Translated by Lesyt Team
Edited by Ilesyt
On the evening when the fire seed was lit, no one knew how many people were sleepless. They didn’t know and never thought about what the other tribes thought and they just did what the Shaman and the chief asked them to do.
The fire seed was lit again in the old land and each of them felt their totem power was strengthened, which was a good change.
On that evening, another seven were promoted as senior totem warriors, which surprised the Shaman and the chief. Those seven hadn’t made any breakthroughs after absorbing the energy of the fire crystals. Unexpectedly, they succeeded now.
Many in the tribe said they realized the dream of their ancestors thanks to the return of the fire seed to the old land. Shao Xuan still felt that the fire seed was incomplete, though it looked more powerful.
The fire seed had been divided in two halves and only one half was at the old land. The Shaman didn’t tell them about this. He didn’t know where the other half was and couldn’t feel it.
In the early morning, Shao Xuan got up and had planned to build the house for Old Ke first. But he was asked to go to visit the Shaman before he started building it.
Near the fire pit, there was an incomplete stone house which was built for the Shaman. They could the build others’ houses later, but they should take the building of the Shaman’s house as a priority. The warriors building that house didn’t sleep for a whole night. They didn’t feel tired. Instead, they were still excited.
When Shao Xuan got there, over thirty people were already there.
Uncle Mai, why did the Shaman ask us to com here?
Shao Xuan asked in a low voice.
For picking up the wanderers.
Mai replied.
Really?
Shao Xuan had thought the Shaman would send people to pick them up after almost finishing building all the houses.
They had gotten along with many wanderers, so they understood their strength and capability. They were stronger than those not awakened yet, but inferior to the totem warriors. The Shaman hoped that they could pick up as many wanderers as possible.
After the ritual ceremony last night, the Shaman and the chief had been discussing about this and finally agreed on the list of the warriors who would go to pick them up.
Shao Xuan glanced at those asked to come here. He was familiar with those surrounding Mai, they were the members of his hunting group. It seemed that they would go out in teams.
All asked to come here had arrived. Then Ao asked them to come to a place where there was a wooden pillar and several broken stones next to it.
Ao went there to step on the broken stones and open the animal skin roll in his hand. He hung it at the tip of the wooden pillar to show its content. That was a simple map drawn by Shao Xuan, he had added some details into it on his way to the old land according to some information he collected.
Ao drew ten copies. About five hundred warriors in total were ordered to come here, and every fifty formed a team. Each team would be led by a former hunting group leader with a map.
The routes were highlighted on the roll. Each team would follow one.
Ao arranged for them to take on the tasks and told each team briefly about its route. The tribes on the routes were highlighted. Perhaps some were missed, but the important ones were marked.
Ah-Xuan, you go with Mai and the others. Bring them to the grasslands to pick up the wanderers. You have been there and you are more familiar with that place.
Ao said.
Ok.
Shao Xuan thought of the old man who sang the Hunting Song on the mountain. He wondered whether the wanderers on the grassland had set out and when they would meet.
After telling them their tasks, Ao let them to go back to prepare for their trip. They would set out tomorrow. The ten team leaders were asked to stay there, for Ao had something to tell them. When they would go out, the ten team leaders would be in charge of their teams and they had to know more.
Having just been here for a short time, they hadn’t become used to living here. They used to focus on hunting while going out. But now they had to be alert, because people were often more dangerous than the ferocious beasts. At the same time, they had to adapt to the new rules.
Ah-Xuan, you stay here.
Ao said.
Ao didn’t know as much about the situation here as Shao Xuan.
In fact, Shao Xuan didn’t know much about it. He just heard about it a lot and drew some conclusions. According to what Yang Sui had told him, he guessed the relations of different tribes and some famous figures.
After talking to the team leaders, Ao let the team leaders leave, but Shao Xuan still stayed there.
Is there something else?
Ao asked with confusion.
Well, I am thinking about whether we can exchange for some livestock like horses, cows, and goats. In the Lu tribe, there is some livestock, but I think the species there are more suitable.
Ao’s eyes flashed, nodded, and said,
Yes, we need to raise some livestock.
There would be more and more people and the people shouldn’t just focus on hunting. The situation was complex. In addition, there would be more and more people with awakened power. The number of the wanderers of the Flaming Horns tribe and those of other tribes would increase. Ao should think about how to settle them and let them make contributions to the tribe when they lived here.
As Ao had discussed with the other leaders, these people should be responsible for raising animals and planting. They couldn’t go hunting, but they could still raise the animals and grow plants. Those who learned how to make pottery from the other side of the river started to make some and succeeded in doing that. Others were doing something else.
It took a lot of time to domesticate the wild beasts and exchanging for some tame beasts would save time and effort.
You are right. Alright, I agree. Go!
Ao ordered.
Shao Xuan didn’t move.
Ao waited for a moment. He saw Shao Xuan stay there, rasied his head, and asked,
Anything else?
Shao Xuan snapped his fingers, and said,
I need some watermoon stones.
He stayed there to wait for Ao to give him some water moon stones.
Ao was in a daze. He had just told the team leaders to adapt to the new environment, but he forgot the way to exchange for things with others. It was different here. They couldn’t exchange several stones and beasts for others’ things. Many were not willing to accept the food.
Wait, I will get some for you.
Ao walked to the Shaman. All the water moonstones were put in the carriage where the Shaman was.
Leaving Ao, Shao Xuan took his water moonstones and other stones to the group leaders. He also told them Ao added that they just needed to bring some seeds rather than livestock here.
In the forest, they didn’t know which kind of plant they should grew. If a mutation of the plant occurred, they may lose their lives after eating the plants. Those who has not awakened were even more vulnerable.
Many tribes kept their seeds well and sold them at a high price. They never told how to plant the seeds, so the people of the Flaming Horns tribe had to try to find out how to do that.
After having distributed the water moonstones, Shao Xuan went to look for Mai and saw Yang and Guang talking to Mai.
Yang and Guang would not go out, not just them, but the others who raised the several ferocious beasts would not go out either, except for Shao Xuan. More than half of the members of the advance team had to stay here, including the two team leaders.
Yang and Guang kept trying to persuade him to let them come along, and he said,
I cannot change it. You should go persuade the chief.
Ao chose whom to allow to go outside, so if they wanted to go, they had to persuade Ao. But their efforts would be in vain, since Ao had already chosen these people. Many people desired to go out, but none dared to try to persuade Ao.
Shao Xuan saw Yang and Guang were upset. Their two ferocious beasts were bored, kicking the stones next to them. Shao Xuan said,
You stay here to guard the tribe.
Their experience in the Drumming tribe made them understand that there were intruders. Thinking of the Wan Shi tribe not far from here, they squinted and felt it was good to stay here, and they may even catch some intruders.
Next day, Shao Xuan said goodbye to Old Ke and left the tibe with Mai and the others, followed by Caesar and Chacha in the sky. Caesar was very visible and did not inted to hide. Like Chacha, he didn’t listen to anyone except Shao Xuan. Those staying in the tribe couldn’t make them obey their orders. Gui He’s white falcon was responsible for warning them in the sky when something bad would happen, so they didn’t feel worried.
The people of the Wan Shi tribe were scared, so they would not go into the forest for a short period of time. Moreover, the fire seed was lit again here. The closer they got to the place covered by the fire seed, the worse they felt. Their totem power was affected, and their strength would be reduced. A small tribe could be extinct, but those big ones could survive thanks to the fierce fire seed.
They didn’t have enough time and the Shaman and the chief were anxious. Fortunately, the fire seed was lit again and they were so excited that they didn’t feel tired. Instead, they were energetic. Those who would go outside were even more excited, for they were looking forward to meeting more people of other tribes. Those who would stay in the tribe envied them.
Ah-Xuan, when will we get to the grasslands? Can we come back before winter?
Lang Ga, carrying his package, couldn’t help but ask.
A little far from here, but we can come back before winter. Even if we cannot come back before winter, it is not as cold as on the other side of river, and there are no ferocious beasts. We can survive there.
Shao Xuan said.
That’s great.
Lang Ga showed that he was looing forward to it. Long long ago, his goal was to become a intermediate totem warrior. And now he had realised his goal, and he believed he could become a senior totem warrior.
My father says our generation is blessed by the ancestors.
Lang Ga said.
Others responded to show they agreed with him.
But no one noticed that Caesar, who was walking in the front, sniffed and showed its disagreement in its eyes.
