Chapter 80: Primer of Totems
Chapter 80: Primer of Totems
Gao Jing had had enough fun.
Actually, not really, but the power within the Crimson Python rune was limited.
He couldn’t activate the Titan Totem any more.
But after repeated use, he had gained the most basic understanding and grasp of his newly acquired totem power.
Totemic Power was like gasoline, a kind of supernormal energy.
The Crimson Python rune acted as the fuel tank, storing Totemic Power.
As for the Titan Totem,
It was like the engine.
Once ignited and started, it could provide powerful momentum for Gao Jing, the vehicle!
Now, the gasoline was burnt up.
The old driver also had to step down.
The problem was, since the Totemic Power was used up, how to replenish it?
Gao Jing soon felt that every beat of his heart injected a tiny bit of new power into the Crimson Python rune.
But it was very little.
If he relied solely on this slow recovery, it would probably take a very long time before he could activate the Titan Totem again.
It was far from enough!
His gaze involuntarily turned to the Elder Shaman.
The Elder Shaman smiled slightly, reached to the wooden shelf beside him, and fetched a tome.
He placed it before Gao Jing: “I’m lending you this book.”
Primer of Totems!
Four large characters in the Great Wilderness Script met Gao Jing’s eyes.
The Elder Shaman explained: “This book contains the basic knowledge of the two great totems—Primordial and Essence; and the fundamental method to cultivate Totemic Power. Read it well first. If you encounter any issues, feel free to come to me.”
The Elder Shaman certainly had the right to guide Gao Jing.
Before becoming a Shaman, he himself had been a formidable High-tier Totem Warrior.
But he didn’t immediately begin personally instructing Gao Jing. Instead, he gave Gao Jing this “Primer of Totems” to study on his own.
The teaching approach for a genius should be different from that for ordinary folk.
This Shan Yue old Giant wanted to see just how strong Gao Jing’s talent and perception in martial ways truly were!
“Thank you,” Gao Jing said gratefully. “I will study it carefully!”
He eagerly leaned forward, flipped open the thick cover, and started reading the contents recorded within.
Soon, he was immersed in an ocean of knowledge.
He completely lost track of time and didn’t even notice the Elder Shaman leaving.
The content of “Primer of Totems” was quite detailed.
First, the book helped Gao Jing understand the fundamental concepts concerning the two categories of totems: Primordial and Essence.
And the difference between Totem Warriors and Totem Witches.
Totems were somewhat like skills.
The thirty-six Primordial Totems corresponded to thirty-six enhancement skills, capable of strengthening specific abilities for a Totem Warrior.
Meanwhile, the multitude of Essence Totems, numbering thousands, belonged to combat and auxiliary skills.
Both types required Totemic Power to activate.
Totem Warriors were divided into Warriors and Great Warriors, each level further split into Junior, High, and High-tier ranks!
The mightiest warrior in the Shan Yue Tribe was Shan Tai, a High-tier Totem Warrior.
For now, Gao Jing belonged to the Junior Totem Warrior rank.
In the Great World, Shamans of the Great Wilderness Humans studied the ways of heaven and earth, while Warriors cultivated themselves.
The latter had a limit to their power, relying heavily on innate talent and understanding.
Even with the same totem blessing applied, how much power it unleashed depended entirely on the warrior’s own diligence and capability.
The “Primer of Totems” also recorded the fundamental method for cultivating Totemic Power.
This method could be summed up in three words: Eat, Endure, Condense!
Eat: Consume large amounts of Wild Beast meat regularly, especially the fatty meat, marrow, and bones of the strongest beasts.
Supplement with herbs to obtain abundant nourishing nutrients.
Endure: Temper the limbs, skeleton, and even the spleen. Transform the nutrients obtained daily into fresh Totemic Power.
Condense: Gather and compress this Totemic Power into the core rune!
Superficially, the Eat and Endure stages resembled the Body Tempering and Bone Refining process before Igniting the Bloodline.
But they were, in truth, entirely different levels.
Gao Jing firmly committed this foundational method to heart, memorizing it thoroughly until it was smooth on his tongue!
His memory was pretty good to begin with.
After his first life transformation and the recent advancement, it had reached a level approaching photographic memory!
Memorizing the entire “Primer of Totems” presented no problem at all.
After committing the last page to memory, Gao Jing closed his eyes and silently repeated the entire thing twice in his mind.
Got it.
When Gao Jing opened his eyes again, he nearly jumped out of his skin.
Shan Guoer was perched on the table, her big eyes wide as she stared at him intently.
Then Gao Jing realized it was already dark outside.
An oil lamp burned on the table.
He couldn’t help but ask, “Shan Guoer, what time is it?”
Shan Guoer blinked. “It’s very late. Grandpa told me not to disturb you.”
She pouted. “And I wanted you to tell me a story!”
Gao Jing chuckled. “I can tell you one now.”
Guroom~!
His stomach let out a rumble like thunder the moment he finished speaking.
This was the protest of profound hunger!
Shan Guoer giggled.
She pointed at the Clay Pot placed beside them. “That’s dinner. Grandpa asked Aunt Shan Chun to prepare it for you.”
“Wonderful!”
Gao Jing couldn’t help rubbing his stomach; he felt he could eat an ox!!
Of course, an ox from the Primary World.
The Clay Pot the Giants normally used was incredibly huge for Gao Jing.
So it was Shan Guoer who helped him scoop the food, stewed inside the pot, into a wooden bowl.
Large chunks of meat, fatty marrow oil, and unidentifiable starchy tubers.
Gao Jing caught a whiff of a familiar, potent scent.
He ignored it; time to eat. Fill his belly first!
To Gao Jing’s surprise, this prepared medicinal meal tasted far less bitter than before.
The meat was flavorful and chewy, the broth had a pleasant, lingering sweetness.
Following the method described in the “Primer of Totems,” Gao Jing chewed each piece of beast meat over five times, letting the paste mix thoroughly with saliva before swallowing. Then he washed it down with some broth.
The meat and marrow oil were also different from the usual medicine meals; once swallowed, they generated a deep, spreading warmth inside him.
Full of energy!
This supper took Gao Jing over an hour to finish.
He devoured dozens of pounds of meat!
However, what he ate was barely 10% of the food in the Clay Pot.
The rest was completely polished off by Shan Guoer!
The little girl possessed incredible natural strength.
She was also impressively voracious.
After eating, a wave of drowsiness hit Gao Jing.
He grabbed his sleeping bag and quickly sank into a deep slumber.
He forgot to tell Shan Guoer a story.
Early the next morning, when Gao Jing woke up, he saw the Elder Shaman again.
The Elder Shaman smiled and asked, “How do you feel?”
“Wonderful!”
After such a good sleep, Gao Jing felt brimming with energy.
His condition couldn’t be better!
He bowed to the Elder Shaman. “Shaman Chief, I need to return home for a couple of days. I’ll be back soon.”
The Elder Shaman seemed slightly surprised. “Leaving now?”
Gao Jing confirmed, “Yes.”
He felt he owed too much to the old Shan Yue Giant before him.
Therefore, Gao Jing immediately decided to return to the Primary World: to refill the Power of Faith, recharge the Bronze Anchor with electric power, and deliver more supplies for the Shan Yue Tribe.
At the very least, he wanted every Giant in the Village Fort to have good salt to eat!
Otherwise, his conscience wouldn’t be at peace.
“Very well,” the Elder Shaman nodded. “You may go. Oh, and…” he added, “If all goes well, a merchant caravan from Qinghe City should arrive at our Village Fort in another four or five days. If you’re interested, you may wish to prepare.”
“This caravan included merchants traveling among various groups. They might have items useful for you available for trade.”
This was undoubtedly significant news!
Gao Jing’s interest was immediately piqued. “Alright!”