Pearl Rice (Continued)

Jian Mo and Wu Jiong then took them home, sat them in the living room, and served them tea.

Qing Kuo and a few others also came to keep the guests company and, incidentally, to inquire about the news.

After having tea once, everyone had gotten to know each other a little better.

The people of the Cypress Branch Tribe explained how to cook this grain.

After listening to their opinions, Jian Mo took them into the kitchen and cooked rice the way she would normally cook rice.

The people of the Cypress Branch Tribe were very curious about Jian Mo's kitchen, especially their large iron pot.

Jian Mo gave a brief introduction, which drew gasps of amazement from the people of the Cypress Branch Tribe.

The rice in the pot was cooked quickly, and it came out glossy and shiny, looking quite appealing.

Jian Mo ladled the rice into a bowl, and he and Wu Jiong and the others tasted it together. They could clearly taste the sweetness in the rice.

This rice is no different from rice on Earth, except that the grains are a bit larger.

Jian Mo's eyes held a hint of surprise, but she suppressed it when she looked up again—showing too much joy wouldn't do business.

Wu Jiong could tell what he was thinking just by looking at his expression. He paused for a moment, wanting to ask about the exchange terms of the Cypress Branch Tribe.

Jian Mo quickly gave him a look, indicating that she would ask him.

Jian Mo first asked the people of the Cypress Branch Tribe, "What kind of plant grows this rice?"

The people of the Cypress Branch Tribe all spoke up:

"It's a very large weed, with broad leaves, it grows quite tall, and the leaves are very sharp."

"They can only be found in certain special places; they're not found in ordinary places."

"The rice you're talking about is the seed of that plant; you have to harvest each grain individually, and it's quite difficult."

As soon as Jian Mo heard this tone, he knew that the price of the exchange would definitely not be low.

He hesitated for a moment, then said, "What do you want to exchange for? If it's too much, we can't afford it. After all, it's just food."

Jian Mo's intention to drive down the price is also quite obvious.

After hearing this, the people of the Cypress Branch Tribe said:

We don't need supplies.

"If we were exchanging supplies, we wouldn't have had to fly all the way to your tribe."

Jian Mo asked in surprise, "So how would you like to change it?"

The people of the Cypress Branch Tribe hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Could a few orcs come back with us and help us beat up the orcs from the neighboring tribe?"

Jian Mo: "???"

Qing Kuo: "???"

Even Wu Jiong, who was waiting to the side, couldn't help but widen his pupils and show an expression of incomprehension.

Wu Jiong opened his mouth, about to speak.

Jian Mo grabbed him and firmly refused the Cypress Branch Tribe member. "No, our Riverside Tribe cannot get involved in the conflicts of other tribes."

The people from the Cypress Branch Tribe exchanged glances. "Really not going to work? We only want to change to this, not anything else."

Qing Kuo couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong with the tribe next door?"

A member of the Cypress Branch Tribe said, "Our neighboring tribe is really annoying; they keep stealing our supplies."

"Exactly! We've built our homes high in the mountains, and they still steal from us!"

Jian Mo and Wu Jiong exchanged a glance, suspecting that these guys were implying that they were stealing the Honey Sparrow's nests.

Wiping the sweat from her forehead, Jian Mo didn't dare say anything.

Qing Kuo asked in confusion, "Where is your tribe? Are there any tribes nearby that bully other tribes?"

People from the Cypress Branch Tribe: "Have you heard of the Rain Rising Tribe?"

Qing Kuo shook his head.

The people of the Cypress Branch Tribe rattled off several tribe names. "Fanbing Tribe? Long Years Tribe? Under the Clouds Tribe?"

When they mentioned the last tribe, Qing Kuo nodded. "I know the Under the Clouds Tribe; it's a little past the Tianning Tribe."

Cypress Branch Tribe: "Yes, yes, the news that you wanted this plant that you call rice spread to our tribe little by little from the Under the Clouds Tribe. It was the Rain Rising Tribe that bullied us."

Qing Kuo: "They just stole your things? Do they have a blood feud with you?"

Tribes are generally friendly with each other, after all, everyone's birth rate is low and they are very lethal. If they are not friendly, they can easily perish in mutual killing.

People of the Cypress Branch Tribe:

"It's not that we have a blood feud, they're just too despicable, we just want to teach them a lesson."

"They always bully us because our beast forms are too small and we can't beat them."

"Their chicks are already practicing catching birds, they just want to beat us up. We won't stand for it until we teach them a lesson!"

Jian Mo listened to their chatter and felt that these guys weren't the scheming type.

It sounds quite youthful.

Jian Mo hesitated for a moment. "You only want to use this batch of rice to exchange for our help?"

The people of the Cypress Branch Tribe shouted in unison, "Yes!!!"

Jian Mo: "We have some things at home, why don't you take a look first?"

When the people of the Cypress Branch Tribe heard this, some wanted to refuse, while others couldn't resist their curiosity.

They exchanged glances, and finally one of the orcs nodded, indicating that he wanted to see.

So Jian Mo went up to the second floor and took out metal tools such as scissors, daggers, saws, tweezers, and scalpels from the box.

These metal utensils were all meticulously crafted by their tribe; every line was finely polished with stone, and every blade was gleaming.

After obtaining permission, the people of the Cypress Branch Tribe held the artifact in their hands to examine it. They could feel its coldness, its delicate texture, its weight, and its smooth shape, clearly indicating that it was a finely crafted work of art.

Some people were so engrossed in staring that they couldn't look away.

Seeing their reaction, Jian Mo asked again, "We still have a batch of glass; should we replace it?"

As they spoke, Qing Kuo and the others offered to help, carrying down three boxes from the second floor of Jian Mo's house.

The box contained translucent glass in blue, yellow, and red.

These stained glass pieces are so clear and transparent that they are more stunning than any natural gemstone—natural gemstones are never that big.

The people of the Cypress Branch Tribe were so amazed by these pieces of glass that their eyes practically glued to them.