The first signs of the sickle have appeared.

As dusk melts into gold, flames leap from the hearth, ensuring delicious meals every day.

The pot was stewing freshly hunted argali meat, mixed with plump matsutake mushrooms and crisp, sweet earthworms picked from the back mountain, creating an irresistible aroma.

"Mom! Lan Ying has chased three pheasants into the net!" Little Stone said, gnawing on his juicy leg bone.

Ling Zhan's gaze swept over the alpha wolf lying motionless outside the fire pit, a low growl escaping his throat as he thrust his hand forward like a knife. Cangya growled and rose.

“Tiger,” Ling Zhan called out, “order him to patrol the back valley.”

Tiger stood up straight, focused his energy in his dantian, and imitated the syllable gesture: "Woo—Hou Gu!" The gesture was as steady as a rock.

The wolf king's green eyes swept over them, and he howled in response, leading two strong wolves silently into the night.

"Great!" Bean Sprout cheered.

"The command is as firm as a mountain, and the spirit flows from the soul." Ling Zhan corrected Hu Zi's shoulder and elbow angles, "It's not a throat sound, but a resonance of the chest and abdomen."

Tiger focused his mind and tried again, his chest resonating deeply: "Hougu—Guard!" The whistle contained the aura of clashing swords.

From afar came the echoing howls of a pack of wolves. Tiger's eyes gleamed like sharpened iron.

"Tiger is amazing! He learned how to drive away wolves from Mom so quickly!" Da Niu said, pinching bone needles by the firelight.

The tough grass fibers, dyed crimson and indigo, weave through the softened deerskin. The stitches are fine and even, gradually forming a pattern of flowing clouds chasing the moon. She occasionally refers to the tattered pages of the embroidery manual given to her by Su Wan, her brows calm as if she were doing accounting.

"Big Sister, these clouds are better embroidered than the ones down the mountain, they look just like the real thing!" Little Stone said, lying down to look at them.

"The thread has been soaked in hot springs, making it soft and resilient." Da Niu twirled the silk thread between her fingers. "Tomorrow, we'll gather golden thread grass from the rock crevices and twist it into golden patterns."

Daya squatted in the newly cultivated medicinal garden by the hot spring, carefully dividing the plants: "Mother, this seven-leaved star orchid, with its golden veins, is near the spring and has a strong medicinal aroma, so it's suitable to be paired with purple ginseng. The one with bluish-white veins is near the stone wall and has a mild nature, so it's suitable to be paired with angelica." Her fingertips were moistened with the sacred soil, and her expression was devout.

Ling Zhan nodded: "Use it according to the earth's energy. The medicinal valley in the back mountain has deep, humus-rich soil, which is suitable for transplanting blood vines."

Living atop the mountain, each child seems to be imbued with the spiritual energy of the place, understanding their own preferences.

Ling Zhan spoke frankly and without reservation.

Aside from labor and literacy, she did not require her children to learn or do anything else.

Evening class.

The campfire crackled, illuminating the bark paper.

"Today we learn about 'momentum' and 'opportunity'." The charcoal pencil carved the words like a knife.

"Momentum is the direction in which power accumulates. Opportunity is a change that occurs in an instant."

Ling Zhan pointed to the campfire, saying, "It's like clearing land; after a hundred days of hard work, fertile soil is formed. If rain suddenly comes at night, it's an opportunity to retain moisture."

He pinched a charcoal pencil and wrote on a wooden board. Though the characters were simple and clumsy, their momentum was like towering mountains, and their potential like a startled bird released from its bow.

"Mother, is 'using orthodox methods to engage and unorthodox methods to win' a strategic move?" Little Stone suddenly asked.

Ling Zhan's eyes flashed like lightning: "Speak."

"Frostblade herding sheep! Driving them head-on is the 'right way,' while blocking the canyon path with Mist Shadow is the 'unexpected victory'!"

The small stones were used to depict the terrain of the rock wall.

Tiger gasped, "You little brat..."

“Yes.” Ling Zhan nodded. “The orthodox and the unorthodox complement each other, and opportunity arises from momentum.”

The last stroke of the character "机" (machine) in Xiao Shitou's writing is as sharp as a dagger.

...

As the sun rises and sets, the fertile soil expands under the hoe. Millet seedlings break through the soil, their verdant green a delight to behold.

Tiger-shaped bean sprouts work hard to dig irrigation ditches, drawing hot spring water to irrigate the new fields.

Frosty blades and misty shadows patrolled along the canal.

Wild fruits fall from the top of the golden jujube tree.

The coal ball was covered in mud from the spiritual spring, and its hair even faintly revealed a dark gold luster.

Ling Zhan immersed himself in the hot spring, the rising steam carrying wisps of spiritual energy from the mountain peak that seeped into his very being. The hardships of months of toil were gently smoothed away, his honey-colored skin shimmering with a jade-like, understated luster, and the murderous aura that had settled between his brows blended into the grandeur of the mountains, making him appear even more profound.

Her hair was casually tied up, adorned with a self-carved, warm white jade hairpin. The jade, found beside the spring, added a touch of ethereal mountain charm.

Under the lamplight, Da Niu's needle flies, the silk thread, imbued with her fingertips' spirit, becomes supple and lustrous, gradually giving the embroidery a spiritual charm.

As Daya tended the herb field, her skin, nourished by the spiritual spring, became radiant and translucent, and her eyes reflected the vitality of the plants.

As the bean sprouts moved, they seemed to sense the subtle tremors of the earth.

When Tiger commands the wolf, his shoulders and back are as straight as a pine tree, exuding an aura of dominance.

Little Stone's brows relaxed, his eyes clear and bright, and the strength of his writing was already evident in his strokes...

The sickle flashes, the wheat waves sway low.

Ling Zhan continued to lead the children in working in the fields, and he became noticeably more talkative.

"Tiger, cut diagonally to the left flank, leave space to draw the wind." Ling Zhan's command was like a military order.

"Yes!" Tiger adjusted the angle, and the wheat stubble was neatly arranged like a line of soldiers.

Bean Sprout wiped his sweat: "Mom, this soil smells wrong, there are mouse holes!"

Ling Zhan glanced at it: "Hmm. Daya, get the medicine powder and sprinkle it around the cave three steps away."

Da Ya deftly opened the bag and used the medicine powder to precisely seal the cave entrance.

Bean Sprout's nostrils twitched: "Huh? The powder smells like ginseng?"

"Drive away the rats, lure the snakes." Ling Zhan said little.

Little Stone filled half a basket with wheat grains and ran to the chicken and duck pen in the corner of the house. Big Girl held the ledger and counted the newly gathered wheat ears: "Today I gathered three jin and seven liang of wheat ears, four liang more than yesterday. The birds were less disturbed, because Jinbao chased them away more often." She traced the ink lines with her fingertips, her words clear and organized.

As dusk settles, the fire in the hearth roars. The stew in the hanging pot bubbles and boils.

"Mother! Frostblade kept an eye on the ibex for half an hour today, and the ibex didn't dare to move!" Little Stone said, gesturing while gnawing on a bone.

Ling Zhan raised his eyes, his gaze falling on the wolf king crouching outside the fire pit. He let out a short, low howl and slashed with his hand. The wolf king responded with a low growl.

“Tiger,” Ling Zhan called out, “this time I’ll have it patrol the left.”

Tiger took a deep breath and imitated the syllables and gestures, his voice slightly awkward: "Ugh... Left!"

The wolf king's green eyes swept over the tiger cub, hesitated for a moment, then got up and strolled to the left.

"Great!" Bean Sprout slapped his thigh.

"Keep your mind calm and your commands as firm as a mountain." Ling Zhan corrected Hu Zi's hand gestures. "Apply gentle pressure, not push."

Tiger focused and tried again: "Whoosh—left!" He pressed down with a steady hand gesture.

The wolf king howled and led two strong wolves swiftly along the left flank, disappearing into the dark forest.

"It's done!" Tiger's eyes flashed with a sharp light, like a fledgling eagle spreading its wings for the first time.

An overwhelming excitement surged through Tiger's heart. He subconsciously clenched his fist, about to high-five Bean Sprout beside him, when he felt a familiar furry touch on his side.

Looking down, I saw it was Lan Ying.

The gray-blue wolf cub appeared beside him without him noticing.

Instead of sniffing curiously as usual, it raised its head, its clear wolf eyes shining brightly as it stared at Tiger, clearly reflecting the leaping firelight and Tiger's face, which was slightly flushed with excitement.

Lan Ying let out a soft, tentative "woo".

The voice carried a special intimacy and approval, as if saying, "Well done."

Tiger felt a warmth in his heart; the tension and tedium of practice seemed to be dispelled by that small sob.

He crouched down, extended his hand, and this time, the gesture was more natural and intimate than before. Lan Ying immediately leaned forward, nuzzling her furry head into Hu Zi's open palm, rubbing against him vigorously, and letting out a satisfied purr.

Tiger smiled, his fingers skillfully finding the soft fur behind its ear that it particularly liked, and gently scratching it.

The little wolf squinted comfortably, its tail wagging like a little windmill. It even raised one front paw and softly rested it on Tiger's knee, its whole body relaxing and snuggling against him, enjoying this intimate moment that belonged only to them, filled with the warmth of the campfire and the joy of success.

"Hey, you're even happier than me, aren't you?"

Tiger chuckled softly and rubbed Lan Ying's wet nose with his knuckles.

Lan Ying stuck out her pink tongue and quickly licked his finger; it was wet and warm.

Clearing land early in the morning.

Bean Sprout was clearing the bushes with a hoe when she suddenly stopped: "Mother! This ginseng... its roots are twitching!"

Ling Zhan approached. A purple ginseng was buried in the soil, its roots pulsating almost imperceptibly.

“It’s a root nodule.” Daya squatted down to examine it closely.

“No…it’s ‘qi’!” Bean Sprout closed her eyes, her fingertips lightly pressing against the soil. “It’s like…like a stream hitting rocks, muffled, flowing westward…”

Ling Zhan's eyes flickered slightly: "Dig."

After digging three feet, a large, plump cluster of Smilax glabra (Tufuling) intertwined with the roots of Panax ginseng (Ziyunshen), and the pulsating sensation originated from this.

“Smilax glabra is heavy in nature and draws in the earth’s energy.” Ling Zhan broke open the tuber, and white sap seeped out. “Bean sprouts, use them to discern the direction of the energy flow.”

Bean Sprout concentrated, her fingertips trembling slightly: "West...slightly north...below the cliff!"

The group followed him to the bottom of the cliff and found a damp crevice with thick moss, where a large patch of Poria cocos was hidden!

"Good lad!" Tiger punched him on the shoulder.

Bean Sprout scratched his head and grinned foolishly, a strange glint in his eyes.

Daya squatted in front of the drying rack, her fingertips lightly touching different herbs: "Mother, the perilla leaves with a silvery sheen on the back are more pungent and dispersing, and are suitable for treating wind-cold. The leaves with a grayish-green back are better for regulating qi and are suitable for cooking." She carefully separated the two types of perilla.

Ling Zhan nodded: "Discerning the subtle reveals the profound. After the Autumn Equinox, harvest the perilla seeds; pressing them for oil can heal frostbite and cracked skin." Da Ya's eyes lit up, and she solemnly wrote it down.

Ling Zhan realized that he should teach the children some real skills as they spent more and more time with them.

On the mountaintop, in the open space in front of the large wooden house, the morning mist, like a light veil, was edged with gold by the rising sun.

Ling Zhan sat cross-legged on a smooth rock, with a tanned animal hide spread out in front of him. Simple shapes were drawn on it with charcoal: the sun, the moon, mountains, water, and fire... and corresponding square Chinese characters next to them. The four children, Hu Zi, Da Niu, Dou Ya, and Da Ya, also sat cross-legged on small mats covered with dry grass, their backs straight and their expressions focused.

Little Stone nestled beside Ling Zhan's legs.

Ling Zhan pointed to the graphic and text of the character "sun," his voice calm and clear.

"The sun. Rising in the east and setting in the west, bestowing light and warmth. Without the sun, all things perish." She looked up at the rising sun bursting forth on the horizon, its golden rays bathing her face. The children, too, instinctively gazed at the golden-red sun, feeling its warmth.

"Got it?"

Tiger, Big Girl, Bean Sprout, and Daya all spoke in unison, their voices clear and loud: "We remember, Mom!"

Little Stone, who was listening intently, added a sound as well.

Ling Zhan nodded, pointing to the graphic and text of the word "water".

"Water. It originates from springs, flows downstream, and nourishes all things. It can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it."

She pointed to the bubbling hot spring not far away, and the cascading waterfall further away, and asked, "Is the hot spring here drinkable?"

She looked at the girl.

The eldest daughter thought about it seriously and shook her head: "No, Mother! It smells like sulfur, and it will give you a stomachache if you drink it! It can only be used for washing and watering the fields! The water for drinking must be the fresh water from the deep pool under the waterfall, which is clear and sweet!" She pointed in another direction.

A hint of approval flashed in Ling Zhan's eyes.

"Very good. You know not only what it is, but also why it is."

She wrote down the characters for "spring" and "pool" and asked, "Bean Sprout, why do you bypass the water source when you draw hot spring water into Yuntian?"

Bean Sprout immediately pointed to the simple water diversion diagram he had drawn on the animal skin: "Mom! If the hot spring flows directly, it will scald the seedlings! By taking a detour, the water temperature will drop, and more land can drink water! It won't be a waste!" His little face was full of seriousness.

Ling Zhan: "Make good use of its advantages and avoid its disadvantages. This is 'wisdom'." She wrote the character "wisdom".

Recognize characters, recognize pictures, understand principles, and put them into practice.

In the pristine environment atop the mountain, and under Ling Zhan's personal guidance, they became one with him.

There were no archaic phrases, only the wisdom of survival and reverence for nature. The children learned quickly, their eyes growing brighter and brighter.

Afternoon is work time.

Tiger followed Ling Zhan on patrols of the territory's edge, learning to set warning traps—mostly for alerting rather than killing—identifying animal tracks, and practicing throwing stone spears. Ling Zhan would explain the habits of different animals, emphasizing, "Don't hunt unless necessary. Only by taking in moderation can we prosper in the long run."

Da Niu and Da Ya: They are responsible for taking care of Yun Tian. They are already skilled at judging the growth of wheat seedlings, watering according to soil moisture, carefully removing weeds, and never harming a single seedling. Ling Zhan taught them to observe insects, distinguish between beneficial and harmful insects, and use natural plants such as mint to repel insects.

Douya, with his charcoal pencil and small wooden board, drew a more detailed map of the mountaintop under Ling Zhan's guidance: marking water sources, hot springs, cloud fields, the main activity areas of wolf packs and monkey groups, dangerous steep slopes, and areas where wild fruits could be gathered... His map became the most valuable and practical "database" on the mountaintop. Ling Zhan emphasized: "The map must be accurate. The slightest error could lead to disaster."

Frostblade and Storm Image are two furry little shadows who especially love to stick to small stones. When the children are working, they flutter around chasing butterflies and rolling around, occasionally helping to "dig holes," but usually doing more harm than good.

Little Jinbao was the busiest, leaping among the treetops and chirping to report the situation. The White Wolf King watched from afar, a hint of approval seemingly in his deep green eyes. This mountaintop, thanks to the addition of these vibrant little creatures, appeared even more lively and orderly.

When the first light frost falls on the mountaintop, the cotton bolls below should already be covered in snow.

"Ready to go."

Ling Zhan stood before the newly reclaimed, sown fertile fields, where waves of millet rippled like gold and the medicinal herbs exuded fragrance.

"Pack up the grain and new cotton, and return in three days."

The children cheered. Tiger blew his bone whistle, and the wolves responded.

Frostblade and Storm Shadow nuzzled affectionately against Ling Zhan's palm. Jinbao jumped onto the small stone basket on his back, only to be picked up and taken down by Ling Zhan.

The coal lump clung to the honey pot, refusing to let go.

Ling Zhan took one last look at the snow-capped peaks deep in the clouds, where the eerie light seemed to respond.

It only flashes briefly before disappearing.

She turned around, and the jade hairpin in her hair shimmered with a warm light.

"Go down the mountain."

Three days later, they returned as promised in the early morning.

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