Leisurely Life in the Beast World - Chapter 350

Ji Nuan smiled. “Yes, this iron tool was made from the molten stone water in your ceramic basins.”

The old beastman’s eyes lit up even more. “Then tomorrow, I’ll have the cubs go out and collect stones. We can melt them into water and make more of these sharp iron tools.”

Ji Nuan shook her head helplessly. “Uncle, not just any ordinary stones can be used to make iron tools. Only iron ore or other metallic ores will work.”

The old beastman was perplexed by the mention of “other metallic ores,” but he understood the term “iron ore.” “So, only iron ore can be used to craft such sharp iron tools?”

Ji Nuan nodded. “Exactly. That’s why our first step is to ask the cubs where they found the stones they threw into the kiln.”

The old beastman chuckled. “Oh, I know where they got them. I heard they were picked up near the Rock Tribe’s encampment when our chief led some beastmen there. The stones were red, and the beastmen brought them back to please the females they liked or to give to their cubs.”

“My grandson brought back quite a few of them too and gave them to his cub to play with. Today, it was that little one who threw the stones into the kiln while playing with other cubs.”

When he spoke about his grandson, the old beastman’s face softened with affection.

Hearing this, Ji Nuan suddenly remembered that her own storeroom also had half a basket of these red stones. She had thought they were just unusually colored stones and hadn’t paid them much attention. Little did she know they were iron ore.

Excited, she said, “I have half a basket of iron ore in my storeroom! I’ll bring it over later so we can make a larger iron tool.”

The old beastman, already thrilled, couldn’t wait. His eyes lit up, and he shouted loudly, “Two of you cubs, go to the shaman’s storeroom and bring the basket of red stones!”

His urgency made Ji Nuan laugh. Watching the two beastmen stand up, she added, “The basket is just to the left of the entrance. You’ll find it there.”

The beastmen nodded and hurried out.

The beastmen were quick. Before long, they returned, carrying a basket.

“Shaman, is this the one?” one of them asked.

Ji Nuan walked over, checked the contents, and smiled. “Yes, that’s it.”

The old beastman, still chewing on a piece of roasted meat, hastily stuffed it into his mouth and swallowed it in a few bites. Wiping his greasy hands on a piece of beast hide, he grabbed the basket eagerly. “Shaman, leave this to me. Just tell me what shape you want, and I’ll handle it.”

Ji Nuan nodded, picking up a charred stick. On a nearby stone, she sketched out the shape of a long blade. “Something like this.”

She emphasized the edge of the blade. “When you’re hammering it out, make this side as thin as possible. The edge needs to be carefully ground to make it sharp.”

The old beastman carefully lifted the basket of stones to a higher spot, treating it as though it were precious. “It’s going to be tricky to melt the iron ore and forge the tool. I expect it’ll be ready by tomorrow evening at the earliest.”

Ji Nuan smiled. “That’s fine. Take your time. Just remember, no one should touch the sharp edge of the blade. If anyone loses a finger—or worse, an arm—there’s no way to fix it.”

The old beastman nodded solemnly, taking her warning seriously, and set about organizing the forging process with the utmost care.