Qiao and En hadn’t even gotten a clear look yet when their view was suddenly blocked by a tall, imposing figure.
When they looked closely, it was Hei Lie. His whole body exuded a fierce and intimidating aura.
The two of them had already heard the news about the marriage between Hei Lie and Yang Yi. Although same-sex relationships weren’t unheard of in the Western Continent, they were considered taboo and looked down upon.
Most people there kept such matters secret, meeting in private—unlike the people of the Eastern Continent, who could openly form such unions and even display their possessiveness so unapologetically.
A hand stretched out from behind Hei Lie and moved lightly. Though he wasn’t pleased, Hei Lie still shifted a little to the side.
Yang Yi’s smiling face once again appeared before Qiao and En.
Having learned their lesson this time, the two of them didn’t keep staring at Yang Yi’s body. They steadied their minds, greeted him respectfully, and quickly went straight to the main topic:
“Honorable Divine Envoy, what is it that you’re wearing? It’s truly beautiful! Is this a fabric brought back from the Divine Realm?”
Yang Yi was dressed in a silk-made, fitted long robe, with a wolf-fur cloak draped over his shoulders. The overall look gave him both an aura of authority and a faint, ethereal divinity.
The silk was like flowing water. It is smooth, with a kind of captivating sheen. It appeared so light and graceful that it drew everyone’s eyes.
At a single glance, Qiao and En were certain of one thing: such a product would cause a frenzy across the Western Continent.
No matter what the cost, they had to obtain it!
“This is the latest fabric our tribe has produced,” Yang Yi said. “It’s called silk.”
“Honorable Divine Envoy, please—you must sell it to us! We are the Spark Tribe’s best partners. You mustn’t forget us.”
Qiao’s eyes gleamed with excitement, his determination to obtain it growing even stronger.
Coming early had been the right decision. The Spark Tribe never failed to bring surprises.
It wasn’t just the delicate and pampered high-ranking nobles who desired it. Even people like Qiao longed to possess it.
If he could wear clothes made by that person at the ball, Qiao was certain he would be surrounded by many young ladies, all willing to exchange anything for such beautiful fabric.
Yang Yi looked rather troubled. “It’s not easy to make. It’s neither animal fur nor plant-grown cotton or hemp. It’s extremely difficult to obtain. Right now, in the entire tribe, I’m the only one qualified to wear it.”
Although those words sounded a little exaggerated, they weren’t far from the truth.
Silk wasn’t easy to acquire, and this was their first time working with it. It had taken quite a lot of effort to figure out how to weave it into fabric.
Especially with time being so tight. If they hadn’t already prepared the machines and trained the most skillful workers before even starting to raise silkworms, it would have been impossible to produce anything by now.
Even so, the output remained extremely low.
Silk was exceedingly delicate. Even without the Spark Tribe intentionally raising its price, it was naturally a luxury item that couldn’t yet be widely available.
In fact, Yang Yi was a bit reluctant to wear it himself. But as the Divine Envoy, he was special. Since he also needed to promote it, several outfits were made for him.
As for others, whether it was Hei Lie or Jiao, no matter how high their status, they weren’t qualified to obtain any.
The first batch available for sale was indeed very limited in quantity. They hadn’t sacrificed quality for quantity, having decided from the very beginning to sell silk as a high-end product.
Thus, the craftsmanship was exceptionally meticulous. Though no special patterns had been woven yet and the fabric remained quite simple, the handiwork was extremely refined.
Anyone with good skills but rough hands was not allowed to work here. They were afraid of snagging the silk threads.
Therefore, those allowed to weave silk were all young, beautiful girls who regularly cared for their hands. They were all very young. Otherwise, their hands would become too rough.
Even so, these girls’ hands still easily caught on the threads, making their work progress very slow.
Now, each of these female workers had to care for and maintain their hands daily. They were forbidden from doing any heavy labor.
Though it might sound a bit excessive, in pursuit of perfection, to be worthy of the fabric’s value, Yang Yi didn’t find such meticulous standards unreasonable. The results proved that it was worth it.
Transportation here was inconvenient. The Western Continent’s merchant caravans preferred to take back light, high-profit goods. Since silk wasn’t as fragile as porcelain, it would certainly catch their attention.
The Silk Road civilization itself had proven this point. When the silk was finally produced, Jin Huan rushed over as soon as she heard the news.
The moment she saw the beautiful silk, even though it hadn’t been dyed yet, she was completely captivated. Regardless of the Spark Tribe’s attitude, she demanded that they sell it to her. She was utterly domineering.
Jin Huan rarely left her own tribe. Each time she did, it was because she’d been drawn by the new and fascinating things from the Spark Tribe.
For someone as impatient as her, even waiting one more minute felt unbearable.
Qiao and En weren’t surprised at all. One look at the silk and it was obvious how precious it was, and how difficult it must have been to produce.
Precisely because of that, they wanted it even more!
“Respected Divine Envoy, as long as you are willing, we are prepared to pay any price,” En said.
Qiao added, “Please, for the sake of all the friendly trades we’ve had before, exchange it with us! With your leadership, your tribe will surely be able to weave even more beautiful silk very soon.”
Yang Yi frowned slightly, his gaze falling on Hei Lie.
“There isn’t much stock left right now, and many others are competing for it. Since we have a friendly relationship, I’d suggest you wait until the next trade fair. The price then won’t be so outrageous.”
Hei Lie spoke with the look of someone sincerely thinking on their behalf, his tone genuinely considerate.
But Qiao and En couldn’t wait. The fewer pieces that reached the Western Continent, the higher the price they could sell them for!
If they waited until the next trade fair, when the quantity increased and the price dropped, their profit might not be nearly as impressive.
Seizing the first opportunity was crucial. They had already missed their chance with the essential oils before. Those oils and hydrosols had caused a sensation, to say the least.
Now, at noble balls, anyone who didn’t carry the fragrance of essential oils would absolutely become the target of ridicule and mockery.
It had become a symbol of status and fashion. Those who couldn’t possess it simply meant their standing was too low, that they had no access to such things.
Thus, Qiao and En made up their minds. No matter what, they had to obtain that mesmerizing silk this time.
“The ever-valiant Chief,” Qiao said earnestly, “thank you so much for thinking of us. But I’ve already been completely captivated by it. If I can’t have it, I’ll surely fall ill with lovesickness.”
He looked utterly heartbroken, as if he had lost something precious beyond measure.
Yang Yi’s mouth twitched slightly. Doing business really wasn’t easy. Every one of them was as dramatic as an actor.
“In that case, we can’t go against your wishes,” he said at last. “We can only respect your decision. But there truly isn’t much, and the price is extremely high. You should think it over carefully.”
Hei Lie then reported the specific trade amount. The price was astronomical, far exceeding even the most exquisite porcelain. It also required payment in copper.
Qiao and En both gasped sharply, but still accepted the offer without hesitation.
Hei Lie was different from other merchants. When he named a price, that was it. If you pretended you didn’t want to buy, he wouldn’t try to persuade you. He’d simply pack the goods away without a second thought.
At first, people were reluctant to use copper in exchange for goods. But now, it had become an unspoken rule: if one wanted to trade for the Spark Tribe’s precious items, copper was the essential medium of exchange, a threshold one had to meet.
If they didn’t want to pay it, there would surely be other caravans who did.
In the past, the merchant caravans from the Western Continent were able to act in unison because, while the goods were valuable, they weren’t unique.
If one side raised the price, the other could collect and balance the market.
But now, since only the Spark Tribe possessed these goods, the Western Continent merchants no longer had the advantage. Internal conflicts of interest began to arise.
Moreover, the Spark Tribe couldn’t be threatened or coerced. They knew business all too well, so the Western merchants could no longer reach a unified front.
Qiao and En obtained the silk. Even though the official trade hadn’t yet begun, it was already certain that this trade fair would bring them immense profit.
No other goods combined could compare to the benefits silk would bring. Not just in wealth, but in fame and status as well.
Ever since they began trading with the Spark Tribe, Qiao and En had made quite a name for themselves on the Western Continent.
At every noble ball, they were among the most sought-after guests. Many people wanted to befriend them, hoping to gain access to more of the rare and novel products from the Eastern Continent.
The two, beaming with satisfaction, went to the finest room in the guesthouse and booked the best service available.
“Oh, Fa, I’m very glad to see you again.”
Qiao greeted the Spark guide warmly. It was Fa, the same person who had attended to them on all their previous visits.
This made Qiao and En feel quite comfortable. It showed that the Spark Tribe valued them greatly and remembered all their preferences.
Dealing with someone familiar was always more pleasant, especially since Fa remembered what they liked and could recommend the most suitable goods for them.
“I’m very happy to see you again,” Fa said with a smile. “Our tribe has produced quite a few new things recently. I’m sure you’ll like them.”
Qiao’s interest was instantly piqued. “What kind of things?”
“We’ve made a new kind of food. It tastes amazing. Would you like to try it?”
Having just obtained the silk, En was in high spirits. With a grand wave of his hand, he said generously,
“Bring us everything delicious you’ve got! The food from your Spark Tribe is one of the things I miss the most. Ever since I tasted your delicacies, even the finest dishes made by the city lord’s top chefs seem plain to me.”
“Then I’ll bring you two bowls of hot and sour noodles first,” Fa said cheerfully, “and pair them with meat-filled flatbreads. You’ve traveled such a long way. You must be hungry. These dishes are both delicious and quick to prepare.”
Qiao said curiously, “Hot and sour noodles? The name itself sounds intriguing.”
When the so-called hot and sour noodles were finally served, Qiao and En couldn’t help but swallow hard.
The rich aroma, both tangy and spicy, made them take a deep breath in delight. The noodles glistened with a bright red color. For spice lovers like them, it was simply irresistible!
Every time they came, they would always bring back piles of chili peppers.
They even planted chili peppers on their own farms now. Yet, no matter what they did, they still couldn’t recreate the flavor of the Spark Tribe’s dishes.
Yang Yi didn’t deliberately stop people from taking those seeds away. Although he wouldn’t take the initiative to gift them or sell them openly, he also wouldn’t strictly control them on purpose.
However, some methods and recipes were kept secret.
Since the trade fair occupied their venue, it was only right to let them gain some profit from it.
Moreover, Yang Yi’s current fate was tied to the Spark Tribe. He had to focus on developing himself first. Now was not the time to be generous.
Things like chili peppers, once people got used to them, they became addicted and couldn’t do without them.
That way, they could sell processed products better. This was much more profitable than simply selling raw materials.
Qiao and En didn’t say a word. They skillfully picked up their chopsticks and began eating the crystal-clear strips inside the bowl.
The hot and sour flavor instantly burst in their mouths, and their noses were filled with an enjoyable sensation.
At the very first bite, Qiao was amazed. “So sour, so spicy, so fragrant. This flavor is absolutely incredible! It’s so delicious! In this kind of weather, eating something like this feels wonderful! I didn’t know there was this kind of sour taste!”
En didn’t speak, but the speed of his hands perfectly expressed what he was thinking.
Fa said with a smile, “You can eat it with these pancakes. It’ll taste even better.”
Qiao grabbed a pancake with his other hand, took a big bite, and then stuffed another mouthful of rice noodles. His cheeks were puffed full, but he didn’t feel like he was choking at all.
The two of them wolfed down a big bowl of hot-and-sour noodles and several meat-filled pancakes. Then, feeling utterly satisfied, they patted their stomachs and burped.
“It’s truly delicious. As expected, only in your Spark Tribe can we find such amazing food,” Qiao praised without reservation. His words were completely sincere.
En slowly came back to his senses, then asked curiously, “That thing inside called ‘starch’, what is it?”
“This is something we make from processed sweet potatoes. It tastes really good, keeps for a long time, and is very convenient to carry when traveling. Normally, if you just put it into meat soup, it becomes very delicious.”
“What? Made from sweet potatoes?!” Qiao exclaimed in disbelief. He couldn’t imagine that what he had just eaten could possibly have anything to do with sweet potatoes.
Laughing, the other person nodded. “Yes, it took a lot of effort to make it. Although it’s quite troublesome, it tastes much better than eating sweet potatoes directly, and it doesn’t make your stomach feel bloated even when you’re full.”
Sweet potatoes are a good food for filling the stomach. When roasted, they give off a wonderfully fragrant aroma that can be smelled from far away. But if you eat too many, they tend to cause heartburn.
And among all the staple foods at present, sweet potatoes have the highest yield. Unlike potatoes, they can’t really be made into many dishes.
People usually just roast them to eat. They’re the most common choice for stored food.
It’s not that people have grown sick of them. After all, those in the Spark Tribe haven’t truly reached a point of abundance yet, so they aren’t that picky. But still, the taste does get monotonous.
Now that they’ve been made into sweet potato starch, they’ve become even more popular among everyone.
Even without making it into a heavy-flavored or complicated dish, just adding it to meat soup makes it delicious, filling, and less likely to cause gas.
Previously, the Green Python Tribe hadn’t shown much interest in sweet potatoes. After all, they had plenty of ground fruits and even traded for some sweet potatoes just to taste them.
But ever since they were made into sweet potato noodles, they looked so appealing too. Although they were a bit pricey, the tribe still bought quite a lot.
“No need to say more. We’ll buy it!” En said decisively, already very familiar with the Spark Tribe’s usual way of doing business.
Qiao then asked curiously, “What’s that sour taste in it? This kind of sourness is really special. It’s not like the kind you get from fruit.”
“That’s vinegar we brewed ourselves. What makes this bowl of rice noodles expensive is actually this seasoning. Only nobles like you are willing to eat it this way. Normally, we wouldn’t eat it like this. Only during festivals do we get the chance.”
Qiao and En were quite pleased by the flattery. En then asked curiously, “Does everyone get to eat it?”
“Of course,” Fa replied, full of pride and satisfaction.
Only in the Spark Tribe could there be such treatment. In other tribes, or even across the entire Western Continent, such fairness was impossible.
The Divine Envoy wanted every single person in the tribe to live a good life, not just a select few.
Fa was just an ordinary person. He was not brave like the warriors, and not very fast at gathering. In the past, his life in the tribe hadn’t been good at all.
But ever since joining the Spark Tribe, he had found his own strengths and was doing work that suited him. Compared to before, his life had completely transformed.
And not only him. Others who had once been regarded as useless also found suitable roles within the Spark Tribe, proving to everyone that they weren’t worthless after all. That they, too, could create value.
The Spark Tribe had taught them that everyone is born with their own purpose. It’s just a matter of finding their own shining point.
Most importantly, they were also given the chance to make use of it.
Across the entire Eastern Continent, only the Spark Tribe offered such opportunities. Ones that could completely change a person’s life.
They were deeply grateful for this kind of life and devoted themselves passionately to their work.
“Your Divine Envoy truly is kind,” Qiao sighed. He had always suspected that the extraordinary man wasn’t actually sent by the gods. But every time he saw what that man did, he couldn’t help but doubt his own suspicions.
If it were him, he would never go to such great lengths to take care of everyone.
The Spark Tribe clearly possessed many rare and extraordinary things and had gained great wealth through trade, yet neither the Divine Envoy nor the chieftain nor the others lived as luxuriously as the nobles did.
By comparison, their lives could only be described as remarkably simple.
What was even more surprising was that it wasn’t because they lacked taste or didn’t know what true treasures were. They simply weren’t tempted by them at all, which was truly astonishing.
“Our Divine Envoy is, of course, the kindest person!” Fa said proudly. “But the Divine Envoy said that it’s not because he’s kind. It’s because, if we want to develop long-term, everyone must be able to use their full potential. Pure exploitation alone can’t achieve that.”
“Exploitation?”
“Yes. Exploitation means squeezing and oppressing others to gain the greatest benefit.”
Both Qiao and En looked at Fa differently after hearing that. Even someone like Fa, a mere guide, could say such words?
They had known Fa for quite some time. It was obvious that every time they met him, he seemed to have changed again.
That change was difficult to describe, but it was clear that he was no longer the same as before.
Seeing the astonishment on Qiao and En’s faces, Fa smiled and explained:
“The Divine Envoy said that the development of a tribe cannot rely on strength alone. It also needs wisdom.
The reason I understand these things is because I went to school. I’m not especially good at studying, but I do have some talent for languages.”
Qiao and En were reminded of another astonishing thing about the Spark Tribe. The fact that education was universal.
There were schools in the Western Continent, too, but only nobles were allowed to study in them.
Not only did it require a large amount of money, but also a certain social standing and identity. Not just anyone was qualified to attend.
Here, everyone was required to study. If they didn’t, they would be reprimanded for it. When they first mentioned this situation to others on the Western Continent, no one believed them at all.
Only now, after more and more merchant caravans had come here, did some people begin to believe that on what they had once thought to be a barbaric land, the Eastern Continent, there actually existed such an incredible tribe.
Sadly, even more people still arrogantly insisted that it couldn’t be true.
After all, this was something even the Western Continent hadn’t been able to achieve, no matter how highly they regarded goods and ideas from the East.
Education was an extremely costly endeavor, and it involved many vested interests. They couldn’t imagine any ruler being foolish enough to promote it for everyone.
If everyone in your territory became intelligent, how could you possibly control them?
Qiao and En exchanged a glance. They both understood very well what education could bring. In their hearts, their earlier judgment was confirmed even more firmly.
The Spark Tribe was absolutely not one they could afford to provoke. It was far stronger than they had ever imagined.
As the day of the trade fair drew closer, more and more groups arrived at the Spark Tribe, even exceeding their previous estimates.
“More than two hundred tribes?”
Yang Yi was utterly astonished. That number was simply incredible.
He didn’t know much about the specific conditions of primitive societies back on Earth, but he was quite sure that tribes back then wouldn’t have had trade gatherings of such massive scale.
Most tribes should have still been living in a self-sufficient state, rarely engaging in frequent contact with the outside world.
And yet, here, such a thing had happened.
Yang Yi thought that this must be the confidence granted to him by the god who sent him across worlds—to accomplish the goal of feeding a million people. Otherwise, judging by Earth’s own pace of development, that goal would have been far too difficult to achieve.
“Yes,” Ying reported, “most of them have already arrived, and some are near the Black Forest. The total number has far exceeded our estimates. Everyone wants to stay at the guesthouses, but they’re already completely full. Should we vacate some of the dormitories?”
Yang Yi immediately rejected the suggestion. “No need to accommodate them.”
Ying thought for a moment, then asked, “What if our own people are willing to?”
“There’s been such a situation?”
“Some outsiders have asked people from our tribe about it,” Ying replied, “but no one’s dared to actually do it.”
Yang Yi raised an eyebrow. “So everyone’s tempted?”
“The rewards are indeed quite tempting,” Ying admitted with an embarrassed smile. She herself was tempted, too. “But we all know the tribe has its rules. No one would ever do something like that in secret!”
“If they want to let others stay, then let them. But only if everyone sharing that room agrees. No one can be forced. Otherwise, the outsiders can’t move in. There are still plenty of people in the tribe who don’t have housing yet.”
Ying’s eyes lit up. “Understood!”
“And another thing. Once they’ve accepted the reward, they must take responsibility. They have to ensure that the outsiders staying in their house don’t cause any trouble. Otherwise, they’ll be punished for failing the vetting process.”
Ying immediately sobered up, her mind turning clear.
“And not only that—”
Ying’s eyes widened. There’s more?! Sure enough, doing business wasn’t easy at all.
“If they give up their own housing, they’ll have to solve that problem themselves. The tribe won’t make any arrangements for them. They’ll also have to hand over half of the payment to the tribe. The houses belong to the tribe. They’re only users, not owners. They can use them freely, but once they start making a profit from them, they’ll need to pay a certain fee. Let’s treat it as a preliminary form of tax collection.”
“Tax collection?” Ying repeated, not understanding the unfamiliar term.
There was no such concept as taxation on the Eastern Continent, and Yang Yi had said the word in Chinese.
Nowadays, the Spark Tribe’s language is often mixed with Chinese terms. It was not because Yang Yi did it deliberately, but because some ideas simply didn’t exist here, so he used Chinese words to fill the gap. They had become something like foreign loanwords.
Yang Yi picked up a pen and wrote down the two characters. When Ying saw them, her eyes lit up in recognition.
“I’ve seen this word in a book before!”
“In the future, we’ll be implementing this system. Though I’m not sure when. You can read up on it and study it for now.”
As the population increased and industries became richer and more structured, private ownership would inevitably arise.
It was a natural stage in the course of history. It was not a matter of good or bad, but of how it was used and guided.
In fact, many tribes had already begun to show signs of private ownership. It was a growing trend.
Ying nodded earnestly. “I’ll definitely study it carefully!”
Yang Yi absentmindedly tapped his notebook with his pen, his gaze fixed on a single spot.
It seemed that before long, the tribe would have to undergo some changes.
