According to the records left by the ancestors, there should be two tall stone columns near the fire pit, rather than one. When Shao Xuan first came to the old haunt, he only saw one tall stone column. As for the other one, it may have been destroyed by man-made or natural disaster long before.
In addition, there were other short stone columns as well, whose significance was not as great as the former two, but they were more flexible to be carved.
Shao Xuan was in charge of the two largest stone columns closest to the fire pit. As for other columns, they would be carved by other people, and some symbolic patterns would be ok.
The two largest stone columns were respectively located on each side of the fire pit, toward the direction in which the sun rises and sets each.
The patterns on stone columns were some paintings similar to the totem, but these totems were slightly different from totem patterns of warriors, the texture gap of the totem was larger, and some patterns were carved in many large gaps.
On the stone column in the direction of the sun rising, choppers, bows, stone balls, hammers, axes, cymbals, chisels, etc., which were commonly used by soldiers, including articles for hunting and daily life were carved. In addition, there were also various ferocious beasts was carved. Although there were many patterns, every one of them wasn’t complicated. Only a few strokes on the animal skin-roll could show their features so that one could figure out what they were.
On the stone column in the direction of the sun setting, various plants, flowers, ornaments, etc. were carved. Some of the plants and flowers were cultivated species, and some were common herbal medicines.
The pattern on the stone column represented harvest, prosperity, and so on, which also seemed to be a prayer divided into two parts.
From his memory, Shao Xuan painted those on a skin-roll first, and then he chopped a block of wood as a shrunken model. The small wooden pile was easy to be carved. Shao Xuan set about engraving the first day, and the next day, he could take it to the Shaman and the leader.
After the huge stone column was carved and set up, the whole tribe was full of cheers. The people in the area of the wanderers could see the two high stone columns standing there only if they climb the tree and remove the leaves that block their sight.
All short columns in other parts of the tribe had also been completed. The tribe became more and more similar to the pre-millennial tribe recorded by the ancestors. Maybe the tribe would change more in the future, but now, they just wanted to copy the way the tribe looked like at that time.
Since the stone columns were done. Then the cremation of the ancestors would go on.
This time, all they saw the appearance of the seven ancestors, but no one was afraid. What they felt more was reverence, and then everyone kneeled down and prayed more sincerely and respectfully. To pray for the good harvest and peace with the ancestors’ blessing. To pray for strength and for that young children could awaken their Power of Totem successfully.
In the fire pit, the remains of seven ancestors were devoured by the soaring flame. After a while, nothing was left, even their cremains.
There was a strong wind blowing from the forest. Maybe because of the influence of these new stone columns, the wind blew with some sounds up and down, like someone was whispering and singing.
Some people considered it as the symbol of ancestors’ return, and others thought it was their ancestors’ answer to their prayers.
No matter what the truth was, everyone believed in what they thought and no one would refute that.
After the ceremony, all the people left. While Ao walked to the broken stones that were piled up on the side and stood there for a long time. Most of these pieces were the wreckage of stone columns and buildings, which were destroyed by the Wan Shi people. Whenever the Flaming Horn people saw that, they would burn with silent anger.
“The Wan Shi tribe, the fight against it is doomed!” said Ao.
The fight against the Wan Shi tribe would be launched sooner or later, Shao Xuan knew it clearly, because the Flaming Horn people wouldn’t eat crow with no resistance. If they didn’t do that, they would be ashamed to meet their ancestors. Perhaps, because their ancestors knew some people would come here to destroy it, they brought the precious “history” to the mountains and hid it in the place where other people dared not to go.
“Maybe this battle is being on,” Ao said, looking at Shao Xuan, “Ah-Xuan, although I don’t like outsiders to intervene our war, I’m still a little worried about the slaves’ master they referred. After all, we don’t know them, who never occurred in ancestors’ record.”
As a leader, he had to think more and couldn’t take actions rashly. If there was no slaves’ master, even if the central tribes opposed it, he would surely adhere to his decision. But now Ao couldn’t launch the war without any scruple. The Wan Shi tribe, which was predicted by the ancestors to perish, should turn more powerful. What role did the slaves’ masters play in it?
“After I join that traveling team, I will pump for more information about the slaves’ master,” said Shao Xuan. Even if he had seen a slave master, he didn’t know them well. The only thing he knew, “The slaves’ master has great ambitions.”
For this, Ao also knew it very well. They were the dread for the central tribes so that even the mutual hatred between different tribes could be forgotten temporarily. The slaves’ master was a bigger threat.
“Lei and Tuo will go with you this time.” Said Ao.
From the Flaming Horn, there were three people who had joined the traveling team. Lei was a famous person in the younger generation of the tribe. His ancestors had been the tribal leaders, after all, besides, Lei was also powerful enough and owned a ferocious beast. And Tuo was not bad too, as the one who had joined the advance team early, he had the abundant talent to be one of it.
The time to gather was drawing near, the three including Shao Xuan were about to leave for the destination. Before they set out, Huang Ye took out a map, on which the location of the gathering place was marked.
It was a simple map, only a few strokes and general tribal branch location marks were on it. As a result, the map was so blurred that if without the guide no one could find the destination easily. Fortunately, Shao Xuan had a more detailed map, although it wasn’t complete, the gathering place Huang Ye said was near the edge of the map drawn by Shao Xuan.
The edge of the map was not the border of the continent. Beyond the edge, Shao Xuan didn’t know more, and he couldn’t get the exact information from others too. This time’s journey was a good chance to perfect the map.
Tuo, Lei, and Shao Xuan, among the three, Shao Xuan was the youngest, but he held the highest position among the three, just because he was the Elder. Therefore, without Ao’s words though, Lei and Tuo also knew that once went outside, Shao Xuan’s opinion was the rule. Besides, they were okay for hunting, but when it for finding a place, they were no expert in that.
Because it was a particular case, Lei couldn’t find the gathering place with his ferocious beast, so he unloaded his ferocious beast “Meng” onto his father. And Shao Xuan took Caesar neither, the uncertainty outside the tribe was severe, so it was dangerous to take it with him.
“You can go hunting with Uncle Mai. Don’t be bellicose when you are hunting. Don’t run about. Listen to Old Ke when at home. If encountering with female wolf you like in the forest, you can bring it back to everyone, but you can’t let it bite others…” Shao Xuan said, brushing Caesar’s fur.
Caesar was depressed for Shao Xuan to go out not taking it. It whispered before Shao Xuan said a few words.
Three days later, Shao Xuan, along with Lei and Tuo, left the tribe for the gathering place of the traveling team that Huang Ye told them. They left before the sun rose, and apart from a few people, they didn’t disturb the rest of the tribe.