C7 High Priest

Jiemen glanced at the piece of wood in Yuan Ge's hands and chuckled. "This is called Gorewood. It's too tough to make a good spear shaft, and it won't burn properly. In fact, if you don't burn it right, it might even explode. It's essentially a useless piece of timber. But if you're fond of it, feel free to take it and play with it!"

"Thank you, Uncle Jiemen!" Yuan Ge expressed his gratitude and dashed off with the wood.

After a full day and night of firing, the pottery was nearly ready to come out of the kiln. Just then, several people entered from outside.

The man at the forefront was an artist in his sixties, his long white hair meticulously tied back, his face deeply etched with the marks of time, yet his eyes sparkled with wisdom and kindness.

He was the spiritual leader of the True Claw Tribe, a man who could converse with the gods, known as "The High Priest."

Following the High Priest was a man in his forties, broad-shouldered and muscular, with a steady and serene gaze. The two awakened totems on his shoulders were striking—one a colorful flame, the other a colorful wolf.

The wolf totem was exceedingly rare within the tribe, a mark of the elite "Tyrant of War." In Yuan Ge's recollection, only one person in the True Claw Tribe bore this totem—Jieyang, the tribe's chieftain.

The others in the group were the elders responsible for the tribe's various domains. Today was the High Priest's day to survey the tribe, and they had arrived at Jiemen's doorstep. The High Priest, a connoisseur of pottery, led the group into Jiemen's courtyard.

Everyone quickly rose and bowed deeply in reverence to the elderly man with the white hair. Jiemen fetched a clean stone stool from inside for the High Priest to sit on. Any one of these individuals could make the tribe tremble with a mere foot stomp. If there were enough stools to go around, each would have been offered one, but alas, the sole stool was reserved for the High Priest alone.

The High Priest laughed heartily and said, "Please, dispense with the formalities. I've simply come to admire the pottery you all have crafted."

Pottery is a hallmark of tribal civilization and one of the tribe's most fundamental tools for daily life. The High Priest himself was particularly fond of pottery and thus strongly encouraged the creation of it.

As the final embers in the kiln flickered out, the pottery was deemed complete. When the kiln door swung open, a blast of heat surged forward, prompting those nearby to instinctively step back. Once the kiln had cooled, the crowd reconvened around it.

The first few pieces of ordinary pottery were presented, and their owner eagerly placed them before the High Priest. To receive his approval was tantamount to a divine blessing.

The High Priest inspected each piece with great attention, nodding in approval. Some individuals, unable to contain their excitement, leapt up, exclaiming, "This pottery was crafted by my sister, and the High Priest has blessed her work!"

Despite maintaining a serene smile throughout, the High Priest found no genuine interest in these creations. For decades, the tribe's pottery had remained rudimentary, showing no advancement in technique. If not for the enthusiasm of the people, he might have departed long ago.

Suddenly, Jiemen, inside the kiln, uttered a surprised "huh?" In that moment, the High Priest's attention was drawn to the dim interior of the kiln, where a brilliant sheen burst forth just as Jiemen moved.

"What is this?" the High Priest exclaimed, rising to his feet and quickly approaching the kiln's entrance. He peered inside to find the source of the glow emanating from several pieces of pottery.

"Bring them out for me to see, quickly!" he commanded.

Jiemen, momentarily stunned, wiped the sweat from his brow and gingerly retrieved the pottery pieces.

As the pottery was laid out before the onlookers, a collective gasp filled the air. The crowd swiftly enveloped the High Priest and the pottery, making it nearly impossible to move.

Concerned that the High Priest or the pottery might be damaged, Jieyang urgently called out, "Everyone, please step back and let the High Priest have a look first. Back up!"

But the High Priest was beyond distraction. He carefully picked up each piece of pottery, his gaze fixed intently on their surfaces, his face alight with eager delight.

These pottery pieces were significantly thinner than typical pottery, yet their surfaces were exceptionally smooth and refined, shimmering as if coated with a crystalline glow. The soft red hue was quite pleasing to the eye. Despite the simplicity of the patterns on the pottery, they felt frictionless to the touch.

The High Priest was particularly taken with the water jug, turning it over in his hands repeatedly with evident delight.

Those behind him also took turns examining the pottery, scrutinizing each piece with incredulity. They couldn't fathom that these were crafted by their own True Claw Tribe, and their questioning gazes inevitably fell on Jiemen.

Jieyang, holding a ceramic bowl, inspected it closely before turning to Jiemen and inquiring, "Jiemen, is this your handiwork?"

Jiemen was at a loss for words. He was known as a pottery expert within the tribe, but such delicate craftsmanship was beyond his capabilities.

After the High Priest had thoroughly inspected the pottery, he nodded affirmatively and stated, "Jiemen couldn't have made this."

Jiemen blushed at the remark, relieved that the High Priest's tone was not one of reproach. Otherwise, his reputation as the appointed pottery master would have suffered within the tribe.

Jieyang, curious, pressed on, "Then who did make it?"

Without hesitation, Jiemen replied, "Jieying made it!" He hadn't asked Yuan Ge for details when the pottery was delivered, and it never crossed his mind that Yuan Ge could be the creator.

Jiemen's assertion was firm, yet skepticism lingered among the group. Jieying was notoriously unskilled in pottery—how could she be the artisan behind these pieces? Jieyang was the first to object, "That's absurd. Jieying was in the forest with the hunting team yesterday. How could she have possibly made them?"

At that moment, Jiemen shuddered. It wasn't Jieyang who frightened him, but the realization of Yuan Ge's talent. He was still struggling to accept that a child could produce such exquisite pottery.