Chapter 44: Chapter 44: The Mysterious Companion Tree—The White Tree

“Long Xia, what are these wooden boards?” Su Ye asked.

Back at the beast den, Nan Feng brought Bai Qing back to rest, started a fire, and began boiling water to make fruit flour pancakes. Roasting meat and making yam fruit pancakes were a bit too tricky for Nan Feng, but her pancakes were decent.

“I draw pictures of different plants on the wooden boards with charcoal, then give them to the tribe members. When they’re out hunting or gathering and come across similar plants, they bring them back for me to identify,” Long Xia explained, pointing to the ginger, scallions, and garlic she’d planted near the beast den, telling Su Ye she planned to cultivate them.

As for animal husbandry, there was no rush for now. Once Nan Feng and Nuan Chun moved in, she’d plan things step by step.

As she spoke, Long Xia handed Su Ye some spare wooden boards and charcoal.

Su Ye ran her fingers over the wooden boards, then looked at the charcoal.

“The Witch’s Hall at Sacred Mount Kana has proper writing materials. If you want, I can have Gen go to Mount Kana for you,” Su Ye suggested after thinking for a moment.

The White Tree—a truly mysterious existence.

It only grows near the Witch’s Hall. In a way, the White Tree is considered the companion tree of the witches. Its leaves are white and thick, like sheets of paper, and its branches can be used as writing tools.

Legend has it that the White Tree was a gift from the Beast God to all the tribes, a vessel for passing down knowledge.

It grows only near the Witch’s Hall, coexisting with the witches.

Every witch has their own White Tree.

The White Tree is sacred and pure.

“Writing materials? What are those?” Long Xia’s curiosity was instantly piqued. The beastfolk’s script was mostly pictographic, and few in the tribe were literate.

Long Xia had learned to read from the witches, so she was literate.

However, she’d always written on the ground and had never seen writing tools like paper, ink, brushes, or inkstones. Now, hearing that the Witch’s Hall had such tools, how could she not be curious?

“The leaves of the White Tree are more practical than wooden boards, and the branches are easier to write with than charcoal. The White Tree is a writing tool unique to witches. The tribe chief is also qualified to use the white leaves and branches. Gen probably has some stored. If you need them urgently, you can use his, and I’ll replenish his stock later,” Su Ye explained.

Ordinary beastfolk didn’t know how to write, so the leaves and branches of the White Tree were useless to them.

Moreover, the White Tree symbolized the status of the witch and couldn’t be used casually. But for recording things, as Long Xia intended, it was acceptable.

“Paper and pen? How amazing!” Long Xia exclaimed in awe.

Su Ye glanced at Long Xia but didn’t correct her new names for the white leaves and branches. After all, “paper and pen” did sound simpler than “white leaves and white tree branches.”

Long Xia was overjoyed, thinking that maybe one day she’d come across even more wondrous items—and she’d be able to handle them with ease.

Her White Tree was ancient and towering, shading most of the Witch’s Hall. Picking some leaves and branches wouldn’t harm it at all.

“Great!” Long Xia nodded, delighted.

Su Ye sat at the long table, stretching out comfortably, her fondness for Long Xia’s furniture growing even stronger. Suddenly, she remembered the gifts she’d brought back for Long Xia from the Bird Tribe.

“Nanfeng, where did you put the animal skin bundle from earlier?” Su Ye asked gently.

Nanfeng pointed to the beast den. “In the beast den. I left it inside.”

“Witch, should I bring it out?” Mu Qin stepped forward and asked.

“Yes, bring it out. I brought Long Xia some special products unique to the Bird Tribe,” Su Ye said with a smile. The Bird Tribe had come all the way to Twilight Forest to find her. Su Ye thought something serious had happened, but it turned out to be just a beast cub catching a cold.

After treating the cub, the Bird Tribe had given her a generous reward.

Su Ye picked out a few items for Long Xia.

At the time, she’d felt a bit of regret after choosing them.

But after visiting the Heluo Tribe and seeing Long Xia’s cave dwelling, Su Ye was very pleased. The gifts she’d regretted now seemed perfect for Long Xia’s home.

“Granny Su Ye, you brought me gifts?” Long Xia was thrilled.

Hearing this, Nanfeng grew jealous.

“Witch, you brought gifts for Long Xia—do I get any?” Nanfeng clamored, asking for gifts from the witch. In the past, she probably wouldn’t have spoken up, but lately, she’d become a bit more uninhibited.

Before Su Ye could answer, Mu Qin set down the animal skin bundle and gave Nanfeng a few playful smacks on the back of her head.

Nanfeng howled in pain.

“Nanfeng?” Su Ye was a bit surprised, looking at her in astonishment. Was this child always so lively?

Muqin’s lips twitched.

“Wu, just ignore Nan Feng,” Muqin said.

“What kind of gift would you like? I brought a few lightstones for Chang Xia. I was planning to let her play with them. Since the cave dwellings aren’t suitable for lighting a bonfire, these lightstones are perfect for illumination.” Su Ye untied a bundle of animal hide, took out a small pouch, and poured out seven or eight lightstones.

Lightstones were a unique mineral of the bird tribe.

The bird tribe liked to polish lightstones into ornaments and wear them as jewelry. They rarely parted with them, let alone traded them with outsiders.

This time, only because Su Ye had helped the bird tribe with a big problem did they agree to exchange some with her.

Chang Xia happily accepted the lightstones. In the sunlight, they sparkled brightly, radiating a dazzling luster.

“Grandma Su Ye, you’re amazing! It’s like you can read my mind—I was just about to ask you about lightstones…” Chang Xia played excitedly with the stones. Each one was smooth and round, translucent and lustrous, like top-quality white jade.

Su Ye said, “Give one to Nan Feng.”

“Yay!” Nan Feng hurried forward, reaching out her hand.

Muqin put a hand to her forehead, glaring speechlessly at Nan Feng.

“Here you go, Nan Feng.” Chang Xia wasn’t stingy. She casually picked one out and handed it to Nan Feng, then asked, “Grandma Su Ye, can we trade for lightstones with the bird tribe? In the future, when we build more cave dwellings, lightstones would be much more convenient for lighting.”

“The bird tribe is stingy. If you want to trade for lightstones, you’ll need something that really impresses them,” Su Ye replied calmly.

The relationship between the bird tribe and the beast tribe was fairly good. Usually, the beast tribe would trade blue cloth with the bird tribe, and the bird tribe would exchange white nuts, animal hides, and other specialties from the Twilight Forest.

For example, Chang Xia had come up with a new way to use white nut flour.

She was confident that this year’s trade with the bird tribe would go much more smoothly.

“Then I’ll have to think of something…” Chang Xia said seriously.

Su Ye continued rummaging through her animal hide bundle, taking out five or six bolts of blue cloth, as well as some animal hides and food gifted by the bird tribe.

“These bolts of blue cloth were exchanged for you by Bai Qing. Keep them for making clothes. The animal hides and food are for you as well—Sacred Mountain Kana isn’t lacking in supplies.” Su Ye sorted through the items, picking out the clothes for herself and Bai Qing.

The rest, she let Chang Xia put away in the beast den.

Off to the side, Nan Feng’s eyes were red with envy.

Muqin shot Nan Feng a look. Lately, Nan Feng had become more and more mischievous and childish, which was a bit of a headache.

“Wu…” Nan Feng dragged out the word, calling softly.

Su Ye smiled. “Nan Feng, what’s wrong?”

Su Ye found this side of Nan Feng amusing. She thought the beast tribe’s children were usually too reserved—only Ya Dong and a few other boys in the Heluo tribe were outgoing and cheerful.

Today, Nan Feng seemed especially lively.

“I… it’s nothing.” Nan Feng shook her head, feeling aggrieved. But when she met Su Ye’s smiling face, she couldn’t get another word out.

Pfft—

Chang Xia couldn’t help but laugh.

She reached out and ruffled Nan Feng’s hair.

“Don’t feel bad, Nan Feng. I’ll save a bolt of the blue cloth Grandma Su Ye gave me to make you a new outfit. And I’ll come up with some new ideas—when we trade with the bird tribe, we’ll really go all out!”