After transmigrating, she became the most beloved beast in the world.

The arrival of the cold season caught everyone completely off guard.

Overnight, nature donned a silver coat, with rainwater freezing into ice at low temperatures, covering every corner of the earth.

The gale was not to be outdone; it howled across the mountains and rivers like a wild horse, recklessly battering the caves.

The bamboo curtain hanging at the cave entrance rattled loudly in the fierce wind, breaking the usual tranquility.

The sudden cold prompted the three beasts to put on thick animal hides and light a fire in the cave.

Chu Xinyao disliked having a fire in the cave; she always felt it wasn't safe enough.

When it was cold before, the fire in the kitchen was almost never extinguished. The heat transmitted from the wall between the kitchen and the bedroom, along with the thick animal hides, kept her from feeling cold.

But the cold season had barely begun when she put on a fur coat and the fur boots that Shemo had prepared for her, and only by warming herself by the fire did she feel alive again.

"Why is it so cold during the cold season?" Chu Xinyao's voice trembled slightly, and she couldn't help but wonder if the outside temperature had dropped to below minus ten degrees Celsius. Her lips were slightly purple, and her fingers were stiff with cold.

Shemo stood to the side, her eyes filled with heartache.

He knew he had a low body temperature, and Chu Xinyao was particularly sensitive to the cold, so he dared not get close to her, fearing that his low temperature would make her feel even colder.

He could only silently place his hands on the brazier to warm them until his originally fair hands turned red and even had slight burns on the edges.

"Hey! Mo, what are you doing?" Chu Xinyao noticed that She Mo's hand was burned and pulled him over with heartache.

"I'm fine," Shemo tried to pull her hand back, but Chu Xinyao held on tightly. "I want to warm my hands so you won't get cold."

Chu Xinyao felt a warmth in her heart and sighed, "Silly boy."

"Alright, alright." Hu Xiao and He Yu rushed in, having just replaced the bamboo curtain at the cave entrance with a warmer animal skin curtain.

"You're too slow," Snake Ink said, somewhat displeased.

"I already told you to send Tiger Roar..." Crane Feather muttered, spreading out its pure white wings to protect Chu Xinyao inside.

"I can't keep going like this, can I?" Chu Xinyao's voice was somewhat muffled as she spoke from under the wings.

Enveloped in wings, her body gradually warmed up, and her stiff fingers began to become more flexible. She gently rubbed her hands together, trying to improve blood circulation.

"What?" Hu Xiao didn't understand what Chu Xinyao meant.

"It's a bit colder here than in my Ink Serpent tribe, but in the past, some of our female Ink Serpents would hibernate if they felt cold."

His gaze fell on Chu Xinyao, who was huddled under the crane's wings, yet still felt a chill. A sense of unease welled up in Shemo's heart; even among half-beastmen, few were as sensitive to the cold as Chu Xinyao.

“Those who aren’t from the Ink Serpent Clan can also transform themselves, and it won’t be too difficult for them,” he continued, referring to those clansmen who could adapt to the cold through transformation.

“Orcs like Little Flower and Big Tree have to rely on animal hides and campfires,” he added, his tone tinged with helplessness.

"This is basically how it is for the non-crane females in our tribe, since the cold season is the breeding season."

Tiger Roar nodded; their tiger clan did the same.

When the cold season arrives, everyone stores up enough food and warm animal hides to ward off the bitter cold. The White Tiger Beastmen are renowned for their vigorous vitality and their soft, thick fur. Moreover, during the cold season, they prioritize procreation.

Chu Xinyao was shocked upon hearing this. No way, all winter long, the females here didn't get out of bed or go out, just busy making babies? She couldn't stand this life of staying indoors.

"Don't worry, Xin'er, we've changed the animal skin curtains, and the cave entrance is mostly covered by large rocks. It won't be so cold soon," He Yu comforted her.

The air inside the cave seemed to have warmed up slightly because of the newly replaced animal skin curtains, but the cold still clung to every corner like an invisible hand.

The animal skin curtains were made from the toughest animal hides and were carefully sewn together to form a thick barrier that kept out the cold.

Nevertheless, the temperature inside the cave only rose slightly, and cold still reigned supreme here.

"Thank you," Chu Xinyao said softly.

He Yu smiled and reached out to touch Chu Xinyao's hair. "Between us, there's no need for thanks."

Snake Ink looked at the two people in front of him with displeasure, and grabbed Tiger Roar who was watching the fun, "Come on, let's go chop some more firewood and make some charcoal while we're at it."

Chu Xinyao is afraid of the cold, so the firewood we had might not be enough.

Braving the cold wind, Hu Xiao continued his woodcutting work, each swing of his sword filled with power, sending wood chips flying. Beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, but he didn't care, focusing intently on precisely splitting each piece of wood. Soon, piles of firewood were stacked high.

Snake Ink, on the other hand, planned to make more charcoal. Chu Xinyao disliked burning fires in the cave because she was worried about the thick smoke. Snake Ink knew this well, which was why he decided to make more charcoal. This charcoal would not produce as much smoke when burned, making it more suitable for use in enclosed spaces.

The prepared timber was brought in and evenly filled into the previously used carbonization kiln. This kiln was built of mud and could withstand high temperatures and remain sealed.

He carefully stacked the wood, making sure there were no gaps, and then sealed the kiln with mud, leaving only a small hole for lighting and ventilation.

He lit the fire with the snake ink through the small holes, allowing the wood inside the kiln to begin burning. He carefully controlled the size and number of the holes to maintain a proper oxygen supply and temperature.

"Are you sure this will really work?" Hu Xiao asked, carrying the wood as he passed by, somewhat doubtful. His face showed a hint of confusion, clearly indicating that the charcoal-making method using snake ink was not common on the continent.

"Just do your own thing."

Shemo did not answer him immediately. He focused on observing the changes inside the kiln until he was sure that everything was under control before turning his head.

He discovered this method during a long journey in a remote tribe. The tribe was nestled among the mountains, isolated from the world, and their charcoal-making techniques, passed down through generations, not only produced high-quality charcoal but also minimized smoke.

Unfortunately, he only learned the basics and could only imitate what was made. He could make charcoal, but the smoke was still unavoidable. He frowned, thinking about how to improve it.

"Alright." Hu Xiao carried the timber back to the middle cave. He placed the slightly damp timber in the dry area, shook off the ice crystals, moved the large rock at the cave entrance, and went inside.