“Oh?” 

Everyone looked at Wen Ze curiously. 

He stretched out his arm, trying to pull a basket of river clams toward him. But it was too heavy. He gave it a tug, but instead of moving the basket, he almost stumbled forward. 

Zhuo Mu, standing beside him, reached out and caught him by the waist. Then, with one effortless pull, he dragged the full basket over. 

Wen Ze gave him a grateful smile before rummaging through the basket. 

Since the kids had done the harvesting, the clams were all different sizes—some as big as a basin, others as small as a palm. 

He picked one that was slightly larger than his palm and asked, “How many years does it take for one to grow this big?” 

Li Shui, being more knowledgeable about these things, answered, “At least two years.” 

Wen Ze nodded. “Alright, then we’ll tell the tribe that no one is allowed to harvest clams smaller than this size. They reproduce quickly, so if we leave the small ones, they’ll keep multiplying.” 

Li Shui’s eyes lit up, and he clapped his hands. “That’s right! If we leave some clams to reproduce, the pearls will have more time to grow! The small ones wouldn’t be useful anyway.” 

Wen Ze agreed. “Exactly.” 

Zhuo Mu added, “But the lake is huge. Even if people only take the bigger clams, they’ll still catch a ton of them. Are we really going to kill so many clams just for pearls that aren’t guaranteed to be the right size, shape, or color?” 

Wen Ze could hear the disapproval in his voice and understood where he was coming from. 

Forcefully prying open a clam meant killing it. If people went overboard, the entire mountain would be littered with clam shells. 

That scene alone was enough to make him uneasy. 

It took years for these river clams to grow so large—they shouldn’t be wasted. 

After thinking for a moment, Wen Ze suggested, “Then we’ll add another rule.” 

Zhuo Mu asked, “What is it?” 

“Any clams that isn’t already dead or rotten must be eaten! Swear it in the name of the Beast God—no waste allowed! If you waste them, you’ll be punished!” 

Zhuo Mu was momentarily stunned before breaking into a smile. “That’s a good one.” 

Li Shui and Qin Shan also caught on and started laughing. 

“Wen Ze, as expected from you! I can’t believe you came up with that rule! River clams have such a strong fishy smell. People in the tribe can barely stand the scent, let alone eat them,” Li Shui said with a hearty laugh. “Want to open clams for pearls? Sure, go ahead—catch as many as you want, but you better eat them too! I can already picture everyone pinching their noses, staring at a huge pile of clam meat, not knowing what to do with it!” 

The people of the beast world valued optimism and contentment, adapting to circumstances rather than resisting them. The tribe rarely imposed strict restrictions on its members. 

But that didn’t mean the tribe lacked authority. 

Breaking the rules came with heavy consequences. 

The most severe punishment was exile. 

Whether Beastmen or half-beastmen, surviving alone in the wild was nearly impossible. 

So almost no one dared to challenge the tribe’s authority. 

After some discussion, everyone agreed that Wen Ze’s proposal was reasonable. 

Since Zhuo Mu was a warrior of the South Mountain tribe, they decided to have him announce the new “rule.” 

After digging out two baskets of river clam meat, Wen Ze and Li Shui carefully washed them. 

Then, Wen Ze asked Li Shui to chop some garlic while he picked out some clam shells and cleaned them. 

Li Shui assumed he was making shell knives and didn’t ask further. 

The cleaned clam meat was completely free of slime, making it much less fishy. It was snow-white, tender, and neatly piled up in a clay pot. 

Wen Ze had someone tend the fire while he used a stone pot to stir-fry the clam meat with garlic and yangyang grass. 

As the ingredients sizzled together, they released an intense, irresistible aroma. 

For Li Shui’s family, they had only ever heard of “Yangyang Grass Stir-Fried Clams” but had never tasted it before. 

Now, just catching a whiff of it, all four of them were stunned! Their eyes practically shouted: Is this really clam meat? How can it smell this good?! 

Once the clams curled slightly and changed color, Wen Ze skillfully seasoned them based on experience, gave them a few quick stirs with a wooden spatula, and served the dish. 

When he turned around, the adults were composed, but the kids were staring at him with eager, hungry eyes. 

Wen Ze chuckled, “Just a little longer.” 

Qin Shu said, “Brother Wen Ze, I’m not in a hurry.” But he had already swallowed several times. 

Jia Yi, being much more direct, whined loudly, “I am in a hurry! I am in a hurry!” 

Li Shui and Qin Shan felt embarrassed. Li Shui flicked Jia Yi’s forehead and scolded jokingly, “What are you in such a rush for?!” 

Wen Ze had said “just a little longer,” and he meant it. 

With a simple glance, he signaled to Zhuo Mu, who understandingly placed a clean stone slab over the fire. 

Then, Wen Ze carefully placed the cleaned clam shells one by one onto the hot stone slab. He took the remaining raw clam meat, the part he hadn’t stir-fried, and placed it back into the shells. 

Next, he scooped a generous amount of minced garlic and covered the clam meat completely. 

He glanced down at the slow-burning charcoal in the stove and said, “We’ll leave it like this for now.” 

Then he called out, “Alright, come grab your bowls—I’ll serve the food!” 

Qin Shu and Jia Yi had been waiting for these words. They cheered excitedly and rushed over with their bowls. 

Wen Ze first served Jia Yi a small bowl of stir-fried clam meat, then extended a hand toward Qin Shu while holding a spoon in the other. “Little red flower.” 

Qin Shu instantly understood and hurriedly pulled out his precious red flower from his space, handing it over to Wen Ze. 

Only then did Wen Ze serve him his portion. 

Yin He was eyeing them eagerly from the side. Unwilling to give up, he asked, “Brother, do I get some too?” 

Wen Ze gave him a cold look. “What do you think?” 

Yin He pouted and fell silent, turning away to sit with his back to Wen Ze, looking all pitiful and heartbroken. 

But Wen Ze wasn’t going to fall for it. He was determined to teach this kid a lesson. 

Li Shui and Qin Shan saw that they had their own portions too and tried to politely refuse. “We don’t need any, really. Qin Shu already troubled you so much today…” 

“That’s separate. Besides, you both helped me so much. Especially these past two days—I’ve been teaching everyone how to weave and improved the weaving frame, and you’ve been cooking for me.” 

Li Shui smiled at that. “Alright then.” 

After serving them their portions, only Wen Ze and Zhuo Mu were left. 

Zhuo Mu stayed by the fire, keeping watch, while Wen Ze kept an eye on the clams grilling on the stone slab. Neither of them left the stove. 

The two of them casually ate their stir-fried clam meat while exchanging a few words here and there, occasionally glancing at each other naturally. 

Meanwhile, after taking just one bite, Li Shui and Qin Shan were completely blown away. 

Even the usually calm and composed Li Shui couldn’t help but exclaim, “Beast God! If I hadn’t washed those clams myself and watched you cook them, I wouldn’t believe this was clam meat! It’s not fishy at all—just fresh, tender, and slightly sweet… This is amazing!” 

Qin Shan, already reaching for more, nodded. “Yes! I never imagined clams could taste this good. I bet it’s because of the yangyang grass, right?” 

Li Shui replied, “It’s not just that. Don’t forget how many times we washed them. And the cooking method must be important too.” 

Zhuo Mu, on the other hand, simply said to Wen Ze, “Adding garlic this time made it even better than last time.” 

Wen Ze’s eyes curved with a smile. “See? I told you garlic is amazing! Even the wild vegetables we gather—just stir-frying them with some salt and garlic makes them taste incredible!” 

Zhuo Mu looked with keen interest. 

Unlike the adults, Yin He looked completely dejected, sitting there motionless. 

Qin Shu glanced at him, then at Wen Ze, before quietly stepping toward Yin He. 

The whole time, he kept an eye on Wen Ze’s reaction. 

Luckily, Wen Ze didn’t stop him. 

Squatting beside Yin He, he pushed his bowl forward. “Here, let’s share.” 

Yin He froze for a moment and muttered, “You exchanged your little red flower for this. I don’t have one.” 

Qin Shu grinned. “Brother Wen Ze never said we can’t share the clam meat we exchange for, right? Just eat!” 

Yin He stared at him for a couple of seconds before finally breaking into a smile. 

The two young beastmen sat together, happily sharing the stir-fried clam meat. 

Jia Yi had been focused on eating, but after seeing them, he hesitated for a moment before bringing his own bowl over. 

“Brother, let’s eat together!” As he spoke, his furry bear mouth, stained with sauce, moved slightly—he couldn’t look any cuter. 

Qin Shu laughed and ruffled his head. “Good kid, I knew spoiling you wasn’t for nothing!” 

Yin He chuckled and ruffled Jia Yi’s fur as well. 

The two boys messed with him so much that Jia Yi wobbled from side to side, his eyes spinning dizzily. 

As they ate, they couldn’t stop talking about how delicious the clam meat was. 

Qin Shu turned to Yin He. “Now I get why you insisted on harvesting river clams. This is too good! I feel like I could eat a whole pot!” 

Yin He straightened his back, looking proud. “See? I wasn’t lying! I could eat a whole pot too. I can even drink up all the sauce!” 

Jia Yi eagerly chimed in, “Me too! Me too! I can eat so much!” 

Qin Shu smirked. “No way, I eat the most!” 

The three of them got completely lost in their own world, oblivious to the knowing, affectionate smiles the adults exchanged as they watched them. 

Once they finished the stir-fried clams, Wen Ze used clean chopsticks to check on the grilled clam meat and told Zhuo Mu, “Just a little longer.” 

Zhuo Mu hummed softly in acknowledgment, watching as Wen Ze grabbed the salt jar and carefully sprinkled salt on each piece of clam meat. 

Maybe it was because he had always treated food with such dedication and seriousness. 

As a result, the dishes came out especially tasty and suited his preferences perfectly. 

Wen Ze had strikingly handsome features—thick black eyebrows, bright eyes, sharp cheekbones, and wheat-colored skin that carried a healthy glow. 

He’s still thin, but compared to when he was first brought here, pale and frail from his injuries, he’s already recovered a lot. 

Even the muscles faintly visible through his hemp clothing carried a resilient strength. 

What impressed Zhuo Mu even more than his physical recovery was the transformation in his demeanor. 

Like the rising sun finally breaking through the thick mist before dawn, he was warm, bright, full of vitality, and had an optimistic outlook on life. 

Zhuo Mu couldn’t help but think about all the things they’d done together—collecting tree resin and stumbling upon two slow-moving beasts, visiting the Rainbow Sun Tribe to see the pottery kiln, gathering honey fruits, stealing bird eggs… 

He had only stayed here for half a summer, yet they had already created so many unforgettable memories. 

Once the bricks were fired and he built his house, he’d probably move out, right? 

A bitter feeling crept into Zhuo Mu’s heart before he even realized what it was—reluctance. 

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Wen Ze lifted his gaze, meeting his deep red eyes with a smile. 

Zhuo Mu was silent for a moment, then shook his head. “Nothing.” He gestured toward the grilled clam meat. “Is it good now?” 

Wen Ze grinned. “Yeah! Here, help me take all these shells off, and I’ll grill another batch.” 

“Alright.” 

Zhuo Mu picked up the hot shells with his bare hands and quickly set them aside. 

Wen Ze chuckled. “I really envy your hands—they’re not only fair and good-looking, but they’re strong and can handle heat too.” 

Was that a compliment? Zhuo Mu’s ears turned slightly red as his thoughts grew a little tangled. 

It probably wouldn’t be right not to respond after being praised, right? 

So, he sincerely said, “Your hands are even nicer. I like yours better.” 

Wen Ze blinked. It felt… a little strange, but at the same time, kind of nice. 

For once, the quick-witted Wen Ze was at a loss for words. After a brief pause, he finally said, 

“Uh… thanks?” 

Zhuo Mu lowered his gaze as he moved the clam shells, a small smile playing on his lips. “No need to thank me.” 

One removed the shells, while the other prepared the next batch. Soon, several rows of fresh clams lined the stone slab again. 

Wen Ze tilted his head and called out, “Come on, everyone, try my dish!” 

Both adults and children perked up with interest and stood up to join in. 

The only difference was that while the others moved right away, Yin He hesitated. 

Wen Ze finally looked over. “Yin He, come on, this isn’t stir-fried clam meat with Yangyang grass—you can eat it.” 

Yin He’s entire face lit up with joy as he beamed. “Coming!” 

Everyone got a grilled clam, and Wen Ze, holding a still-warm shell, picked up a piece of garlic-seasoned clam meat with his chopsticks, blew on it, and took a bite. 

Mmm! The grilled garlic was incredibly fragrant! The spice had mellowed into a slight sweetness! 

Wen Ze had eaten garlic-roasted oysters and scallops before, but this tasted completely different! 

Enhanced by the garlic, the clam meat was grilled to perfection—crisp, juicy, and tender! 

The simple seasoning didn’t make the dish bland—it actually highlighted the natural freshness of the river clams. 

Each piece was large, wrapped in the rich aroma of garlic, and biting into it was pure satisfaction. 

Delicious, appetizing, and absolutely satisfying! 

Wen Ze wasn’t even eating anything spicy, yet his nose was sweating. He was pleasantly surprised and wanted more! 

Next time, he’d make some glass noodles and grill them together—surely, the flavor would be even better! 

The others had an even stronger reaction than him, especially the little ones, who were completely amazed. 

“Grilled river clams are this good?! It tastes completely different from stir-fried ones!” 

“Why am I getting hungrier the more I eat?!” 

“The garlic smells so good, and it’s got this sweet taste—so unique! Brother, are there more? Can I have three more? No, five!” 

Wen Ze laughed. “We brought back a lot of garlic from the Snow Sea Tribe. You can eat as much as you want!” 

Li Shui also said to Wen Ze, “A long time ago, we grilled river clams after catching them, but they tasted nowhere near this good.” 

Qin Shan nodded. “I remember. The grilled clam meat turned out fishy and tough, and we ended up throwing it away.” 

Wen Ze said, “Maybe you didn’t clean the clams properly or add the right ingredients to get rid of the fishy taste.” 

“Mm, today, I learned two ways to make delicious river clams. This is great.” 

Zhuo Mu also commented, “Grilled clam meat is still a bit fishier than stir-fried, but it’s barely noticeable.” 

Wen Ze thought for a moment. “I think it’s because I didn’t add yangyang grass? I’ll chop some up and mix it in next time…” 

They ate and chatted in a relaxed atmosphere, enjoying a delicious dinner in the cool evening breeze. 

After the meal, Li Shui’s family was ready to head home. Wen Ze grabbed the stir-fried clam meat he had set aside and had Zhuo Mu shift into his beast form to carry him into the tribe. 

Yin He was too full to move and volunteered to stay behind and watch the house. 

When the others heard that Wen Ze was bringing food, all nine little ones, along with their parents, gathered in anticipation. 

Wen Ze slid off Zhuo Mu’s back, divided the food, and then told them about the pearls. 

“These three pearls came from the clams we opened. There should be more in the remaining nine baskets.” 

The rich aroma of stir-fried clams filled the air. Even though everyone had already eaten, their mouths watered at the scent. 

Suppressing their cravings, they examined the pearls under the moonlight and torchlight, marveling, “This round pearl is so big and beautiful!” 

“The other two have irregular shapes, but they still look nice. I like this color.” 

Though they admired them, when Wen Ze brought up the ownership of the pearls, they immediately stated that since the little ones had accepted Yin He’s nut milk candy, the clams and pearls should belong to Yin He. 

Wen Ze had a feeling they’d say that, so he calmly said, “Pearls are much more valuable than nut milk candy.” 

A beastman shook his head. “Even so, they still belong to Yin He. That’s the rule of the tribe.” 

A half-beastman added, “It’s like when I provide materials for someone to dig up stones for me. If they find a gem inside, it still belongs to me.” 

The others nodded. “That’s right, Wen Ze. You don’t have to feel bad about it. Just take them!” 

“If we want pearls, we can always go collect more river clams! There are plenty in the mountain lakes!” 

“Exactly!” 

Right then, Zhuo Mu spoke up and reminded everyone of the rules they needed to follow when harvesting river clams. 

As soon as they heard they had to eat everything they caught, everyone’s faces fell. 

After saying their goodbyes, the parents took their little one’s home. 

They wanted pearls but didn’t want to eat river clams—what were they supposed to do? 

Just as they were struggling with this problem, they tried the stir-fried clam meat Wen Ze had sent over. 

One bite, and they were blown away. 

Every household erupted with the same reaction— 

“This is amazing!” 

The clam meat had already cooled down, yet there was barely any of that usual fishy taste! 

Before, when they steamed clam meat, they could force down a couple of bites while they were hot, but once they cooled, they were completely inedible. 

After their initial shock, everyone was desperate to figure out how Wen Ze had prepared it. 

If they could make clam meat taste this good, the huge river clams in the mountain might not even be enough for them to catch! 

With so much on their minds, no one slept well that night. 

Meanwhile, Wen Ze slept soundly. The next morning, he even hummed a tune as he went out to chop fresh branches and smoke meat. 

After breakfast, just as he was about to collect clay for brick-making, a group of Beastmen in their beast forms came charging over. 

On their backs, they carried their partners and family members. 

Even the little cubs from the tribe had come. 

“Wen Ze!” Bai Xia waved his bear paw, greeting him enthusiastically. “We’re here to help you fire bricks!” 

Sang Hui, sitting on Ji Sha’s left shoulder, also chimed in, “We came too! Let us know if there’s anything we can do.” 

Wen Ze beamed and didn’t refuse. “Great! Thanks, everyone!” 

Wu Ye said, “No need to be polite with us.” 

Since all their household chores were done, Zhuo Mu and Yin He also shifted into their beast forms. Wen Ze climbed onto the giant python’s back, leading the group to dig red clay. 

With nearly half the tribe joining in, the scene was both grand and lively. 

There weren’t many entertainment activities in the Beast World, so everyone enjoyed group activities like this.  

Some half-beastmen even started singing, their voices melodious and cheerful. 

Rather than working, it felt more like a group outing. 

Bai Ling, sitting on Ji Sha’s right shoulder, called out to Wen Ze in the front. “Wen Ze, did you really find pearls inside the river clams?” 

Wen Ze nodded. “Yes. I even made one into a necklace—Yin He’s wearing it.” 

Bai Ling’s eyes sparkled. “Yin He, hurry and shift into human form so I can see!” 

Yin He had been waiting for an opportunity to show off, so he obediently transformed into a handsome young man and looked up. 

A smooth, lustrous pearl was woven into a hemp string and hung right at his collarbone. 

Under the sunlight, the pearl gleamed with an elegant and noble glow. 

Everyone, including Bai Ling, was mesmerized. 

“It’s beautiful!” Bai Ling praised at first, then frowned. “But that knot… it’s a bit ugly. Here, give it to me—I’ll redo it for you.” 

Yin He instinctively glanced at Wen Ze. 

Realizing his mistake, Bai Ling’s handsome face flushed with embarrassment. 

Wen Ze, however, didn’t mind at all and laughed. “I’m not really good at this kind of thing. Yin He, let Bai Ling make you a prettier one.” 

Yin He was delighted. He quickly removed the necklace, transformed back into his beast form, and handed it over to Bai Ling. 

Bai Ling was skilled with his hands and soon untied the pearl, expertly reweaving it into a much more intricate and beautiful knot. 

Meanwhile, the other half-beastmen started asking about the stir-fried clam meat, eager to learn from Wen Ze. 

“We heard your dish was amazing—we all want to learn!” 

Wen Ze didn’t hold back. He not only taught them how to clean the clam meat properly but also explained both stir-frying and grilling methods in detail. 

After listening, everyone sighed in admiration. “So that’s why it tastes so good—you put in so much effort!” 

“The wood ash water and starch are easy to get, but we don’t have yangyang grass or garlic.” 

“That’s simple! We can have an exchange with the Rainbow Sun and Snow Sea tribes!” 

Wen Ze, who had been listening, naturally added, “Or you could grow them yourselves. Both Yangyang grass and garlic are really easy to cultivate.” 

That got everyone thinking. 

“Right! I saw Wen Ze’s field the other day—his Yangyang grass is growing so well!” 

“And I heard it keeps growing even after you cut it, that’s really convenient.” 

“Then let’s plant some! With Yangyang grass and garlic, we can finally catch river clam without hesitation and enjoy the meat!” 

“We only need to exchange for seeds from the Rainbow Sun and Snow Sea tribes once. Sounds like a plan!” 

“I agree!” 

One by one, they reached a decision. 

Wen Ze couldn’t help but sigh. Whether it was scallions, thorny fruit, or lotus roots, the tribe liked them but never seemed motivated to plant them. 

But with pearls? They’re rare, valuable, and beautiful; they were even more enticing than food! 

Either way, now that this was established, it would be easier to plant other crops in the future! This was a good thing! 

Chatting and laughing along the way, time flew by. 

Just as they arrived at their destination, Wen Ze spotted a golden eagle with a wingspan of over twenty meters circling overhead. Its massive body cast a huge shadow over them. 

That was a Beastman from the Feathered Fierce Tribe, wasn’t it? 

He raised his head and let out a few sharp, powerful calls. After hearing a reply, he lowered his head and said to Wen Ze— 

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