Chapter 148: Treasure collection
Chapter 147 – Agitation
Translated by Idontreallycare
The Shaman seemed to already know that Shao Xuan was ascending the mountain, so he was simply waiting for him to arrive.
When the people guarding the Shaman’s house saw Shao Xuan arrive, their faces were filled with smiles.
“The Shaman is waiting for you inside.” One man said.
“Thanks.” Shao Xuan responded while walking inside.
Seeing the Shaman seated, Shao Xuan felt that the Shaman was extremely exhausted. Not in a physical sense, but rather in his spirit. Though only a year had passed, the Shaman looked countless years older.
Walking towards the low stone table and sitting down, he asked: “How have you been?”
Smiling and nodding, the wrinkles on the Shaman’s face grew even more pronounced.
The Shaman felt very pleased as he observed Shao Xuan, “Your journey, how was it?”
“Pretty good, I have experienced so much that I’m unable to tell you everything. Later on I’ll draw it for you. You’ll need to provide the roll and the ink as I don’t have any in my possession.”
Although Shao Xuan said he would draw it, since there were so many experiences, he couldn’t possibly draw them all. And so, he would pick a few to show.
Choosing the eagle guide, the elevated mountain range, the ice field, the mysterious Eagle Mountain, and the strange white insects, Shao Xuan would meticulously draw these events.
The Shaman recalled the ancestor’s accounts as he was listening. His face became serious as he deeply pondered over Shao Xuan’s report. He was extremely quiet while Shao Xuan spoke, afraid that if he interrupted he would miss vital information.
Even after Shao Xuan had finished, the Shaman was still deeply thinking, only moving after some time had passed.
“Eagle Mountain, the legends are true.” The Shaman exclaimed.
That year, when he had seen that Shao Xuan had obtained that small bird, he instantly knew that the bird would grow to reach extreme heights.
Shao Xuan had asked him before if he had thought about leaving the tribe in search for people outside.
In actuality, the Shaman had already thought about it. This was what every Shaman would dream about, but what none could succeed at. Yet after seeing the eagle for the first time, the Shaman had an idea. If there was a day where this eagle fully matured, he could fly across and reach the lands that even the warriors of the tribe could not.
Within the ancestor’s records, the mountain peaks housed the giant eagles who feared nothing. When looking from such great heights, their thoughts wouldn’t be to retreat, but rather to conquer.
In every hunting group, there are those that are incapable of surmounting the peak that was obstructing the road ahead. And so, when they are hunting, they would always avoid it. Even back when the ancestors attempted to explore the path, they too avoided it. Unless they could find a passageway through the mountain, they would need to make a long detour.
The other tribe members didn’t know that when the ancestors were first trying to open new routes, that they were met with so many obstacles that they were forced to give up, leaving it to the next generation.
The things stopping the warriors were not the ferocious beasts, but rather the tall mountain range and the expansive river. Both were dangerous places.
But if there was a method to directly fly over the range or river, like a giant eagle could, all their obstructions would be gone.
If the eagle was fortunate enough to mature, then even if the dream isn’t reached within the Shaman’s lifetime, he would still write it down on the animal hide, transferring it to the next Shaman, and then the next, so that even if several hundred years pass, one day, they’ll succeed.
Ever since he had first met Chacha, the amount of care that the Shaman had given him was far greater than that given to Caesar.
He never imagined that Shao Xuan could bring Chacha and discover Eagle Mountain, letting Chacha complete his first stage of growth!
It had renewed the Shaman’s hope.
He had already been fully vested in a new route for several years. Now that Shao Xuan had raised the subject of people outside the tribe and shown him proof they existed, then the new route and other matters paled in importance. Especially the conflict between Ta and Gui He.
Only, he couldn’t tell anyone else yet. After all, in the eyes of the other tribesmen, these things were all illusory. Being the spiritual leader of the tribe, if he wasn’t certain of something, then he couldn’t act.
“Good! Very good! Ah Xuan, the next time you come here, bring Chacha with you.”
“En, I’ll bring him along next time. It’s just he’s gotten very big, Chacha wont be able to fit inside this house.” Shao Xuan responded.
Hearing that Chacha had became unable to fit inside his house, the Shaman’s smile became so wide that his eyes became slits; he was unable to wait to examine him.
Looking at how cheerful the Shaman was, Shao Xuan scratched at the goosebumps on his arms. He wanted to say something to the Shaman, but right now, the Shaman was being extremely emotional. This matter, should Shao Xuan say it now, or maybe later? At the Shaman’s old age, could he handle more shock?
“Hm, could there be something else?” Asked the Shaman as his smiled receded.
“This…well…how far away do you think the other tribes are?” Shao Xuan asked.
The Shaman’s smile returned. Full of excitement he replied, “As long as Chacha matures, we can find this out. Trust me, there will be a day when this happens.”
And then, the Shaman became downcast as he sighed: “Only… I don’t know if I’ll be able to see this happen in my lifetime.”
Shao Xuan kept quiet, he just reached into his bag and took out the stone that the giant eagle gifted him, setting it on top of the stone table.
Before returning, Shao Xuan had carefully cleaned the stone up, removing all of the weird odors from it.
When the Shaman saw the object Shao Xuan had placed on the table, he halted.
As if frozen, he maintained this stillness, not even changing his expression. Only the Shaman’s eyes were staring intently at the flat, fist sized stone.
“This… this…” The Shaman wanted to say something, yet he couldn’t make a sound, as if he had something stuck in his throat.
“Ah, is something wrong? Calm down, just calm down a bit! Take deep breaths, inhale!” Shao Xuan was frightened as he rushed up and started patting the Shaman on the back. “Deep breaths, like this. Huuuuu”
The Shaman pushed Shao Xuan aside with his hand, his whole body shaking. Lifting his trembling hand, he extended it towards the piece of stone. He was shaking so strongly that if he was holding a soup ladle, then all the soup would’ve spilled.
When the Shaman had returned back to normal, Shao Xuan sat back down.
“I haven’t finished talking, this piece of stone was gifted to me by a very large eagle, he almost spat on me…” Shao Xuan explained how he discovered the totem on the eagle’s leg, and how he fed the eagle.
As if handling something extremely precious, the Shaman carefully touched the stone, silently listening to Shao Xuan.
Only after Shao Xuan finished did the Shaman pick up the stone, carefully examining the many patterns on it.
On the stone appeared to be a rolling cloud. Recalling his memories, he told Shao Xuan the reason why he was so excited to the point of shaking, “On one of the ancestor’s scrolls, I remembered this picture. Wait a second, let me go find it.”
The Shaman disappeared so quickly that Shao Xuan felt a gust of wind blow in front of him. Very soon he came back, picked the stone up from the table, and disappeared once more.
While looking at his surroundings, waiting patiently, Shao Xuan stood up to fetch some water from the side and slowly drank some.
After a while, as people entered the Shaman’s house to switch teapots, they saw Shao Xuan calmly sitting there. Shao Xuan was the only person who could calmly sit inside the Shaman’s house, sipping tea. Even if the two team leaders were seated, they wouldn’t be this unreserved.
After approximately half an hour, the Shaman came back as if he was a gust of wind, calling, “Come with me, we’re going to find Xing!”
Shao Xuan knew who this “Xing” was, having met him a few times before. Xing was even older than the Shaman, and he had watched over countless team leaders and shamans. Inside the tribe, his words carried weight, and whenever there was a pressing matter, he would always be called upon.
Only, this old man wasn’t very easy to get along with. Shao Xuan remembered that the man’s gaze was sharp like a knife, seemingly being able to cut you.
The Shaman brought Shao Xuan out of the house, ascending to another part of the mountain.
As they walked, there were many people who were talking with one another, but the Shaman just kept moving. They were walking so quickly that they were unable to greet anyone.
“Is that…the Shaman?” A warrior asked.
“Seems like it.”
“What happened? Why is the Shaman in such a rush?”
“Did you guys not see who was following him?”
“They seem to be heading towards Lei’s house. They must be going to see Lei’s grandfather, Xing!”
Once this was said, many people displayed an, “I understand now” expression. It seems that the Shaman wanted to help Shao Xuan fight for his spot on the quota.
Although Gui He is the team leader of a hunting group, most times he would listen to Xing’s advice. Even if the Shaman gave Shao Xuan the spot, Xing might not accept it. If the Shaman wanted to add a spot, that would be even harder. During the time at the fire pit, they had announced only 30 people would be selected, so they can’t add or subtract a member.
At this moment, Xing was sitting in his room, eyes half closed, pondering something.
Xing’s father had once advised him to “Look to the distant, and don’t just focus on your surroundings.” And so, Xing thought that for his descendants to be limited to the original route was too monotonous.
If you’re going to do something, better do it big! Apart from the ancestor who had first set the paths hundreds of years ago, the exploration of the new route would be the greatest honor for the tribe!
This kind of glory should naturally be obtained by his family, as for other people, he didn’t care for them.
Thinking about what Lei had just told him, Xing snorted heavily. For the Shaman to help a kid from the mountain foot, isn’t that mistreating those above?
While thinking so, the Shaman had already brought Shao Xuan inside.
Because it was the Shaman, no one dared to block his way.
Although Xing was older, there was still a difference in their position. As the Shaman, everyone was required to give him respect.
Xing got up and greeted the Shaman. Regarding Shao Xuan, he pretended that he didn’t even exist.
“Ah Xuan, close the door.” Shao Xuan did as the Shaman directed.
Xing’s room wasn’t the same as others with either a wooden hide or a grass curtain for a door, he actually had a wooden plank.
Shao Xuan moved the wooden plank, covering the line of sight of the people outside.
Seeing the Shaman acting like this, Xing grew angry in his heart. As he was about to say something, the Shaman carefully pulled something out and placed it on the table.
All of Xing’s anger, all of his words had completely fled him upon seeing the stone. Due to his emotions being too complex and him becoming overly emotional, his facial expressions started to distort.
Shao Xuan felt the goosebumps on his arms growing even harder.
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