The Portal of Wonderland

Sha Jiao bowed to Sha Lang from a distance. She then quickly shot a glance at Shi Mu. Suddenly, she moved and jumped into the center of the place. Her figure looked graceful and light. And, the surrounding people started to applaud.

The barbarian musicians played their musical instruments and beat their drums. And, an impassioned and melodious music started to rise-up from their instruments.

Sha Jiao moved her hands and feet mildly. The silver bells swayed gently, and made crisp sounds. She then began to dance gracefully. Her skirt started to sway gently. And, she looked extremely beautiful while dancing in her red clothes. Then, an elegant smile flashed across her face as she turned around.

Her red skirt moved up and down while scattering and gathering together along with the drumbeats. Her skirt seemed to open and close like a flower against her beautiful body.

The young girl held her skirt, and spread it out as the tune stopped playing. It looked as dazzling and gorgeous as a rising sun that overshadows the stars in the sky.

The surrounding clansmen broke into applause. And, the eyes of the young barbarian men glittered even brighter as they all looked at Sha Jiao in a crazy manner.

“Warrior Shi Mu, how’s my daughter’s dance?” Sha Lang caressed his short mustache. His face was filled with pride. He seemed to be extremely proud of his daughter.

“Sha Jiao’s movements and postures are extremely graceful and moving. In fact, I’m seeing such graceful dance for the first time in my life,” Shi Mu praised her.

Sha Lang laughed out loud. He lifted his wine cup, and drained its contents in one gulp.

This sacrificial ceremony was dedicated to the Raven God. The Flying Raven Tribe had been having a difficult time since years now. And, this grand ceremony was supposed to change this situation.

Everyone gave each other their blessings. Then, they drank to their heart’s content. More and more barbarian boys and girls continued to enter the public square. Then, they danced in pairs on the barbarian music. They danced and drank endlessly. People were shouting so loudly that their faces had turned red. But, they still had smiles across their faces…

The party went-on throughout the night. And, it was extremely late by the time the party finally ended.

Sha Xing was inside a huge tent. But, he couldn’t keep awake since he was intoxicated. Sha Jiao’s face was also red. It was clear that she had drunk a lot of wine as well. But still, she was trying hard to take care of her younger brother.

She supported Sha Xing, and made him lie down in his tent. After that, she covered him with an animal-skin blanket. She then looked-up towards the light of the other tent.

Sha Lang and Shi Mu were chatting over something in that tent. And, they seemed to be talking to each other in a cordial manner.

Sha Jiao stared at the lights for a while; she seemed to be thinking about something. Suddenly, her face became red. She then started to walk towards the other tent.

Sha Lang and Shi Mu sat side-by-side in the tent.

Both of them were extremely drunk. But, their complexion was slightly flushed. So, they didn’t seem to be in drunken state.

“Chief, many thanks to you and the people of your tribe for the magnificent hospitality… and for letting me experience the enthusiasm of the Flying Raven Tribe. But, I still have other matters to deal with. So, allow me to leave tomorrow. I’ve come here to say goodbye to you,” Shi Mu expressed in a straightforward manner after they had chatted for a while.

“Warrior Shi Mu, I can tell that you aren’t a person of ordinary status. So, you must be extremely busy. Otherwise… I would’ve urged you to stay a little longer. Oh! By the way… aren’t you supposed to go to the Fierce Snake Tribe?” Sha Lang didn’t react. However, he sighed and asked.

Shi Mu nodded.

“The Fierce Snake Tribe is nearly five-hundred kilometers from our tribe. Apart from this… you’ll have to cross fifteen kilometers of the black soil of the Gobi Desert. Gobi is a very wide area. It would take minimum three days to cross even if a person is extremely tall. Besides… you’ll come across several poisonous sand scorpions, and it is impossible to defend against them in an effective manner,” Sha Lang said.

“However, those sand scorpions are afraid of the fragrance of the roebuck beasts. So, the scorpions stay away from their smell. Those roebucks have a certain kind of smell on their bodies that keeps those scorpions away from them. The male roebuck carries a fragrant pearl inside its body, and it has a peculiar fragrance; I’ll ask Jiao to take you for hunting tomorrow,” Sha Lang thought for a while and said.

“Thanks a lot, Chief.” Shi Mu felt warm in his heart. So, he thanked Sha Lang.

Suddenly, a crashing sound was heard from outside the tent.

“Jiao, is it you? Come in.” Sha Lang turned his head to look at the door. And, his brows wrinkled. He then spoke-up.

Sha Jiao’s complexion was pale as she pulled the curtains open. She then came-in with a tray in her hands.

A pot of hot tea and two teacups were placed on the tray. But, there were a few stains of spilled liquid on the tray. Sha Jiao’s hands were also red.

“Father, Brother Shi… this is special chestnut bubble tea. It’s very effective in dissipating the effect of alcohol,” Sha Jiao placed the tray on the table. She then shot a glance at Shi Mu, but withdrew it quickly.

Sha Lang wrinkled his brows, but didn’t say anything.

Shi Mu exclaimed. However, he didn’t drink the tea. He chatted some more. Then, he got up and bid his goodbye.

*** ***

The next day…

Shi Mu had just got out of the bed when he heard a knock on his door.

He opened the door, and saw several people standing outside; Sha Jiao, Sha Xing and ten other young barbarian men stood there.

“Brother Shi, Father has told us about your matter. The number of fragrant roebucks has been reduced these days due to large climate change in the wasteland. So, it’s not easy to catch a male fragrant roebuck beast. So, we all will come and help you find one,” Sha Jiao’s tone didn’t sound casual.

“It’s time for us to see-off Brother Shi,” Sha Xing laughed foolishly and said.

Shi Mu stared blankly at the faces of the simple and honest barbarians who stood in front of him. Then, he started to recollect the magnificent hospitality that he had received in the last two days. And, a complicated and hard-to-describe feeling emerged in his heart.

“Well, thanks a lot to everyone,” he smiled and spoke as he accepted the offer.

A few people made a little preparation. Then, they left for a distant place.

Sha Lang and the tall man with golden curly hair stood side-by-side on the high platform. They looked at the group of young people as they disappeared into the horizon.

“I think Jiao has a favorable impression of this Shi Mu. Why didn’t you try to urge him to stay in the tribe?” the big blond person withdrew his gaze and asked.

Sha Lang forced a smile and shook his head. He then replied, “It’s not that I don’t want to… but this is impossible. This Shi Mu isn’t an ordinary person; his body has consummate skills. Maybe, he’s a member of a very big tribe. Why would he stay with us in such a small place?”

“Then, why did you ask Jiao to accompany him to go for hunting the fragrant roebuck beast? Wouldn’t it make Jiao feel sadder afterwards?” The big blond man was quite puzzled.

“Don’t worry. Jiao’s nature is so firm that it would surpass any man in this tribe. So, she can handle it properly,” Sha Lang sighed and responded.

“The holy war has been going-on for several years. But, the big tribes don’t seem to have any benefit out of this,” the man with blond hair changed the topic of conversation and said.

“Wars can only bring death and sorrow. No one can win the slightest amount of joy or happiness out of wars,” Sha Lang gazed into the distant horizon. It was clear that he wasn’t in the favor of the holy war that was being carried out by the barbarian people.

“Yes… some vicious barbarians have been recently spotted scouting the area close the tribe’s territory. We need to pay attention to this. The crazy wolf is sometimes more dreadful than the fierce tiger,” the big blond man thought of something and said.

“Well… I’ll warn the clansmen to be careful when they go out. I’ll tell them not to provoke them in any manner.” Sha Lang wrinkled his brows and nodded.

They chatted for a moment. Then, they proceeded to walk down from the high platform.

Suddenly, a cloud of dust that had started to rise from a distant place attracted their attention. It seemed as if a smoke dragon was coming straight towards their tribe.

“That is…” The big man with curly blond hair shivered as a bad feeling started to rise in his heart.

Sha Lang gazed into the distance. His eyes could see far beyond the big blond man’s eyes. He quickly understood that ten fighter-wolves were coming towards them. Moreover, several foot soldiers were following after them. They were holding hunting banners that were swaying in the direction of the wind. And, a fierce wolf was imprinted in black on the banners.

“Oh no! People of the Heavenly Wolf Tribe!” Sha Lang uttered in a heavy voice.

The big blond man’s complexion changed as he heard this.

“Hu Han, quickly gather the clansmen. I’m afraid they’ve come with bad intentions.” Sha Lang’s complexion became solemn. And, he spoke in a heavy voice.

The big blond man responded at once, and jumped down from the high platform.

A burst of rushing and muddling sounds could be heard from inside the tribe along with the rise of a loud sound of the bugle horn.

The grown-up men of the tribe had already gathered outside after a short while; they had weapons in their hands. There were around hundred-and-fifty men. But, they rarely had iron weapons, and most of their weapons were made up of either bones or rock – like rock axes and rock spears.

The smoke and dust from the distance came nearer with each passing moment.

More than twenty barbarian soldiers in the front were riding on fighter-wolves. The lofty wolves let out a loud howl. Then, they stopped outside the tribe. Hundreds of barbarian soldiers also came after them. And, they all stared at the members of the Flying Raven Tribe with malicious intentions.

The bodies of the twenty men who had been riding the fighter-wolves sent out fluctuations of totem energy – like those of totem warriors.

Sha Lang stood in front of the crowd of the Flying Raven Tribe. But, his complexion became unsightly as he saw the scene in front of his eyes.

The two other totem warriors in the tribe – the big blond man and the one with a golden ring in his right ear — stood to his left and right.

“Sha Lang, have you become a desert rat in the few years that we didn’t see each other? You’ve continued to hide in your hole… and you haven’t dared to show your face…” A tall and thin barbarian man with an owlish look on his face got down of his fighter-wolf. He then took a few steps forward and spoke-up in a sarcastic manner.

This man exuded such a totem-energy from his body that it could surpass any of the other men around. He was a consummate-level Hou Tian warrior.

Sha Lang stepped out of the crowd. Then, he wielded a black wooden cane in his hand and said, “Fei Du, why have you come to our Flying Raven Tribe?”

The tall and thin barbarian man sized Sha Lang up. He then sneered twice and said slowly, “I don’t feel like talking nonsense to you people. To tell you the truth… we – the members of the Heavenly Wolf Tribe – take orders from the High Priest to deal with the despicable human race on the battlefront. So, I’ve come here to take twenty buckets of best food items, ten jars of wine, and ten fine horses from your tribe in the name of holy war.”

The clansmen of the Flying Raven Tribe started to boil in anger. Then, they moved their weapons in their hands, and issued a sky-shaking roar.

The Flying Raven Tribe wasn’t rich. In fact, they were living in poverty. The things demanded by the Heavenly Wolf Tribe were the entirety of their tribe’s savings.

“You vicious barbarians have initiated the so-called ‘holy war’. We peaceful barbarians have nothing to do with it. We peaceful barbarians don’t get any share in the things that you plunder. So, don’t even imagine taking these things away from us,” a barbarian youth standing in front of the crowd of the Flying Raven Tribe shouted angrily.

An ominous glint flashed through Fei Du’s eyes. He then raised the whip in his hand, and swayed it. The whip rolled itself around the arm of the barbarian youth of the Flying Raven Tribe, and dragged him out.

Suddenly, Sha Lang’s silhouette rushed to the front. A black light flashed, and hit the whip; the whip was chopped into two pieces.

The young barbarian was dropped on the ground. Then, two barbarians rushed out of the crowd to support the barbarian youth.