Chapter 6

The initiation ceremony for the shaman was held on the large earthen square in the village.

Stepping into the earthen square under the rising moonlight, Fang Luoya found it already quite lively;

In the center of the square, a large pile of firewood was stacked, and some children were happily chasing and playing around it, while some adults stood by the square chatting idly.

"Hey... Muyong, your kid is too skinny... It'll take a while to build him up..."

Seeing Muyong and others approaching, a tall and sturdy man sized up Fang Luoya for a moment and then chuckled.

Muyong grinned and punched Gu Mo's chest, saying, "Cough... Don't worry... Gu Mo, my Aya will definitely be stronger than your Gu Feng in the future..."

"Ha... Muyong, I'll be waiting. The shaman has already seen Gu Feng today and said he already has the strength of a Sixth-Rank Shaman..."

Gu Mo puffed out his chest and laughed proudly.

"Sixth-Rank Shaman?" Hearing Gu Mo's words, Muyong's face showed a hint of surprise. He stared at the smug Gu Mo for a moment, then smiled and punched Gu Mo hard, saying, "Wow... Not bad, your Gu Feng is only sixteen, right? A Six-Rank Shaman at sixteen... That's impressive even in the larger tribes!"

"Of course, Muyong, you should know whose son he is... Ha ha..." Gu Mo showed a mouthful of white teeth and laughed proudly, then looked at Yun Ling beside Muyong and said with a smile, "By the way, Muyong... Although Yun Ling is still young, she'll be of marriageable age in a few years. How about we set it now... My Gu Feng is already a Sixth-Rank Shaman, and he might become an Eighth-Rank Shaman in a few years. When Yun Ling marries into our family, she won't be at a disadvantage!"

Hearing Gu Mo's words, Muyong was slightly taken aback. He looked down at Yun Ling beside him, clearly tempted, but after a brief hesitation, he smiled and said, "Yun Ling is still young. I promised her mother... We'll wait until Yun Ling is sixteen and let her decide for herself!"

"Ah... Muyong, we are good brothers... What Yun Ling's mother said is right, but Gu Feng is already sixteen; others would have already married by now. It's just that he has always liked Yun Ling, so many girls from other tribes have come to propose, but he hasn't agreed..."

Gu Mo patted Muyong's shoulder and sighed, "If we had set it earlier, I would be at ease... We've been brothers for so many years, and you know my character. Gu Feng grew up under your watch, and you know his abilities... Think about it carefully!"

"Um... I know..." Muyong nodded with a sigh, "I've watched Gu Feng grow up, and I know Yun Ling won't be at a disadvantage if she marries him. But I promised Yun Ling's mother, and I can't go back on my word!"

"Let's see how the children's fate unfolds..."

Hearing Muyong's refusal, Gu Mo frowned slightly, nodded with a hint of displeasure, and said, "Alright... Yun Ling's mother was a good woman, but it's a pity she died young... Ah..."

"Alright, let's not talk about sad things. You should hurry... Aya, right? It's about time, let's go, don't miss the moment..."

Muyong led Fang Luoya to a small house beside the square. The shaman was inside, stirring something in a wooden bowl with a stick.

Seeing the shaman, Fang Luoya was surprised because the shaman's appearance was completely different today. The last two times he saw him, the shaman was wearing a long hemp robe, but this time he was bare-chested, wearing only a short leather skirt and barefoot.

His face and body were painted with strange red and green patterns...

Muyong, seeing the shaman's appearance, was not at all surprised. He respectfully said, "Shaman... I've brought Aya!"

The shaman turned and looked at Fang Luoya, satisfied with his leather short coat, and nodded, "Good... It's about time. Take him to play the drum..."

"Yes... Shaman!"

Muyong led Fang Luoya to a corner of the small house where a dozen or so two-foot-wide, ancient-looking brown leather drums and drum stands were neatly stacked.

Muyong picked up one of the drums and a couple of wooden mallets, gesturing for Fang Luoya to carry a drum stand from the side, and they walked out of the house.

At this time, more people had gathered in the square, standing in small groups chatting idly.

Seeing Muyong and Fang Luoya carrying the drum out, the crowd quickly fell silent.

Muyong and Fang Luoya set up the drum stand and drum about ten feet away from the firewood pile. Muyong then nodded to an old man nearby, saying, "Uncle Qi... Thank you!"

The old man, with white hair and a thin frame, stood up and took a small bamboo tube from his chest. He removed a stopper and blew into the tube, and a small flame appeared inside.

He threw the tube into the dry firewood pile, and a few feet-high flame shot up, quickly igniting the entire pile.

Seeing the fire burning, Muyong picked up the wooden mallets and looked at Fang Luoya, asking, "Do you know how to play the drum?"

"Um... Not really!" Fang Luoya shook his head honestly.

"Alright... Follow me, it's simple!"

Indeed, it was simple. It was just alternating the wooden mallets in a regular rhythm to strike the drum surface, producing a deep sound. It was similar to the large drums he had seen in the countryside, except the sound was more powerful.

After a few strikes, Muyong handed the drum mallets to Fang Luoya, gesturing for him to start.

"Thud, thud, thud, thud!"

Taking the obviously old drum mallets, Fang Luoya took a deep breath and began to strike the drum forcefully, imitating Muyong.

However, after a few strikes, the rhythm was correct, but the sound was much softer than Muyong's. This brown leather drum seemed much harder to play than the white leather large drums he had seen before.

The white leather large drums only required a light strike to produce a loud sound, but this drum required a lot of force, and the sound was still not as powerful as Muyong's.

"Strike harder!" Muyong, who was usually easygoing, now looked at Fang Luoya sternly.

"Thud, thud, thud, thud!" Fang Luoya did not dare to slack off. He took a deep breath and began to strike the drum with all his might.

Hearing the drum sound this time, Muyong nodded in satisfaction.

However, while Muyong was satisfied, Fang Luoya was secretly suffering. After just twenty or thirty strikes, his arms began to ache.

But at this moment, he couldn't stop. As his drumming continued, people around began to gather around the fire, many standing by the fire and clapping in rhythm with his drumbeats.

The drumming and clapping began to echo throughout the tribe.

Those who had not yet arrived also put down their work and began to gather at the square.

Muyong was leading Fang Luoya to play the drum, while Gu Mo was standing in the shadows nearby with a tall and sturdy young man, watching the two and speaking in low voices.

"Gu Feng... Although Uncle Yong refused for now, don't worry. You are my son, the tribe's most outstanding young hunter. When Yun Ling is older, who else would she choose?"

The young man glanced coldly at Fang Luoya and said, "But this kid is now part of Uncle Yong's family. What if..."

Hearing his son's concern, Gu Mo glanced at Fang Luoya and snorted, "As for this kid, you don't need to worry. He's just starting his shaman initiation, and he won't be very strong in the future. In our tribe, without strength, you're useless. Muyong won't give Yun Ling to him. If you reach Seventh or Eighth Rank in the next few years, Muyong will come to you!"

Pausing, Gu Mo added with a cold laugh, "Moreover, I am the strongest among the Ninth-Rank Shamans in the tribe. In a couple of years, when I reach Tenth Rank and become the leader... What else do you have to worry about?"

"I understand, Father!" Hearing Gu Mo's words, Gu Feng's eyes flashed with a hint of pride, and he nodded solemnly.

At this moment, Fang Luoya was completely unaware that someone was discussing him. After playing the drum for a while, he felt his arms gradually becoming sore and weak, and large beads of sweat began to trickle down his face.

Fang Luoya never imagined that the first major challenge in this world would be playing the drum.

But at this moment, he could only grit his teeth and persevere.

In this world, strength represented everything. In such an important ceremony for integrating into this world, Fang Luoya dared not have any thoughts of giving up.

If he couldn't even persist in playing the drum under the watchful eyes of so many people, he might never be able to hold his head high in the tribe again.

At this moment, a group of young people were gathered on the side, laughing and watching Fang Luoya play the drum, most of them with a look of amusement.

"Hehe... How long do you think this weakling can last?" A long-faced young man laughed, looking at the sweating Fang Luoya.

"I bet he won't last more than a quarter of an hour..."

"Hehe... How can this weakling last a quarter of an hour? He'll be lucky to last half that time!"

Hearing the young people's taunts, the sweat on Fang Luoya's forehead became even more profuse...