Translated by Joycelyn
After the battle, the Drumming tribe continued on with their usual lifestyle.
The tribe held a funeral for those who had passed away. Since Shao Xuan was not a Drumming tribe member, he could not participate in the funeral. That also meant that he would not see the tribal flame that belonged only to the Drumming tribe.
On that day, he remained in Chen Jia’s house, sensing the flame’s power. It was different from the Flaming Horns tribe’s; it was much stronger.
Maybe it was just as the Shaman had said; that was probably the difference between a complete totem and an incomplete one.
The Flaming Horns tribe’s flame gave people a sense of warmth. The Drumming tribe’s flame instead gave a slight cool feel, not freezing, just cooler to some degree when compared to the Flaming Horns tribe’s.
Although Shao Xuan felt curious about their tribe’s flame, he could not go over to the funeral to watch. Only through speaking with Fu Shi and the rest did he know about their fire pool. This was also where the sacrificed warriors’ bodies were to be sent.
Hearing about it and not being able to see it made this matter feel mystified.
If there was an opportunity, Shao Xuan would definitely have to observe the Drumming Tribe’s ‘fire pool’.
After the burial ceremony, the tribe became active again. Everybody started to discuss their next transactions and trades; just like a tyrant who had made lots of money and was agonizing over how to use it.
The Drumming tribe’s ability to heal might not have been as fast as the Flaming Horns Tribe’s, but their overall rate was still not too bad. When they activated the totems all over their body, they gained a layer of protection like that of scales.
The Drumming tribe’s members believed that when one had a near-death experience, one saw the truth. And because of that, they treated Shao Xuan with warmth and hospitality. When hearing that Shao Xuan wanted to accompany the people who were going trading, each of them told Shao Xuan of their experiences and gave advice on how to pick the right items, how to trade them, what their real value was and so on.
Although the Drumming tribe looked cold and distant, occasionally some passionate young ladies would run over to Shao Xuan to give him their most brilliant ‘smiles’.
Every time Shao Xuan was met with such passion, he stiffened. In contrast, if the young lads in the tribe were greeted with such ‘smiles’, they would fall head over heels for them.
Certainly, with a different tribe came a different definition of beauty.
Due to the return of most of the adult crocodiles, Chacha deemed this piece of land a danger zone. As long as there was a tree, he would definitely not land on the ground.
Finally, it was time for the trading group to set off. Shao Xuan took the water moonstones that Ping had given him, and along with Chacha, followed the group and left.
Shao Xuan, you have to visit our tribe again!
Ping exclaimed to Shao Xuan.
Okay, consider it done.
The distance from the Drumming tribe to the Pu Tribe was not small. From what Shao Xuan understood, the Drumming tribe’s location was in a remote area, and the distribution of the tribes on this side was sparser. It could be seen from just looking at the Drumming tribe.
Not only was the path to the Pu tribe not straight, they had to cross over a few rivers too.
On the outskirts of the Drumming tribe territory, there was a ten-meter-wide river. Only by crossing it could they reach the Pu tribe.
The Drumming tribe had no boats, but they could make something like a bamboo raft. On the tributaries on that side of the river, bamboos and rafts could float. However, the Drumming tribe members would not use them. It was because they had a much better ‘boat’.
One crocodile after another floated onto the surface of the water. Some only revealed their heads, making it impossible to see anything other than their eyes and snouts. They were often in such a stance when lurking in the water in order to remain hidden.
Qing Yi, being the leader of the trading group this time, jumped onto a crocodile’s back after receiving a blessing from the Shaman.
The crocodiles were lined up just like a floating bridge, which allowed Qing Yi to walk around freely.
The rest followed Qing Yi. They leaned forward and jumped onto the crocodile’s’ back.
Fu Shi, carrying an empty rattan basket, fiddled with his hide bag containing his water moonstones and called out to Shao Xuan:
Let’s go!
Shao Xuan did not let Cha Cha carry him, as he wanted to walk along with the Drumming tribe people. He could also get to know more about the Pu Tribe. Fu Shi had told him about them before, but it was only general knowledge. Shao Xuan could understand more from talking with the others.
The Drumming tribe had thousands of members, and not everyone would participate in the upcoming trade. They might not need to buy anything at the moment; some would let others get something for them. Some, even, would wait for their fellow tribesmen to come back and then trade with them with water moonstones.
After making a head count of the trading group, Qing Yi waved,
Set out!
The crocodiles that were floating used their tails to start moving across the river.
A few moments later, Shao Xuan heard a call from behind and he turned. At the river shore, where the group was sending them off, was a crocodile floating above the water. There was a dark-brown-eyed baby crocodile at its side, too. Its call could not be heard by anybody else, so when Shao Xuan turned back, Fu Shi was confused.
Seeing the baby crocodile, Fu Shi grinned,
It’s sending us off.
Turning back to look forward, Shao Xuan signalled Chacha in the sky, asking him to keep up with them.
A hundred crocodiles were accompanying the two-hundred-people trading group. The procession may not have looked like much, but it was definitely peculiar.
These crocodiles were, after all, not real boats. Therefore, they couldn’t be floating above the water surface all the time. There would be times when they would sink into the river a little and the person standing on top will have their two legs soaked. However, the Drumming tribe’s members would not feel uncomfortable. After all, they were as hydrophilic as they could be.
Shao Xuan looked down at the duckweeds on the surface of the water. These green plants had everything below the water covered up. When looking at the trading group from ashore, it looked just like they were travelling alone with only the wandering waves. Only when someone mentioned it would they know that there were creatures under the water.
The river also had other fish species, even dangerous ones. However, when they were confronted with the line of crocodiles, they would quickly retreat and swim away as far as possible.
Sometimes, there were some marine animals, or even other animals, that were playing in the water. Some of them needed to be avoided and others not. They could just go straight towards them and they would automatically make way for them.
Feeling an itch, Shao Xuan moved the spear he was holding a bit, only hearing the sound of water splashing, and a finger-long insect was stabbed into the spear’s head.
It was a mouth sucker kind of insect. Its body was reddish-brown, a yellow pattern on it, it’s abdomen extremely small.
Pay attention, these insects suck blood.
Fu Shi, who was standing close, explained.
Shao Xuan had reacted immediately when he felt something, so the blood the insect sucked was not his. He didn’t know who it belonged to.
It looked like in that river, the threatening dangers were not a lot, but the bothersome matters were many.
The river flowed over a wetland, between the towering mountains, passing by them.
To the Drumming tribe’s members, these mountains were already quite high. However, to Shao Xuan, compared to the Eagle Mountain, or even the ones where he was hunting, the difference was like heaven and earth.
Half a day later, Shao Xuan felt his sight become dimmer. The group went towards the two cliffs on the side of the towering mountains and into the narrow waterway between them. They blocked most of the sunlight, leaving only a narrow opening on the top
The water path was especially quiet, only the sound of crocodile tails moving in the river could be heard.
We will arrive soon after passing through here.
Fu Shi informed.
The light in front of them was slowly getting nearer.
When the group got out, everything was different. There were large tracts of lotus leafs.
From here on, it is the Pu tribe’s territory.
Fu Shi said.
Shao Xuan was planning to ask more questions, but at that moment, he suddenly saw something on the water heading towards them at high speed. It somehow stopped the moment it reached the tracts of lotus leaves.
The large tracts of lotus leaves blocked the shadow underwater.
Gua!
A frog-like cry sounded out and Shao Xuan reflexively pulled out a knife.
Whisk!
A silhouette broke out from the water. Yet, it did not rush towards the Drumming tribe’s trading group. It instead landed on a large lotus leaf which looked like a small bed.
You’re a little late.
A guy was standing on the lotus leaf. He spoke to Qing Yi, who was at the front of the group.
