Wen Ze knew that autumn was approaching and that the Autumn Harvest Festival took place from the third to the fifth day of autumn each year, lasting for three days. 

But in the Beast World, there was no calendar—how could they determine the exact day of the “Beginning of Autumn”? 

And how could they all make it to Eden Grasslands on the “same day” for the festival when communication was so limited? 

Now, he understood. 

Standing in the open air, Wen Ze inhaled deeply. A distinct thought surfaced in his mind, reminding him: Autumn has arrived. 

He couldn’t quite explain why, but he simply knew that today was the first day of autumn. 

Amazed, Wen Ze’s eyes gradually lit up. 

His first instinct was to share this with Zhuo Mu. Coincidentally, the man had just finished getting ready and was walking toward him, bathed in the morning light. 

Before he could shift into his beast form, Wen Ze excitedly called out, “Zhuo Mu! Autumn is here! I can feel it!” 

Zhuo Mu met his dark eyes, the corners of his lips lifting slightly. He let out a soft “Mhm.” 

“I can feel it too.” 

Wen Ze marveled, “So, we can sense it this clearly! Is this like how you can predict when it’s going to rain and how much it’ll pour?” 

Zhuo Mu nodded. “Yes.” 

Wen Ze was astonished. “That’s incredible. Does this mean that the stronger a beastman or half-beastman’s talent, the more accurately they can sense it?” 

Having grown accustomed to Wen Ze’s curiosity about “common Beast World knowledge,” Zhuo Mu nodded again. 

At that moment, Wen Ze realized he had also become a walking ‘Ten Thousand Whys’ 

He smiled sheepishly, moved closer, and held up a finger. “Just one last question—have you been sensitive to climate changes since you were a kid?” 

Zhuo Mu thought for a moment before answering, “I was sharper than others my age, but not as precise as I am now.” 

“Oh,” Wen Ze nodded in understanding. “So, it’s not just about talent. It’s also about strength—just like how our space expands as we grow stronger and only stabilizes after reaching adulthood.” 

He speculated that this ability came from the beast genes in their bodies. 

In the modern world, pure humans didn’t have such abilities. Or maybe they once did, but the ability had deteriorated over time. 

Many animals, however, had a natural instinct for sensing weather changes and danger. 

Perhaps… it could be called a beast’s intuition? 

Zhuo Mu’s eyes carried a hint of amusement, “Yes. You can ask me anything else you’re curious about.” 

The warm sunlight cast a comforting glow. 

Like a lazy yet elegant wolf, Wen Ze stretched his body, causing his clothes to ride up slightly, revealing a sliver of his lean waist. 

Zhuo Mu’s gaze lingered for a second before he looked away, his eyes darkening slightly. 

Unaware of the shift in Zhuo Mu’s expression, Wen Ze glanced up at the sky and said, “I’m good. Can you shift to your beast form? Let’s head to the altar square.” 

“Alright.” 

They had woken up late. Yin He had long since gotten up, finished milking the cows and feeding them, and had gone off to play with his friends in the tribe. 

So, it was just the two of them on the road. 

Ever since returning from the Feathered Fierce Tribe, Zhuo Mu had developed a habit of carrying Wen Ze high up on his back. 

As a result, Wen Ze now sat cross-legged atop Zhuo Mu’s massive python head, relaxed and enjoying the excellent view. 

They talked about the upcoming Autumn Harvest Festival. 

“We have today and tomorrow to prepare, and the day after, we head to Eden Grasslands. We won’t be firing any more pottery for now, but we should make a batch of soap. It’d also be good to prepare some sausages and meatballs since they’re convenient for travel,” Wen Ze planned aloud. 

Zhuo Mu agreed, “After we sharpen the blades, I’ll take some people hunting. We’ll be back before dusk. After dinner, we’ll make the soap together. Tomorrow, we’ll prepare the sausages and meatballs.” 

“Sounds good. Don’t forget to gather some brine too.” 

“Got it.” 

Wen Ze thought for a moment and then asked, “The Eden Grasslands is quite far from our tribe, right?” 

“Mhm,” Zhuo Mu replied. “It’s even farther than the Feathered Fierce Tribe.” 

Wen Ze clicked his tongue. “Then we’ll have to set off in the middle of the night.” 

“When the time comes, I’ll carry you and Yin He on my back. You two can just catch up on sleep there, and I’ll wake you up when we arrive.” 

Wen Ze’s eyes curved into a smile. “You’re the best! But I can’t just let you do all the hard work. I’ll try my best to stay awake and chat with you!” 

Zhuo Mu didn’t mention that the whole tribe would be traveling together, making the journey lively. 

He only said, “Sure, whatever works.” 

Despite being a powerful warrior who rarely spoke, Zhuo Mu was incredibly gentle and patient when he was with him. Wen Ze’s heart softened, and he even had the sudden urge to lower his head and kiss him. 

Fortunately, before he could act on the impulsive thought, the altar square came into view. 

Sang Hui and the others were already there, waving enthusiastically. “Wen Ze, Zhuo Mu! Come check out these whetstones we prepared!” 

Wen Ze cleared his throat, pushing aside his embarrassing thoughts, and responded, “Coming!” 

As they landed, he quickly walked toward the crowd, while Zhuo Mu followed behind like a cold and imposing bodyguard. 

Wen Ze first selected the suitable whetstones from the pile Sang Hui and the others had gathered. 

The stones had a rough, sand-like texture and were smooth and even. 

He took one and sat down. Someone immediately handed him a black iron knife. 

Due to impurities in the metal, the blade had a grayish hue, but under the sunlight, it still reflected a metallic sheen. 

Wen Ze felt a rush of excitement. “It looks way better than it did last night!” 

Sang Hui grinned. “Yeah, and it feels cold to the touch. It’s also much heavier than your black-silver knife.” 

“Black silver” was aluminum, so of course, it was lighter than an iron blade. 

When Wen Ze took the knife and weighed it in his hand, his expression turned even more satisfied. 

Who in this world wouldn’t love cold weapons? No one. Absolutely no one! 

At least, he was obsessed with them! 

Metal knives were extremely rare. Even the children were here, and practically everyone in the tribe had gathered to watch. 

Everyone stood behind Wen Ze, careful not to block his light. 

Wen Ze was happy to teach them. He took out a water pouch, poured water over the blade, and cleaned it. 

Then, he tilted the knife at about a 30-degree angle against the whetstone. 

“Watch closely. This is how you sharpen it. Hold the knife and slide it backward, one stroke at a time. Never push it forward,” he explained gently as he demonstrated. 

Everyone watched intently, absorbing every detail. 

After sharpening one side, Wen Ze flipped it over to do the other. 

With water on the blade, the sharpening process was smooth. 

Excitement and anticipation filled the air. Even the rough sound of the whetstone scraping the blade was music to their ears. 

Soon, the first knife was fully sharpened. 

Unlike the blade’s body, the edge gleamed silver, reflecting a sharp and chilling light. 

Everyone’s eyes burned with excitement. Even without testing it, they could tell how sharp it was! 

Wen Ze looked around but didn’t see anything suitable for testing. So he stood up with the knife and asked, “Can someone bring me a piece of wood?” 

“I’ll do it!” Bai Xia eagerly raised his hand before anyone else could react. 

Wen Ze chuckled. “Since you’re getting the wood, bring over a beast leg too.” 

The others refused to be left out. 

“I’ll get it!” 

“I have a fresh beast leg right here!” 

Soon, a piece of wood and a beast leg were placed in an open space. 

Wen Ze had Zhuo Mu hold down one end of the wood while he lifted the knife high and swung it down! 

“Bang!” 

“Bang!” The sharp edge sliced through the bark, embedding deep into the wood. 

A wave of gasps rippled through the crowd! 

Wen Ze twisted the handle, pulled the knife free, and swung it down a few more times. 

In just a few strokes, a wood thicker than his thigh was split in half! 

“So sharp!” 

“And the cut is so clean!” 

“By the Beast God, metal knives are amazing!” 

Some of the more emotional half-beastmen even had teary eyes from excitement. 

Wen Ze was equally satisfied. He moved to the beast leg and started chopping. 

Despite the beast’s thick bones, they were nothing in the face of the metal knife. 

With just a few more swings, the beast leg was chopped apart, exposing the marrow inside! 

Thinking about how easy it would be to prepare ribs or bone marrow in the future, Wen Ze lifted the knife and shouted enthusiastically, “Great knife!” 

The others cheered along with him. “Truly a great knife!” 

“Wen Ze, can I give it a try?” Bai Xia asked eagerly, rubbing his hands together with bright eyes. 

Wen Ze handed him the knife and said, “Be a little careful.” 

Bai Xia was touched. “Are you worried I’ll hurt myself?” 

“…I’m worried you beastmen are too strong and might damage the blade instead.” 

Bai Xia fell silent, while the others burst into laughter. 

Wen Ze instinctively glanced at Zhuo Mu, who was also smiling. 

Bai Xia pretended to be hurt, took the knife, controlled his strength, and chopped at the wood. 

With a crisp crack, the wood split in half! 

The half-beastmen stared in shock. 

Beast God, Bai Xia only struck once! Turns out, with greater strength, the knife works even better! 

“Let me try too!” Bai Ling shouted impatiently. 

Everyone suddenly snapped out of their daze. Beastmen, half-beastmen, even the little ones like Yin He and Qin Shu joined in the excitement. 

“I want to try too!” 

“This metal knife is amazing! I love it!” 

One knife clearly wasn’t enough for everyone. Wen Ze told them not to fight over it and quickly led some people to sharpen the remaining three black iron knives. 

Even with four knives in use, there still weren’t enough for everyone to try. 

Seeing Zhuo Mu’s red eyes light up, Wen Ze took a knife and handed it to him. 

“You try it too,” Wen Ze said with a smile. 

Zhuo Mu was momentarily stunned before his lips curved into a smile. “Alright.” 

When he wielded the knife, the effect was even better than Bai Xia’s. Paired with his striking features and well-built frame, he looked absolutely stunning. Wen Ze took a moment to fully appreciate the sight. 

After everyone had their fun, Wen Ze discussed with Sang Hui and ultimately decided to keep two knives in the tribe. Members could borrow them based on their usual contributions—those who contributed more had higher priority. 

As for the remaining one, it was put up for exchange, with the highest bidder offering supplies in return. 

The tribe had no objections to this arrangement and immediately started a heated bidding war. 

What surprised Wen Ze was that Zhuo Mu seemed to really like the knife but didn’t participate in the bidding. 

Tilting his head slightly, Wen Ze asked in a soft voice, “You don’t want it?” 

Zhuo Mu answered honestly, “I do. But I think the half-beastmen need it more than I do. I’m not in a hurry.” 

Wen Ze thought about it and nodded. “That’s true.” 

Beastmen could shift into their beast forms, making them powerful fighters with little danger when traveling alone. 

In comparison, half-beastmen were much weaker. Even when gathering food, they had to go in groups. 

A knife was not just a tool but also a weapon. Having one would greatly increase their chances of survival in the wild. 

After Zhuo Mu’s reminder, the other beastmen stopped bidding and simply watched the scene with amusement. 

The half-beastmen, however, turned red with excitement as they kept piling up their supplies. 

Wu Ye was stunned. “I didn’t know half-beastmen could be this fierce.” 

Bai Xia nodded. “When they find something they like, they really go all out.” 

From time to time, Wen Ze would shout, “After the autumn harvest festival, I’ll continue making more metal tools! You can wait if you want!” 

There was really no need to get so worked up! 

But this time, most people ignored him. Bai Ling, with his face flushed, said, “What if I don’t like the knife that’s made later? I want it now!” 

Even Li Shui, who was always calm and composed, tightly gripped Jia Yi’s bear paw and shouted, “I’ll add another bundle of fabric!” 

*** 

In the end, Bai Ling won the bid. 

It was all thanks to Sang Hui, the vice leader, who helped him contribute a lot of supplies. 

Wen Ze clearly saw Sang Hui and Ji Sha’s expressions—both heartbroken yet filled with affection and joy. 

Bai Ling, overjoyed to have won the knife, threw himself into Sang Hui’s arms and shouted, “Father, I have a knife now! Hahaha! I’m bringing it to the autumn harvest festival!” 

Sang Hui smiled warmly and patted his back. 

“As our tribe gets better and better, everyone will have one,” the gentle and refined young man said. 

With the knife blade sharpened and the distribution settled, Zhuo Mu quickly gathered people for the hunt. 

Wen Ze walked a short distance with them, reminding them to stay safe. 

As he watched the group of beastmen disappear into the distance, he turned his head and noticed a young half-beastman peeking at him. 

The half-beastman wore simple hemp clothes, freshly washed and unstained. Though undyed, the sleeves were decorated with small flowers sewn with hemp thread. 

The tribe only had a few hundred people, and by now, Wen Ze had recognized most of them. 

But this round-faced half-beastman, with black pupils, yellow irises, and short black-and-white curls, was someone he had only seen before but never spoken to. He didn’t even know his name. 

It was clear the young man had something to say to him. Wen Ze smiled faintly and patiently asked, “What is it?” 

The others were still gathered around Bai Ling, admiring his new knife. 

The curly-haired half-beastman stiffened, hesitated for two seconds, then gathered his courage and walked toward Wen Ze. 

Wen Ze understood immediately—this one was shy. 

Come to think of it, he himself hadn’t been good at interacting with people at first. Speaking in front of a crowd used to make him so nervous his voice and hands would tremble. 

But after being “pushed onto the stage” enough times, he had toughened up. 

As he pondered, the curly-haired youth spoke in a low voice, “Wen Ze, I… I want to show you something.” 

Wen Ze nodded and asked gently, “Alright, what is it?” 

The little curly-haired one carefully took out a small cloth bag from his space. The bag was sealed with twine, and the stitching was tight and neat. 

He opened the bag and turned it inside out, motioning for Wen Ze to look at what was inside. 

“Is… is this the soybean you were talking about?” 

Wen Ze lowered his gaze. Inside the pouch were green, fuzzy pods, about the length of his index finger. His eyes lit up. 

He quickly asked, “Can I break it open and take a look?” 

The little curly-haired one nodded eagerly. “Of course, of course!” 

Wen Ze picked up a pod and carefully split it open, examining it inside and out. 

It really was soybeans! Someone in the tribe had found soybeans! 

“It’s soybeans!” he said excitedly to the little curly-haired one. “Where did you find them?” 

The little curly-haired one had already prepared for this question. He pointed in a direction and said, “Over by Beast Armor Mountain! I can’t describe the exact spot well, but there’s a small patch of these beans growing there.” 

Realizing he had spoken too loudly out of excitement, he smiled sheepishly, lowered his voice, and said, “I saw they weren’t fully ripe yet, so I only picked a few to bring back for you to check. Since they are soybeans, how about I take you there next time?” 

Wen Ze nodded firmly. “Yes! That would be a huge help—thank you!” 

The little curly-haired one smiled shyly. “Hehe, no need to thank me.” 

Wen Ze then asked, “By the way, what’s your name?” 

“I’m Qiu Lu.” 

“I’ll remember that, Qiu Lu,” Wen Ze said. “After the autumn harvest festival, can you take me there when you have time?” 

Qiu Lu nodded seriously, “Of course!” 

Looking at his adorable round face, Wen Ze felt delighted and hummed a cheerful tune all the way back to the cave. 

That afternoon, Zhuo Mu returned with a large haul of fresh beast meat. 

He also scooped out two full jars of brine. 

Wen Ze had been busy as well—he had gathered a good amount of flower petals from the wild and boiled them down into flower extract. 

With the stove as the center, a rich fragrance spread in all directions. 

Zhuo Mu asked, “Why are you boiling the flower petals?” 

Wen Ze smiled, “For making soap! If hemp fabric can be dyed with flower petals and retain a pleasant floral scent, then soap can definitely be improved too.” 

Zhuo Mu thought about it and sincerely said, “The molds are already quite beautiful. If we add flower petals, the soap will definitely be even more popular.” 

Wen Ze snapped his fingers. “That’s exactly what I was thinking! I’ll cook first, and after dinner, we’ll start working on it!” 

Zhuo Mu agreed. 

While they were busy, Wen Ze didn’t forget to mention finding the soybeans. 

“It’s all thanks to Qiu Lu!” he concluded happily. 

“Qiu Lu…” Zhuo Mu frowned slightly. 

“Yes, it’s Qiu Lu. Why? What’s wrong?” 

“If I remember correctly, his father passed away from illness a few years ago. Then, two years ago, his other father was gored through the shoulder and arm by a Fanged Beast during a hunt. He survived, but his body became weaker, and he no longer has the strength to hunt large beasts.” 

Wen Ze’s eyes widened in shock. “What?” 

Zhuo Mu continued, “His father didn’t want to be a burden to him and once tried to leave the tribe secretly. Luckily, Qiu Lu noticed in time and cried while begging the tribe for help. We managed to bring him back.” 

“After that, I don’t know what they talked about, but his father never tried to leave again.” 

Wen Ze sighed deeply. 

When he first saw Qiu Lu wearing the simplest hemp clothing, he guessed that his family might not be doing well, but he hadn’t expected it to be this bad. 

He himself had experienced poverty—where there wasn’t enough food to scrape together a single meal and even broken pottery had to be used until it completely shattered. 

Qiu Lu looked about the same age as him. His father couldn’t hunt large beasts, and he had to rely on gathering to support two adults. One could imagine how hard that must have been. 

Zhuo Mu noticed his thoughts and spoke in a gentle voice, “The tribe has provided them with help. They won’t have trouble surviving.” 

Wen Ze responded with a quiet “Mm,” but thought to himself: Surviving and living well are two completely different things. 

Even after going through so much, Qiu Lu still had such clear and bright eyes. 

He had also wholeheartedly helped him find soybeans without even asking for any reward. 

Was there anything he could do to help them? 

*** 

For their dinner that night, Wen Ze prepared steamed crab beasts, stir-fried shrimp meat, stir-fried beast meat with mung bean sprouts, braised pork ribs with potatoes, and radish bone soup, along with osmanthus honey yogurt. 

Using a black iron knife made all the difference—the ribs were easily chopped into finger-length pieces, and the crab and shrimp beasts were effortlessly split open with a few swift chops. 

The beast meat was cut into segments, then stir-fried and braised for extra flavor, making it more convenient to eat. The large bones were also split open, allowing the marrow to infuse into the soup, creating an incredibly rich and fragrant taste. 

Wen Ze always believed in balancing meat and vegetables, so the stir-fried bean sprouts served as their vegetable dish. 

As they sat down at the stone table, Yin He gawked in surprise. “Whoa, Brother, dinner’s a feast tonight!” 

Wen Ze laughed heartily. “That’s right! We’re celebrating our success in making iron tools! Plus, I haven’t cooked properly in the past few days. Now that autumn has arrived, let’s have a feast and put on some weight for the season!” 

Yin He was deeply touched. “Brother, you’re so good to us!” 

Zhuo Mu also had a smile on his face. 

Wen Ze grinned without mentioning that the crab and shrimp beasts would have died soon if they hadn’t eaten them or that the mung bean sprouts would have spoiled if left any longer. Instead, he raised his colorful ceramic bowl filled with yogurt. 

“Come on, let’s have a toast!” 

“A toast?” Yin He asked, puzzled. 

Wen Ze explained, “Yes! Just pick up your drink, clink our bowls together, and then take a sip. It’s a way to celebrate!” 

“That sounds fun!” Yin He’s eyes lit up, and he eagerly lifted his bowl. 

A fleeting thought passed through Zhuo Mu’s eyes, but he didn’t ask anything. Instead, he smiled and picked up his bowl as well. 

“Cheers!” Wen Ze grinned brightly and gently clinked his bowl against theirs. 

The other two followed suit, and the crisp sound of ceramic bowls touching filled the air. 

A simple ritual, yet it brought an incomparable sense of joy and satisfaction. 

Together, they all said, “Cheers!” 

After taking a sip of the yogurt, Wen Ze licked the “white mustache” on his lips and urged everyone to start eating. 

As always, the meat dishes disappeared quickly. 

Yin He, whose beast form was a giant panda, was quite accepting of vegetables. He happily said to Wen Ze, “Brother, the bean sprouts you stir-fried are so crispy and delicious!” 

Zhuo Mu, on the other hand, wasn’t very fond of vegetables. He picked the bean sprouts far less often than he picked meat. 

If Wen Ze pointed at the bean sprouts and asked, “Don’t you like them?” 

Zhuo Mu would immediately reply, “I do,” and then scoop a large portion into his bowl. 

Wen Ze didn’t call him out on it and just chuckled. “As long as you like it. Eat more while it’s autumn. Once winter comes, fresh vegetables will be hard to come by.” 

After dinner, Yin He went to wash the dishes while Wen Ze and Zhuo Mu made soap together. 

This time, they made three types: regular soap, sulfur soap, and floral-scented soap. 

The sulfur soap was made in the smallest quantity, while the other two were about the same. 

For the floral-scented soap, they added a concentrated floral extract, making the final product look much more refined than before. 

The scent also masked the scent of animal fat, and after washing, a faint fragrance lingered on the skin, making it refreshing and pleasant. 

All three types of soap were shaped using molds. 

Once they were all unmolded and placed in a cool, shaded area to dry, Wen Ze looked at the neat rows of delicate soaps and smiled. “Since we’ve made paper, let’s wrap the soap in it. We can tie it with hemp rope—it’ll look nice and easy to carry!” 

Zhuo Mu naturally agreed with a smile. 

The next day, Zhuo Mu stayed home to wrap the soaps. 

Meanwhile, Wen Ze invited a few half-beastmen to help him make a good amount of sausages and meatballs. 

Everyone was excitedly chatting about the upcoming autumn harvest festival, discussing how they would dress up, what they wanted to exchange on the Eden Grasslands, and what games they would play. 

Finally, after much anticipation, the autumn harvest festival arrived. 

---

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