The night before, Wen Ze was busy cooking sausages and organizing things, so he went to bed a little late. 

At first, he was worried he wouldn’t wake up in time and even told Zhuo Mu to remind him. But later, he realized his concerns were unnecessary. 

For an event that happened only once a year, the tribe’s excitement far exceeded his expectations. 

He had barely fallen asleep when he heard loud voices outside the cave. 

“Zhuo Mu! Wen Ze! Let’s go! We’re heading to the Eden Grasslands!” 

It wasn’t just the adults. The children were also running around, shouting excitedly. 

…Wasn’t this supposed to be the outskirts of the tribe? 

Even Yin He, who was usually the last to wake up, had eagerly gotten up and was now fixing himself up under the moonlight. 

The only piece of jewelry he had was a pearl necklace. 

He had worn it for a few days before, and after going up the mountains and into the rivers, it had become a bit dull, so he had carefully put it away. 

Now, after putting it back on, he kept adjusting it over and over, his face beaming with joy. 

With all this excitement around, Wen Ze couldn’t sleep even if he wanted to. 

It reminded him of the New Year in his past life—no matter how well he planned to sleep in during the holidays, wake up at noon for a leisurely meal, as soon as he heard the crackling fireworks outside, the bustling streets, and the honking of cars, he would be infected by the festive mood and feel like getting up to join the excitement. 

Holidays with special significance bring people hope and happiness. 

He hoped that by celebrating with a positive and enthusiastic attitude, he could set a good tone for the days ahead. 

Rolling over on his fur-covered earthen bed, Wen Ze yawned, squinted at Yin He, and said, “There’s no point in dressing up now. You’ll have to travel in your beast form anyway.” 

Yin He paused, then turned to him excitedly. “Brother, you’re awake!” 

Then he added, “Ah, you don’t understand! You’re the kind of half-beastman who doesn’t care about dressing up. But this is how festivals are supposed to be!” 

Wen Ze chuckled. “Alright, alright. For someone so young, you sure have a sense of ceremony.” 

Yin He mumbled the words to himself, his eyes shining. “Sense of ceremony… That’s a great phrase! That’s exactly what this is!” 

Before long, Wen Ze got up in the dim light of night. Zhuo Mu had woken up even earlier and was busy filling water pouch. 

Since it wasn’t yet time for breakfast and none of them were hungry, Wen Ze simply cooked some vegetables and bird eggs. They planned to eat them with sausages on the way. 

Yin He went to milk the cows and added some feed for them. 

When he returned, he said to Wen Ze, “We’ll be back in the evening, so I only gave them enough for today. We’ll be gone all day—do you think they’ll run off?” 

Wen Ze laughed. “They won’t. They’re used to being raised by us now. Besides, there are patrols in the tribe—they’ll help look after them.” 

Yin He nodded. “That’s good.” 

Once they finished their chores, Wen Ze led the two of them in packing up. 

“We should store the glassware and stackable pottery bowls and basins in the space as much as possible. As for soap, fabric, and sausages—things that won’t break—we’ll pack those in baskets and carry them on our backs.” 

Both of them agreed. 

They had never packed Zhuo Mu’s space to its full capacity before, but this time, Wen Ze realized something surprising—his space was much larger than that of an average adult beastman! 

Being strong and having a massive beast form was truly an advantage! 

After confirming that nothing was left behind, the three of them put on the beast fur vests Wen Ze had made earlier and, under the moonlight, hurried toward the altar square at the center of the tribe. 

The square was packed inside and out. Ji Sha had shifted into his beast form, with Sang Hui and Bai Ling sitting on his back, carefully counting the number of people. 

As the time approached, Sang Hui raised his hand. Ji Sha immediately understood and roared loudly, “Keep an eye on your little ones! Stay close and don’t fall behind! 

“Roar!!” The crowd erupted with excited shouts, startling the birds in the forest. 

Wen Ze, swept up in the excitement, beamed a radiant smile. 

The massive pure-white python carried him and was positioned somewhere in the middle of the procession. 

Yin He couldn’t sit still and had already run off to play with his friends. 

From above, Wen Ze could see that some of the half-beastmen carrying torches formed a long, glowing line. 

To reach the Eden Grasslands by sunrise, the beastmen moved at a fast pace. 

Any young ones who couldn’t keep up were lifted and carried on the beastmen’s backs. 

After traveling for a while, Sang Hui’s family and Li Shui’s family moved closer to Zhuo Mu. 

Bai Ling excitedly said to Wen Ze, “How do I look today?” 

Wen Ze had already noticed that he was wearing new clothes, jade earrings, a beast tooth necklace, and had colorful patterns painted on his forehead. When he waved his hand, the glass bead bracelet on his wrist shimmered faintly. 

He even made a point to turn sideways so Wen Ze could see the black iron knife hanging at his waist. 

Wen Ze chuckled kindly. “Not bad, not bad. You look great!” 

Bai Ling crossed his arms, looking dissatisfied. “Come on, praise me a little more!” 

Wen Ze laughed louder, trying to dig up more compliments from his mind. 

Sang Hui sighed helplessly. “Wen Ze, don’t listen to him. We’ve been praising him all morning, and he’s still not satisfied.” 

Caught off guard, Bai Ling widened his eyes in protest. “Father!” 

Wen Ze laughed so hard he had to lean on Zhuo Mu for support. He thought, well, Bai Ling is a peacock half-beastman, after all—wanting to show off is only natural. 

Still, he didn’t forget to compliment Bai Ling. “The color of your earrings matches your skin tone perfectly. Your beast tooth necklace is bold and wild, emphasizing your charm. The glass bracelet is delicate and lively, making you stand out even more!” 

Bai Ling was very pleased and grinned as he turned to his parents. “Did you hear that? Learn from him.” 

Ji Sha & Sang Hui: “…” What should they do if they suddenly didn’t want to claim this son? 

Meanwhile, Qin Shan had transformed into his black bear form, carrying Li Shui and Jia Yi on his shoulder. Li Shui was laughing so hard he nearly fell over. 

Jia Yi was still young. After the initial excitement wore off, he started dozing off with his eyes half-closed. 

Drowsily, he mumbled, “Father, you’re rocking me so much my head’s spinning.” 

Li Shui casually ruffled the panda cub’s head, then patted his thick fur. “Alright, alright, sleep now.” 

Wen Ze watched him holding that big, fluffy, soft panda cub, feeling more than a little envious. 

Since Jia Yi was quite large, Wen Ze couldn’t see much of Li Shui’s clothing. His gaze shifted downward and landed on his shoes. 

“Huh? Li Shui, did you make cloth shoes?” 

Li Shui hummed in acknowledgment and lifted one foot slightly so Wen Ze could get a better look. 

“You mentioned cloth shoes when we chatted before, so I decided to give it a try.” 

The soles were woven from grass, while the upper part was sewn with dyed blue fabric. 

Li Shui was quite skilled—his shoes not only looked good but also had delicate little white flowers on the sides. 

Wen Ze’s eyes widened. “You even embroidered flowers?” 

Li Shui chuckled, adjusting his hold on Jia Yi while waving his other hand. “No, I ground minerals into powder, mixed them with water, and used a tree branch to paint them on. Since shoes aren’t washed often, the design should last a while.” 

Wen Ze sincerely praised him. “You’re really smart.” 

Li Shui’s eyes curved into a smile. “Thanks.” 

Sang Hui, who had been quiet most of the time, also spoke up, “Cloth shoes do look nice, and they’re perfect for autumn. After the gathering, I’ll learn from you how to make them.” 

Li Shui replied, “Sure! But I feel that these shoes don’t fit well enough, so we can improve them together later.” 

Wen Ze suggested, “You could add a buckle to them.” 

The three half-beastmen discussed for a while. Bai Ling then stared at Li Shui’s wrist and asked, “Is that a glass bracelet you’re wearing?” 

Li Shui nodded and pulled up his sleeves. The glass bracelet on his wrist was beautifully polished, gleaming even in the dim light. 

He glanced at Qin Shan, who was silently walking ahead, and his ears reddened slightly as he explained, “Qin Shan made it for me.” 

“Ohhh~~” Everyone immediately started teasing him. 

Bai Ling grinned mischievously. “No wonder you’re not wearing any earrings or necklaces! So the entire piece of glass was used to make a bracelet! I think it looks better than my bracelet. Wen Ze, how about giving me another piece of glass now?” 

Wen Ze chuckled and shook his head. “Even if I did, you wouldn’t have time to polish it.” 

Li Shui played along, saying, “They all look good. But your black iron knife looks the best.” 

Hearing that, Bai Ling proudly lifted his chin. 

They chatted, laughed, and sang along the way, making time fly. Wen Ze didn’t feel sleepy at all. 

As the sun rose, they finally arrived at the vast Eden Grasslands. 

The lush green grass stretched endlessly, creating a lively and vibrant scene that unfolded before them like a painting. 

In the sky, beastmen who had turned into birds soared high, their sharp cries echoing as their massive wings sent gusts of wind swirling with each flap. 

On the ground, some beastmen were in human form, their muscular lower bodies wrapped in animal hides. Their chests and handsome faces were adorned with intricate designs painted with mineral powder. 

Others remained in their beast forms, strolling leisurely with long strides, covering great distances in no time. 

The half-beastmen, with their tall posture and diverse appearances, wore simple animal-hide skirts and hemp garments yet carried themselves with grace. 

Regardless of whether they were beastmen or half-beastmen, everyone had carefully groomed their hair and adorned themselves with their favorite accessories, showing just how much they valued the autumn harvest festival. 

While Wen Ze was still taking everything in, Bai Ling had already landed and eagerly called out to him, “Wen Ze, hurry up and get down!” 

“Hmm?” 

He slid off Zhuo Mu’s back, gave a quick reminder to Yin He and the others not to wander too far, and was immediately surrounded by a group of half-beastmen. 

They asked, “Wen Ze, why aren’t you wearing any jewelry?” 

“You haven’t even painted your face!” 

“And you didn’t even comb your hair properly!” 

Wen Ze raised an eyebrow. “We just got here—I haven’t had time to fix it yet. As for jewelry, I didn’t make any.” 

Bai Ling stomped his foot. “That won’t do! Look, even Yin He is wearing a pearl necklace!” 

Li Shui chimed in, “That’s right! It’s such an important festival—how can you not dress up?” 

Bai Ling reached out his hand. “You must have some pearls or gemstones, right?” 

Wen Ze took out a small cloth bag from his space. “I do, but…” 

Before he could finish, Bai Ling snatched it, opened it, and said, “This is enough! I’ll make you a necklace right now! Li Shui, you all help him comb his hair and paint his face!” 

Everyone responded together, “Got it!” 

The half-beastmen busied themselves, pushing the beastmen aside without hesitation. 

Zhuo Mu glanced at Wen Ze, gave a helpless smile, and said, “I’ll wait for you on the grassland.” 

Wen Ze reached out, “Hey, I’ll go with you—” 

Before he could finish his sentence, someone pressed his hand down. 

Then, like a dress-up doll, he had his hair neatly combed and was adorned with a newly woven necklace and bracelet. 

Since he didn’t have pierced ears, Bai Ling picked some pretty flowers from the grass and wove them into earrings that could hang on his ears. 

Li Shui took out some mineral powder he had prepared in advance, mixed it with water, and painted a few streaks on Wen Ze’s face. 

At first, Wen Ze felt uncomfortable, but in the end, he just smiled and let them do as they pleased. 

Finally, his new beast fur vest was taken away by Bai Ling. 

Bai Ling said, “It’s not cold on the Eden Grassland, no need to wear so much.” 

But his expression clearly showed his dislike for the vest. 

Wen Ze: “…” My sewing skills are just that bad, what can I do? 

Once they were finally done, he found a puddle of water and leaned down to take a closer look. 

Not bad—after being dressed up, he really did look better than before. The painted streaks on his face gave him a mysterious and wild charm, which he actually liked. 

“The time’s getting late. I need to head to the grassland and set up my stall,” Wen Ze said to everyone. 

“We’re coming with you!” Bai Ling said excitedly. 

Just then, Zhuo Mu returned after making a round. When he saw Wen Ze, his eyes lit up. 

Bai Ling burst into laughter and asked, “Zhuo Mu, doesn’t Wen Ze look good?” 

Zhuo Mu froze. 

Wen Ze immediately smacked Bai Ling’s arm in warning. 

Bai Ling made a zipping gesture over his lips, but the amusement in his eyes only grew stronger. 

Wen Ze and Zhuo Mu exchanged a glance, both with slightly reddened ears. 

Fortunately, Sang Hui walked over in a hurry, unintentionally breaking the awkward moment. 

“Do you all want our South Mountain Tribe to make a big impression?” he asked. 

“Oh?” Everyone said with interest, “Of course we do!” 

Sang Hui then took out a pair of black iron knives he carried with him and, based on contributions, handed one to himself and one to Zhuo Mu. 

Right after, Wu Ye brought out two iron hammers, giving one to himself and the other to Bai Xia. 

Wen Ze immediately understood. They were planning to make a statement with black iron! 

Sang Hui waved his hand confidently. “Let’s go! Time to shock the other tribes!” 

The South Mountain Tribe’s group set out at once. 

Wen Ze and Zhuo Mu stood in the very center at the front. 

Sang Hui and Wu Ye were on the left, while Bai Ling and Bai Xia were on the right. 

The six of them either had black iron knives hanging at their waists or iron hammers resting on their shoulders. 

Their clothes, made from dyed cloth, looked extravagant. 

And their physiques and appearances? Outstanding, without a doubt. 

With confident strides and heads held high, they exuded the presence of an elite squad. 

Every member of the South Mountain Tribe felt proud of their people. 

Such a striking group instantly attracted countless gazes. 

The bustling grassland seemed to pause for a moment before erupting in chatter. 

“Beast God! Which tribe are they from?” 

“I heard the northern tribes have started weaving cloth. Are those hemp clothes?” 

“No way! I exchanged a lot of supplies for a piece of cloth before, and it was all dull and gray.” 

“Heavens! Look at all those metal tools they have!” 

“Could that be black silver?” 

“They’re all wearing gemstone jewelry! They must be incredibly rich!” 

“Eh? Isn’t the one in front Zhuo Mu? The warrior from the South Mountain Tribe?” 

“What? Isn’t South Mountain just a small tribe? How did they get so many resources?” 

“You haven’t heard? South Mountain Tribe has come up with a ton of amazing things this summer! Hemp fabric is just one of them! Wait—where are you going?” 

“Where else? To exchange with them, of course! If we’re late, there might be nothing left!” 

Before Wen Ze could find a spot to set up the stall, Chi Yu, the leader of the Rainbow Sun Tribe, and Luan Xun, the leader of the Feathered Fierce Tribe, arrived together. 

They greeted Wen Ze, “You got here pretty early, huh?” 

Wen Ze nodded. “We set off in the middle of the night.” 

Chi Yu said, “The Wild Field Tribe is about as far as you, so they should be arriving soon. The Snow Sea Tribe and the Fierce Wind Tribe are the farthest. Every year, they don’t get here until almost noon.” 

Luan Xun added, “I think they’ll arrive much earlier this year. If they’re late, they won’t be able to get your goods.” 

Wen Ze smiled. “You two are lucky—you’re the closest to this place.” 

Noticing how their eyes kept drifting toward the black iron knife and hammer, Wen Ze chuckled, took the knife down, and asked, “Want to take a look?” 

Their faces lit up instantly. “Of course!” 

Holding the knife like a treasure, Luan Xun praised it repeatedly, “This really is a black iron knife! It’s more refined and sharper than the one in our tribe!” 

Chi Yu asked enviously, “You got so many metal tools from the traveling merchants at once—how much did that cost you?” 

Before Wen Ze could answer, Sang Hui grinned and said, “We didn’t exchange for finished tools. We got black iron blocks and forged these ourselves.” 

Chi Yu and Luan Xun eyes almost popped out as they blurted out together, “What?!” 

Luan Xun said in disbelief, “Even the Black Silver Tribe can’t smelt this metal, and you actually succeeded?” 

Chi Yu, as if struck by lightning, asked, “Is it because of that new charcoal you made?” 

Wen Ze simply curled his lips into a faint smile, neither confirming nor denying it. 

It was obvious that such an important secret wouldn’t be casually shared by the South Mountain Tribe. 

They quickly changed the subject. “How much metal blocks did you exchange for?” 

“Is it hard to forge black iron tools?” 

“I want to exchange for an iron knife!” 

Wen Ze laughed. “Our tribes are close to each other. There will be plenty of chances to discuss this later. For now, let us set up our stall first.” 

Chi Yu and Luan Xun, realizing they had been too eager, stepped back a few steps, looking a little embarrassed. 

Calling it a “stall” was a bit of an overstatement. Wen Ze simply spread out a piece of burlap on the ground and placed moisture-sensitive goods like soap and fabric on top. 

Pottery and glass items were set directly on the ground. 

He didn’t lay everything out at once. Instead, he organized them by category and size. 

Seeing this, others followed suit, and soon, a small “market” took shape across the grassland. 

Other stalls displayed dried meat, animal hides, salt, bone ornaments, and more. 

Before long, the area was packed with people. 

A strikingly handsome half-beastman approached Wen Ze’s stall, pointing at the fabric. “How do I exchange for this?” 

Wen Ze straightened up and replied with a smile, “I didn’t bring much, so I’m prioritizing food, seeds, and metal blocks. If you have any of those, show me, and we’ll discuss the exchange.” 

The half-beastman was surprised. “You’re not taking pearls or gemstones?” 

As he spoke, his gaze lingered on the large, lustrous sea pearl hanging around Wen Ze’s neck. 

Wen Ze said, “If you offer enough, I’ll accept them too. For example, for this piece of fabric—if you have the seeds I need, a small pouch will do. If you’re using pearls, I’ll need three about the size of a fingertip.” 

The half-beastman’s eyes widened. “Seeds are a much better deal then!” 

Wen Ze nodded. “Exactly. If you can’t find what you want here, you can check with others from my tribe. Some of them are exchanging for meat and hides.” 

His patient and friendly demeanor left a good impression. The half-beastman smiled and said, “Wait here, I’ll call our tribe leader!” Then, he rushed off. 

People nearby who had overheard their conversation sighed. “If I had known food would be in such high demand, I would’ve brought more!” 

Someone else said, “I did bring a sack of roots. Can I exchange them for your pottery?” 

Wen Ze glanced at them. They were just the common gray root variety, so he shook his head. “Our tribe has those too, and they don’t taste great. I can’t exchange for them.” 

More and more people came asking about his goods. Wen Ze patiently explained what each item was, how to use it, and what he required in exchange. 

Everyone’s eyes burned with desire for these rare items. 

Unfortunately, very few had what Wen Ze wanted. 

Some even asked if they could exchange for the metal tools. 

After discussing with Zhuo Mu, Wen Ze named an outrageously high price—enough to bleed a large tribe dry. That quickly made them give up. 

Those who couldn’t exchange with Wen Ze either went to other stalls or tried negotiating. 

One person sincerely said, “I remember our tribe has a particularly delicious fruit. I’ll go pick some tonight—can you reserve a bundle of fabric for me?” 

Wen Ze couldn’t handle everything on his own, but fortunately, Zhuo Mu was by his side, helping him respond to questions and maintain order. 

“You… you, take a look at this and see if you want it.” A slightly shorter half-beastman, unable to push past the tall and sturdy beastmen, could only hold up the item in his hand high and speak from the back of the crowd. 

As soon as he spoke, he realized his voice was too soft—Wen Ze probably couldn’t hear him. 

Clearing his throat, he was about to shout again when Wen Ze suddenly looked straight at him. 

“The one holding something and wearing a yellow beast hide skirt! Yes, you! Come to the front.” 

The half-beastman froze in surprise, his eyes full of excitement as he squeezed through the crowd to get closer. 

Seeing him struggling, Wen Ze even had Zhuo Mu push aside some beastmen blocking the way. 

Someone curiously asked the half-beastman, “What are you holding?” 

The half-beastman replied, “These are bamboo shoots from our tribe! They taste great when stir-fried! I dug them up last night!” 

By the time he reached the stall, his hair was messy from the crowd. 

Wen Ze took the bamboo shoot he handed over. 

The bamboo shoot was about the length of an arm and as thick as a calf. It was dark in color and appeared rather old. 

Peeling off the outer skin, however, revealed tender flesh inside. 

Surprised, Wen Ze asked, “How many of these did you bring?” 

The half-beastman answered excitedly, “Two big baskets!” 

Wen Ze nodded. “What do you want in exchange?” 

The half-beastman pointed at the glass on the stall. “Can I exchange for this gemstone?” 

The onlookers burst out laughing. 

“You want to exchange two baskets of bamboo shoots for a gemstone?” 

“The stall owner definitely won’t agree!” 

The half-beastman’s face instantly turned red. Lowering his head, he didn’t dare to say another word. 

Unexpectedly, Wen Ze said, “This isn’t a gemstone—it’s glass. If you want to exchange, I can give you half a piece.” 

The glass he had on display was one meter by half a meter, so even half a piece wasn’t much. 

The half-beastman’s head shot up, stunned by the unexpected surprise. 

“You’re really going to exchange it for me?” 

“Of course. Wait here, I’ll cut a piece for you now.” 

Many from the South Mountain Tribe had experience cutting glass and knew which stones worked best. Wen Ze called Qin Shan over to help. 

Before long, half a piece of glass was placed in the half-beastman’s hands. 

Tears welled up in his eyes from excitement. Two baskets of bamboo shoots had actually gotten him such beautiful glass! Ahhh! This was a huge win! 

Wen Ze thought: It’s been so long since I had bamboo shoots. I’ll stir-fry them with smoked meat later… slurp. 

As for planting bamboo, he planned to give it a try, though he didn’t have high hopes—the climate in the South Mountain Tribe wasn’t suitable for growing bamboo. 

The crowd erupted. 

“This guy is really lucky!” 

“Hurry, call our tribesmen over! Ask what food they brought! If we’re late, all the good stuff will be gone!” 

“Got it! I’ll go now!” 

With people helping spread the word, Wen Ze was more than happy to see it happen. 

He glanced toward the horizon, wondering—where exactly had those two vulture merchants spread his news? 

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