Chapter 31: Chapter 2: Seven Reform Articles

Since there was the idea of reforming the clan division for better development, Shen Can and Huo Chang began a comprehensive investigation of the entire tribe.

They first clarified various situations within the tribe, and then proceeded to improve them one by one.

On the city walls.

A dozen clan members gathered in one place, inspecting the anti-plague wooden spear, beast oil, bows, and arrows previously made.

This was just one place’s reserve, with more than a hundred wooden spears.

How should I say it, no two spears among the hundred plus were alike.

Some were big, others small, differing in thickness, with uneven surfaces.

The small jars holding beast oil varied from half a foot to two feet tall, differing in height, width, and thickness.

A few wooden bows, all single-body, also varied in size, with different thicknesses of animal tendons used as bowstrings, leading to inconsistent pulling forces.

The arrows were even more disorganized, with feathers on the arrow tails of varying sizes and densities, shafts of different thicknesses, and both bone and iron arrowheads.

Besides, looking at the few martial artists wearing leather armor, the styles were various.

All provisions of the Blazing Flame Tribe, from food to clothing and tools, were made collectively by the clan, essentially communal meals.

Many martial artists and strong young men used arrows and leather armor crafted and sewn by their own wives, resulting in a variety of styles.

It’s normal for small tribes to operate this way.

But there is an issue, which is a lack of standardization. If it’s hunting or patrolling as before, with martial artists using their own weapons, it’s fine.

However, in case of resisting attaching plague insects or more intense battles, problems arise.

If their own weapons like bows and arrows malfunction, when using fellow clan members’ equipment, there might be issues like varying bow strength or mismatched arrow weights.

It’s not that they can’t be used, but if crafted more uniformly, they can be used anytime without concern.

The tribe members are not all geniuses or gifted, ordinary weapons not allowing them to fully exert their strength, necessitating custom weapons.

Most tribe members are similar, cooperating when hunting more powerful wild beasts outside.

More stable supplies with standardized weapons are more suitable for large-scale outfitting.

For several days, Shen Can and Huo Chang conducted investigations within the tribe, from visiting each family to examining the treasure house including reserves, from children’s martial arts initiation to field cultivation, leaving nothing out. They noted down all the problems they saw.

Inside the flickering torch-lit cave.

Shen Can recorded on the beast skin scroll, while Huo Chang paced beside him, speaking at times.

Now and then, the two would discuss for a while.

After a long time.

Shen Can stopped writing and spoke, “Clan Leader, based on our investigation these days, the improvements on tribal issues are all written here, please take a look.”

Huo Chang grabbed the beast skin scroll.

“One, establish a clan elder system, clearly managing various tribal matters with precise divisions in agriculture, crafting, gathering, making, and wild beast taming.

Two, establish a clan storage, guard against natural disasters, strengthen reserves of herbs, beast oil, and armor, and assign a full-time clan elder for daily maintenance of these resources.

Three, establish a reward and punishment system, with ingresses and egresses from the clan storage.

Four, under current conditions, establish a martial arts training system suited to the tribe, nurturing the best.

Five, based on the martial arts training system, form an elite martial artist squad separated from tribal chores, responsible for tribal safety, external patrolling, and reconnaissance.

Six, rename to resolve the disordered naming issue within the clan.

Seven, absorb capable external displaced people who can integrate into the tribe.”

Huo Chang read the content on the beast skin scroll, becoming more and more excited as he read, wondering why he hadn’t thought of these things before.

Previously, he had ideas, but they were vague; now they were somewhat concrete.

“Good, good.”

“Clan Leader, for the tribe to develop, the previous rough-and-ready ways are no longer feasible.”

Shen Can spoke, the tribe essentially lives communally in disorder, barely maintaining the status quo as long as they survived.

But there are different levels of communal life, and moving forward the tribe will ensure the basic needs of clansmen, not letting anyone go hungry.

“Alright, let’s do as you say.”

Huo Chang replied without raising his head, his thoughts still on the beast skin scroll.

This list of improvements for the tribe is not comprehensive, only being written from a few days of tribe investigation.

For a tribe to establish itself, a strong martial arts foundation is necessary to ensure steady development, with various assistances proceeding smoothly.

Stable provisions of clothing, food, and shelter allow tribal martial artists to cultivate without worries.

These regulations are not fixed.

Today there are seven items; next month it could be ten or maybe reduced to six, with increases and decreases depending on actual situations.

There is no permanent effective system; as soon as it operates, new problems will appear.

Without current operation, who knows if it’ll be unfit locally.

Everything requires time for verification, resolving specific problems when they’re identified.

Moreover, these are general regulations; detailed rules contain more content.

For instance, regarding the first item on the clan elder system, after appointing relevant clan elders, they must strive to unify clan weaponry.

There are also unwritten issues on tribal bloodline confusion and marriage, which are easily resolved.

The root cause of close kin marriages in the tribe lies in insufficient tribal expansion.

Once the tribe’s strength increases, won’t the Huo surname clansmen of Blazing Flame still find wives?

Presently, with five hundred newly integrated women, there is no immediate pressure for marriage in the clan.

The upcoming period will focus on inner strength cultivation.

The Great Wilderness is vast; although there are no nearby tribes, there are further ones.

At this moment, on another stone table in the cave, Huo Xian was writing with his head down.

“Tribal Reform…”

Like a historian recording tribal history, writing down everything witnessed on the beast skin scroll.

After finishing, he nodded with satisfaction while smiling.

After a long period, Huo Chang reluctantly withdrew his gaze from the beast skin scroll and said, “To implement it smoothly, it’s best to hold a tribe-wide ancestral worship, issuing regulations through it, selecting clan elders, arranging various clan affairs.”

“The tribe has suffered from floods and plagues; an ancestral worship would indeed boost tribal morale.”

Shen Can also agreed with Huo Chang’s suggestion.

Especially when making significant changes from former living habits, having the ancestors support can effectively solve many troubles.

In the Great Wilderness, there’s no problem ancestors can’t solve.

“For ancestral worship, at least a Tier Two Wild Beast should be used, which is not easy to find now.”

“I’ll figure out a way for the wild beast, and have Huo Shan go further to see if he encounters any.” Finished speaking, Huo Chang was about to leave.

“Clan Leader, the tribal people’s concentrated training plan I previously mentioned can proceed without conflicting with the tribe’s reform.”

“I will lead the capturing of wild beasts, and the tribe will follow your lead.”

Before Shen Can could say more, Huo Chang had already left the Ancestral Temple Cave.

“Atang used to rarely show such urgency since becoming Clan Leader; he was once a Hunting Team Leader, like Huo Shan.”

Huo Xian carefully rolled up the beast skin scroll, eyes full of memories.

“If there was anyone else capable of leading the tribe, Atang preferred leading the Hunting Team.”

Shen Can understood instantly, realizing that everyone listens to him, making him the de facto Clan Leader.

“Alright, then we’ll gather the tribe to practice martial arts first thing tomorrow morning.”

Shen Can muttered as he headed toward his earthen cave.

…

After absorbing external tribespeople, the Blazing Flame Tribe currently had 2,433 tribe members.

When Shen Can prepared for a collective martial training, he found if not considering age, gender, and necessary staffing for various tribal tasks, he could muster up to 1,800 people.

Everyone, regardless of gender, was tall and strong.

Seeing everyone so capable, he decided not to select specifically.

With just over 2,400 people, he decided to have each go through his screening process.

Observe who could endure the training and had a talent for Kui Ox Fist.

Those who met the standards stayed for further training, while those who didn’t returned to their respective tasks.

…

Clan Elder Huo Yuo led the men carrying pots and meat to a tiered field enclosed within the city during its construction.

They readily set up large pots and started stewing the meat.

This place had been converted into a martial training ground, consisting of three layers, getting smaller as it went higher.

“Acan, are you really letting so many people eat freely?”

Huo Yuo spoke shakily, watching as the meat was quickly fished out of the pot just after cooking, feeling reluctance to witness such consumption.

This first batch of 300 people devoured a mountain of meat in one go, making Huo Yuo feel it wasn’t just meat being consumed, but his heart and soul.

Old-timers, accustomed to frugality, were more like grain-hoarding hamsters.

Shen Can stood at the highest point of the training ground, smiling as he watched the clan members below feasting voraciously.

The most distinctive characteristic of martial arts in the Great Wilderness is growing big by eating meat and practicing fists.

“Let them eat freely, and bring me a bowl as well.”

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