Establishing a Tribe

Peaceful days always passed quickly.

In the blink of an eye, spring arrived.

Warm sunlight returned to the earth. The ice and snow melted quickly.

"Squeak…"

The door of the bamboo house was pushed open. Jiang Xuan, who was wearing animal skin clothes, leather pants, and animal skin boots, walked out of the bamboo house.

These hide shirts, pants, and boots were all made by them during the long winter.

They first cut the soaked hide into clothes, pants, and shoes. Then they used sharp stones to drill a row of small holes in the hide. Finally, they used thin ropes buffed from tree bark to sew the hide together.

Although the workmanship was rough and the clothes did not look very nice, they could keep them warm.

"Whoosh…"

Behind the bamboo house, many bent bamboos fell to the ground with a whoosh after the ice melted, then came back up slowly.

When heavy snow fell, most of the bamboo bent over under the weight of the snow.

Fortunately, Jiang Xuan had cut down all the bamboo trees in front and behind the house in order to make a bamboo house, bamboo beds, a bathroom, and a toilet. Otherwise, the bamboo house might not be able to withstand the weight of so many frozen bamboo ends.

"It feels so good to bask in the sun!"

Jiang Xuan basked in the sun and stretched. He had stayed in the bamboo house for the entire winter. Although he did not have to worry about food and drinks, he was about to go crazy.

Chi Shao and the others also came out. Like Jiang Xuan, they were also wearing animal skin clothes, animal skin pants, and animal skin shoes.

Chi Shao said, "Winter is over. We can hunt again."

Hook Vine added, "And fish."

Stone Loach said, "Dig a pond."

South Star said, "I want to take a walk in the mountains."

South Star's words triggered a thought that Jiang Xuan had been holding in for a long time.

He turned around and looked at the tall stone mountain and the huge ancient vine wrapped around it.

"Actually, I want to follow the ancient vine and climb to the top of the stone mountain to take a look."

As soon as he said this, the four of them fixed their gazes on Jiang Xuan. From their expressions, it was obvious that they were also a little tempted.

Seeing this, Jiang Xuan said, "Why don't we climb up together after the snow melts?"

The four of them nodded almost without hesitation.

All tribesmen had a sense of adventure. Climbing the old stone mountain appealed strongly to them.

They wanted to climb up there and look at the scenery around this forest.

The stone mountain was so high that the snow on it took longer to melt. It would probably take two or three days to climb up.

Jiang Xuan moved around the bamboo house for a while before returning to it. He found a suitable bamboo tube and used a sharp stone to carve '1' at the top of the bamboo tube.

"The ice and snow are starting to melt today. Let's call it the first day of the new year.

I don't know how this world works. For now, let's just record it like in my previous life.

"From now on, I will carve a number on the bamboo tube every day. When I've carved for 31 days, that will be the first month. The period from now until the next time the snow melts is a year."

Jiang Xuan did not want to live a muddled life. He wanted to make a calendar for himself.

He even planned to carve the solar terms1 into it. For example, the first rain this year would be Rain Water term. The first thunder would be Awakening from Hibernation, and so on.

This was very important. At least, that was what Jiang Xuan thought.

When people had a sense of time, they could make more appropriate arrangements.

After carving it, Jiang Xuan solemnly placed the bamboo tube and stone beside his bed.

He wanted to carve and look at it every day. In the future, he would make certain adjustments according to the actual situation to make this calendar more suitable for this world.

Three days later, the sun shone brightly and the ice and snow completely melted. The stream flowed again and the birds and beasts in the mountains became active again.

Jiang Xuan and the others prepared ropes and dried meat, and took their weapons along. With excitement, they passed through the bamboo forest and arrived at the foot of the stone mountain.

They looked up at the tall and steep stone mountain and the incomparably huge ancient vine.

The trunk of the ancient vine was like a towering tree. Its thick branches almost covered the entire stone mountain.

Everyone who saw the ancient vine would be shocked.

Jiang Xuan tied a sturdy bark rope to his waist. There was a wooden hook at the other end of the rope. When climbing the mountain, he could anchor the wooden hook to the vine and use it as a safety rope.

The others had the same rope and wooden hook.

Jiang Xuan looked up at the ancient vine on the stone mountain and said, "Everyone, be careful when you go up. Remember to anchor your hook to the sturdy vine at all times. You have to stay safe even if you have to climb slowly."

Chi Shao and the others nodded. They would not risk their lives.

"Set off!"

Jiang Xuan was the first to climb up the ancient vine. The trunk of the ancient vine was very huge, and there were branches all over the stone mountain. As long as he held onto those branches tightly and did not look down, it was still relatively easy to climb up.

Hook Vine, South Star, and Stone Loach followed behind Jiang Xuan. Chi Shao was at the back. If the person in front was in danger, she would think of a way to save him.

The stone mountain was hundreds of meters tall and very steep. If not for this ancient vine, not many people could climb it.

The climb was relatively smooth. There were no accidents. The vine branches all over the mountain allowed them to have something to grab on to at all times. The huge ancient vine also rose relatively gently.

Three hours later, Jiang Xuan and the others climbed to the top of the stone mountain.

Jiang Xuan stood at the top of the mountain and held a branch of the ancient vine as he looked down.

It was already noon, and there were endless mountains rising and falling. In the sky, all kinds of birds circled from time to time. The scenery was very spectacular.

Standing at the top of the mountain, it was easy to feel the earth under one's feet.

Jiang Xuan turned to look at Chi Shao and said, "Sister, do you still remember what I said?"

"What is it?" Chi Shao did not know what Jiang Xuan was talking about.

"At the time, we were on the run. You asked what we should do now that the tribe is gone."

Jiang Xuan said word by word, "I said, at most, we'll build a new tribe!"

Chi Shao looked at Jiang Xuan in shock. "Could it be that you want to…"

Jiang Xuan nodded affirmatively and looked at Hook Vine, Stone Loach, and South Star. "Are you willing to establish a new tribe with me?"

Hook Vine said in disbelief, "Can… can the five of us establish a tribe?"

Jiang Xuan said, "There are only five of us now, but I promise that we will have more clansmen in the future!"

Chi Shao, Hook Vine, and Stone Loach were all shocked by Jiang Xuan's words. For a moment, they did not know how to answer.

"Xuan, I'm willing to establish a new tribe with you!"

South Star, who was the youngest, was the first to agree because he did not need to think too much. He only knew that he was doing well by Jiang Xuan's side.

Stone Loach and Hook Vine looked at each other and hesitated for a moment. Finally, they nodded together and said, "We're willing too!"

Jiang Xuan looked at Chi Shao and said, "Sister, they all agreed. What about you?"

Chi Shao looked troubled. She would turn 14 years old after winter, and her thoughts had matured. To her, a tribe of five was like a child's farce.

However, after experiencing so much, she had an indescribable confidence in Jiang Xuan. Perhaps this small tribe could really grow stronger in the future, she thought.

At last, she nodded too.

Chi Shao asked, "Since it's a new tribe, what should we name it?"

Jiang Xuan looked into the distance and then at the ancient vine under his feet. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Ever since we came here to live, everything has been very smooth. We haven't even encountered any ferocious beasts. I think we are protected by the ancient vine."

Jiang Xuan stroked the branches of the ancient vine and said, "In that case, our new tribe will be called the Vine Tribe. From now on, the ancient vine will be the guardian of our tribe!"

Each tribe had its own guardian angel, also known as the totem god. That was the spiritual sustenance of their people. It was very important.

It was said that the tribe's totem god had a magical ability to protect the clansmen in the tribe. In the past, there were many legends about the Deer Tribe's totem god.

This ancient vine had grown for countless years. It was so huge. Everyone who saw it with their own eyes would have an extremely deep impression of it and would easily think of it as a god.

Since Jiang Xuan had decided to establish a new tribe here, what was more suitable to be their totem god than this ancient vine?

Chi Shao said, "Alright, we'll be called the Vine Tribe from now on. Xuan, you'll be the chief of the tribe!"

Before Jiang Xuan could answer, Chi Shao asked the three youths, "Do you agree to let Xuan be the chief of the tribe?"

"Agreed!"

"Agreed!"

"Agreed!"

The three youths had always admired Jiang Xuan. It was Jiang Xuan who suggested establishing a new tribe. How could they not agree?

Chi Shao smiled at Jiang Xuan and said, "Xuan, everyone has agreed."

Jiang Xuan was quietly touched. In terms of strength, Chi Shao was more suitable to be the chief, but she gave the position to him without hesitation.

Jiang Xuan nodded solemnly and said, "Alright, I'll be the chief of the Vine Tribe in the future. I'll do my best to develop our Vine Tribe!"

Everyone laughed. They began to look forward to the day when the tribe grew stronger.

After half an hour on the stony mountain, they climbed back down and returned to the foot of the mountain.

Jiang Xuan stood in front of the ancient vine and earnestly carved a pattern on a large rock beside it.

He was carving a small and simplified version of the ancient vine.

"From now on, this pattern shall be the totem of our Vine Tribe!"

Jiang Xuan announced this very important matter and asked everyone to remember this totem pattern. It would be engraved on all the territories of the Vine Tribe in the future.

He found a kind of moist brown soil at the foot of the stone mountain and conscientiously drew this new totem pattern on the faces of Chi Shao and the others.

He asked Chi Shao to draw the totem pattern on his face.

After drawing the totem patterns, Jiang Xuan, who was wearing an animal skin suit, stood in front of the ancient vine and led everyone to pray sincerely to the totem god of the tribe, asking the vine god to protect this newborn tribe.

For some reason, after this simple ritual was completed, the five of them could feel their hearts, which had been drifting, slowly settle down. Perhaps this was the benefit of having spiritual sustenance.