Trade

The spring breeze of Vermilion Ridge carried a trace of moisture. After leaving the warehouse, the group felt much clearer-headed.

"Great Wilderness needs the grain rather urgently. Will the new harvest be ready in time?"

Qu Shan was faintly worried. Wind-Fire Tribe still had to supply grain to other tribes, and he did not know whether they could deliver on schedule.

"Please rest assured, Lord Qu. The other tribes trade with us every year and each has substantial grain reserves. We will prioritize delivering the grain Great Wilderness needs. When does my lord plan to make the trade?"

Feng Xu put Qu Shan's mind at ease. Great Wilderness's goods were relatively scarce, so this had to be handled carefully.

"I will discuss it with the lord once I return. Including travel time, it will probably take more than two months."

"Then the new grain will have just been harvested. We can provide Great Wilderness with the freshest grain then."

Qu Shan nodded with a smile. This young man certainly knew how to conduct himself.

"Still, I am quite curious. Where exactly does all this grain come from? Can you take me to see it?"

Feng Xu's heart tightened, but his expression remained unchanged.

If Qu Shan learned of their annual grain yield, he would probably try to force down the price.

"There is no rush. The grain-producing area is quite far from here. We can go after my lord has seen the other places."

"Very well. Where are we going next?" Qu Shan asked with a smile.

"Central Wilderness Tribe is exceptionally powerful. This junior would like to invite my lord to visit our tribe's Training Camp and offer us some guidance."

Wind-Fire Tribe had quite a few things unavailable elsewhere. Once they had toured everything and his attention had been diverted, he probably would not bring up the rice fields again.

"Very well. I also want to see what kind of warriors such excellent conditions can produce."

"You flatter us, my lord. Our tribe's conditions are ordinary. Our strongest warrior is our chief."

"That cannot be right. From what I can see, you are much stronger than your chief."

Feng Xu smiled without denying it.

He had recently broken through to Late Earth Immortal, while Feng Sui and Feng Xi were only Mid Earth Immortals. The remaining senior chiefs were still Early Earth Immortals.

That was the effect of the Battle Mark.

In merely ten years, with the Blood Pool's assistance, Wind-Fire Tribe's combat strength had already far surpassed that of the other tribes.

Feng Xi was drilling the troops at the Training Camp.

Feng Xu had arranged it specifically. Labor was usually scarce, so they rarely held drills.

At most, they occasionally practiced formations.

More than a hundred patrol warriors stood in neat square formations, changing formations under Feng Xi's command.

They were all Early Earth Immortals.

Everyone moved in perfect unison, without the slightest confusion.

"Interesting. Your method of training troops resembles that of that genius youth."

Surprise appeared on Qu Shan's face. Could these two know each other?

"My lord, what is a 'soldier'?"

Feng Xu was also inwardly shaken. This sort of troop training was nothing remarkable; even some feudal dynasties could manage it.

But this was the Primordial World, a place that emphasized individual strength. Yet there was someone here with the same ideas. Could he truly be another transmigrator?

"That term was also proposed by that youth. He believed that only an organized and disciplined force could display greater combat power in actual battle. He called such warriors 'soldiers,' and such a force an army."

"He is certainly an interesting person. His ideas resemble those of our tribe, though they are more mature than ours."

Feng Xu naturally knew all this, but when the situation was unclear, he still had to play dumb.

After visiting the Training Camp, they went to the Armory.

It contained all kinds of standardized equipment.

Long spears, bows and arrows, chopping blades, hand crossbows, bone armor, ballistae, shields, and more.

Qu Shan tested several ranged weapons, then tried the iron blades as well, clicking his tongue in amazement.

"Unfortunately, these weapons are too small. They can only be used above the Earth Immortal level or in normal form."

Giant Transformation was innate to the Human Race, practically a factory setting. Anyone in the Innate Realm could use it. Yet only after reaching Earth Immortal could they display most of their strength in normal form.

"We have them, my lord. We have equipment that can be used in both Giant Transformation and normal form."

At Feng Xu's signal, Feng Sui led everyone deeper into the Weapons Depot.

More than twenty identical sets of Dharma Artifacts were stored here.

They mainly consisted of long spears, bows and arrows, chopping blades, hand crossbows, bone armor, and shields.

Feng Sui put on a full set and demonstrated it for everyone. After Giant Transformation, the equipment enlarged with him.

Qu Shan was once again shocked by Wind-Fire Tribe's reserves.

Even Central Wilderness Tribe possessed only a dozen or so Dharma Artifacts, yet complete sets were displayed here.

Could Wind-Fire Tribe have a highly skilled artifact refiner in residence?

Such talent had to be invited to Great Wilderness!

Qu Shan was not the only one shocked. The other chiefs were as well.

Wind-Fire Tribe had never displayed these Dharma Artifacts over the years, so they had not known they existed.

"May I ask where this master artifact refiner is? I would like to meet him."

Feng Sui was about to say that the man was Feng Xu when Feng Xu interrupted him.

"Our tribe's artifact refiner is currently away, trading with distant tribes. If Central Wilderness Tribe needs anything, we can arrange a trade."

"Foolish! How can someone like that be sent to do such things? Your tribe has so many people—did he have to go? What if something happened to him?"

Qu Shan was frantic. This was exactly the sort of talent the Human Race needed most right now! Nothing could go wrong.

"Please rest assured, my lord. He has traveled this route many times. Nothing will happen."

Qu Shan glanced at Feng Xu, and suddenly he was no longer in a hurry.

This kid was full of evasive nonsense. Who knew what he was hiding from me? He must have hidden the man away.

This little brat was far too scheming.

"Very well. How many of these complete Dharma Artifact sets can you forge?"

"Dharma Artifact materials are relatively scarce, and forging them takes considerable time. At most, we can make ten sets a year."

"That will do. Then give us ten sets every year. How about one Early Heavenly Immortal demon corpse for one set?"

After thinking it over for a moment, Qu Shan named his price.

"My lord, artifact forging has a high chance of failure, especially for complete sets like these."

Feng Xu looked somewhat troubled.

"Then what do you mean?"

"We need more money."

"What does that mean?"

There was no concept of money at this time, so Qu Shan did not understand Feng Xu's words.

"Use Mid Heavenly Immortal or stronger demon beasts in exchange."

Qu Shan pointed at Feng Xu and smiled meaningfully.

"You, you. Mid Heavenly Immortal demon corpses are not so easy to find. How about this: two mid-stage ones for three sets of equipment?"

Feng Xu asked Feng Sui. Only after Feng Sui agreed did they finalize the trade.

After all, Feng Sui was also a chief.

After leaving the Weapons Depot, their next stop was the handicraft workshop district.

Here, Qu Shan witnessed the production process behind all sorts of rare items from outside.

There were various bamboo-woven utensils, pottery goods, blue brick building materials, blacksmith workshops, sewing rooms, and more.

Qu Shan was dazzled. Immersed in the place, he found it hard to leave.

Most of these handicraft workshops already had full order books. For now, they could only arrange orders for some bamboo-woven utensils and pottery.

The prices were low, and the goods would be delivered along with the grain.

By the time they finished touring the workshops, it was already dark.

Qu Shan was arranged to rest in the stockade tower, and the tour would continue the next day.

Feng Xu arranged for people to wait outside the envoy's residence, ready to answer any summons.

He returned to his own room to cultivate.

Yet after the four chiefs toured Wind-Fire Tribe, none of them could sleep.

Back then, the tribes had not differed much in strength. Who could have imagined that after ten years, the gap would become so enormous?

The gap would only grow wider in the future. How should their tribes position themselves?

As the night deepened, Qu Shan silently appeared outside.

After wandering around for a while, he knocked on Feng Sui's door.

This chief was an honest man. He would be easier to talk to.

The sky was just beginning to brighten.

Qu Shan was already waiting outside Feng Xu's door.

When he saw Feng Xu come out, he stepped forward with a smile to greet him.

"Everything I saw yesterday was unlike anything I had ever seen before. What arrangements do you have for today?"