Chapter 141

Chuan Chuan quickly adapted to daily fights with the four-eared sheep leader, as Qi Bai and Wolf Ze stayed at the kiln site for seven or eight days.

Qi Bai shattered the clay mold, and an iron dagger with somewhat irregular edges fell out.

Qi Bai gently tapped the blade surface with his knuckle—a crisp sound rang out. Excitedly, he said: "Success!"

"Is this ironware?" Cow Xi examined closely, "Did we not make it properly? This doesn't look like a knife."

Qi Bai cleaned all clay residue from the dagger: "Can't tell now—will look better after polishing."

Qi Bai didn't mind the dagger's ugliness—after all, this was their first somewhat decent product after so many days.

Considering smelting tool limitations, during these seven-eight days, Wolf Ze—main wind fan operator—alone broke several grass ropes.

The iron they could obtain now were just small black iron scraps. Using bone knives to press dagger molds into clay, placing black iron scraps into molds,经过 hours of intense firing—only then obtaining this dagger.

Though currently unremarkable, this sufficiently proved the vermilion stones truly contained iron. Judging by collected iron scrap quantity, these vermilion stones had fairly high iron content.

Cow Xi nodded vigorously: "Leopard Bai, after polishing the ironware, you must show me!"

Qi Bai smiled: "Got it."

Ironware production finally progressed, allowing everyone to relax slightly.

Qi Bai and Wolf Ze bid farewell to Cow Xi and Deer Guo, walking along the path toward the stone sheep pen.

Wolf Ze played with the dagger briefly, then took out his随身携带 bird bone knife.

Two blades met mid-air, emitting "clang" metal collision. Bringing both knives close for inspection—the bird bone knife remained unscathed, while the iron dagger's edge showed a small notch.

Wolf Ze paused—he never expected iron-made dagger would be so fragile.

Qi Bai wasn't surprised by this result. Smiling, he took back the dagger, rubbing the notch with his thumb.

As saying goes—"repeated tempering makes steel." Literally meaning good weapons require smiths' repeated hammering. Their current ironware didn't even qualify as cast—definitely poorest quality.

Bird bone knives differed. Though Qi Bai didn't know bird bone composition, this year's usage proved this material tougher than any metal he encountered on Blue Star. So Qi Bai never believed iron could replace bird bones.

Wolf Ze puzzled: "Then why seek iron?"

"Iron is much easier to obtain than bird bones. And it has another crucial characteristic," Qi Bai gently shook the dagger, "It can be shaped into any form."

Wolf Ze pondered briefly, quickly understanding Qi Bai's meaning.

Whether bird bones or beast bones—even using divine tree water—beastmen's bone tools remained limited by original bone shapes.

But ironware differed—possessing pottery's unmatched durability plus bone tools' lacking flexibility. Truly good material for tool-making.

But one problem remained. Wolf Ze said: "Too little iron."

Qi Bai nodded: "If continuing current method, indeed troublesome. So next we need to modify the wind fan and furnace."

Qi Bai believed obtaining durable ironware was just a matter of time.

While talking, they reached the stone sheep pen's exterior.

"Hurry! Stop hiding!" Tiger Meng's voice came first.

Qi Bai put away the dagger, quickening his pace.

The four-eared sheep leader pressed its body against the stone pen's interior. Bull Yong and Tiger Meng pulled hard on its two horns, trying to drag it out.

Qi Bai asked: "What's happening?"

Seeing Qi Bai and Wolf Ze, Tiger Meng complained: "It acted disobedient yesterday—today outright refuses to come out."

Qi Bai approached closer, seeing the sheep leader's miserable state—horns scraped off large sections, fur bald in patches, even some places showing dark red bloodstains.

In complete contrast, not far away, Chuan Chuan remained completely unharmed, currently boredly nudging snow aside with its mouth, trying to find edible food beneath.

Wow! Seems during Qi Bai's absence, Chuan Chuan made huge progress! Beating the sheep leader into refusing combat!

Qi Bai smiled: "Can't you change to another sheep? Why torment just this one?"

Bull Yong looked blankly at Wolf Ze: "Should we change sheep then?"

They truly hadn't considered this—after all, Wolf Ze said make Chuan Chuan fight the sheep leader—they must follow Wolf Ze's orders.

"No need." Wolf Ze shook head, looking up at sky, "Notify priest and chief—have them come to thorn fence."

Before Bull Yong reacted, Tiger Meng already excitedly released the sheep leader's horns, dashing toward the tribe.

Seizing this opportunity, the sheep leader quickly retreated into the flock.

Watching Qi Bai and Wolf Ze leaving with Chuan Chuan, Bull Yong rubbed his head, silently closing the stone pen's door.

On the mountainside beside the thorn fence, inside a straw shed repaired with yellow mud, firewood crackled loudly.

Above the fire hung a pottery pot supported by wooden branches.

Two beastmen wrapped in thick hides waited nearby with hands tucked.

The younger beastman had square face, currently watching eagerly as large bones boiled in the pot.

The beastman leaning by the door was slightly older, face bearing a long scar making him seem unapproachable. But upon speaking, that fierceness completely vanished.

These two were precisely Tun Quan and Niu Cheng responsible for guarding the thorn fence.

Niu Cheng by the doorway turned to Tun Quan: "Are people coming below?"

Tun Quan swallowed saliva, standing up to look carefully downward from doorway: "Wolf Ze and Leopard Bai. Come—let's go over."

"Ah, okay." Niu Cheng quickly followed Tun Quan downhill.

Time just past noon—day's warmest period.

Through the thorn fence, some four-eared sheep could be seen huddling in sheds for warmth, others scattered across valley chewing white snow on ground.

Qi Bai immediately spotted a slightly larger four-eared sheep: "Is that the four-eared sheep leader?"

Tun Quan and Niu Cheng刚好 arrived. Hearing Qi Bai's words, they replied: "Correct—that one. This guy's even more impressive than our chief—when we throw food down, it drives other sheep away, eating its fill before allowing others to eat."

Tun Quan mentally added: Hence getting so fat—he long wanted to taste this sheep's flavor.

Qi Bai somewhat disdainfully examined it—this sheep leader had narrow perspective. After all, the stone pen's sheep leader at least let pregnant ewes eat fodder first.

"Baa~" Chuan Chuan timely called, as if endorsing Qi Bai's view.

Wolf Ze told Tun Quan: "We two enter to catch it out."

Tun Quan immediately responded: "Okay!"

Wolf Ze and Tun Quan crossed the thorn fence, rapidly approaching the sheep leader from left and right.

The flock grew restless sensing beastmen's approach. But their speed compared to Wolf Ze and Tun Quan seemed like slow motion.

Both moved灵活, easily bypassing chaotically charging sheep, heading straight for the flock center's sheep leader.

Niu Cheng watched their figures, murmuring: "Truly impressive."

Niu Cheng's admiration came sincerely—at least if he entered the flock, he certainly couldn't achieve such ease.

As powerful yak beastmen, their former Valiant Ox Tribe wasn't weak in North Wilds. Even after defeat, Niu Cheng never admitted being weaker than those Sanghuo Tribe beastmen—they lost merely because their horned beastmen numbers were fewer.

But after joining Black Mountain Tribe, witnessing Wolf Ze's hunting team, he realized his past error—beastmen combat wasn't about brute force—horned beastman warriors truly could achieve one against hundred.

Qi Bai's eyes held a trace of smile.

The hunting team's progress was obvious.

This time last year, facing flock numbers less than half current size, horned beastmen still needed beast forms to suppress and control. Yet just one year later—Wolf Ze and Tun Quan could remain calm facing the flock even in human form.

Just as Wolf Ze and Tun Quan dragged the sheep leader outside the fence, Sheep Luo and Monkey Yan also reached the thorn fence, followed by many tribespeople.

Mouse Lin first approached Qi Bai, excitedly saying: "Is Chuan Chuan challenging the sheep leader? If Chuan Chuan defeats the sheep leader, can it truly become new leader?"

Qi Bai truly couldn't answer Mouse Lin's question—after all, nobody knew how wild beasts communicated. Before Qi Bai could respond, the battle ahead already began.

"Baa!" The sheep leader emitted angry cries immediately upon exiting the fence.

Without other beastmen intervening, Chuan Chuan pushed with hind legs, snow spraying,率先 charging toward the sheep leader.

Spectating tribespeople instinctively retreated, leaving sufficiently large arena for the two four-eared sheep.

The scene appeared somewhat不可思议 now.

A thorn fence divided two sides.

Inside the fence—dense sheep flock. Their pitch-black eyes stared intently at the battling two sheep, without panic or unease—seemingly awaiting a predetermined outcome.

Outside the fence—beastmen情绪激动. Some even gestured along with Chuan Chuan's movements,恨不得 entering themselves.

Qi Bai also remained tense about the situation.

Bringing Chuan Chuan here daily to drink ewes' milk felt like just yesterday.而现在—Chuan Chuan already defeated its former leader, perhaps about to gain a brand new flock.