectively firing pottery, anyone can use it.” 

Wu Ye added, “But if others use it, they have to give some supplies to the tribe to make up for the kiln’s wear. You, however, don’t need to give anything.” 

Wen Ze knew that the South Mountain tribe always treated those who contributed to the tribe generously—like how Zhuo Mu was rewarded with that stone pot—so he didn’t refuse. 

He nodded happily, “Got it, thanks, everyone.” 

Yi Yan said, “No need to be polite. You’ve done so much for the tribe—this is what you deserve.” 

Sang Hui chimed in, “Since you’re not making clay bricks anymore, we’ll help you when you start firing bricks.” 

Wen Ze agreed readily, “Sure!” 

Firing bricks required far more work than making rammed earth bricks. Wen Ze thought to himself: I should gather more food over the next few days and treat everyone to a meal when the time comes! 

After bidding farewell to the others, Wen Ze sat on the back of the pure white giant python and let him carry him toward the tribe. 

Halfway there, something suddenly came to mind. “Oh right, Zhuo Mu! Our salted meat has been curing for a few days now—we can start smoking it!” 

Zhuo Mu asked, “Smoking?” The term was unfamiliar to him. 

“Yes, yes! Smoking it will give the meat a richer flavor. What do you think? Want to give it a try?” 

Zhuo Mu had always trusted Wen Ze’s ideas. “Sure. How do we do it?” 

“We need to chop some suitable branches first… Are there any fruit trees nearby? I’ve heard fruitwood gives a great flavor.” 

“There aren’t any along this path, but I can take you to find some.” 

“Great!” 

The two of them worked efficiently, gathering not only several bundles of fruitwood branches but also some pine branches. 

Sitting on Zhuo Mu’s back, Wen Ze hugged the pine branches and sniffed them repeatedly. 

“I don’t know if you all will like it, but I personally love the smell of pine. It’s light and elegant—really soothing. Let’s try smoking some meat with it and see how it turns out.” 

Before coming to this world, he had bought smoked meat made with pine branches. That unique pine aroma was something he could still recall vividly. 

“I wonder if we’ll succeed… I hope we do!” 

Hearing Wen Ze happily rambling, Zhuo Mu gave a low “Mhm” and said, “We will.” 

When they reached the cave entrance, Wen Ze slid off Zhuo Mu’s back and carried the branches forward. 

The water pot over the fire pit was still warm, but Yin He was nowhere to be seen. 

Looking around, Wen Ze called out, “Yin He? Huh? Not here?” 

“Brother, I’m here!” A clear, youthful voice came from inside the cave. 

“What are you doing? Come help me with these.” 

Yin He rushed out, his face filled with excitement as he took the branches. “Brother, the yogurt you made—it seems like it worked!” 

“Really? Quick, show me!” 

Wen Ze was so overjoyed he felt like he might pass out from excitement. 

What kind of lucky day was this? The tribe now had its own pottery kiln, he finally had hope of firing bricks, and now even the yogurt had successfully fermented! Hahaha! 

The two of them quickly carried a clay basin out from the cave. 

Wen Ze placed it on their usual stone table. Before even lifting the lid, he confidently declared, “This smell… there’s no mistake! It worked!” 

Grinning, he called out to Zhuo Mu, who wasn’t far away, “Put that down for now—come taste the yogurt I made!” 

Zhuo Mu gave a faint smile, his sharp features strikingly handsome. “I’ll grab some of the walnuts I cracked earlier.” 

Wen Ze waved his hand. “Sounds good!” 

As they spoke, he lifted the lid. Inside, the yogurt had already solidified, with a slightly yellowish color. 

A thin layer of liquid floated on top, but it was clear, unlike last time when it was cloudy, and there was no strange odor. 

The unique scent of the yogurt was strong. With their sharp sense of smell, just a whiff made it feel like a kitten had lightly brushed their noses, making their mouths water. 

“Gulp.” Yin He swallowed hard, staring eagerly at the yogurt. “Just from the smell, I can tell it’s going to taste good.” 

“You’re not wrong—it’s really delicious!” 

Just then, Zhuo Mu returned. Wen Ze grabbed clean small clay bowls and served each of them a generous portion of yogurt. 

The yogurt wobbled slightly as it touched the sides of the bowls, shimmering with a glossy sheen, looking incredibly appetizing. 

Wen Ze swallowed quietly himself, then added a few walnut pieces to each bowl. 

It wasn’t that he was being stingy—the mountain walnuts sent by the Snow Sea tribe were quite large, and just a few were enough to cover the surface. 

“Alright!” Wen Ze handed them their yogurt with a smile before picking up his own bowl. “Dig in!” 

As soon as he finished speaking, both he and Yin He couldn’t wait and eagerly scooped up a spoonful, placing it into their mouths. 

“Mmm—mmph!” Wen Ze’s expression instantly froze, his features scrunching up from the intense sourness. 

Even though the yogurt was at room temperature, it felt like it was burning his tongue. He had no choice but to roll it around in his mouth for a while before finally swallowing. 

There was no helping it—ever since coming to the beast world, as long as something wasn’t outright inedible, he couldn’t bear to waste it! 

Yin He, too, clenched his eyes shut and kept his mouth tightly closed, swallowing the yogurt as if making the ultimate sacrifice. 

After getting it down, his eyes watered from the sourness. He turned to Wen Ze and asked, “Brother, didn’t you say it was really good?” 

How could anyone eat something this sour? His mouth was already watering. 

The only one spared from this fate was Zhuo Mu, who hadn’t rushed to eat. 

He sighed helplessly at Wen Ze and handed him a water pouch. “I haven’t drunk from this.” 

Wen Ze waved it off, pausing for a few seconds before saying, “No need, I’m fine…” 

Glancing at Yin He, he couldn’t help but laugh and apologized, “Hahaha, my bad—I forgot to add sugar.” 

Yin He blinked. “Wait, you’re supposed to add sugar?” 

“Who can even eat yogurt without any sugar? My mistake, I was trying to save some sugar wherever I could, and since I wasn’t in a hurry, I forgot to add it. I didn’t expect it to succeed on the first try after adding the starter!” 

Honey was a great ingredient. He had a small jar of honey osmanthus syrup in his space. With a flip of his hand, he took it out. 

Grabbing a clean spoon, he generously scooped a full spoonful of honey osmanthus syrup for each person and poured it over the yogurt. 

The creamy yellow yogurt, paired with the rich flavor of walnuts, and topped with a spoonful of golden honey syrup infused with fruity and floral aromas—just the sight of it was an absolute delight! 

Wen Ze was still admiring it when Yin He, whose appetite had been stirred up again, urged him with sparkling eyes, “Is it ready? Is it ready? Can we eat it now?” 

“It’s ready! Remember to mix it well!” 

“Mm-hmm!” 

Yin He gave his spoon a quick stir, scooped up a bite, and popped it into his mouth. 

The moment he tasted it, his eyes lit up like shining stars, and he looked as if he were floating on clouds, completely lost in enjoyment. 

As he chewed, he let out satisfied “mmm” sounds, the crisp crunch of walnuts echoing with every bite. 

After reluctantly swallowing, he looked at Wen Ze with admiration written all over his face. 

“Brother! How can yogurt taste this good after adding sugar? It’s sweet and tangy, with a rich milky flavor, but it’s different from regular milk—this one is thick and set! It’s so fragrant! I love it! I believe you now, yogurt really is the best thing in the world!” 

“Hahaha, I only said it was delicious, not the best.” 

Wen Ze tasted the sweetened yogurt himself. It was better than all the store-bought ones he had ever had in his past life. 

Maybe it was because the milk he used was of high quality and pure. 

The combination of nuts, honey syrup, and osmanthus didn’t overpower the yogurt but instead made its flavor richer and more distinct. 

Zhuo Mu quietly watched Wen Ze. 

Unlike Yin He, who exaggerated everything, Wen Ze simply relaxed his brows and eyes when eating something delicious. His handsome features softened, making him look as if he was glowing. 

Retracting his gaze, he took another bite of the yogurt Wen Ze had personally made… At this moment, he somewhat agreed with Yin He’s words. 

The three of them ended up finishing most of the large bowl of yogurt. 

The little that remained was what Wen Ze set aside as a new starter. 

Given how well everyone had rated the yogurt, it was likely to become a staple on their table in the coming days. 

After eating, Wen Ze saw that it was getting late and quickly called out to the two, “Come on, let’s go smoke the meat, then come back to make dinner.” 

On the way, Wen Ze explained to the curious Yin He what smoking meat meant. 

Upon learning that “smoked meat” was delicious, Yin He became especially enthusiastic about the task. 

Outside the straw shelter, they set up a few wooden racks and hung the salted meat on them with hemp rope. 

Wen Ze gathered the fruit tree branches and pine branches and started a fire. 

Since the branches were freshly cut, they contained a lot of moisture, so as they burned, they produced thick blue smoke. 

He placed the branches under the salted meat, making sure the smoke enveloped the meat as it drifted upward, Wen Ze clapped his hands and said, 

“That’s it! Let’s go back and cook!” 

Yin He followed behind him excitedly, asking, “Brother, can we eat the smoked meat tomorrow?” 

Wen Ze chuckled, “It’s not that fast. I estimate it’ll take at least ten days.” 

Yin He sighed, “Aw, that’s so long.” 

By the time they finished dinner, the sky had darkened. 

While digesting, Wen Ze strolled over to check on the salted meat hanging on the racks. 

“This won’t do…” he frowned. 

From a short distance away, Zhuo Mu asked, “What’s wrong?” 

Wen Ze pointed up. “The smoke is drifting away—it’s not settling onto the meat properly.” 

Zhuo Mu thought for a moment. “The branches aren’t burning too intensely, but we still can’t move them into the straw shelter. How about we dig a shallow cave?” 

Wen Ze nodded. “That’s a great idea! Let’s call Yin He over—he has claws and is good at this kind of work!” 

Yin He had already heard them and walked over as they checked the mountain, deciding where to dig. 

“Here should be fine,” Wen Ze said, standing on his toes to estimate the height. “This height will do. It doesn’t need to be too deep. After digging, Zhuo Mu and I will reinforce the structure to prevent it from collapsing.” 

Yin He rubbed his hands together, then changed into his beast form on the spot. “Got it!” 

Bending down, his round, fluffy bear backside stuck up as he started digging furiously with both paws. In no time, he had carved out a hole in the mountainside. 

Zhuo Mu used a tool to clear the excess soil. 

Wen Ze didn’t have any work to do—his main job was just to motivate and keep them company. 

“Yin He, the right side looks perfect! Just a couple more on the left—yes, that’s it!” 

“Nice, the height is just right!” 

“You’re so smart! You got it after just one explanation! So efficient!” 

It was visibly clear that Yin He was putting even more effort into digging. 

Wen Ze, still in the mood, glanced at Zhuo Mu beside him. 

The tall man, even in simple clothing, wore it like custom-tailored attire. Sensing Wen Ze’s gaze, he slightly lifted his eyes. 

His short white hair shifted slightly in the evening breeze, and his deep red eyes remained calm and steady. 

Their eyes met. Zhuo Mu raised an eyebrow, clearly seeing through everything. 

“Uh-hmm.” Wen Ze felt the pressure, cleared his throat, and quickly looked away without saying anything. 

Zhuo Mu, however, looked at him a moment longer before lowering his gaze again, a subtle smile appearing on his lips. 

Once the shallow, elongated cave was reinforced, they moved the racks and salted meat inside. 

They gathered branches, restarted the fire, and began smoking the meat. 

Watching the smoke gather at the top, Wen Ze said, “This time, it should work!” 

Zhuo Mu gave a quiet “Mm” and then looked past him. “Sang Hui and the others are here.” 

They had brought over a dozen types of wood, waiting for Wen Ze to assess which could be used to make charcoal. 

In the end, Wen Ze selected four types that met the requirements and were abundant in the South Mountain tribe’s territory. 

With that settled, Sang Hui finally pointed at the smoking racks and asked what had been on his mind. “Wen Ze, I noticed this when we arrived—what exactly are you doing?” 

“It’s the batch of salted meat we made earlier—I’m smoking it.” 

“Smoking?” Sang Hui asked curiously. “Will it taste better than air-dried meat?” 

“I think so. Different branches produce different flavors when smoking meat. Right now, we’re using pine branches, so the meat will have a faint pine aroma.” 

Sang Hui’s eyes lit up. “I really like the scent of pine!” 

Wu Ye asked, “What other branches can be used?” 

Wen Ze listed a few types of fruitwood and some trees unique to the beast world. 

“If you like a certain flavor, you can try it when you get back,” he said. “Smoking is simple—just light the fire and let the branches burn slowly. But be careful not to let the fire spread to the mountains. Wildfires are troublesome.” 

Wen Ze’s tone was particularly serious when he said this. 

Since they had chosen to dig their cave in an area surrounded by hills with little burnable material, there wasn’t much risk. 

Everyone nodded seriously. “Got it.” 

Ji Sha seemed quite interested in smoking meat and smiled at Sang Hui. “We just made a batch of salted meat at home. Want to give it a try?” 

Sang Hui agreed. “Sure! Bai Ling really likes sweet crispy fruit. We can cut some branches from that tree for smoking.” 

Ji Sha said, “Alright, and we’ll cut some pine branches for you too.” 

The way they looked out for each other as family made Wu Ye, a single beastman, a little envious. He wondered when he would find a partner of his own. 

After everyone left, Wen Ze and Zhuo Mu continued chatting. Somehow, the conversation turned to the topic of “partners.” 

“Ji Sha is twenty years older than Sang Hui,” Zhuo Mu said. 

Wen Ze was surprised. “That much? You can’t tell at all from their appearance. But then again, even when Sang Hui and Bai Ling stand together, they don’t look like father and son—more like brothers.” 

People in the beast world had long lifespans, matured early, and aged slowly, meaning they spent most of their lives in their prime. 

They had plenty of time to enjoy the beauty of life. 

“Both beastmen and half-beastmen are very careful when choosing a partner,” Zhuo Mu said. “Only when they are certain they want to spend their lives together do they pray to the Beast God and form a bond. Some even stay single for hundreds of years.” 

“Wow… over a hundred years, that long?” Wen Ze exclaimed, clearly forgetting that he was now part of the beast world too. “Wouldn’t they feel lonely? Wouldn’t they want someone to keep them company?” 

Zhuo Mu replied calmly, “They can have more than one dating partner.” 

Wen Ze let out a long “Ohhh—” 

He got it. So they can keep dating but not get married.  

But once they got married, they couldn’t separate. 

He nodded and muttered, “That really is something to think carefully about.” 

It was already getting late. He yawned and decided to end the conversation. 

“I’m going to sleep~ You should rest early too.” 

“Mm.” 

Zhuo Mu watched him leave, the night making his eyes appear even deeper. 

*** 

The next morning, Zhuo Mu went hunting, while Wen Ze joined the half-beastmen in the tribe to gather food. 

Li Shui mentioned that Wu Ye had taken Bai Xia and the others into the mountains early to cut trees. 

At noon, Wen Ze and Zhuo Mu returned to the tribe, had a simple meal, and then headed together to the pottery kiln at Bao Fang Mountain. 

Charcoal burning also required careful fire control, and there happened to be a large clearing where the vegetation had been removed, not far from a water source. 

When they arrived, Wu Ye and his group immediately gathered around them. 

“Wen Ze, what do you think of the wood we cut?” 

Wen Ze had already noticed the tall stack of woods and said, “Not bad. It’s good wood, but I think it might not be enough.” 

Wu Ye nodded. “Alright. In the afternoon, I’ll leave some people here to start burning with you, and I’ll take another group to cut more. Let’s make a bigger batch of charcoal this time.” 

Wen Ze agreed. “Sounds good.” 

After exchanging a few more words, Wu Ye said goodbye and left with a group of beastmen. 

The remaining people on the open ground all turned their gazes toward Wen Ze without saying a word. 

He glanced around and confirmed that they were all core members of the tribe. 

It seemed the tribe had the same consideration as he did—they wouldn’t spread the charcoal-making method outside. 

Already used to situations like this, Wen Ze simply smiled and said, “Since everyone’s here, I’ll get straight to the point. First, let’s have a group mix some clay.” 

Everyone was a bit surprised. 

Clay? Why would they need clay to make charcoal? What kind of method was this? 

---

You can grab the full book now on my Ko-fi page, available in both PDF and EPUB formats! 🖤
📎 Here’s the link to the full novel