Posted on October 14, 2018 by AzureOrchid92
The surrounding land was getting drier and the creatures in the forest were not so active.
After crossing several mountains, the group reached a hilly area.
Standing on the top of a small hill, Shao Xuan saw some of the houses in the distance, as well as large tracts of farmland. However, the farmland did not seem to grow well because of the lack of water, not only a slow growth, but also a large mortality rate.
Farther away was not clear to the eyes, like there was a layer of gauze. That’s because the dust in the air was too much that it affected the sight. Because of the drought, when the wind blew, it would bring some dust.
The more you go, the more there were cracks on the ground. Although there were some sparse grasses, but the cracked ground occupied most of the view.
There is the rain tribe.
Huang Ye said to the young warriors who came here for the first time.
When going to the Rain tribe, the elders would talk to the young warriors of the tribe about the various tribes. Now, seeing the rain tribe, they would naturally tell them the tribe’s customs.
Although Shao Xuan knew Yang Sui of the Rain tribe, his knowledge of the tribe was extremely limited. Therefore, when the middle-aged man explained the tribe to the young soldiers, Shao Xuan, like everyone else, propped his ears. It’s always good to know more about it.
The people of the Rain Tribe have a totem like ‘rain’, worshiping water. Their faith in the rain were far more than you could imagine. If the people of their tribe go somewhere else and drowned in the river or eaten by water beasts, most of the time, they will not be sad. On the contrary, they believe that those who drowned or eaten by the water beast must have something beyond the mysterious power of other people to send themselves to God without external force…
Shao Xuan and the other people:
…
With such a remark, that would be saying that the crocodiles of the Drumming tribe were simply the spokesperson of God.
It sounded ridiculous, but it could be understood. Each tribe has their own beliefs and customs. Many of the things that others see as extremely brain-crippled were an unshakeable beliefs of others. For this, you couldn’t change their minds by prying it open.
Was it true that the shamans of the Rain tribe that can not call rain are burned to death?
a man asked.
Not all of it. I heard that there was a burning situation in the beginning, but they still couldn’t call the rain later. It is impossible for the tribe to have no shaman, so that was changed. Only, in this way, the status of the Shaman in the Rain tribe gradually lowered. It was said that the Rain tribe shaman candidates must travel, hoping to find a solution to the problem.
Did you find a solution later?
a young warrior in the Feather tribe couldn’t help asking.
The others stared at the warrior who asked the silly question,
This could not be true. How can we ask for rain, when our tribe’s shaman cannot, but the Rain tribe’s shaman had this ability? The people of these little tribes love nonsense!
Another man nodded, thinking that his tribe could not do these things, so this small tribe of people certainly could not too. Moreover, asking for rain was ridiculous.
How does God relate to ‘rain’? But one thing I know is that God must be able to fly. Hmm. That must be so,
said the man from the Feather Tribe.
Nonsense! How could God grow wings? He must have eight long hands!
an Eight Limbs tribe member said.
Fart! God would not be like that!
When it comes to God, tribes of different faiths were quarreling because of different opinions.
The people of the Tian Shan tribe thought that God lives in the mountains. The people of the Mang tribe rejected that idea and thought that God should be living in the woods or with the bamboo groves.
The people of the Thousand Masks tribe did not speak, but their dissatisfied faces told the others their views.
Shao Xuan thought of the Flaming Horns tribe, as a brainwashing since childhood. Those who were taught by the Shaman only believed in three things—fire, totem and ancestors. What is God? Was it fire? Was it the embodiment of the totem? Or a deceased ancestor? Or all three of them?
Listening to the people around having a discussion, Lei and Tuo touched their head at the same time, their brain starting to outline the appearance of God. If there was a god, it should be…… having a long horn on the head, isn’t it? It was certainly not those long wings or spider, not even rain.
Well, it must have a long-horned head and was very powerful! Lei and Tuo discussed as they nodded, thinking that other people were just saying nonsense.
The old men, who were staring at each other, had to calm down and pull the young warriors out of their excitement.
Hey! Who are those?
Lei pointed to a team of people who were not far away.
The crowd heard his words and stopped arguing to looked over there.
Over there was a team of nine people, with the one walking in front wearing a green vine grass and yellow straw woven clothes. They had a few wooden and bone ornaments, each holding a pottery bowl in his hand. With one hand holding the bowl, the other hand dipped in the bowl and vigorously swished on the side, moving a few steps to shake it off. The pottery bowl should be filled with water.
Those people hang some wooden bells made of walnut-like nuts around their waists. Each time they vigorously shook their arms, because of their body’s movements, the wooden bells would follow and swing, making a clatter of sound, sounds like rain hitting the ground.
It’s the Rain tribe’s men,
said Huang Ye.
Is that a ritual?
someone asked.
I don’t know. It might be related to their sacrifice.
Anyway, let’s find a place to rest now.
Yes, the Rain tribe will provide the house where the traveling hikers live, so let’s just rest there.
People who have had a long journey had said.
The Rain tribe’s team did not go fast, so Shao Xuan and his entourage happened to be intertwined with them.
These people of the Rain tribe had painted their totem patterns so their appearance could not be seen. However, Shao Xuan still recognized the one in front to be Yang Sui.
Yang Sui, compared to the other eight people behind him was dressed a little differently. His was more complex. On his hand was not a simple pottery bowl either, which was slightly taller while the outside was painted with some lines and dots like water and rain.
Yang Sui had also seen Shao Xuan. He was surprised and wanted to say something, but realized that now was not a good time to greet and catch up with each other. Seeing Shao Xuan was with other people, he thought of something, his eyeball quickly gesturing to the tribe.
This was to let Shao Xuan proceed there, and once his side was finished, he would go looking for Shao Xuan to catch up.
The Rain tribe built a row of wooden huts on the edge of the tribe for the travelers to live in, as long as they paid a certain
accommodation fee
.
The expenses were self-care, other people would not pay for someone who were not in their own tribe. Fortunately, Shao Xuan has a lot of
money
. He gave the Rain tribe some shell coins in exchange for a wooden house for three people to live in.
The cottage was very simple, but in such a place, a big tree was difficult to find so this was enough.
Shao Xuan also exchanged some dry food, a kind of a hard bread, with the Rain tribe. The three people were not accustomed to it, especially Lei and Tuo, since they usually hunt wild beasts to fill their bellies. It was the first time they went to such a place and eat such foods.
I think it’s very nice in our tribe,
Lei said.
Tuo had the same feeling. He bit on the dry and hard-tasting dough and asked Shao Xuan,
How long do we have to stay here? Is there any worse place to go?
It should how long will it take to see the elders. As for the future… You’d better be mentally prepared.
Shao Xuan gave them a
you know
look.
The look on the faces of Lei and Tuo suddenly collapsed. Worse than this… They would rather go to the Ferocious Beast Mountain forest to stay alone for ten days, and not to in this place where even a wild beast was difficult find.
No wonder they said earlier that the trip would be difficult.
After a little rest, a young girl who came in with water smiled at Shao Xuan and gave him a leaf.
After the girl left, Lei and Tuo winked and jokingly said,
Ah-Xuan, is it a custom of the Rain tribe to send leaves?
What does it say on the leaf? Let me see!
Shao Xuan avoided the two people, and quickly looked at the words on the leaf, then grinded it.
Lei and Tuo’s faces showed disappointment.
I’ll go out for a while. If there is something urgent on the team’s side, whistle.
After a pause, Shao Xuan spoke again,
Don’t fight against the Tian Shan people.
We know. Go ahead now, elder.
The two waved.
Before leaving the hut, Shao Xuan saw a man from the window of another room. Over there were where the people of the Tian Shan tribe lived. The man on the window was holding a bow with the arrow pointing at Shao Xuan, but he did not shoot and just kept the aligned position.
Seeing Shao Xuan pass by, the man smiled, a smile that made people look very uncomfortable.
The people of the Tian Shan tribe were hostile to Shao Xuan. Was it because of the Di Shan tribe? Or was it because of other reasons?
In any case, this hostility has kept Shao Xuan on his guard.
He went by without paying any more attention to the people over there. Shao Xuan knew they were still afraid to act brazenly. After leaving the hut, Shao Xuan went in one direction. There was a small hill there with some wooden huts. It was not within the area of the Rain tribe, so Shao Xuan would not be stopped.
The huts were much more shabby than the place where they had been resting for the moment. Looking at the straw rope hanging on one of the wooden houses, Shao Xuan walked over.
The door was half-closed, so Shao Xuan saw the people in the room. One was the young girl who gave him water to send the leaf, and the other, who was sitting on the ground was Yang Sui.
At this moment, Yang Sui was holding an ox’s tail, staring deeply.
Before the young girl sent the water, Shao Xuan saw her once, following behind Yang Sui. Only then, her dress and face painted with patterns was difficult to recognize.
When Shao Xuan entered, the girl was whispering words but stopped when she heard the movement. The two people looked up at Shao Xuan.
Come in?
Yang Sui’s look was not very good. After washing the paint on his face, his eyes were green and black.
You don’t look so good. Did you fail to fight for the Shaman position?
Shao Xuan asked.
No, I’m the Shaman now, but I’m going to fail,
Yang Sui sighed.
Note: No pink flag for Shao Xuan too! I don’t think Lazy Cliche likes romance for her MCs.
Anyway, I found the MTLs funny with the translation of money or those shell payments as PayPal. （＾_＾；）
