northernbook Chapter 310 For the Tribe (11)
Chapter 310 For the Tribe (11)
By the time they returned to their cave, it was completely dark.
Jingli regretted not saving her time in the portable space before bed, otherwise she could have easily taken a hot bath before sleep.
Although it's something that can be done with a cleaning technique, Keiri still feels that taking a shower is more real.
In the afternoon, the orcs brought water. Jingli used a cleansing spell on herself and the kitten, then made a hand gesture to heat the water. She took out a towel, wiped her body briefly, and then lay down on the bed with the kitten in her arms.
Regardless of anything else, the world itself is quite comfortable.
There's no need to worry about the time; work at sunrise and rest at sunset.
Falling asleep to a clear starry sky and the chirping of insects in the mountains and forests gives one the illusion of returning to a long, long time ago.
The kitten in her arms was breathing very softly, and Jingli closed her eyes.
A dreamless night.
The next day, the forest awoke earlier than the sun rose.
Animal calls could be heard from afar, while the soft chirping of birds rang out closer.
Jingli rubbed his eyes and woke up to find Yuan Xiaomao already standing at the head of the bed looking at him, meowing obediently.
Perhaps because of the fresh air, Jingli felt full of energy after taking a nap.
After drinking some water herself and feeding Yuan the kitten, Jingli tidied up, picked up the kitten, and let 6058 rest on her shoulder. The three of them set off again for Zhi's cave.
Today is the day the Tree of Life blesses its young.
A number of orcs had already gathered in the open space in front of the cave, some of whom I had seen yesterday, and others I was not very familiar with.
All the orcs wore flower wreaths and chattered amongst themselves. When they saw Jingli approaching, they all rushed forward to greet him.
It's clear that everyone takes the blessing ceremony for the cubs very seriously.
Knowing that he was among the orcs, he nodded to Jingli from afar, signaling him to come to his side.
Once Jingli had taken her position, the hunting team took the lead, with Zhi and Jingli holding Yuan Xiaomao standing in the middle, followed closely by the other beastmen, and another hunting team bringing up the rear.
The beastmen of varying heights walked together into the mountains.
The Tree of Life of the Cangbei tribe is located at the foot of the mountain at the edge of the tribe, much farther than "Tinghuping". It took the group more than an hour to reach it.
This was the first time Jingli had seen the Tree of Life, and he recognized it at a glance without anyone pointing it out.
Because this tree is so magnificent.
The plants in this world are already quite tall, but the Tree of Life is even taller.
Its trunk was so wide that one might mistake it for a wall, and its dense foliage formed natural tree trunk caves, providing enough space for all the tribespeople who had come to stand without feeling crowded.
Its leaves are green with reddish tinges, and when the sunlight shines through, the clear green and vibrant pink complement each other perfectly.
Beneath the tree, white butterflies, similar to 6058, fluttered or rested, their movements mingling with the beams of light below—a vibrant life force that was both dynamic and serene.
Zhi stared at 6058 on Jingli's shoulder for a long time without saying anything. He reached out and tried to take Yuan Maomao away.
But Yuanmaomao was clearly unwilling, and hid away like a pupa.
Knowing there was nothing else he could do, he had no choice but to ask Jingli for help: "It would be best if I led the prayer ceremony."
Jingli had no choice but to rub the kitten's tail, regardless of whether the kitten could understand or not, she would try to persuade it first.
The kitten was reluctant in the end, but allowed Zhi to take him away.
Zhi, holding the kitten, walked to the sunlit spot under the Tree of Life.
At the same time, several sub-adult members of the Flying Tiger Clan, including Qingfeng, gathered there, followed by several strong adults.
They placed Zhihe and Yuanxiaomao in the very center, while the other orcs from different tribes retreated to the side. The other members of the Flying Tiger tribe stepped forward, forming the outermost large circle.
Several of them were carrying specially made pieces of wood.
Before Jingli could even wonder what they were doing, the beastmen struck each other with their wooden sticks, producing a crisp sound.
This signaled the start of a movement among all the Flying Tiger tribes.
They took the same steps, each one forceful, kicking up fine dust from the ground.
The orderly footsteps gave a solemn and dignified feeling. After stepping to the rhythm for a while, the beastmen began to clap their hands.
The applause and the sound of clapping wood rose and fell in a rhythmic pattern.
"Woo——"
The voice of Zhi came from the very center, and it was emphasized and drawn out.
The sub-adults also started making meaningless "woofing" sounds, followed by the adult beastmen.
The sounds blended together, naturally forming chords even though there was no specific melody.
At this moment, Zhi began to chant.
Jingli couldn't understand a word of what he was reciting, but that didn't stop him from feeling the immense power within it.
This power is different from a simple formation.
Jingli secretly arranged the objects and found that the orcs' actions were somewhat similar to the principle of forming arrays in the void.
It does not rely on inanimate entities, but rather uses life force as its guide.
The Tree of Life, where vitality is most abundant, is like the eye of the formation. The surrounding mountains, rivers, and trees can all become part of the formation, and the orcs' prayer rituals are an attempt to borrow this power.
This is the most primitive way to communicate with heaven and earth.
Only the most primitive world could do that.
As the chanting resounded, the sub-adult and adult orcs echoed it, creating ripples that shook everyone's hearts.
The surrounding beastmen remained silent, all with their eyes closed in devout prayer, holding colorful petals high in their hands, facing the Tree of Life.
A gentle breeze swirled around them, and the butterflies, including 6058, rose with the wind.
They soared high, passing through the hands of each orc holding a petal, seemingly taking something away, or perhaps giving something away.
They flew higher and higher, almost reaching the top of the Tree of Life, merging with the falling sunlight, as if they were the sunlight itself.
They descended slowly, all landing on Yuan in Zhihuai's arms.
Layer upon layer of fairy butterflies covered him, until he became a cocoon wrapped in fairy butterflies.
The rhythm of the prayers and chanting stopped, leaving only the awe-inspiring atmosphere.
A mysterious stillness descended upon the area beneath the tree; no one moved, and no one would dare to break the silence at this moment.
This quiet begins to tickle people's hearts.
"Boom-"
An orc struck the wooden instrument first, and a soft "woo" sound was heard again.
The screen started moving again.
The adult orcs dispersed first, followed by the sub-adult orcs, like flowers blooming.
At the same time, the fairy butterflies scattered and flew away. Zhi, who was holding the Earthly Kitten, had disappeared. In his place was a white-clothed boy with two round ears on his head.
The orcs cheered; the mystery was broken, and the air seemed to become noticeably more lively.
Everyone threw the flower petals in their hands and danced to the rhythm.
Their movements are unpredictable, yet they possess a unique and untamed beauty.
People started making "whooshing" noises, stomping their feet and clapping their hands in response to the sound of the wooden instruments being struck.
This is a natural dance party.
Yuan, who was being led by Zhi, immediately saw Jingli standing outside. He jumped up and down twice and waved to Jingli.
Jingli laughed, and was about to step inside when suddenly—
"Bang" sound.
The fireball exploded.