Chapter 222 - The failsafe (2/2)

The Shaman smiled, “Don’t worry.”

While speaking, the Shaman took out a wooden box in which there was a fire crystal. However, before opening the box, Shao Xuan did not perceive the existence of the fire crystal.

“This is?” Shao Xuan’s eyes flashed.

“This is a box made of ‘hollow wood’. I believe it can work as the jade box. Hollow wood can be found in the green land. Cut some and put it under the sun. We can bring it back to make boxes.” The Shaman said.

“This sounds good!” Gui He patted his thigh, “I will take more men there to cut more to make more boxes. In this way, we can bring the fire crystals back to the old land!”

“No, I do not intend to take along all the fire crystals.” The Shaman’s words stunned everyone that had been excited.

“Why?” Everybody was confused.

The Shaman had a thin smile and said, “If one day we return to the old land and something bad happens to us, we will come back here. We can retreat here. Leaving some fire crystals here can ensure our safety.”

Every tribe must pay attention to inheriting and carrying forward the tradition. The Shaman had to consider this and plan for the future.

“The fire crystals we dug out are enough for all the totem warriors in the ritual ceremony. Ao, you take the rest with you and put them back in the hole that you dug out, block the entry of the tunnel and cover it.”

Those who had followed Ao there must keep the secret about the tunnel. Shao Xuan once said that the fire crystals were very attractive. The Shaman believed that if some people from other tribes heard about the news, they would certainly go to the giant pit to look for the fire crystals.

But what’s in the giant pit?

That bat leader close to the level of a king beast!

“If someone is looking for the fire crystals there... then let them die!” The Shaman’s kind eyes became sharp, making people there feel cold and they unconsciously shivered.

A king beast, it’s uncommon.

So far, Shao Xuan only knew that there was a king stone worm in the mountains of the second region of the hunting team led by Mai. He had felt the threat it posed when it had been close to him.

It was not easy to deal with each king beast. Shao Xuan was an exception. It was believed that the king beast will be able to cope with the people who would come. Even if the bat leader had not really reached the king level, it was strong enough to defeat anyone.

The Shaman’s words made everyone here silent for a while, and finally they only sighed.

“We do need to think about it.”

“I agree.”

“Just follow the advice.”

“This should be kept as a secret.”

After they finally made a decision about the fire crystals in the stone house, the Shaman let them leave.

“Shao Xuan, you stay here,” The Shaman said.

After the others left, the Shaman told Shao Xuan, “In the beginning of next year, for the ritual dance, you remember to practise it.

Shao Xuan’s face twitched, and he replied, “Ok”.

Although the dance looked weird, he got used to it. He had to hunt good prey to use its skin to make a new coat. If in the ritual he wore his old coat, he would be laughed at and it would be considered that he made no progress.

The Shaman let Shao Xuan do the ritual dance because Shao Xuan had made contributions to the tribe.

Over the past one year when Shao Xuan had left, fewer people awakened the totem power in the ritual compared to the previous year. In addition, the Shaman had tried to engrave two beasts, but he had failed.

The warrior that kept the animals thought they themselves were to blame. The beasts had not been raised well, so he had failed. However, the Shaman knew that it was his fault.

When he tried to do that, he was not in the good state as before when he had engraved the first group of beasts. He felt exhausted when he had just finished half of the task. So the totem didn’t form properly when he had finished the second half.

The Shaman felt that Shao Xuan also needed to take the responsibility. When Shao Xuan was present, it would be better.

The Shaman didn’t tell this to Shao Xuan undoubtedly, but every time he thought of this, he had to go to the fire pit. He kowtowed to the ancestors and talked about what made him feel depressed.

Shao Xuan did not know his depression. He went to find Ao. He wanted to go with him to the green land a few times before returning to the old land. He had to help look for more herbs to bring them back to the old land. In the future, he was sure that they would need the herbs when they just arrived there, for a while they would not be familiar with the layout of the land. It would be difficult for them to find good herbs.

And the other reason was that he wanted to let old Ke become stronger before the ritual ceremony, for he was old. If he was stronger, he would absorb more energy of the fire crystal and it would be beneficial for him.

In the other tribes, the injured and disabled like old Ke didn’t have a good life. Shao Xuan only hoped old Ke’s life could be improved.

Before the arrival of the winter, the entrance of the tunnel to the fire crystals had been blocked and covered. It would not be easy to find, and then after two or three years, it would be even more difficult to find.