Chapter 246 - Lighting up the fire pi (1/2)

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Edited by Ilesyt

When Shao Xuan arrived at the old haunt with Ao and the others, they saw that the broken stones and waste had been taken away. The weeds had been removed and even some dangerous plants in the surrounding forest had been cut.

The beasts had run away, some which had failed to escape were cooked.

The fire pit had been rebuilt and its size was nearly double that of the original one on the side of the river.

As long as the fire source was still under the ground, the fire pit could be rebuilt.

The fire source, a part of the fire seed, had been left when the ancestors had to leave hurriedly. Perhaps the ancestors had to leave quickly because of some sudden natural disaster, but unexpectedly this tribe had been gone from here for nearly a thousand year. Over the past millenium, the fire seed hadn’t been brought back here.

If you want to migrate and take along the fire seed completely, it takes a very long time, just like on the other side of the river, the Shaman had spent a long time praying and worshiping and putting in a lot of effore before he could completely remove the fire seed from the fire pit.

Fortunately, the fire source hadn’t been damaged much when they returned.

Although the fire pit was rebuilt now, the fire seed hadn’t been put in yet.

The Shaman had to hold the ceremony first and put the fire seed in the fire pit to connect it with the the fire source.

The people near the fire pit were cutting down some trees to build houses. The strong totem warriors were carrying stones.

The Shaman stayed in the carriage.

When Shao Xuan came back, Gui Ze jumped down from the carriage, holding some processed herbs.

“What’s up?” Shao Xuan glanced at the carriage and asked Gui Ze.

“The Shaman is in a bad mood.” Gui Ze sighed.

They finally returned and then they saw the old haunt had been devastated. That was why he was upset. And as the shaman, he was used to writing down what he saw and how he felt on the Shaman Volumes, which could be passed down.

Shao Xuan knocked at the door frame of the carriage.

“Come in.” His voice didn’t betray his mood.

That meant this old man was unhappy.

As he expected, when he came in, he saw the Shaman writing on an animal skin roll.

“What happened?” The Shaman didn’t raise his head and asked.

Shao Xuan told him briefly.

“What Ao did is right. We still need some some time.” The Shaman said, and then asked, “Can you make a similar stone pillar?”

“Yes, but it will take some time. It is not easy to find some stones and I have to spend some time chiseling it. Should I go find some now?”

The Shaman shook his head, and said, “No, wait. You should do that after the fire seed has been put into the fire pit. First, the tribe has to go and meet up with those wanderers who will return here.”

When the fire seed is lit in the old haunt again, the wanderers will also return. This was what Old He had told Shao Xuan.

“When will the ritual ceremony be held?” Shao Xuan asked.

“Tomorrow evening.”

It was time, and everyone prepared for the ceremony like they did before. They washed away the stains on their bodies and clothes with water and took out their ritual costumes.

But this time they skipped some steps and didn’t do much as they did when preparing for the ceremony in the beginning of the year. They only prepared for the lighting of the fire seed in the fire pit.

The next evening.

After cleaning, the people of the Flaming Horns tribe gathered around the fire pit in their ritual clothes, including the wanderers who joined the team later. The wanderers of the other tribes only stayed near, but didn’t join them.

In a ceremony, the more important figures stood closer to the fire pit. In the old land, they also obeyed this rule.

Shao Xuan was one of those staying closest to the fire pit, the only intermediate totem warrior.

The carriage where the fire seed was placed was beside them and they all became quiet and solemn.

The wanderers a little far away from them stared at that, but didn’t dare to say anything.

This place was different from the mountain where they had stayed. Now they were not at the top of the mountain. Looking around, they noticed there were many mountains in the distance and they were in a lower and unnoticeable place surrounded by trees.

Everyone was silent. The Shaman stepped on the carriage carefully. After a moment, he came down from the carriage with a flame in his hand. The size of the flame doubled and it was leaping in his hand.

As the Shaman was getting closer and closer to the fire pit, another flame rose in the fire pit. Then six fire lines extended in different directions with the flame at the core. Each fire line went through the crowd in the surrounding area and spread.

The closer the Shaman got, the brighter the flame in the fire pit became, and the six fire lines became thicker.

When the Shaman walked into the fire pit and put the fire seed in centre, a flame rose to the sky, like a high tower pointing to the sky. It was very noticeable in such a dark evening.