Chapter Summaries

Jian Mo and Wu Jiong searched the Dezhou Highlands for Snow Pearl Fruit, gathering a small amount and tasting some of it. They stopped for lunch to warm up, with the search still unfinished.

• Wu Jiong flew Jian Mo to the Dezhou Highlands, where he used his wolf form to sniff out Snow Pearl Fruit.
• Jian Mo found eight fruits, shared three with Wu Jiong and Jiujiu, and discovered they were delicious but left his throat feeling itchy.
• Jian Mo, Wu Jiong, and Jiujiu continued searching, gathering only a small amount by noon.
• Jian Mo asked to stop for food, and Wu Jiong led them to sheltering rocks and lit a fire.
• Jian Mo heated food in a clay pot with snow while he and Wu Jiong warmed themselves by the fire.

Jian Mo and Wu Jiong gathered Snow Pearl Fruit, found a large patch, and brought back some of its soil in hopes of growing the fruit near the tribe. After returning, they spread out the soil and prepared the fragile fruit for processing before it spoiled.

• Jian Mo warmed himself beside the Flying-Winged Beast, shared a meal with Wu Jiong, and took a nap before they continued gathering fruit.
• Jian Mo, Wu Jiong, and the Flying-Winged Beast found and picked a large patch of Snow Pearl Fruit, filling half a back basket.
• Jian Mo asked Wu Jiong to help collect soil from beneath the fruit in case it contained seeds, and Wu Jiong agreed.
• Jian Mo and Wu Jiong searched farther but found only small numbers of Snow Pearl Fruit before riding back to the tribe near dusk.
• Jian Mo and Wu Jiong spread the soil in the backyard beneath dry grass, then sorted and washed the delicate fruit to dry overnight.

Jian Mo and Wu Jiong made fragrant Snow Pearl Fruit wine, and Jian Mo later discovered that Snow Pearl Fruits had grown beneath the Flying-Winged Beast’s soiled bedding. Wu Jiong suggested Jiujiu may have pooped there because it resented the soil being placed in its territory, leaving Jian Mo to wonder whether the fruits were safe to eat.

• Jian Mo mashed Snow Pearl Fruits, added honey chunks, and left the jar to ferment near the hearth.
• Jian Mo tasted the finished fruit wine with Wu Jiong, and both drank their bowls.
• The tribe took advantage of warmer weather to hunt and gather before the next cold wave arrived.
• Jian Mo found that Jiujiu had pooped on the dry grass and punished it by withholding its evening meat.
• Jian Mo uncovered Snow Pearl Fruits growing beneath the soiled grass and asked Wu Jiong whether they were edible.
• Wu Jiong suggested Jiujiu had marked the spot because it disliked the soil Jian Mo had spread beside it.

Jian Mo stayed behind while Wu Jiong led the Riverside Tribe’s trading party, then discovered that little Zhou Dao had come to him with a painfully overfull stomach. Zhou Dao admitted he had eaten too much meat and fish, leaving Jian Mo to help him.

• Jian Mo agreed that Wu Jiong could trade the Snow Pearl Fruit during the trip, and decided to stay in the tribe while Wu Jiong’s group visited other tribes.
• Wu Jiong left early the next morning, and little Zhou Dao came to Jian Mo’s courtyard while he was sewing a pillow.
• After Zhou Dao fell asleep in the sun, Jian Mo carried him inside and noticed that his belly was unusually hard.
• Jian Mo gently questioned Zhou Dao, who admitted he had eaten too much meat and fish the previous evening and again that day, then sought Jian Mo’s help without telling his family.

Jian Mo treated Zhou Dao’s indigestion and discovered that he and the other children had eaten raw meat they found frozen in the river. When Wu Jiong returned, he picked up Zhou Dao, and Jian Mo decided to wait before telling him about the children’s mischief.

• Jian Mo gave Zhou Dao medicine and learned that the other children had sent him for help.
• Jian Mo questioned Jiang Xing and He Feng, who admitted that the children had eaten raw meat that had floated down the river.
• Jian Mo made all the children drink digestive medicine and checked them, then asked their parents to let them stay with him while he observed their health.
• After two days, Jian Mo sent the healthy children home but kept Zhou Dao, whose indigestion still needed treatment.
• Wu Jiong returned and picked up Zhou Dao; Jian Mo explained that the little wolf had stayed with him, but decided not to report the children’s actions in front of Zhou Dao.

Jian Mo received a metal dagger from Wu Jiong and learned the tribe had arranged to trade for more useful tools. After accidentally seeing Wu Jiong undressed, Jian Mo fled to the supply gathering, where Qing Kuo mistook his red ears for frostbite.

• Wu Jiong let the little white wolf go play and gave Jian Mo a metal dagger he had traded for himself.
• Wu Jiong told Jian Mo that the tribe had arranged another trade for glazed pottery and glass, and that hoes and billhooks would be available next time.
• Jian Mo followed Wu Jiong upstairs and accidentally saw him undressed, then hurried away after freezing in surprise.
• Jian Mo went to inspect the traded supplies, and Qing Kuo noticed his red ears and gave him animal fat to apply.

Jian Mo and the others rushed to help beastmen who were being attacked by a flock of birds, then suspected the birds had been drawn by the beastmen’s feces after they ate birds. The flock was driven off, but the beastmen’s silence left Jian Mo’s guess hanging.

• Jian Mo redirected Zhou Fu’s teasing by warning that the cubs might have indigestion, prompting their parents to ask about their health.
• A scream from the mountain sent Qing Kuo, Jian Mo, and the other sub-beastmen running to investigate.
• They found a flock of birds chasing and pecking at the beastmen, and the patrols joined in to help.
• The beastmen transformed into big cats and wolves and swatted the birds away.
• Jian Mo asked whether they had eaten the birds raw and guessed that the flock had smelled their kind in the beastmen’s feces; the beastmen stayed silent.

Jian Mo helped the tribe deal with pecking birds and encouraged safer eating while the tribe expanded pottery production and prepared to trade for metal tools. After planting trees and firing a kiln of pottery, Jian Mo joined the others to see how the latest batch had turned out.

• Wu Jiong and De Jiang cleared the tribe of the little birds, and Jian Mo reminded everyone to avoid raw meat and watch for parasites.
• Wu Jiong told Jian Mo that the Jintuo Tribe had traded metal tools for pottery and glass, and both tribes agreed to produce more goods for another trade.
• The tribe made pottery and charcoal with new copper-alloy axes, so Wu Jiong organized the planting of tens of thousands of tree seeds.
• Jian Mo used animal fat to protect his hands while making pottery and decided to use ceramic saggars in the pottery kiln.
• Jian Mo and the tribe gathered at the river to open the kiln and inspect the latest batch of pottery.

Jian Mo and the others opened the pottery kiln and found most of their pottery intact, including a blue-glazed cup. While carrying out the saggars, Jian Mo discovered that stones in the kiln supports had turned into powder and identified it as lime after it reacted with water, leaving him eager to use it for disinfection and building.

• Jian Mo, Qing Kuo, and the others opened the kiln and carried out the fired saggars.
• Jian Mo found that most of the pottery was intact and that a cup had fired blue using glaze made from earth from the cave.
• Qing Kuo said the blue pottery could be valuable for trade, and Jian Mo said he would join the next trading trip.
• Jian Mo noticed white powder beneath a kiln support and learned from Qing Kuo that stones had repeatedly burned into powder during firings.
• Jian Mo mixed the powder with river water, saw it release heat, and identified it as lime.
• Jian Mo told the others lime could disinfect and make strong mortar for binding stones together.

Jian Mo used lime mortar to seal the gaps in Wu Jiong’s stone house, and the tribe saw that it kept out drafts better than clay. The mortar hardened overnight, leaving everyone eager to make more and repair their homes.

• Jian Mo mixed lime, sand, and water into mortar, then worked with Qing Kuo and Ye Luo to fill gaps in one wall of Wu Jiong’s house.
• Wu Jiong, Di Ya, and another beastman joined in, and the tribe tested the finished wall and found it blocked the wind better than clay.
• Jian Mo promised to fire more lime and repair the tribe’s houses if the mortar proved effective.
• The next morning, Wu Jiong told Jian Mo the mortar had dried, and Jian Mo found it hard and firmly set.
• Zhou Fu called the tribe to inspect the wall, and Jian Mo invited them to test the mortar’s strength.

Jian Mo and the tribe searched for stones to fire into lime so they could make their homes safer for the children. Their first batch of lime appeared overfired, leaving them to learn from the results before trying again.

• Jian Mo persuaded the tribe to prioritize firing lime and repairing their houses before making pottery or glass.
• Jian Mo led everyone to the riverbank to collect soft, pale stones and recorded which ones they chose.
• Jian Mo had the stones fired in a wood-fueled kiln while Qing Kuo and the others tended the fire.
• Jian Mo and the tribe opened the kiln the next morning, then crushed the fired stones in a stone mortar after Jian Mo reassured Qing Kuo that it could be cleaned safely.
• Jian Mo observed that the lime's center had fired properly but its hard outer layer had likely been overfired.

Jian Mo helped the tribe improve its houses with lime mortar and glass windows, then joined Ban Ming and the others on a hunt using salt to lure cave-dwelling beasts. The group reached their destination, where they were about to begin fishing for Arrow-Bone Beasts.

• Jian Mo and Qing Kuo tested lime mortar, and the tribe learned how to fire lime reliably and used it to strengthen and insulate their houses.
• Some tribespeople fitted glass windows with lime mortar, and Jian Mo warned them to leave gaps above the windows to prevent charcoal poisoning; Wu Jiong and De Jiang checked and repaired them.
• Jian Mo had the kiln cleaned after lime residue changed the colors of pottery and glass, then prepared slaked lime to disinfect the Pack-Pack Beast shed.
• Ban Ming invited Jian Mo to join a beast-fishing trip, and Xi Lu explained that they used salt to lure Arrow-Bone Beasts from their winter caves.
• Ban Ming carried Jian Mo in his beast form to the hunting grounds with the other beastmen and sub-beastmen.

Jian Mo joined Ban Ming and the beastmen in using salt to lure Arrow-Bone Beasts from their dens, then helped prepare the hunt’s catch. The group gathered with several beasts, and Ban Ming borrowed Jian Mo’s copper dagger to butcher them.

• Ban Ming led the beastmen and Jian Mo to place salt at seventeen Arrow-Bone Beast dens, leaving Xi Lu and Jiu Yin to watch one entrance.
• Jian Mo and Ban Ming waited in the grass until Ban Ming killed an Arrow-Bone Beast with a single pounce.
• Jian Mo and Ban Ming returned to the meeting place, where most of the hunters had gathered with their catches and A Hu claimed he had released a pregnant female.
• The sub-beastmen gathered firewood while the group prepared to butcher and roast the Arrow-Bone Beasts.
• Jian Mo offered to help with his copper dagger, and Ban Ming borrowed it, promising not to let the blade touch bone.

Jian Mo shared roasted Arrow-Bone Beast meat and seasoning powder with Ban Ming and the others, who hoped he would ask Wu Jiong to ease their training. When Wu Jiong returned home, Jian Mo told him about the request, leaving Wu Jiong to ask what he had said.

• Jian Mo roasted Arrow-Bone Beast meat with Ban Ming and the others and explained how he made his seasoning powder.
• Ban Ming and the others asked Jian Mo to put in a good word with Wu Jiong so he would train them less, but Jian Mo refused to affect Wu Jiong's judgment.
• The group returned to the tribe, where the beastmen gave Jian Mo an Arrow-Bone Beast and eagerly accepted some of his seasoning powder.
• Wu Jiong returned home, smelled the roasted meat, and joined Jian Mo for dinner.
• Jian Mo told Wu Jiong that Ban Ming and the others wanted him to ease their training, and Wu Jiong asked what Jian Mo had said.

Jian Mo prepared to travel with Wu Jiong to the Jintuo Tribe, packing food and medical supplies for the journey. The group set out, leaving the distressed Flying-Winged Beast behind with Ban Ming.

• Jian Mo told Wu Jiong about the tribe asking him to help, and Wu Jiong offered to adjust his training schedule.
• Wu Jiong said he planned to visit the Jintuo Tribe to trade for copperware, and Jian Mo asked to go with him.
• Jian Mo and Wu Jiong prepared travel food, medicines, and surgical instruments for the trip.
• Wu Jiong carried Jian Mo's medical supplies along with the tribe's trade goods, while Jian Mo decided to leave the Flying-Winged Beast at home.
• Ban Ming held the whimpering Flying-Winged Beast back as Wu Jiong, Jian Mo, and the others set out for the Jintuo Tribe.

Jian Mo and the beastmen reached the Jintuo Tribe, where Chief Jin Shi welcomed them and asked Jian Mo to treat several people with badly decayed teeth. The chapter ended as Jian Mo was approached to help the tribe.

• Ban Ming caught up with Jian Mo’s group on the Flying-Winged Beast, and Jian Mo let them follow along.
• The group ran for most of the day, rested at camp, and shared a meal prepared by Jian Mo and Qing Kuo.
• The Flying-Winged Beast settled beside Jian Mo and the giant wolf for the night.
• The beastmen reached the Jintuo Tribe, whose homes stood on a solid sandbar surrounded by shallow, black sand and water.
• Chief Jin Shi recognized Jian Mo and asked him to treat several Jintuo Tribe members’ decayed teeth.

Jian Mo began examining the Jintuo Tribe members’ teeth after settling in with Wu Jiong. He identified poor oral hygiene as the likely cause of their dental problems and prepared to treat the damaged teeth.

• Jian Mo and Wu Jiong slept in a Jintuo Tribe nest, and Wu Jiong transformed into his white wolf form to help Jian Mo fall asleep.
• The next morning, eight Jintuo Tribe men asked Jian Mo to examine their painful teeth.
• Jian Mo brushed his teeth with charcoal powder and explained oral hygiene to the men while they watched.
• Jin Shi welcomed Jian Mo and Wu Jiong to breakfast, and Jian Mo noticed the Jintuo Tribe’s greater prosperity and better food.
• Jian Mo examined the tribe members’ teeth and concluded their problems likely came from poor hygiene and refined foods.
• Jian Mo planned to use anesthetic water, remove the damaged teeth, and clean the patients’ mouths.

Jian Mo treated the Jintuo Tribe’s rotten teeth and discovered that eating Pearl Algae was likely causing the problem. After checking the children and warning the tribe about brushing, he left his worn medical instruments with them as models for metal tools.

• Jian Mo explained tooth decay to the Jintuo Tribe, and Jin Shi linked their worsening teeth to eating Pearl Algae.
• Jian Mo tasted Pearl Algae and asked Jin Shi to trade some to the Riverside Tribe so they could try growing it.
• Jian Mo realized the children could also suffer severe decay, examined them, treated their rotten teeth, and urged their families to make them brush.
• Jian Mo spent the day treating teeth, and the Jintuo Tribe began to regard him as a doctor rather than simply a handsome sub-beastman.
• After the tribes finished trading goods, Jin Shi agreed to make metal medical instruments and Jian Mo left his worn tools as models.

Jian Mo and the Riverside Tribe prepared to leave the Jintuo Tribe after trading, and they accepted gifts and gathered black river sand to take home. After a friendly farewell, they carried the heavier loads back to the Riverside Tribe over three days.

• Jian Mo accepted a piece of yellow ore from the Jintuo Tribe and gave honey chunks in return.
• Jian Mo asked Jin Shi if the Riverside Tribe could take some black river sand, and Jin Shi agreed and supplied extra baskets.
• Jian Mo, Wu Jiong, Qing Kuo, Di Ya, and De Jiang agreed to take extra sand, and the Jintuo Tribe helped fill the baskets.
• Jian Mo and the others said farewell to the Jintuo Tribe and traveled back to the Riverside Tribe, arriving after three days of frequent stops.

After returning to the tribe, Jian Mo went to check the fish traps and ended up with help from the young beastmen, who caught him several plump fish. He cooked a spicy boiled fish dish for Wu Jiong and the others, leaving the tribe resting and settling back into daily life.

• Wu Jiong told everyone to rest for two days after their trip, then went to handle the tribe's affairs.
• Jian Mo headed to the river to check his fish traps and chatted with Jiang Xing, Banjiu, and the other children.
• A Hu and the young beastmen kept the cubs out of the frozen river, then caught and cleaned several large fish for Jian Mo.
• Jian Mo prepared boiled fish with pickled vegetables and fish-bone soup, and Wu Jiong praised the dish.