Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!-Chapter 1426 - 981: The Divine Object Has a Spirit and Calls Me Here!

At the beginning of July, before the peak of the rainy season arrived, the kingdom’s eastern expedition army, with the help of "internal support," successfully captured the Hidden Serpent Holy City in one fell swoop. Black Wolf Toltec personally took command, purging the Hidden Serpent Divine Descendants and Priests, sacrificing over six thousand people, and converting more than fifty thousand tribes. The banner of the Chief Divine, three years after the eastern expedition against Totonac, finally appeared in the easternmost part of the Seaside Lands at the arrival of midsummer!

The fall of the Hidden Serpent Holy City and the destruction of its Priesthood marked the obliteration of an ancient faith for the Totonac tribes along the Seaside, resulting in an indescribable and intense emotional shock! As this news spread, the Totonac tribes of the Seaside nearly lost the will to continue resisting. Tribes formerly engaged in guerrilla resistance in the jungle, or those migrating deeper into the jungle, gradually surrendered to the newly formed Seaside Alliance, with some even submitting en masse.

"Blessings of the Chief Divine! Continue eastward, continue southward! Before the torrential rain halts everything, advance as much as possible, further and further!..."

Black Wolf wielded the newly acquired "Divine Artifact," unwilling to pause his campaign. By mid-July, the Kingdom Legions had split into camps, sweeping the surrounding two hundred miles east of Hidden Serpent City, conquering nearly a hundred thousand Hidden Serpent and eastern migrating tribes. The kingdom’s camps also took over the Olmec Second Ancient City, the ancient and sacred ceremonial site, La Venta.

By this time, the Kingdom Legion had completely controlled the lower tributaries of the Hidden Serpent River and Sunrise River, fully occupying four Olmec ancient cities. The Totonac tribal alliance of the east was also officially annihilated amidst fierce torrential rains!

By the end of July, the kingdom’s tribal vanguards had advanced into the middle reaches of the Sunrise River, encountering the Zoque tribes from the southeastern mountain forests for the first time. Subsequently, torrential downpours descended like waterfalls, bringing all military actions to a halt. The newly formed Seaside Alliance, having completely acquired over a thousand miles of coastline, for the first time, unified the millions of Totonac tribes, at least in name!

"Blessings of the Chief Divine! His Majesty grants favor! Haha! I, Black Wolf Toltec, have fought for three years and finally subdued the entire Totonac coast, pacifying these stubborn city-states and tribes one by one!"

With endless torrential rain, even the sea was filled with storms. Unable to wage war, Black Wolf Toltec was forced to stay in the newly conquered Hidden Serpent City, begrudgingly attending to tedious administrative affairs.

Of course, most of the time, he roamed within the city with his long sword, "Frost of Sorrow," slung on his back, accompanied by skulls processed by Atcokoyotel. He patrolled the city like the Wolf King on a tour of his domain, with his entourage of red-haired trusted aides. Wherever he passed, seeing his fierce demeanor, all the Totonac warriors bowed their heads in awe, fearing to meet his gaze.

For Black Wolf, the only leisure was to supervise the surrendered general Papu at the Hidden Serpent Holy Temple in the city center, while listening to his varied flattery.

"Ah! Honorable Black Wolf Leader, when I hear the thunder by the sea, it’s like hearing your majestic roar! And when I see the storm dissipate before me, I know it’s because you have arrived with the Divine Artifact, making the storm spirits bow their heads in fear!"

"Haha! Papu, your flattery is not up to par today! The storm dissipated because I arrived. But if a storm arrives while I’m still here, what will you say then?"

"Ah! Witness of the Chief Divine! If a storm comes, it’s naturally because your mighty and dignified divinity has already stripped the spirits of their control over the storm, directly attracting it!"

Upon hearing this, Black Wolf laughed heartily, quite content. He extended his hand, vigorously patting Papu’s shoulder, teasing him straightforwardly with a few words.

"Haha! Papu, your mouth can truly turn death into life, born to spin tales and deceive! No wonder His Majesty values you, assigning you to compile the Olmec ancestor epics!"

"Uh, Black Wolf Leader, while it’s true, it’s not appropriate to say it like that... Well, His Majesty might be displeased..."

"Hmm, I know! His Majesty values this ancestor epic, intending to weave all tribes under heaven into one... Haha! It’s like stringing rabbits from various places together with grass rope, then making them all urinate to blend the scent... Finally, claiming they were born from the same litter!"

Black Wolf Toltec, smugly looking at the surprised surrendered general Papu, candidly spoke.

"Papu, I understand this principle very well! To put it plainly, I conquer the tribes, like stringing rabbits together! You, compiling epics, are in charge of making the rabbits urinate, blending the scent. The rope acts firmly; disobedient rabbits get squashed with a slap. The urination acts softly; old rabbits see they won’t die, though unpleasant, they still bow their heads..."

"And then, once all disobedient old rabbits have died out, who among the young rabbits will still know who they were born to? Once they’ve grown up on the same string, smelling similar, looking alike, they’ll truly believe they are from the same litter... By then, even if the firm string is withdrawn, they’ll still gather together, inseparable!"

"This... this... Blessings of the Chief Divine! Black Wolf Leader... You truly are... truly are..."

Upon hearing this, the surrendered general Papu stared wide-eyed in shock at the Black Wolf Leader before him, as if meeting him for the first time!

This metaphor was concise and straightforward, yet perfectly grasped the deep meaning behind the arrangements made by His Highness. Even Papu himself had pondered long and hard to fully comprehend it. He never expected that the Black Wolf Leader, like a beast, could have such sharp eagle eyes that could see through appearances directly.

"Haha! What’s this, Papu, did you think I know nothing? Haha! I understand very well!... By the way, you just said I am really what?..."

"Uh... You’re really... like turquoise hidden in stone, with wisdom concealed!"

"Hmm, not bad! I love hearing that!... Come, let me introduce someone to you, perfect to join your priestly team compiling the epic!"

Looking at Papu, who was filled with genuine admiration, Black Wolf Toltec nodded in satisfaction. Then he reached out and pulled from behind an old witch doctor with an exceptional appearance and composed demeanor. In the arms of this old witch doctor was a roll of dusty white cloth. Through the gaps and shape of the cloth, one could vaguely see that inside the exterior wrapping lay an ancient ceramic plate, the size of a human head, in shades of dark purple and grey.

"He is an old witch doctor from the Hidden Serpent City and is also called Sage Kani!"

Hearing this name, the surrendered general Papu’s pupils slightly contracted. In the language of the Totonac at the seaside, the word "Kani" means ’wisdom’! Bearing such a name implies...

"Sage Kani was encountered by my red-haired trusted aides recently during their sweep of the Hidden Serpent lands from a surrounding small tribe, where he was a knowledgeable old witch doctor! Initially, the trusted aides planned to sacrifice the chieftains and priests of these tribes altogether..."

Black Wolf reached out a hand and heavily patted the old witch doctor on the shoulder. The old witch doctor’s eyelids twitched, yet his expression remained composed. At that moment, it was as if he wasn’t in the Holy Temple where half had burned down, but rather basking in the birdsong and floral fragrances in the deep jungle.

"But this old witch doctor knows a lot, and after conversing with my aides for a while, he conducted a divination for each of them and was revered as a wise figure akin to a Shaman of the wilderness!... Hence, my red-haired trusted aides discussed among themselves and ’invited’ this sage from that tribe!"

Upon hearing this, the old witch doctor Kani smiled and nodded slightly at Papu. Though his process of being "invited" wasn’t entirely harmonious or voluntary, as he had been forced to return to the Hidden Serpent City, he could only strategize to secure a position from the Kingdom that conquered the Seaside that would ensure his survival.

Reflecting on this, the old witch doctor Kani spoke slowly, his tone antiquated and poignant. His words seemed like the songs sung by tribal elders, warm and melodious, yet akin to a storyteller’s tale around a campfire, evoking long-lasting contemplation.

"Oh divine ceramic plate, tell me of the new future of the seaside! The sole Chief Divine opens a brand new era, altering all tribes’ destinies within the cycle of eras!"

"Oh divine eagle of the highlands, ascending from the heights of the west. It flies over a thousand miles of Seaside towards the endless deep sea of the East!... And what’s hidden within that unpredictable sea? Commoners bestowed with Divine Revelation cannot foresee it yet prepare for the future! They board long islands, they row long boats, confronting the distant challenge of darkness!" 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Listening thus far, both Black Wolf Toltec and surrendered general Papu exchanged a glance, and their expressions subtly changed. Meanwhile, the old witch doctor Kani’s demeanor remained unchanged, with just a serene smile as he embraced the ceramic plate and sang the final stanza.

"Oh divine ceramic plate, what is the future of the world? Is it the light going east, the darkness coming west, or the blood on land and the ship in the sea?... Nonetheless, the divine object has spirit but no answer. It only guides me to the sacred land both ancient and new, composing the future of the Olmec Jiao people from the past epics of all tribes under heaven!"

Upon completing the sacrificial song, it seemed like a divination of the future, perhaps even a mysterious omen. These sacrificial songs, falling into their hearts, seemed to precisely confirm the revelations of the king they knew, aligning perfectly with His Highness’s planning and arrangements!

After finishing the sacrificial song, the old witch doctor Kani looked at the wide-eyed Black Wolf and then at Papu with tight lips. He smiled gently and bowed for the first time.

"Honorable Black Wolf Marshal, esteemed Papu Priest... though lacking, I am guided by the divine object... and wish to dedicate effort towards the prophesied new era, in the compilation of the Olmec epic!"