After a century of worship, I became the ancestor of the tribe.

Chapter 102 One Year (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
Zhiyan Ancestral Temple.

Fire came back in.

"Master."

Seeing Huo Zhong, who was as strong and muscular as an old ape, Shen Can felt that his disciple should be very suitable for cultivating both martial arts and witchcraft.

"Still forging weapons?"

"No, we're making farm tools. The tribe is currently lacking a lot of farm tools."

Huo Zhong also knew that unless necessary, Shen Can rarely knew the details of the clan's affairs.

"When the people who were gathered fled, they had already abandoned their farming tools. The chieftain arranged for the tribe soldiers to search for them in the ruins of various tribes, but there is still a large gap."

Therefore, the tribe selected all the blacksmiths from every settlement who knew how to forge iron to make iron hoes, rakes, and plows.

Shen Can nodded and then asked, "What is the range of your divine sense now?"

"Only three zhang and nine chi."

Huo Zhong answered honestly.

"When you were forging weapons, could you sense the fire source power increasing?"

Huo Zhong sensed it for a moment and then belatedly said, "Master, it really is true. I remember there's a lot of water energy here."

"So, starting today, choose a few places near the clan's territory and go there every day to sense the amount of fire energy, keep a record, and report back to me every ten days."

"Yes."

Huo Chong accepted the mission and left quickly. His junior brothers and sisters were not idle either; they had already taken the divination talismans to various settlements.

If the people want to feel a sense of belonging to Blazing Flame, then martial arts and witchcraft cannot exclude them.

Similarly, recruiting talented individuals from the settlement into the Blazing Clan for training is also key to strengthening the bond between the people and the Blazing Clan.

I wonder how many people with the talent for witchcraft will be able to do it this time.

……

"Plop!"

The children playing by the water saw a golden light appear in the water. They rubbed their eyes first, then jumped up excitedly.

"Fish, fish, fish!"

"YuYu is back!"

Hearing the noise, the child first ran towards the water's edge, but then realized he hadn't taken the fruit and started running back.

Hearing the commotion, the children in the more distant areas also ran out of their homes.

The little dragonfish swam up from the swamp along the newly dredged artificial river, and as it looked up, a light drizzle fell on the children who had gathered around it.

Then, its head rose out of the water and its mouth opened.

In the blink of an eye, fruits were being fed into their mouths.

"Fish, here's a chicken gizzard for you to eat."

The baby, who had no fruit, cried out in distress.

The crayfish, which had been eating its way along the artificial river, swam into the cave and the first thing it did upon seeing Shen Can was to blow a bubble.

"Plu".

"Hungry."

Shen Can stroked the little dragonfish's head; he had already checked it and found no injuries.

"It's getting hot, can you feel it?"

Seeing that it couldn't get any food from Shen Can, the little dragonfish went back into the water and nodded.

Are there any underground rivers, caves, or places to store water near Daze?

The little dragonfish tilted its head and thought for a moment, feeling both that it had something to do with it and that it didn't.

Seeing Xiaolongyu's confused state, Shen Can could only give her a flick on the forehead.

Shen Can guessed that there were underground rivers in these vast mountains and fields, but it would take time to find them.

"It's good to be back. I've been waiting for you to go hunting in the Great Swamp. Did you find any traces of aquatic beasts after being gone for so long?"

At this point, the little dragonfish perked up immediately.

"eat."

He opened his mouth and exhaled a bubble.

Now Shen Can understood. The little dragonfish's six months in the water had not been in vain. It had actually gone to find traces of aquatic beasts and even found a species suitable for it to eat.

"Rest for a few days, then take the ironwood boat."

……

Ten days later.

Huo Zhong, carrying the data of the fire source force he sensed, found Shen Can.

“Master, I have selected ten locations. The location with the most fire source energy has been doubled, and the location with the least has been increased by one-third.”

As Shen Can looked at Huo Zhong's records, he sensed the source energy in his divine sense as tiny specks of light drifting between heaven and earth.

The source force is not fixed, but floats between heaven and earth. Huo Zhong made the comparison based on his own divine sense, which is three feet and nine feet long.

Although it's said to have doubled, the actual number isn't that many, only a few dozen or a hundred red dots.

This number is not enough for even a first-tier wizard to cultivate, let alone Shen Can.

“Master, when the other junior brothers and sisters go to the various settlements, I have them use their divine sense to sense the amount of fire source power.”

"The fire source power is strongest near the westernmost settlements of our tribe, and it is twice as strong as here in our tribe's territory."

After letting Huo Chong leave, Shen Can leaned back on the stone chair and thought for a while.

"Ayu, has the clan leader returned yet?"

"no."

Firefish replied and then went away. Not long after, it ran back and said, "Brother Acan, the chieftain went to the settlement below. There was a battle in one of the settlements, and someone died."

Upon hearing this, Shen Can indicated that he understood.

Huotang returned three days later.

"Dig underground channels?"

Upon hearing Shen Can's words, Huo Tang's first reaction was that something was wrong, rather than refuting Shen Can.

"As the weather gets hotter, I had Huo Zhong check the fire source energy that was floating between heaven and earth, and found that the fire source energy was increasing."

Upon hearing this, Huotang stopped looking at the animal skin scroll that Shen Can had handed him.

He did indeed notice the heat.

Hot days have come in previous years, but this year the heat came much earlier.

As for the experience recorded in the clan records, it's not very useful; the weather in the Great Wilderness has never been normal.

"Better safe than sorry, let's dig."

Huotang made his decision with a wave of his hand.

"Furthermore, since we are excavating underground, we can also build it into a hiding place. Last time the Xiaoyang Clan invaded, we hid in the mountains, but this is not a long-term solution."

Ordinary settlements are scattered around the clan's territory. Even though clan soldiers patrol the area daily, there are still not enough warriors to guard it.

In case the Xiaoyang Clan soldiers come charging in with great force again, they can temporarily hide underground.

Ah-chan, you're the one who has to arrange how to dig the underground canal. I can't find the water veins myself.

Moreover, I am currently sorting out these subjects; there are too many people, and their minds are scattered. It takes time to stabilize them. There is also the matter of land reclamation and farming. A severe drought is coming, so while there is still time, we must rush to plant crops.”

Huo Tang casually passed the matter to Shen Can, then got up to leave.

Shen Can said softly, "Clan leader, Uncle Volcano is about to break through to the fourth level of the Heavenly Vein Realm, but you're still stuck. Are you in a hurry to abdicate?"

"That idiot Volcano needs a few more years of training."

"Let him cultivate properly while he still has time, lest he end up like me with no time to cultivate after taking over the position."

……

The decisions made by the temple shrine and the clan chief are naturally irreversible.

Digging underground channels is not something that can be done on a whim; a lot of preliminary work is required, and surveying the terrain is of utmost importance. Since Huotang has decided to also use it for some shelter purposes, the planning must take into account the settlements of the people.

This is no longer just a matter of a culvert; it's a massive underground water system project.

The only advantage of the Great Wilderness is that humans have abundant strength, and they can easily split mountains and shatter rocks, unless they encounter high-grade mineral deposits...

Encountering a high-grade mineral deposit?

If his dream could come true, Shen Can would wake up laughing in his sleep.

After some surveying, Shen Can decided to start digging from the north side of the clan's territory. The soil in this area is part of the mountain, which has enough strength to support the underground channel without it collapsing.

While digging underground channels, Huo Zhong continued his investigation of the fire source on the other side. As time went on, it was confirmed that the fire source was continuously increasing.

The water level in the swamp was also receding.

A month later.

Just as the tribe was working feverishly to complete the massive underground water system project planned by Shen Can and Huo Tang, the dog-like Tuozhu that Shen Can had taken in ran back from Ji.

A dark and windy night.

The water surface rippled gently.

If the person with the shattered skull were a human, they would definitely be crying their eyes out.

"So, you got beaten up and sent back?"

Shen Can never expected his dog to be in such a sorry state; it was as if it were slapping him in the face.

"My lord, I went to inquire about the sacrificial spirits for you, but I was discovered by another sacrificial master who thought I was trying to take over its territory." "Those guys ganged up on me, and I almost couldn't get back."

Seeing that Shen Can remained unmoved, the Crocodile Lord couldn't help but abandon his pitiful act.

"Did the spirit find out?"

"No, no tribes in Ji have been wiped out recently, but I have important news to report to the Lord."

"The flying boat of the Yongyi Aoshan tribe heading north was shot down on the Qushui River."

"Quyang Market?"

"It wasn't in Quyang Market, but on the Qushui River in the miasma swamp. Some say it was captured by the Yanran tribe, while others say it was captured by the Xiaoyang tribe."

"When I came here, I passed by the Qushui River and saw a mudflat at the bend of the river that had been scorched by high temperatures. It had already crystallized into many different colors."

"By the way, the Quyang Market you mentioned, there are also crystals after they've been burned."

Shen Can pondered the news brought back by the Tuozhu. He thought that the retreat of the Xiaoyang Clan from the mountains and forests should be related to the destruction of the Bobu flying boat.

We captured a owl-like creature alive before, and during the interrogation, we learned that it wanted to destroy the flying boat.

Unexpectedly, not only did they dare to do it, but they also succeeded in it most of the time!
"You just said there are rumors in Ji that the flying boats were captured by the Yanran tribe?"

"Yes, it's widely known. Although the airship was destroyed, not all the people on board died. They escaped and went to the Jishan Marquis's tribe."

"There are rumors that the flying boat was destroyed by a very powerful fire energy, which is different from the earth magic practiced by the Xiaoyang Clan. The clan-protecting magic practiced by the Yanran Clan after its rise is fire magic."

It is said that when the flying boat crashed, it happened to encounter a third-tier Crimson Fire warship of the Yanran tribe on the Qushui River.

The Crimson Fire Warship is a powerful weapon known to almost all tribes and warriors in Ji. The Crimson Fire Warship played a significant role in the Yanran tribe's ability to withstand the Xiaoyang tribe's attack.

Can a Tier 3 Crimson Flame Warship destroy a Tier 4 Flying Boat?

With additional preparations, such as witch formations or powerful witch artifacts, the probability of destroying a fourth-tier flying boat is quite high.

"Isn't Jidi quite lively now?"

"What you say is true, my lord. I have heard that the strongmen of the Aoshan tribe are heading north."

"By the way, the Yanran tribe said they didn't do it, and they have now recalled their soldiers and warriors who were away."

The news brought back by the alligator lord was just something Shen Can listened to for amusement.

The Blazing Flame Tribe's immediate concern is digging underground channels to contend with the Owl Sun Tribe, which has migrated north. As for the destruction of the fourth-tier flying boat, they really have no say in it.

The news is also beneficial to the Blazing Flame Clan. With the situation in Ji County in turmoil, the powerful members of the Owl Sun Clan will be caught up in the chaos and unable to escape, which will reduce the pressure on the Blazing Flame Clan.

"It's good that they're back. There were quite a few blood witches and blood warriors who came to this mountain forest before, and they probably haven't gone back yet. Go find them and bring them back."

Blood Witches and Blood Warriors would run away whenever they encountered Xiaoyang, but now that Xiaoyang's elite troops have retreated, these guys will most likely reappear.

"I've arranged some help for you."

Day two.

When the crocodile lord saw the more than one hundred Blood Curse Guards, he suddenly felt a chill creeping over him.

"My lord, these people seem to have a familiar aura about them."

When the crocodile lord spoke, it noticed that the figures in front of it showed no emotion whatsoever when they looked at it.

It was a dignified third-tier wild beast, yet its murderous aura was less than that of these humans, who were mostly capable of splitting rocks and opening mountains.

"You are responsible for finding the Blood Witch and the Blood Warrior; leave the rest to them."

……

Perhaps the crash of the fourth-tier flying boat really caused a big commotion, because apart from the small tribes that migrated here, the Xiaoyang Clan no longer had any powerful warriors or a large number of clan soldiers.

After these small tribes of Xiaoyang arrived, they clashed with the human tribes that had reappeared in the mountains and forests. The scale of the battles was small, and the overall situation remained relatively peaceful.

Therefore, apart from a small number of clan soldiers going south to hunt Xiaoyang, the Blazing Flame Clan devoted most of its resources to digging underground canals and restoring production.

Although the weather is gradually getting warmer, it hasn't reached the point where ten suns could scorch everyone to death.

The hundreds of thousands of people worked hard, and each settlement cultivated a large amount of land and planted millet.

This season's millet harvest encountered different circumstances than usual, perhaps due to the weather, resulting in a 20% decrease in yield compared to when Zhiyan was in the old tribal lands.

Even so, this was a rare bumper harvest. With more cultivated land, the grain production was naturally greater, ensuring that more than 100,000 people would not go hungry for a short period of time.

With a bountiful first millet harvest, the people who had migrated and rebuilt their settlements were finally able to settle down. As long as they no longer had to endure displacement, their lives would get better and better.

With the people's hearts at ease, the Blazing Flame Clan also experienced a series of pleasant surprises, with people constantly breaking through their cultivation levels and advancing from the Rock-Splitting Realm to the Mountain-Opening Realm.

The Heavenly Vein warriors within the clan also opened up their next Heavenly Vein.

……

A mountain-splitting Kui roared and charged into the clan's territory from afar. The fire-wielding beast on its back jumped off and headed straight for the clan's hall.

Being away from home for long periods of time has given Huotang's face a bronze tan.

"During my absence, has anything happened within the clan?"

Upon entering the clan hall, Huotang asked a question.

Huoqi, who had been waiting in the clan hall, spoke up, "It's nothing."

"Where's Ah-chan? Is he still holed up in the ancestral temple and hasn't come out again?"

Huoqi didn't speak, but Huotang immediately understood.

“A-Can’s disciples are watching over the underground canal. If anything happens, A-Can will go there. A-Can is worshipping the ancestors in the ancestral temple and not going out, which means that nothing is wrong in the clan. This is a good thing.”

Huoqi has now replaced Huoyu, the original clan elder, as the tribe's Grand Elder, and is in charge of all clan affairs.

He gave up his original position as centurion to Huo Tu, a newly promoted Heavenly Vein Warrior in the clan.

In the past year, six people in the clan have been promoted to the Heavenly Vein level. Among them, Huo Tu is the first female Heavenly Vein warrior in the clan. She used to be a scout under Huo Hou.

The Blood Witch was discovered in the Shipwreck Hills.

At that time, Huo Tu was only a Rock-Splitting Realm martial artist. In just five or six years, he suddenly surpassed many male martial artists in the clan and became one of the six Heavenly Vein martial artists who had been promoted in the past year.

"It all comes down to Ah-Can, otherwise there would be no Zhiyan today."

Huo Tang knew perfectly well that the clan's development was all due to Shen Can's efforts, whether overt or covert.

Without these supporters, no matter how ambitious he was as the clan leader, he wouldn't have been able to maintain the clan's power.

"That's right. Without the temple, our tribe wouldn't have been able to develop so quickly."

Huo Tang strode into the clan hall. Although there hadn't been any major events in the clan recently, there were still many trivial matters to attend to, such as cultivation consumption and the supplies stored in the warehouse.

"By the way, how are the clan's spirit fields doing?"

Huotang asked casually as he flipped through the animal skin scroll.

"The spirit mud we dug up from Shanghu was interrupted by the attack of Xiaoyang, but now the witch medicine that has grown is ready to be used as medicine."

The spiritual rice planted on the plot that was cultivated six months ago is almost ready for harvest.

The third plot is being prepared; according to A-Can, the source energy is still a bit lacking, and it will take some more time before it can be cultivated.

……

After saying that, Huo Qi watched as Huo Tang leaned back on the stone chair, pretending to doze off, and then quietly walked out.

When Huotang woke up from his nap, he found that it was already dark.

With nothing happening in the clan, he slept soundly.

It can be said that the events of the past three hundred years of Zhiyan's history are not as numerous or severe as those of the last few years.

As the clan leader during the rise of the Blazing Flame Clan, Huo Tang increasingly felt that he had great luck, especially after meeting A-Can.

Nowadays, the Blazing Flame tribe calls itself a superior tribe in the mountains and forests of the North, and no one dares to say anything about it.

Huotang wouldn't stoop to doing something like that.

What he wanted was for all the tribes to bow down and jointly respect the blazing sun.

"No rush, it hasn't happened in ten years, I'm not in a hurry."

Stepping out of the clan hall, I gazed at the increasingly brilliant fiery clouds on the western horizon.

He now suspects that something happened to the west that caused the weather to get hot and the water level in the lakes to drop.

"It's time for a second transformation."

With thoughts swirling in his mind, Huotang walked towards the ancestral temple.

Upon entering the ancestral temple, one sees Shen Can sitting cross-legged with his hands resting on the sacrificial cauldron.

"The chieftain is here! Come quickly, it's cool here."

Upon hearing the sound, Huotang almost stumbled backward and fell headfirst out of the ancestral temple.

The fact that he was breathing in the cool air next to the sacrificial cauldron was just a small, side benefit. As a temple deity, Shen Can would naturally not do anything disrespectful to the spirits.

As the temple's head priest, he was the only person in the clan capable of communicating with the spirits.

He is currently communicating with the spirits.

Actually, the firewood arrived at just the right time.

Although Shen Can stays at the ancestral temple and doesn't go out, he is actually very busy.

For example, he felt that Huo Tang, as the face of the Blazing Flame Clan, was too weak. Therefore, when he communicated with the Sacrificial Spirit, he thought that since the Sacrificial Spirit was a senior sage, he must have carried a very powerful inheritance.

Unexpectedly, after a long period of gradual communication, I actually deepened my connection with the spirit.

Before Huotang could speak, Shen Can pulled Huotang closer and made him sit down next to her.

"Cool down, release your divine sense."

Just as Huotang was about to speak, an indescribable aura emerged.

In an instant, it was as if a thunderclap had exploded, war drums were thunderous, and the sound of battle was deafening. A scene of clashing swords and galloping horses crashed into Huotang's divine sense.

(End of this chapter)