Chapter 109 – Qualifications to attend the ritual (2/2)

“Almost done…” Shao Xuan whispered to himself as he stared at the animal skin roll in front of him.

Before the winter came to an end, people in the tribe were busy selecting qualified kids that had reached a certain age, to prepare for the coming ceremony. The Shaman was quite busy these days, and he did not have time to check on Shao Xuan’s work lately.

This day, when the Shaman finally had some spare time to sit there with closed eyes, resting, he suddenly thought of something, and looked at the animal skin roll on his desk. It was dropped in here by Shao Xuan when he finished this morning’s practice. He was in the middle of something else, hence he just left it there without opening it.

Taking the animal skin roll in his hands, the Shaman noticed something different. It was not the same animal skin roll that Shao Xuan used for practice normally. Perhaps, these past few days, that lad had finished a whole roll of painting?

Filled with curiosity in his heart, the Shaman unfolded the animal skin roll. As he untied the leather rope on the cover, the Shaman recalled that every time in the past when he was checking on Shao Xuan’s work, he would silently sigh in his heart, for such a talented young man wouldn’t want to be the next shaman. Indeed, once one got out with the other warriors, he or she might never be satisfied with settling down. It was better for him to cultivate someone from youth.

He unfolded the animal skin roll.

Originally, the Shaman assumed that Shao Xuan would paint something simple, for example, plants such as the jumping fruits, or other few kinds of medical plants. However, he did not expect that…

His hands were trembling hard.

The first painting on the Shaman Volume was a little long. If others saw it, they would never have guessed what it’s content was. However, the Shaman was the shaman. He saw giant vines twining around ancient trees, and thick fogs slowly rise from the ground, there were lakes and pools hiding behind the woods. One could faintly feel the vitality and risk, which caused trembling hairs and tense nerves… That was a painting filled with the breath of the forest!

The Shaman raised his hand on his chest. He was only seeing the first painting, but his heart was beating fast.

Many shamans were raised as a shaman since childhood. Once they were chosen, they would never be allowed to step out of the tribe. So, since very young, the Shaman had never left the tribe’s territory.

Although he was aware of many things, for example the names of the ferocious beasts that hunting teams might encounter, and where it was that the advance group was heading to each time. He only knew them in his mind, instead of seeing the real scene with his own eyes. Even when they saw those beasts, they would already be dead and butchered when they were presented to the Shaman.

Perhaps, in his youth, the Shaman might have wondered what it was like in the wild, and perhaps he had dreamt about going out of the tribe one day. But as time went by, he had become the shaman, and he had always been the shaman for so many years. All his thoughts toned down, and he turned into a responsible and well-respected Shaman with a lot of responsibilities on his shoulder. He needed to be at the helm and decide the development direction of the tribe.

The Shaman was having a hard time trying to keep his emotions under control, even though he had already been through a lot, and almost nothing could cause him to have such fluctuations in emotions.

One painting after another, there were things happening along the hunting route, as well as things that Shao Xuan encountered when he was in the advance group, including that flight team of giant dragonflies.

The Shaman went back to the beginning to read it again after he had finished the first round.

Someone outside made some boiled water, and he brought in a glass of brewed herbs for the Shaman to drink when he was thirsty.

The person was walking in silence as he came in. Also, he tried not to make any noise to disturb the Shaman when he was placing down the stone cup. When walking out of the door, he glimpsed at the Shaman, thinking that perhaps the Shaman was reading some ancient animal skin roll left by the ancestors. Every time when he read something left by the ancestors, he would become extremely excited or sad.

On the other hand, Shao Xuan had already finished the tasks assigned by the Shaman, so he went to help in the medicine house. When he went down the mountain after a day’s work, he found that Old Ke was already circling around his door, seeming pretty anxious about something. When he finished with one circle, he would stamp his cane on the ground.

“What happened?” Asked Shao Xuan.

“Hey, you’re back!” Old Ke stepped forward towards Shao Xuan, with his mouth trembling, but in the end, he did not manage to say anything.

“Calm down, please. Just tell me what happened.”

“I can’t calm down!” Old Ke said with heavy breaths. After a while, he finally got better, and said in a low voice, “Someone sent you a message from the Shaman.”

“Okay. What did he say?”

“The Shaman said that you should prepare to attend the ritual ceremony at the end of this winter.”

“Isn’t everybody supposed to attend the ritual ceremony?” Shao Xuan was confused. What’s all the excitement about?

“You are in the core name list! You will be one of those who stands at the edge of the fire pit! Right at the center!” Old Ke stamped with his cane hard on the ground.

Old Ke had never felt more proud than he was feeling now. He felt as if his kid had distinguished himself as outstanding. Although Shao Xuan had his accomplishments in the past, which earned the Shaman’s approval, and he had the chance to learn from the Shaman. However, the ritual ceremony was literally the most sacred thing for people in the tribe. Anyone would spontaneously salute to the mountaintop if he or she would get to participate in any event of the ritual ceremony. Let alone, to be one of those who stands in the inner circle!

However, Shao Xuan was not a local of the tribe after all. Although he tried his best to blend in, he could not alter his own thoughts. He was not as excited as Old Ke.

Old Ke, on the other hand, was pretty pro-active about it. “What should you wear then? Where did you put your outfit made by the skin of the Thorn Black Wind? Where did you put it, Ah-Xuan? Take it out and I’ll help you clean it!”

The outfit made by the skin of the Thorn Black Wind? “I wore it once during the Memorial of the Ancestors. Then I tossed it under bed.”

He was not unsatisfied with it because its weight, the weight was nothing to Shao Xuan, he just felt like he was a little monster while wearing that outfit, there was a row of thorns on the back.

Old Ke took out the outfit of the Thorn Black Wind’s skin for cleaning, and left Shao Xuan standing alone in his room.

One of those standing in the very inner circle around the fire pit? Who were those guys again?

He tried hard to search his memories. Suddenly, his eyelid twitched. What the fuck! They were those who danced the Ritual Dance!!

The Ritual Dance that contained moves of digging out carrots, shaking boobs, and waving rags like a lousy waitress does!

“…it’s so embarrassing…” (To be continued)