I am a Primitive Man Chapter 928: Porcelain Complete

As Lame secured the fresh opening with a strip of beast skin from within and fastened it using a copper pin, this signaled the completion of their monumental task.

“Phew!”

Lame shoved the wooden stopper's handle ahead, compressing the atmosphere so that the hide over the exterior of the initial gap burst apart, releasing a powerful rush of wind.

Simultaneously, the breeze from this action clamped the inner hide of the subsequent gap snugly to the timber plank, sealing it off entirely with no leakage.

“Phew!”

Lame applied strength through his limbs and drew back the fully inserted wooden stopper.

His tug caused the hide on the first gap to adhere tightly to the board, preventing any incoming air.

At the same time, the inner hide of the second gap parted, permitting external air to enter.

Lame recognized Heiwa's keen desire in that instant, so following several thrusts and draws, he promptly passed the wooden grip to Heiwa.

Heiwa assumed Lame's position, grasping the handle eagerly, and started thrusting and drawing with eagerness. Each motion deepened the flush on his face, like one under the influence of spirits, with an overwhelming thrill surging within him.

Thanks to the wooden bellows crafted by Lame, Heiwa scrapped his idea of forming a bellows from clay.

Upon evaluation, he concluded that timber was clearly superior for constructing such a device.

Naturally, this initial bellows Lame assembled couldn't serve practical use yet, being merely a model—compact, yielding weak air currents, and flawed in various aspects.

Yet, resolving these crafting hurdles would simplify producing a bigger version; it would simply involve scaling up the model.

Admittedly, the gourd remained in Jinguancheng, unseen by Lame and his group, but this didn't hinder their acquisition of the technique.

As Lame dove into diligent labor, the woodwork area echoed once more with noises of cutting, smoothing, and pounding.

Time slipped away silently amid the din, scattering the ground with debris and timber curls, while a sizable bellows emerged in the space.

Unlike the prior tiny model, this expanded bellows featured numerous enhancements.

For instance, it had a single large exit for air, contrasted by two intake openings.

Still, the dual entry holes were smaller than the output one.

This design stemmed from the intense force during air expulsion, combined with the pliable hide; an oversized opening risked the hide bulging outward.

On the handle side of the bellows, a plank was added to enclose the whole structure.

Certainly, slots were cut for the piston's handle to shift.

Moreover, the piston's handle shifted from singular to dual.

This adjustment arose because Lame and Heiwa noted that a central single handle allowed the piston to wobble during operation.

Dual handles, positioned high and low, eliminated this issue.

For better grasping and force application, brief wooden bars ideal for hand use were fitted at the tips of the extending handles, linking them.

Besides, the internal wooden piston received an upgrade from its earlier form.

Formerly all timber, it now bore a coating of sleek, fur-free skin.

This change addressed their observation that a solid wood piston failed to seal the spaces between itself and the bellows sides fully during motion.

Such spaces allowed substantial air to leak back when pressing down.

With leakage there, the downward output flow diminished sharply.

Encasing it in this skin layer largely remedied the flaw.

Though total sealing remained elusive, with no upward escape, the modification slashed the backflow considerably…

Beyond the Green Sparrow central settlement, a massive timber bellows operated steadily with rhythmic pushes and pulls, producing a “whoosh” noise.

Accompanying the air blasts, the oven's fire climbed vigorously, and despite the chill air nearing winter, proximity brought waves of scorching warmth.

Versus the basic bellows Han Cheng once devised, this sealed version proved far more practical and potent.

Heiwa clutched the piston's wooden handle, repeating the pushes and pulls to force air blasts into the hearth.

In this near-icy condition, perspiration beaded on his brow.

Yet Heiwa paid it no mind; he persisted in operating the bellows, channeling winds beneath the oven to intensify the blaze, appearing tireless.

Gazing at the surging inferno, Heiwa's spirit ignited alongside it…

The bellows, expelling winds, at last halted, and the blaze waned progressively until it died out.

The radiant embers cooled to dullness, their glow fading, as pale ash settled upon them.

As moments elapsed, the embers shed all warmth, and the furnace base's prior heat turned frigid.

A crowd assembled near the oven, encompassing Shaman and the Eldest Senior Brother.

All gazes fixed on the chilled kiln, then on Heiwa nearby, their emotions a blend of hope and tension.

Heiwa's anticipation swelled; despite past firings, this instance brought unusual uncertainty.

He flexed his fingers firmly, inhaled deeply, and proceeded to uncover the kiln.

With his effort, the blocked entrance parted, dispersing light powder and exposing pale hues within.

Heiwa probed the still-mild oven, grasping the nearest rim piece and withdrawing it.

The instant his digits met this edge item, Heiwa's pulse quickened.

For the tactile sensation differed from any prior vessel he'd handled.

Not even glazed ware matched this silkiness.

Suppressing his thrill, he withdrew his hand deliberately from the oven.

Every eye converged upon it.

Though porcelain was unfamiliar, upon viewing the vessel Heiwa extracted, all instantly knew this was the porcelain the Divine Child described!

For it was utterly captivating! Utterly mesmerizing!

It eclipsed every prior tribal pottery.

This marked a profound advancement, obvious at a single look.

Earlier, they'd merely heard the Divine Child praise porcelain's delicacy; now, beholding this new-fired ware, they saw it surpassed his words!

Heiwa cradled the vessel in both palms, his stare lost in wonder and captivation.

He examined it meticulously, scarcely shifting, lest he shatter this delicate treasure.

The onlookers' focus locked on his hands, brimming with awe.

For an instant, silence reigned; some even held their breath.

“Let… let me see…”

After prolonged quiet, Shaman's voice emerged, quivering faintly.

Heiwa, snapping from reverie, conveyed the gleaming porcelain to Shaman with utmost care.

The shaman accepted the radiant item, cradling and scrutinizing it; his once-dim eyes sparkled vividly.

His callused digits glided over it repeatedly, loath to release.

Heiwa, observing briefly, recalled more pieces inside and dashed back to fetch them.

The group clustered closer.

A spacious white basin, sleek and curved, caught the sun's rays like a soft luminescence.

A petite ladle, likewise glossy, showed faint transparency in the light…

Via Heiwa's cautious handling, one after another, kaolin-formed porcelain emerged.

A gentle tap yielded a delightful, resonant chime.

Yet, versus clay ware, porcelain's success rate lagged—merely three or four intact per ten; most others shattered.

Nevertheless, this sufficed to thrill Heiwa and the Green Sparrow folk.

Leaders clutched complete pieces for close study; juniors got fragments to admire.

The porcelain shone not just in allure and sheen but in remarkable durability; even slim breaks from ruins could slice flesh.

Its refinement astounded the tribe beyond expectations; many deemed such goods worthy of safeguarding, and employing them for meals bordered on sacrilege.

Shaman and select others even viewed them as heirlooms for eras.

This outlook arose chiefly from the scarcity and novelty.

As production ramped and familiarity grew, such notions would fade.

The advent of indescribably splendid porcelain plunged the Green Sparrow Tribe into prolonged fervor and delight.

Shaman positioned the superior porcelain multiple times on the totem's stone altar, yearning for the mighty Sky God to behold this marvel.

Truthfully, beyond displaying to the Sky God, Shaman itched to share the triumph promptly with the distant Divine Child in Jinguancheng, informing him of the tribe's success in crafting porcelain per his guidance.

Alas, with the Divine Child absent and Jinguancheng remote from the core settlement, messaging proved challenging, forcing the shaman to beseech the distant Sky God to pass this splendid tidings to the Divine Child in Jinguancheng…

In the ceramics area, Heiwa and fellow pottery experts labored with renewed vigor, as if fueled by boundless energy, shaping kaolin into forms.

They aimed to produce more stunning porcelain, enabling every tribesman to dine from elegant bowls.

Concurrently, they envisioned bartering this superior porcelain for plentiful sustenance and goods from neighboring groups.

Past pottery already swapped for ample goods; now, porcelain's greater elegance promised even richer returns!

Imagining a single firing yielding numerous porcelain bowls, instantly tradable for long-gathered provisions and items from others, electrified Heiwa and companions.

This zeal outstripped the elation of the initial firing.

Owing to Han Cheng, this cunning Divine Child, the once-pure primitive folk had shed some innocence…

From prior crafting and baking, Heiwa and allies uncovered minor tricks for kaolin forming.

Such as thinning the clay maximally, since thick large pieces proved arduous.

As work progressed, successive kaolin shapes materialized.

Some wielded implements to trim surplus from hardened forms, refining smoothness and contour.

Upon amassing sufficient shapes, a batch entered the oven for baking.

Throughout bakings, Heiwa attended without fail.

He monitored every detail and noted them in a compact record, per the Divine Child's directive, aiding recalls and pinpointing enhancements.

During intense efforts, time flowed unseen, and as clouds veiled the heavens, the arid chill paused briefly.

Absent the howling gusts, tiny snow pellets drifted down, skipping across the earth.

Yet, as pellets piled, fresh ones ceased to rebound.

After a flawed white blanket formed over the soil, true flakes descended.

As dense snow blanketed the Green Sparrow core tribe, southern Jinguancheng basked in persistent sun…