62: Chapter 58: The Sacrifice Begins 62: Chapter 58: The Sacrifice Begins Early the next morning, everyone in the Vine Tribe stayed within the tribe, nervously preparing for the sacrificial ceremony.
Even the weeds, shrubs, and bamboo around the altar were cleared thoroughly.
In the bamboo house, Chi Shao followed the Old Witch for the last practice of sacrificial language and rituals.
“When chanting the spell, you must be sincere, arms straight out …”
The Old Witch demonstrated to Chi Shao, chanting a dry and complex spell, with a unique cadence that involuntarily stirred excitement in listeners.
After teaching it a few times, the Old Witch contentedly said, “You have great talent and learn quickly.
These summoning spells and blessing spells are hard for the untalented to master.”
“Alright, prepare yourself to attend the ritual.
Remember, when you’re on the altar, don’t be nervous; keep your heart devoted.”
Chi Shao nodded solemnly, fully aware of the significance of this ritual and hoping not to make any mistakes.
This was not only the first sacrificial ceremony for the Vine Tribe, but also the day Gan Song and others officially became tribe members, with over a hundred new wanderers observing.
As the chief priest, Chi Shao’s every move would affect the ceremony’s outcome, thus bearing a great deal of pressure.
But Chi Shao did not flinch or fear, instead resolutely took on this weighty responsibility, driven by her resilient character.
Chi Shao left the bamboo house, the Old Witch remained inside, solemnly painting the totem pattern of the Eagle Tribe on his aged face.
He painted meticulously, something he had done countless times but took seriously each time.
This time invited by Jiang Xuan to witness the ceremony, painting the totem was the most basic respect he could offer the Vine Tribe.
After painting the totem pattern, the Old Witch tidied his beast hide clothing, hung his bone ornaments, donned a feather crown, and headed toward the Vine Tribe’s altar.
Not far away, wanderers who spent the night outside the Vine Tribe gathered apprehensively, watching the busy figures of the Vine Tribe.
After a morning of observation, they discovered that the Vine Tribe was smaller than they imagined, with only a dozen members, barely regarded a small tribe.
“Are we really going to stay here?”
“There are so few people in this tribe.
Do they really have enough food for winter?”
“But that big bird is terrifying.”
Wanderers muttered amongst themselves, worried about their future.
Jing Jie, holding a weapon similar to a wolf fang club, sat on a stone, with a grave expression and some melancholy in his eyes.
This “wolf fang club” was actually made from a tree covered in sharp spikes.
This tree is very hard and somewhat flexible, and tribe members usually grind off the spikes to make weapons like spears.
But Jing Jie, in a flash of inspiration, kept spikes on one end to create the wolf fang club shape, finding it very handy and destructive.
Jing Jie kept pondering the two choices given by Jiang Xuan, neither of which seemed like good options.
The first option was for Jing Jie to join the Vine Tribe with twenty-nine people, risking others freezing or starving to death this winter.
The second option was for everyone to stay in the Vine Tribe, using the rations for thirty people and winter food acquisition methods Jiang Xuan mentioned to survive until the ice and snow melted.
If Jing Jie were heartless and selfish, he wouldn’t hesitate to choose the first option.
Regrettably, he was not; instead, he was quite responsible, hoping to lead all wanderers to survival.
Being not heartless caused distress, making decisions difficult.
“Sigh, let’s wait and see.”
Jing Jie looked at the mysterious Ancient Vine behind the Vine Tribe, hoping for a miracle to occur.
At noon, when the sun reached its zenith, the Vine Tribe’s sacrificial ceremony finally began.
On the altar, three large cauldrons were filled with various wild fruits and food, looking quite grand.
Offerings of Earth Armor Beasts, giant turtles, Big Horned Sheep, Seven-Colored Pheasants, Five-Colored Ducks, large bamboo rats, and such were all neatly arranged on the altar with their throats slit using Stone Knife, allowing the blood to flow and soak into the totem patterns.
The eight Totem Poles surrounding the altar were also smeared with beast blood, adding a hint of mystique.
Even the Old Witch was startled by the vast number of offerings, which exceeded the sacrificial scale of many small tribes.
The three large cauldrons filled with food amazed the Old Witch.
He had never seen such a sacrificial method in any other tribe, even the Eagle Tribe’s records.
The Old Witch marveled, “Just by looking at their sacrificial ceremony, who could say this is a small tribe?”
The Vine Tribe members had bathed, donned their best beast hide clothing, wore their best beast teeth and horn ornaments, and stood before the altar with solemn expressions and excited hearts.
Invited as an observer, the Old Witch stood closer up front on the left, while over a hundred wanderers stood in the back, anxiously awaiting the Vine Tribe’s ceremony.
Jiang Xuan glanced at the sun’s position and shouted loudly, “The autumn ceremony begins now!”
Everyone’s moods tightened, even the wanderers stopped whispering, staring intently at the altar.
Chi Shao took a deep breath, removed her beast hide boots, and barefooted, ascended the over three-meter high altar step by step.
Facing the Stone Mountain’s Ancient Vine, she slowly opened her arms and began chanting the summoning spell as taught by the Old Witch.
The mysterious summoning spell’s meanings were dry and difficult to understand, yet rhythmic like an ancient ballad, with highs and lows stirring emotions involuntarily.
As Chi Shao chanted, a scene unfolded that amazed all the wanderers and the Old Witch.
Emerging on the towering Stone Mountain, the Divine Vine coiled like a giant dragon glowed bright green.
Even in late autumn, the Divine Vine’s branches and leaves were vividly green like jade, showcasing vigorous life.
Perched on the Ancient Vine, gigantic dragonflies dormant from the cold weather seemed injected with life’s strength, flying lightly around Stone Mountain.
Countless roots emerged from the ground, entwining up the altar, enveloping the three large cauldrons and all the offerings, as the altar blood was swiftly absorbed by the roots.
Even the eight Totem Poles were fully wrapped by the Divine Vine roots, not a drop of smeared beast blood wasted.
After finishing the summoning spell, Chi Shao bowed down, awaiting the Divine Vine to enjoy the offerings, with roots entwining around her yet not touching her at all, a wondrous sight.
Among the wanderers, one was about to shout in astonishment, immediately silenced by someone nearby, fearing he would offend the Vine Tribe’s Guardian God, bringing misfortune upon them.
Even Jing Jie was deeply shaken because, in their original tribe, the Totem God had long become a legend, aside from some supposed Divine Bones; no one had seen a living Totem God.
Yet now, he witnessed firsthand a living Totem God in the Vine Tribe, a profoundly indescribable shock.
In almost an instant, he decided to stay in the Vine Tribe with everyone, the two troubling choices that plagued him vanished in thin air.
What does it matter if the tribe is small?
Or if there are few people?
Having a living Totem God is more crucial than anything!