Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

After returning from the stone mountain, Jiang Xuan solemnly engraved the totem of the Vine Tribe on a huge rock in front of the bamboo house. He also found some colored stones, smashed them, and used water to mix them into paint to color the totem.

Although the totem pattern looked a little like a child’s graffiti because of his limited painting technique, Jiang Xuan did not care much.

The totem pattern was a symbol of the tribe. As long as the tribe developed to become sufficiently strong in the future, no matter how ugly its totem pattern was, no one would dare to belittle it.

For example, the clansmen of some large tribes only needed to draw the totem patterns of their tribe on their faces or personal items. When they walked out, other tribes did not dare to provoke them easily.

After drawing the totem pattern, Jiang Xuan began to prepare for the first sacrifice.

As a new tribe, the first sacrifice was very important. Even if there were only five of them, the ritual had to be done properly.

This was because Jiang Xuan knew very well that through a series of rituals such as building an altar, offering sacrifices, drawing totem patterns, and so on, a tribe could increase its sense of identity and cohesion.

Although there were only five people in the Vine Tribe, Jiang Xuan would still complete this ritual.

He led Chi Shao and the others to build a round altar made of yellow clay at the foot of the stone mountain. There was a staircase in front of the altar.

This altar was about two meters in diameter at the base and a meter high. The top was about five feet in diameter. It was very small and simple.

However, Jiang Xuan conscientiously engraved the totem pattern of the Vine Tribe around the yellow clay altar, including the top.

With the totem pattern, the altar felt more sacred.

Then they began hunting in the forest and fishing in the stream to prepare the sacrificial offerings at the altar.

Three days later, the weather became warmer. The weeds on the ground began to grow, and the vegetation in the forest began to sprout.

Even the ancient vine was looking full of vitality with many sprouts on its branches.

January 15, the first year of the establishment of the Vine Tribe.

The first ritual of sacrifice officially began.

The yellow clay altar was already dry. Jiang Xuan and the others carried the offerings and walked up the stairs of the altar to place them.

The offerings were a wild mountain goat, a pheasant, and a large fish weighing more than 20 pounds. They were all alive and tied with ropes.

The five of them had taken a shower in advance and put on their best animal skin clothes. They also drew the totem of the Vine Tribe on their faces. They looked quite decent.

The sacrificial ritual actually required a shaman to preside over it. It was said that only a shaman could communicate with the totem god, and recite those ancient prayers.

However, there were only five people in the Vine Tribe. There was no successor of the shaman at all, so Jiang Xuan had to rely on himself.

He recalled the sacrificial ritual of the Deer Tribe. Then he took a sharp stone knife and bled the wild goat, pheasant, and fish on the altar.

Blood flowed on the brand-new yellow clay altar, soaking part of the totem.

Jiang Xuan walked down the altar and put away the stone knife. He did not know how to pray at all, so he could only say a few words.

Jiang Xuan looked at the ancient vine and thought for a while before invoking the Vine God.

“Vine God, after enjoying the offerings, please bless the Vine Tribe and let our six animals1 and grain crops thrive. Please bless the safety of the clansmen wherever we go..”

Chi Shao and the three youths were stunned when they heard this. This was because they had never heard many of the words that Jiang Xuan said.

Coupled with the fact that they were offering sacrifices, they subconsciously thought that the Vine God had appeared, so they worshipped even more devoutly.

“Moo!”

At this moment, a bird’s piercing cry sounded in the sky above the bamboo forest, scaring other birds and beasts in the bamboo forest into hiding.

Jiang Xuan looked up and saw a huge ferocious bird covered in black feathers flying toward them. Its target seemed to be the sacrifices on the altar.

“Sh*t!”

Jiang Xuan shouted in shock and subconsciously wanted to run because this bird was so big. When it flew over, it was like a dark cloud, making them fearful.

This was not something they could resist at all.

“Buzz.”

At this moment, the stone mountain suddenly shook slightly.

The ancient vine that was wrapped around the stone mountain suddenly emitted a resplendent green light. A tender vine quickly grew to a hundred meters long. Then, like a whip, it lashed out at the ferocious bird at lightning speed.

“Pop!”

The ferocious bird was hit. It let out a miserable scream and blood splattered in the air. It flapped its wings in horror, trying to escape.

However, the ancient vine did not intend to let it go.

“Pop!”

The hundred-meter-long vine lashed out again, shattering the bones of the ferocious bird. It was powerless to fly anymore and fell to the ground.

“Bang!”

The huge bird of prey landed not far from the altar, breaking a cluster of bamboo trees. It struggled a few times before it stopped moving completely.

Jiang Xuan and the others were so shocked that they could not even speak properly.

“Vine.. Vine.. Vine God has really appeared.”

Chi Shao’s mouth fell open. No one had expected this Ancient Vine to be so terrifying. It had killed a ferocious bird with two strikes.

Jiang Xuan felt a lingering fear. A few days ago, they had climbed up the stone mountain along the ancient vine. If the ancient vine had wanted to kill them at that time, none of them would have survived.

Although he knew from his memories that there were many magical creatures in this world, he had never seen them with his own eyes.

As far as he could remember, when the Deer Tribe was wiped out, he didn’t see their totem god defend them. He wondered what had gone wrong.

Unexpectedly, an ancient vine was actually so powerful. It was unknown if it was really willing to be the totem god of the Vine Tribe or if it was because the ferocious bird wanted to snatch its sacrifices.

Jiang Xuan suddenly understood why not a single ferocious beast could be seen around the bamboo forest. Most likely, they had instinctively sensed that there was danger here and did not dare to approach, or they had been killed by the ancient vine.

“Sou sou sou..”

Countless roots suddenly emerged from the ground. One portion extended to the altar and wrapped around the offerings. The other portion wrapped around the huge ferocious bird and enveloped it.

Jiang Xuan looked at the terrifying roots from the corner of his eye and felt his back getting drenched in cold sweat.

They wondered if this ancient vine would attack them if it didn’t agree to the request to be their Totem God.

After all, this ancient vine was so terrifying. If it wanted to kill them, Jiang Xuan did not think they could escape.

After a long time, the roots retracted to the ground. Jiang Xuan looked at the altar and saw that the sacrificial offerings had been sucked dry until only their fur and fresh bones were left.

It was the same for the ferocious bird. Only its feathers and bones remained.

That’s terrible!

Jiang Xuan braced himself and continued to wait. He only hoped that this ancient vine would not make things difficult for them on account of the sacrifices.

At this moment, five tender branches quickly grew on the ancient vine and finally extended above the heads of Jiang Xuan and the others.

“Vine.. Vine God..”

Just as Jiang Xuan thought that he was dead for sure, a drop of emerald green liquid dripped from a tender leaf at the end of the vine and landed on his head, fusing into his body.

In an instant, Jiang Xuan felt a majestic power surge into his body. It carried a rich vitality that nourished his internal organs, flesh, blood, and bones.

He could clearly feel his strength, speed, vision, and hearing improving rapidly.

Chi Shao, Hook Vine, Stone Loach, and South Star had the same experience. They each received a drop of green liquid.

Looking pleasantly surprised, Jiang Xuan responded by kowtowing immediately. “Thank you, Vine God, for your gift!”

The others also bowed to the Ancient Vine. No one expected that such a simple sacrifice would benefit them.

It seemed like the Ancient Vine was really willing to be the totem god of the Vine Tribe.

The five tender branches retracted again, and the green light on the ancient vine gradually converged. The Ancient Vine fell silent again. Other than its huge size, it looked no different from other vines.

If not for the furs and bones of the sacrifices in front of him, Jiang Xuan would have thought that this was a dream.

After a long time, Jiang Xuan and the others returned to the bamboo house. He was still in a daze.

This world had given him a big gift for the first time.

With the protection of the Ancient Vine and his knowledge from his previous life, he believed that this small tribe would definitely be able to develop and grow in the future!