Before coming, the confident leader of the Barbarian Leopard Tribe, expecting to exchange a large amount of salt and grain, felt somewhat uneasy when speaking. The Barbarian Leopard leader worried that the goods they brought might not be accepted by the seemingly self-sufficient Yucun. Yufeng said, "I need to inspect the goods you brought." The Barbarian Tribe arrived on tiger and leopard mounts, their goods bound to their backs. Yufeng, accompanied by others, thoroughly examined the goods, focusing on minerals and herbs. Among them, the Moonlight Stone, a special mineral in the Barbarian Forest, serves not only as a dye but also provides pigments for painting. Besides, there's Wujin Sand, useful as a supplementary material for refining. The variety of herbs, especially those of good quality and high age, align with Yucun's needs. Yufeng was satisfied after inspecting the goods, stating, "Everything is in order; we will accept them. We will provide you with salt and grain at an equivalent price." The leader of the Barbarian Leopard Tribe sighed in relief, grateful that Yucun did not reject their offerings. After completing the trade, the disciple of the Grand Shaman expressed a desire to visit Yusu and convey gratitude on behalf of his teacher. Yufeng, now in charge of external affairs, agreed and said, "Please wait a moment." Yusuo had just stepped out of the alchemy room when Yufeng informed him about the Barbarian Tribe's visit and the disciple's wish to meet him.
Yusu said, "Let him come."
Yufeng nodded and brought the disciple of the Barbarian Grand Shaman to Yusu.
"Respects to Lord Yusu," the Grand Shaman's disciple greeted Yusu excitedly.
"How is your teacher?" Yusu inquired about the Barbarian Grand Shaman.
The disciple replied, "Teacher is well. To prepare for the Beast God Festival, he couldn't leave the forest temporarily; otherwise, he would have personally led the team."
"Beast God Festival?" Yusu inquired.
"Yes, the annual Beast God Festival. We would like to invite you to attend. This is something our teacher specifically instructed me to convey to you," the disciple expressed eagerly.
The disciple shared recent developments in the southern forest, mentioning that after the desert lizards retreated, the Barbarian Forest had not faced any attacks. They had reorganized their planting areas in the southern wilderness, anticipating planting in the coming spring.
Grateful for Yusu's assistance, the Barbarian Forest tribes hoped he would attend the Beast God Festival.
Yusu accepted the invitation, saying, "Thank you for your invitation; I will attend."
The disciple was excited and, after chatting with Yusu for a while, reluctantly took his leave.
Yusu asked Yufeng to see off the Barbarian tribe's group.
In the Barbarian Forest, upon the return of the team that exchanged salt and grain with Yucun, there was anticipation.
"Have we exchanged for salt and grain?" the Grand Shaman asked.
"Yes, we've exchanged everything, and Yucun accepted the goods we brought," replied the Barbarian Leopard Tribe leader.
The Grand Shaman nodded in satisfaction, "That's good."
Afterward, the Barbarian Grand Shaman inquired about various aspects, and the tribe leader answered in detail, excitedly recounting their experiences in Yucun.
The Grand Shaman gradually showed surprise and regretted not accompanying them, realizing there might be more astonishing things in Yucun.
Once the leader of the Barbarian Leopard Tribe left, the Grand Shaman asked his disciple, "Did Lord Yusu agree to the invitation?"
The disciple, slightly excited, said, "Yes, Lord Yusu agreed and promised to attend."
The Grand Shaman smiled, "Well done. Tell me more about the situation in Yucun."
The disciple started explaining from entering the southern gap of Yucun, detailing the unfamiliar farming tools, the luxury of Yucun's village, and other astonishing aspects.
"In my humble opinion, Yucun's wealth rivals the legendary Fengcheng," the disciple remarked.
The Grand Shaman, familiar with the situation, commented, "Some of the things you mentioned are not even found in Fengcheng."
Surprised by the revelation, the disciple realized Yucun was extraordinary.
On the other side, after the leader of the Barbarian Leopard Tribe left the Beast God Temple, he was immediately surrounded by people from various tribes eager to know about Yucun's wonders.
He enthusiastically shared his experiences, and as he spoke, the crowd erupted into exclamations.
Listening to these exclamations, the leader of the Barbarian Leopard Tribe raised his chest proudly, feeling a special sense of superiority.
"Next time, it's our turn, the Barbarian Bull Tribe," someone speculated.
"I wonder if I can go with the leader next time; I also want to see it with my own eyes," someone from the Barbarian Bull Tribe expressed.
Others displayed envy, while the leaders of various tribes showed thoughtful expressions.
The next team to Yucun hadn't been decided yet, but if they appealed to the Grand Shaman, they might snatch the opportunity from the Barbarian Bull Tribe.
Yusu remained unaware of the commotion Yucun had caused among the various tribes. He was engrossed in studying something new: papermaking.
However, papermaking wasn't straightforward, involving intricate processes and the need for various tools.
"Despite the challenges, we must move forward. We can't keep using parchment scrolls; it's too inconvenient," Yusu said.
With a group of village craftsmen, he began studying the tools required for papermaking. Yusu drew sketches for everyone to follow, actively participating in tool production.
Land Yan joined in, assisting with the preparations.
When all the tools were ready, Yusu established a paper mill near the southern gap, on the site of the original Ah Man tribe. Following the detailed instructions provided by the elves, they started making paper.
Initially challenging due to unfamiliarity with the process, everyone followed Yusu's guidance blindly.
However, as they gained experience and understood what they were creating, their cooperation became more seamless.
When the first sheet of paper appeared, Yusu was moved nearly to tears.
"We finally have paper," he exclaimed.
Land Yan, looking at the fragile material, touched it and commented, "Very delicate."
Yusu explained the extensive uses of paper, particularly its significance in reading and writing.
"The quantity of parchment scrolls is limited and hard to produce, but paper is different. It is incredibly versatile for writing and drawing," Yusu said.
"Once I figure out how to make ink and brushes..."
"For now, charcoal pencils will do."
To produce ink and brushes, Yusu dedicated more time, occasionally returning late.
When the finished products were ready, Yusu was the first to use the pen for writing.
"Wow!"
"Is this writing?"
"I can't understand it, but it looks impressive."
People, from elders to children like Yumang and Yuzhou, marveled at Yusu's writing.
"I know what these characters mean," Yuzhou exclaimed. "This is 'YU.'"
Yuzhou and a group of children, following Yusu's lead, learned to recognize characters. Seeing the character 'YU,' they quickly identified it.
Other children joined in the excitement, affirming, "It's 'YU'!"
Yusu smiled and said, "That's correct, it's the character 'YU.'"
Jian Yunchuan carefully observed and also affirmed, "Yes, it is the character 'YU.'"
Jian Yunchuan, having spent time with the former Grand Shaman of Fengcheng, recognized some characters.
To align with the era, Yusu wrote in the current script, making it easy for literate people to understand.
"Starting today, the school will use paper and ink, and I will teach you to write with a brush."
"Every morning, dedicate an hour to reading and writing. Everyone, except for young children, can join if they wish to learn. However, currently, the slots are limited to ten people."
Yusu knew his limitations and didn't intend to teach a large group at once. After instructing the initial ten, they could, in turn, teach others.
The first to sign up was Land Yan, always striving to keep up with Yusu. Whatever Yusu learned, Land Yan insisted on learning as well, refusing to let any generation gap emerge.
The second was Yufeng, an individual with strong opinions who understood the importance of reading and writing.
Soon, many people raised their hands.
Yumang scratched his head, finding it hard to understand their enthusiasm for such troublesome learning.
Jian Yunchuan also didn't raise his hand, as he wasn't very interested. He felt it was enough to recognize the characters he needed and didn't want to spend an hour every day learning.
However, Yusu selected both of them, not allowing any slack.
"Huh? I didn't raise my
hand, Lord Yusu. Can I not learn?" Yumang asked.
"No, your techniques require my explanation, and I don't plan on explaining them for the rest of my life," Yusu replied.
Yumang was left speechless.
Jian Yunchuan had wanted to speak up, but hearing Yusu's words, he swallowed his words obediently.
Apart from the five cultivators, Yusu selected five ordinary individuals with relatively high comprehension to learn alongside the cultivators. The plan was to teach this initial group and then have them teach others.