The rather gloomy-tempered John Clark also had a change of expression at this moment. Not only had Brian Carter regained his senses, but he had also become difficult and cunning.

"Brian, you’re not a child anymore. Treating your aunt like this is, at best, disrespectful, and at worst, rebellious and unfilial. If you’re handed over to the ancestral hall, you could be beaten to death."

As soon as John Clark spoke, he took the moral high ground, accusing Brian Carter of rebellion and lack of filial piety. He didn’t have his wife’s strength, but his mind was much more agile.

The ancestral hall was the place where the human tribe worshipped their ancestors and deities. Wherever there were humans, there was an ancestral hall.

For the human tribe, the ancestral hall was the most sacred place. It also represented order, etiquette, culture, education, and so on.

If Brian Carter were an ordinary child, he might have been frightened by John Clark’s words.

But Brian Carter had experienced too many verbal battles in his previous life—how could he be afraid of this?

"Going to the ancestral hall is fine. The armor and other property my father left behind were registered at the ancestral hall. I’m already fifteen this year, and according to the rules, I should inherit the family estate."

John Clark sneered. He knew people at the ancestral hall. If Brian Carter really wanted to break ties and split the family, he shouldn’t expect to get any advantage.

Just by looking at John Clark’s expression, Brian Carter could guess his intentions. Any rule, when it comes to actual enforcement, will change. That’s human nature—it’s the same everywhere, in every world!

Brian Carter had already anticipated this. Unhurriedly, he said, "If I can’t get my father’s belongings, I’ll donate them to the ancestral hall. I believe the priest will be very pleased."

John Clark’s face changed dramatically, and he hurriedly said, "Brian, don’t be impulsive. Those are your father’s possessions."

The armor and weapons left by Brian Carter’s father were of excellent quality. In the Iron Forest Tribe, they were extremely rare and sturdy arms.

If they were donated to the ancestral hall, the priest certainly wouldn’t be polite about it. No matter how many connections John Clark had, it would be useless.

Seeing Brian Carter’s determined expression, John Clark hesitated and said, "Anything can be discussed."

"My request is simple: give me the broadsword, and the black pig is mine. From now on, I’ll have nothing more to do with your Lin family."

Brian Carter once again formally stated his demand.

Before John Clark could speak, Mrs. Clark already objected. She said firmly, "The black pig belongs to our family. Don’t even think about it."

David Clark also glared fiercely at Brian Carter. How dare he ask for their black pig—that was the family’s delicacy for the winter.

His eyes darted, and he said excitedly, "Why not leave the broadsword, and you can have the black pig."

The full set of iron armor and longbow left by Eric Carter were worth more than a hundred pigs. Yet this family was still not satisfied!

Brian Carter frowned slightly. Their greed was making him lose patience.

But he was, after all, too young, and known by all as a fool. If things really fell apart, the Lin family would get nothing, but neither would he.

After thinking for a moment, Brian Carter said, "Give me the black pig, and I can join the Ironblood Army in David Clark’s place."

The warriors of the Iron Forest Tribe enjoyed excellent treatment, and joining the army could also help avoid many troubles.

Moreover, the Iron Forest Tribe was about to go to war with the Wolf Tribe. No one in the tribe could stay uninvolved. Joining earlier would allow one to get information in advance and be better prepared.

Since he had to join anyway, he might as well use this condition to exchange for a pig.

"This is what you owe us in the first place!" Mrs. Clark said righteously.

Brian Carter was usually patient, but being pestered by a shrew made him quite annoyed. He looked at John Clark and said, "This is my condition, uncle. If you’re unwilling, then forget it."

As he spoke, Brian Carter turned to leave. He wasn’t putting on an act; it was just too much of a waste of time to keep arguing. Better to break things off cleanly and decisively.

Seeing Brian Carter leaving so resolutely, John Clark became anxious and called out, "Fine, it’s settled then."

Brian Carter stopped and turned around, saying, "Uncle, words alone are not enough. We’d better go to the ancestral hall and have it witnessed."

Mrs. Clark was displeased. "Do you think we’d cheat a little brat like you?"

John Clark pressed Mrs. Clark’s hand to stop her from saying more. Going to the ancestral hall for a witness was good—it would prevent future trouble and leave outsiders with nothing to say.

Leaving the Lin family’s courtyard, Brian Carter took a serious look at the entire tribe for the first time.

The Iron Forest Tribe was surrounded on three sides by mountains, with towering, steep cliffs forming the best natural barriers.

At the only exit, a tall and thick stone wall had been built, guarded day and night by patrols.

The huge valley was like a natural fortress. At its very center was a vast, sapphire-blue pool.

Looking down from above, one would see that all the buildings were arranged in concentric circles around the pool.

The closer a house was to the pool, the sturdier and grander it was. Among them, the most imposing was the ancestral hall for worshipping ancestors and the gods.

On the outermost slopes, many terraced fields had been carved out, with quite a few families living there. The Lin family was one of them.

To Brian Carter, most of the houses here were made of wood and yellow earth, looking dilapidated and low, not much different from thatched huts.

Even the grandest ancestral hall was only built of bluestone, with roof tiles made from polished black stone. Compared to the other thatched houses, it was tidier and more orderly.

This showed just how important the ancestral hall was to the village.