At dawn, the Rongling Race embarked on their journey back home with an almost pilgrim-like reverence.
After passing through the Fierce Beast tribe's territory, burned to ash, the view ahead suddenly opened up.
Even the youngest Rongling let out an instinctive gasp at the sight before them.
It was a scene as beautiful as a painting.
The fertile black soil of Star Valley seemed rich enough to squeeze oil from, while winding streams ran crystal clear, dotted with berry bushes of every color like scattered stars. Mountains surrounded the valley in the distance, forming a natural barrier.
The air here was even fresher than in Spring Basin, and every breath left Tu Hu feeling refreshed.
The valley was silent, save for the wind and birdsong, proving that it had become ownerless land.
"We... came back." A Lan's voice trembled as he crouched down and gently touched the earth that bore the blood, tears, and glory of his people.
This time, they were no longer fleeing in panic. They had returned to their homeland as conquerors and inheritors.
The days that followed passed without a moment's rest.
Under Tu Hu's overall direction, the Rongling Race erupted with unprecedented enthusiasm for construction in this long-dreamed-of homeland.
The mountains around Star Valley were rich in ore, and the quality was excellent, far surpassing that of Spring Basin.
Tu Hu personally surveyed several ore veins, and new mining sites were quickly established.
He improved mining techniques, using supports to shore up the tunnels as they advanced, greatly increasing both mining depth and safety.
At the foot of the mountains, several larger and sturdier blast furnaces rose from the ground.
For this purpose, Tu Hu designed a natural draft-assisted combustion system that utilized the valley's constant wind direction. Through the design of pipes and chimneys,