Chapter 757: In a Far, Faraway Land, There Exists a Wealthy and Powerful Tribe…
Snowstorm raged over the Green Sparrow Tribe, and even further north, the snow fell heavier still. Some evergreen trees had their branches snapped under the weight of accumulated snow.
Inside the cave of the Shu Pi (Bark) Tribe, Shu Pi was wrapped in fur, sitting beside the fire. In his hand was a piece of black stone, which he used to cut up roasted meat.
Though it wasn’t his first time using this black stone to slice meat, Shu Pi still couldn’t help but marvel at its sharpness.
Meat that was usually extremely hard to cut—hide included—was effortlessly sliced apart with this black stone.
No wonder that evil Blackstone Tribe could conquer so many others. No wonder those tribes willingly handed over food to them…
Shu Pi thought to himself, his gaze drifting to where his bow and quiver lay nearby.
But the weapons of his tribe were even more terrifying than those of the Blackstone Tribe. When the enemy had come to attack, they had been driven off by his tribe’s weapons, with many of them killed in the process. Tʜe sourcᴇ of thɪs content ɪs novel~fire~net
Thinking of this, Shu Pi grabbed a large piece of sliced meat, took a fierce bite, and chewed heartily. Then, he began dividing the remaining meat among the other tribe members.
The meat was tough, but the people of Shu Pi’s tribe ate happily. To them, being able to eat meat in winter was already a blessing. They were never picky eaters—and certainly not now.
As he chewed, Shu Pi’s thoughts wandered.
Unlike others in the tribe, he had seen the world. He knew there were clay pots that could make food soft and tender. He knew of something white like snow—called salt—that could make food taste infinitely better.
Just thinking about it made his mouth water uncontrollably.
After finishing a large chunk of roast meat, Shu Pi fetched a lump of snow and gnawed on it slowly.
The icy snow melted in his mouth, turning to water. Even after holding it in his mouth for a while, it still chilled him down to his stomach.
The warmth from the fire and food quickly faded, replaced by creeping cold.
This made Shu Pi once again think of that tribe—the steaming clay pot over an orange-red fire, the warmth that spread through one’s body after just one sip of that broth…
If only he hadn’t left that tribe…
If only his tribe had such precious clay pots and flavorful salt…
These thoughts prompted Shu Pi to share his experiences with others in the tribe.
It was a harsh winter day, and Shu Pi’s people had little to do. They eagerly gathered to listen to their wise and valiant leader speak.
Their language was simple, and Shu Pi wasn’t the best storyteller—but his genuine longing for clay pots and salt was clear.
So the people around him, hearing his description, gradually became envious and curious.
When Shu Pi finished, someone among the listeners suddenly spoke up, clearly excited.
His meaning was obvious: since that tribe possessed such wondrous things that even their leader admired, why not simply go and take them?
The moment those words were spoken, the atmosphere changed. The others around him grew visibly stirred—as if a beam of light had pierced through their foggy minds.
Yes, if their great leader longed for those things, why shouldn’t they go seize them?
After all, even the Blackstone Tribe, armed with those powerful black weapons, had conquered many tribes and made them deliver food.
But they had defeated the Blackstone Tribe just before the snow fell.
They weren’t especially clever—but even they could work out from that comparison that their tribe had the power to conquer others. Easily, even.
Shu Pi, who had been savoring memories of salted, simmered food, was jolted awake by these words.
He shot to his feet and began shaking his head rapidly, gesturing frantically to the others—panic and fear plain in his eyes.
Attack that tribe? What were his people even thinking?
Not only had he wandered after being driven out from there, but he hadn’t paid much attention to the route. Even after all this time, he only had a vague idea of the direction—and it was far.
Even if he knew the exact way and it wasn’t far, he wouldn’t dare to provoke that tribe. They were powerful—so powerful that resistance felt utterly hopeless.
That battle he had witnessed had left a deep psychological scar.
Having lived there for a time, Shu Pi understood the tribe far better than his people.
And the more he understood, the deeper his fear ran.
Shu Pi didn’t know the phrase “ignorance is bliss,” but if he did, he would’ve thrown it at his people without hesitation.
His tribe slowly fell into stunned silence. They had never seen their wise and fearless leader .
Even when the evil Blackstone Tribe attacked, Shu Pi had never shown fear. But now, just speaking of attacking that other tribe—the one he so clearly admired—he had become visibly terrified.
Was that tribe really that powerful? Stronger than the evil Blackstone Tribe? Stronger even than their tribe, which had defeated the Blackstone invaders?
As Shu Pi explained with increasing alarm, the excitement died down. His people grew quiet again.
Soon, their expressions settled into a mix of yearning, reverence, and a hint of disbelief.
So—beyond the mountains and beyond even that—there existed a wealthy and powerful tribe. A tribe filled with marvelous things. A tribe with towering walls like cliffs, and arrows that could fly even farther…
Once the topic was opened, the Shu Pi Tribe—hibernating through the winter—grew lively with chatter.
And more and more tales of that tribe gradually spilled from Shu Pi’s lips—tales he had quietly reminisced over for years.
In the ninth winter of the Green Sparrow era, stories of the Green Sparrow Tribe began to spread widely within the Shu Pi Tribe…