Chapter 158 – Battle
Translated by Joycelyn
Ping and Chen Jia stood nervously by the bank, waiting.
At this time, the number of Water Moonstones that their houses produce will affect how well off or poor they will be the next day. If they produced a lot of Water Moonstones, each big and shiny, their houses will be hitting it rich. If they brought these out during the trade period, they can exchange for many things; but if the stones that they produced are not many, and small as well, then there will be hardship.
Whether they will be rich or poor, will all depend on this canal that flowed through their houses. This idea felt quite novel for Shao Xuan.
Ping was already nervous and started praying, Chen Jia was also biting on his fingers. He always loved biting his fingers whenever he got nervous.
The turbid river was getting clearer, after not even 10 minutes had passed, the river was already half transparent. The light spreading out from under the river was even more eye catching than the moon in the sky.
The muddy river gradually became clearer, and at the bottom of the river, something shining could be seen. Those were the Water Moonstones.
White light, through the river, reflected into the eyes of the crowd at the river bank.
“Ha…hahahaha!” Someone laughed out. The canal surrounding their house was especially bright, this meant that there would be more Water Moonstones.
Some of them cheered, some of them worried; some flow section of the canal was dimmer than the rest, this meant that there would be less Water Moonstones.
“Hahahaha!” Chen Xia also started laughing out arrogantly. Their house’s area, compared to the two houses beside them, was brighter. So he laughed while facing the two houses’ children, to show off to them.
Ping kneeled at the river bank, looking at the white luster getting brighter beneath the river bank, excitement rose to the point she had no words to put in her mouth.
The surrounding house’s families looked upon Chen Jia and his mother, both with envy and jealousy, but what could they do, even if there were less or more, it had already been decided; Even if they were envious, they could not snatch them. They could only comfort themselves that maybe next year their own area could be like theirs.
Shao Xuan felt that there was a type of fire energy within them, the Drumming tribe’s flame?
This tribe that resided at the river zone, what kind of tribal flame would theirs be?
At the Flaming Horn’s tribe, the shaman was able to use the flame’s power to connect the few houses at the mountain top; that was why the mountain top’s stone houses were warm even in the winter season. These Water Moonstones seem like they also had some close connection with the Drumming tribe’s flame.
No wonder Fu Shi said that this was their Drumming tribe’s specialty. A tribal flame’s powers are special.
After Ping prayed to offer thanks, she turned and called out to the eager Chen Jia beside her: ‘Into the water!’
“Okay!” Chen Jia pulled off the animal hide on him, with totems appearing all over his body, and jumped into the clear bright river.
Many other houses’ children were like Chen Jia, eager to jump in to collect the Water Moonstones.
Shao Xuan realised something about these children when they were swimming. Both of their legs were not paddling alternately against the water, but swaying towards the right and left. With their bones that seemed like they had softened, and the scale like totem patterns all over their bodies, made it look just like a crocodile’s powerful tail gliding across the water.
The Drumming tribe has good affinity with water. Even if they are diving deep under water, they can stay for a long time. Because of that, collecting Water Moonstones from the river floor to them was beyond easy.
As the first Water Moonstone of this year, one has to choose a big one. The Drumming tribe members believe that if there’s a good start, there will be a good end. Who knows if the ones they dig out later will be equally big as their first one. Therefore, the first stone has to be chosen wisely.
Chen Jia swam around the river’s floor, finally choosing a huge and bright Water Moonstone. He did not swim up, but just turned and threw it towards the river bank directly.
The Water Moonstone that was thrown out was accurately caught by Ping.
Rubbing the water off the Water Moonstone preciously, Ping got excited just looking at it; Happy to the point where her mouth could not keep it together and kept tilting upwards.
After looking at it for a while, Ping did not place it into the basket, but passed it over to Shao Xuan, “Shao Xuan look, this stone is what my house produced this year, big right? Bright right? Definitely can be used to trade a lot of good stuff!”
Shao Xuan took it over, both of his hands felt the coolness of the water, the luster was brighter than the stone that Fu Shi showed him that night, this was the result of the new produce.
But Shao Xuan still could not absorb the energy within, he could only feel that this piece of stone, together with the Drumming tribe’s flame and totem, were all connected.
Not only the tribe’s flame and totem, but these stones and those that have already flowed downstream are related as well.
From what the Drumming tribe members have said, the crocodiles that left, when they come back, they will spit out some stones into the water moon canal. These stones will then eventually become Water Moonstones.
Every year, after picking out the Water Moonstones, there will be new stones going into the river, and the next year they will continue to collect them. But if therre are no crocodiles, there won’t be any Water Moonstones here.
How many stones will the crocodiles spit out into the canal in their own family’s area, these stones, exactly how many will become Water Moonstones; these Drumming tribe members did not know. Even if they were to change their way, the result will not be what they expected. In the end, they can only pray to the the totem spirits, hoping for more fortune.
This is also the reason why the Drumming tribe members call these crocodiles as treasured fish.
In Shao Xuan previous life, he had a classmate that raised a crocodile before. He once told Shao Xuan that their house’s crocodile also ate stones, and those stones became gastroliths (stomach stone). They will help the crocodiles grind the food that are hard to digest down.
Not sure if what the Drumming tribe’s crocodiles spit out into the water moon canal are exactly those gastroliths in their stomach.
The part of the river in the tribe that was the muddiest and turbulent produced this type of bright Water Moonstones, this is really a mysterious place.
After looking at the stone, Shao Xuan carefully put it into the rattan basket at the side.
After seeing Shao Xuan’s actions, Ping’s opinion of him rose. Taking out the stone that was just put in from the basket, and shoving into Shao Xuan’s hands, she said “Take it, wait till when you go out, you can still trade this for a lot of good stuff. After you exchange this for something you want with other tribe members, you will then know the value of this Water Moonstone.”
This was the feeling of becoming a tyrannical nouveau riche, such a big piece, won’t this make him feel distressed, his heart would ache if he spent it.
Ping also did not say more, after pushing the stone to Shao Xuan, she quickly went back to receive the stones that Chen Jia threw up onto the bank.
“Thank you.” Shao Xuan then put the stone into his animal skin bag and helped Ping look after the rattan basket.
Tonight was not calm, danger was lurking. Not only Shao Xuan, but also the Drumming tribe’s members were all set up ready. Every year at this time, many incidents would happen. Therefore they were already used to it and made preparations for battle. This is why they let their children collect the stones, adults would be alert of their surroundings, and at any time they found an irregularity, they would enter battle mode.
Not far from the water moon canal, Fu Shi and his partners were surveying the area. However, his heart was still concerned about the situation at the canal, not knowing how his family was doing this year.
“I think that this year my family’s harvest will not be less.” Fu Shi said.
“My family will definitely not be less than you!” The person beside Fu Shi exclaimed.
“I don’t hope for too much, just not to be the least.” Another person sounded.
“Good for nothing!”
“Ai, even if I worry about it, I still won’t be able to change it, so better not hold on too much hope.”
A few of them were talking, while someone who went to inquire about the situation at the water moon canal came over.
“Fu Shi, your family struck it rich this year! Your house’s area was the brightest!” Someone came, out of breath, and said.
“Ah Ha!” Fu Shi got excited and couldn’t help but jump a few rounds on the spot. That’s great! En, when it’s time for trading, I will trade for some good stuff, get a few beautiful clothings and gift them to Ping, trade for some good quality stone weapons for Chen Jia…..
A few others were like Fu Shi, their houses although did not gain as much as Fu Shi’s this year, but their harvests were not too little. When it’s time to go out to trade, what should they exchange for?
While thinking, Fu Shi’s face tensed up, the muscles under his skin bulged up, making his already strong body even more sturdy. The black lines of his scale-like totem patterns grew all over his body. Both his legs burst out a tremendous force, disappearing from where he was, in one step chasing after the silhouette that was rushing away from here.
Fu Shi suddenly held his stout arm covered with totem patterns up high, every muscle was filled with power, and the skin, under the expansion of the muscles, became tighter. His fingers clenched into a fist and punched towards the silhouette. Like a shot of a bullet landing onto the silhouette’s body.
Bang!
The originally fleeing silhouette was pounded hard into the ground.
The first punch landed, now came the second punch.
Ka!
Fu Shi’s punch directly smashed the opponent’s brain.
The guy lying on the ground had totems tattoos different from the Drumming tribe’s. Due to his death, the tattoos swiftly disappeared.
The sound of Fu Shi’s breathing was not the usual wheezing sound, but a burst of coarse and loud grunts. Dense black markings gradually extended around the tip of his pupils.
Cold eyes flashed past, Fu Shi had just killed one person, but he wasn’t stopping at that. Both his legs’ muscles expanded instantaneously, his body that was just now standing upright was now low on the ground on all fours. Both his palms and feets vigorously pushed against the ground, launching himself towards another silhouette. The surrounding wet mud splashed from the impact of his sudden burst.
Competing with a crocodile by running is okay, but competing with instantaneous movements, that is difficult.
Crocodiles advantage is not with its speed, but with its response and its explosive force. You might be able to run past them, but at the time you start running, whether they will give you the chance to run first is the point. Or maybe even before you run, they may have already bitten you.
The Drumming tribe’s members have many similar traits to crocodiles. Their strength and speed may not be that great, but their explosive outbreak always overwhelms the opponents.
Yet another silhouette was clamped, the next moment, he was twisted off from the middle.
The two guys were too fast just now, therefore Fu Shi did not have enough time to inform the rest while dealing with the two of them. He took advantage of this gap to unleash a roar like that of an ancient beast from his throat.
The roar was like a clashing sword, passing over the damp area, through the woods, splitting the quiet night.
The moon illuminated the sky the brightest this time of year. Nevertheless, under the moonlight, the battle had started.