The Female Supporting Character Refuses to Be Human Again - Chapter 210.2

The surrounding tribes often traveled to the Jing Tribe to trade for salt. The importance of salt to primitive tribes needed no explanation—it was essential for survival. In the past, many tribes had tried to take over the Jing Tribe, hoping to seize their supply of salt. If they could control the salt, they wouldn’t have to work so hard hunting in the forests.

But as it turned out, those tribes had been daydreaming. If the Jing Tribe’s salt came from salt mines or salt lakes, then attacking them and taking over the extraction process might have been a sound strategy. But the truth was that the Jing Tribe’s salt was produced through their sacred fire, a process unique to their tribe. Conquering the Jing Tribe wouldn’t grant anyone a limitless supply of salt; instead, it would leave them without any salt at all.

Realizing this, the other tribes gave up on the idea of attacking the Jing Tribe. But then came another plan—what if they could control the Jing Tribe instead? Force them to use their sacred fire to produce salt, and then exchange the salt for food. Sounds clever, right? Well, it turned out to be a pipe dream.

The sacred fire could only produce salt through the rituals performed by the Jing Tribe’s Wu. It was impossible to force the Jing Tribe to produce salt for another tribe. The people of the Jing Tribe would never agree to such terms, and as long as they refused, no one could take even a grain of salt from them.

Even when threatened with the destruction of their tribe, the Jing Tribe stood firm. It wasn’t that they didn’t fear death or the end of their tribe—it was that they knew how vital salt was to all the tribes. As long as they held their ground, the other tribes wouldn’t let them be wiped out, simply because everyone relied on their salt to preserve meat through the winter.

This was proven when a tribe that attempted to control the Jing Tribe ended up being attacked and nearly destroyed by several allied tribes. That tribe eventually disappeared, either wiped out entirely by another tribe or perhaps due to some other fate. Regardless, no one ever saw them again.

Thanks to that incident, no other tribe dared to repeat such a foolish mistake. The Jing Tribe continued to function as everyone’s salt reserve, though now they held a little more dignity in their dealings.

Meng Changjin didn’t know about any of this history. If she had known that a fire could produce salt, she would have been fascinated. A fire that could create salt? That would have blown her mind.

If she had known that salt could be acquired so easily, Meng Changjin would have encouraged the tribe to hunt even more vigorously to trade for salt. She could have started smoking meats and making preserved foods in no time.

After entering the forest, the second hunting team quickly realized why the first hunting team had given them those meaningful looks and told them to protect Meng Changjin.

It turned out that Meng Changjin didn’t need their protection at all. On the contrary, sometimes it was Meng Changjin who ended up protecting them.

Was this embarrassing? Absolutely.

After all, Meng Changjin was so much younger than most of them. The age difference made it feel like they were supposed to be looking out for the rookie, only to have the rookie turn around and save them instead.

The second hunting team had a bittersweet experience. This hunt was much easier than previous ones, and they ended up with even more prey than usual. But while their bodies were less strained, their pride took a hit.

Despite the blow to their egos, they fully understood Meng Changjin’s capabilities. Now, they finally understood why the first hunting team had praised her so sincerely.

The hunting trip ended smoothly, and as they carried their game back to the tribe, they felt both happy and a little disheartened. They respected Meng Changjin’s strength, but they also wished they could match it. If it were just a slight difference in skill, they would have been motivated to catch up, but Meng Changjin was in a league of her own, making that goal seem out of reach.

When they returned from the forest, they found out that the group sent to the Jing Tribe for salt hadn’t returned yet. With Meng Changjin’s presence, the hunt had ended much quicker than expected, but the journey to the Jing Tribe was still a long one.

Curious, Meng Changjin asked around about the salt trade. When she learned that the salt was produced using the sacred fire, she was utterly shocked. Salt created by fire? This completely overturned her understanding of how things worked.

Though Meng Changjin didn’t hold many preconceived notions about fire, this revelation was still a major surprise for her. She had always thought the sacred fire was powerful enough to strengthen people and weapons, or even destroy evidence by burning it to ashes. While these abilities were impressive, they were still within her realm of comprehension as a cultivator.

But salt-producing fire? That was beyond her imagination.

Unfortunately, each tribe’s sacred fire was too important to share with outsiders. Otherwise, Meng Changjin would have loved to travel across the land and see the sacred fires of every tribe.

But that was just a thought. Right now, her priority was to complete her task. Everything else could wait until later. Perhaps when her mission was done, she could journey to other tribes. Whether she got to see their sacred fires would depend on luck.

The second hunting team returned to the tribe, and they distributed the prey once more. For those who went to trade for salt, either their family members collected their share or it was left with the Chieftain to be picked up upon their return.

With two successful hunts in a row, the Yan Tribe was well-stocked with meat, so they didn’t rush into organizing a third hunt. The main concern was that they had more meat than they could preserve without sufficient salt.

Meng Changjin was eager to see how much salt the group would bring back from the Jing Tribe. If they returned with a good amount, she planned to start smoking and preserving meat immediately. Smoked meat could last a long time, and with so much game at their disposal, all they needed was plenty of salt to make it happen.

🧐 Kliraz’s Curious Cat Corner: Salty Secrets and Hunting Tales (¬‿¬)

Whoa, the Jing Tribe’s fire that produces salt? Now that’s something to spice up your day—literally!  Speaking of salt, it’s not just limited to ancient Rome. In Ethiopia, the Afar people still use blocks of salt called “amole” as a form of currency in remote areas (Boehmer, E. (2003). Colonial and Postcolonial Literature: Migrant Metaphors. Oxford University Press, p. 102). This shows how important salt is across different cultures even today!

And let’s not forget the second hunting team’s realization that Meng Changjin was the one doing all the protecting. Talk about an ego check! That moment when they figured out how powerful Meng Changjin truly is, is like when you find out your little cousin can beat you at video games—it stings a bit, right? (≧▽≦)

If Meng Changjin’s plan to make smoked meat pans out, she’s not just feeding the Yan Tribe; she’s changing the whole game! Smoked and preserved meat could mean survival during harsh winters, much like how medieval Europeans relied on smoked ham to get through cold months (Henisch, B. (2009). The Medieval Cook. Boydell Press, p. 45-46).

Meng Changjin is taking the Yan Tribe from hunters to masters of food preservation—one smoky slice at a time! Now that’s some serious glow-up goals! (^_^)