Hair Root Starch

Then the Flying-Winged Beast stood up, ran forward a few steps, and flapped its wings to take flight.

It looked remarkably agile.

Jian Mo had flown plenty of times before, but riding on the Flying-Winged Beast's back was far more exhilarating than taking a plane.

After a surge upward and a moment of weightlessness, the Flying-Winged Beast successfully took to the sky.

Although its injured wing still moved a little unnaturally, it didn't hinder the beast's flight in the slightest.

Jian Mo clung tightly to the Flying-Winged Beast's fur. Wu Jiong's arm around his waist and his solid chest gave him an immense sense of security.

Was this really a beastman? He was a human-shaped seat belt!

The wind rushed against Jian Mo's face, making it hard for him to keep his eyes open.

But when he looked down, he could see the entire tribe and the people watching eagerly. He could also see the snow-covered mountains stretching across the distance and the sun in the sky.

The view was incredible!

Jian Mo held his breath and widened his eyes. It was magnificent.

Wu Jiong said in Jian Mo's ear, "Don't be afraid."

Jian Mo shouted in midair, "I, I, I'm not afraid. It's just a little thrilling!"

Wu Jiong said, "All right."

Wu Jiong tried directing the Flying-Winged Beast.

The Flying-Winged Beast was very clever. When they pulled the reins upward, it flew up; when they gently pressed its head, it flew down. Patting its left wing sent it left, and patting its right wing sent it right.

Even though it was carrying them for the first time, its flight was remarkably smooth.

They directed the Flying-Winged Beast around the sky once and soon landed.

Jian Mo rubbed his face. The wind had nearly blown it numb.

The Flying-Winged Beast hadn't flown in a long time. Even after landing, it still seemed reluctant to stop. It stood there and cried out excitedly at the top of its lungs, "Chirp! Chirp!"

Seeing this, Ban Ming jumped onto its back and tried to get it to fly again.

The Flying-Winged Beast turned its head to look, then crouched on the ground, refusing to cooperate at all.

Ban Ming looked at it gloomily. "It doesn't seem willing to carry anyone but Brother Jian Mo alone."

Di Ya said, "That really does seem to be the case. Jian Mo, why don't you get on again and see if it'll fly with you on its back?"

Jian Mo hesitated, and Di Ya cheerfully offered, "Why don't we give it a try? My beast form is powerful too. I won't let you fall."

Jian Mo didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "That's not what I meant."

After thinking it over, Jian Mo climbed onto the Flying-Winged Beast's back and tried to get it to fly again.

With Jian Mo aboard, the Flying-Winged Beast did indeed take off again.

After the two came down, Banjiu also flew with Jian Mo once.

Everyone realized that the Flying-Winged Beast really would only fly when Jian Mo was on its back.

Seeing this, everyone was caught between laughter and tears:

"How come this fellow has picked out one particular person?"

"It really is quite clever."

"Why don't you take this Flying-Winged Beast home and raise it, Jian Mo? You were the one who saved it anyway."

"The tribe could provide half its food and raise it with Jian Mo. Jian Mo can ride it normally, and when there's a need, he can take someone along."

Everyone chimed in with suggestions, then looked up at Jian Mo.

Meeting their gazes, Jian Mo looked at the Flying-Winged Beast and finally nodded. "If the tribe has no objections, I'm willing to raise it."

Wu Jiong said, "Go ahead. The tribe will provide half its food."

Banjiu said, "That's great! Brother Jian Mo, why don't you give it a name? I've seen that the Flying-Winged Beasts in other tribes all have names."

Jian Mo said, "How about Jiujiu? It chirps when it's happy. I hope it'll always be happy in the tribe."

No one objected.

The Flying-Winged Beast lightly flapped its wings beside them. "Chirp!"

Jian Mo happily rubbed it. "Jiujiu!"

Chapter 10: Hair Root Starch

Jian Mo hadn't expected to have a household of his own so soon.

The Flying-Winged Beast ate a great deal. Even though the tribe was willing to cover half its food, the burden of providing for his household had still grown much heavier.

When he went out gathering the next day, he deliberately carried a basket one size larger than usual.

Everyone didn't know whether to laugh or cry when they saw it.

Qing Kuo raised an eyebrow at Jian Mo's large basket. "Don't worry. You're a sub-beastman. The tribe wouldn't really put the responsibility for half the Flying-Winged Beast's food on your shoulders. You only need to feed it a little."

Jian Mo said, "Wu Jiong said the same thing. He'll help me raise it. It's just that I'm feeling better now, so I can gather more."

He was a healthy young man over 1.8 meters tall. He couldn't really be that weak.

Seeing that he insisted, Qing Kuo said no more.

They were gathering energy fruit again today.

Now that Jian Mo was in better shape, he picked a large basketful and carried them straight back to the tribe, shells and all.

The hunters hadn't returned yet. He wandered around the tribe, then went to the river and cut a large basketful of tender grass. He also dug out the stem tubers at home that weren't very fresh, steamed them, and mixed them with minced meat and the beast fat used to fry fish before taking it all to feed the Flying-Winged Beast.

Whether the Flying-Winged Beast smelled the food or saw him, it began calling from a long way off as soon as it spotted him. "Chirp, chirp, chirp!"

Seeing it stand right up, pulling the rope around its neck taut, Jian Mo couldn't help saying, "Calm down."

The Flying-Winged Beast's eyes sparkled, and it continued calling out joyfully at the top of its lungs. "Chirp, chirp!"

Jian Mo put the food in front of it, then carried its water basin to the river to wash it and refill it with fresh water.

When the Flying-Winged Beast saw him carrying the water over, it buried its head in the basin and gulped down several mouthfuls. "Chirp, chirp!"

Jian Mo was already used to the Flying-Winged Beast's enthusiasm. After getting its food and water ready, he took a newly made twig broom and went to clean up its droppings.

The Flying-Winged Beast ate a lot and pooped a lot. The pile of ash he had replaced that morning was already covered in droppings.

The fellow looked cute, and the fact that it could serve as a pack beast was appealing, but raising it was a lot of work. Having to scoop poop twice a day would probably be enough to put plenty of people off.