Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!-Chapter 1573 - 1113: News from the Northern Long Bay, The Long Bay Tribe and the Denali Divine Mountain (Supplementary Update)

"Oh Chief Divine! Another two longships for you, to transport more firestone?..."

"Yes! Honorable High Priest Miki! The over one thousand tribes on Great Whale Island are not only small in size but also loosely organized. They all revere the Chief Divine and can easily become citizens of the Kingdom!... as long as there is more food and fuel..."

Distant snow-capped peaks towered high, the mountain forest nearby seemed distant. The grass around was lush, and the stream in front was flowing gently. Two Kingdom Priests of Great Whale Island stood in the potato field by a small river. They were discussing the major affairs of the island and deciding the future direction of the camp. As the tide rose and fell, and the whales' songs echoed, this great island, desolate for thousands of years, slowly changed its appearance in the long river of time.

Scholar Miki gazed at the snowy peaks of the mountains, at the mountain forests and grasslands, at the port camp, and finally at the three large horses grazing. Hesitantly, he looked at the hopeful face of Preaching Priest Shibou and slightly nodded his head.

"Hmm, by the Chief Divine's blessing, let's see! Once I've seen how many longships the third fleet brings… Shibou, your place here is for rearing horses and is an easy island to control… I will prioritize considering you!"

"Ah! Praise the Chief Divine, and praise you! Honorable High Priest Miki..."

"Haha! Shibou, there's no need for so many pleasantries. I'm also considering the future of the Kingdom… By the way, across the strait to the north is Long Bay, where many Sugpiaq tribes gather, including a strong Long Bay Tribe… have you scouted their situation?..."

"High Priest Miki, straight north from Great Whale Island, across a hundred or two hundred li of strait, lies the Long Bay of the Northern Continent. The entire Long Bay is surrounded by mountains on three sides, a rare warm place along the thousands of miles of Far North Coast, gathering thousands of Sugpiaq tribes. Our camp has also dispatched local Tribal Huntsman who'd undergone conversion to visit the northern fjord. That fjord stretches at least seven hundred li..."

"Witnessed by the Chief Divine! The local tribes' canoes reportedly need to row seventy li a day, for at least ten days, to reach the end of Long Bay, where the large Long Bay Tribe of Sugpiaq is! The Long Bay Tribe is estimated to be nearly a thousand strong, located south of the Heavenly God Ancestor Peak, at the mouth of three Great Rivers. They are the most powerful Great Tribe on the entire Far North Coast! Their status is also unique, being the nominal ancestral tribe of the seven hundred li of Long Bay tribes, possessing the Shaman of inherited wisdom..."

Mentioning the Long Bay of the Far North Coast, Preaching Priest Shibou's eyes slightly shifted, and there was a trace of yearning on his face. Undoubtedly, the Long Bay region with its warm valley, flowing Great Rivers, and the abundant fish that migrate seasonally, is indeed the most suitable place for settlement!

However, such a fertile and warm coast, naturally suitable for survival, also gathers the most and strongest local tribes. In fact, Anchorage, Alaska's most populous city in later generations, is located at the end of Long Bay. The indigenous tribes there currently number at least twenty, totaling tens of thousands, forming a presence akin to tribal alliances...

"The Supreme Main God guides us! All tribes of the Long Bay region worship the Heavenly God Ancestor Peak of the North, worshiping the 'Divine Mountain that stands tall in the Yun Tian,' what they call 'Denali Peak' (Denali). The oldest and strongest Long Bay Tribe also claims to be 'Dena'ina', meaning 'Ancestor Divine Mountain Tribe'! As for their tribal shaman, it is highly reputable, called the 'Dene Shaman of Divine Mountain'..."

"'Dena'ina', Ancestor Divine Mountain Tribe? 'Dene' Shaman of Divine Mountain?..."

Upon hearing these revered names, Scholar Miki slightly furrowed his brow and pondered silently. Based on his experience along the journey, encountering such ancient tribes with Shamanic traditions is never easy to persuade, and the possibility of being reversed persuaded exists… oh no, that's not called persuasion, it's called 'conversion to the Chief Divine, joining the Kingdom, reuniting Jiao People brothers'...

"Hmm... Priest Shibou, do these tribes of the Long Bay region know of our existence? How are their attitudes?..."

"High Priest Miki, over the past year or so, the canoes from Great Whale Harbor have also encountered canoes from the various tribes of Long Bay. Although we haven't met the most powerful large Long Bay Tribe, through tribal exchanges, we've learned quite a bit... The tribes of Long Bay live by fishing and hunting, each having dozens of canoes, and around the camps, they also plant some berries and wild roots. Their young and strong hunt and fish, while the elderly and weak gather acorns and pine nuts, highly valuing the tribe's fishing and hunting grounds… They live daily in semi-underground round huts, the number and size of which prove the tribe's strength or not!"

"Those huts are called 'kashim', somewhat like the pointed shelters of the Western Sea Coast tribes. But since the Long Bay region itself is surrounded by mountains, a natural winter camp, the Long Bay tribes don't need to migrate for the winter. They can use more wood to make the huts sturdier. Additionally, these tribes frequently hunt elk and moose, filling the huts with hides and reeds to resist the winter cold snaps and heavy snow..."

"Overall, among the tribes of the Far North Coast, the Long Bay tribes of the Sugpiaq people are the most affluent and powerful!... Their knowledge of us is limited, only aware that we possess longships and can trade axes, fuel, and salt, seen as southern tribes... Their attitude is also very friendly, but the premise is that we don't go to the northern Long Bay area's fishing grounds and don't hunt their coastal animals!..."

At this, Priest Shibou touched his nose, eyes slightly shifting, and added a sentence.

"High Priest Miki, the position of the large Long Bay Tribe is actually closer to the Kingdom's Divine Blood Bay Port... Once at the Divine Blood Bay Port, the priest and samurai there may know more!..."

"Hmm, by the Chief Divine's blessing! Our next port is Divine Blood Bay Port... Shibou, prepare food for thirty people for half a month. Our sea ship will rest here for three days, and once the three large horses are settled, the sea ship will set sail again!"

"Yes, High Priest Miki. Witnessed by the Chief Divine! I will ensure everything is ready for you and will definitely shoulder the responsibility of rearing horses!"

"Haha! Do well! Shibou, this grand opportunity is given to you, let's see if you can seize it!"

The small river quietly flows, irrigating the potato fields by its banks. The brilliant summer sunshine falls on the sprouting potato seedlings, allowing the hardy crops to grow tenaciously. The two priests came and went, though they stood by the fields, their eyes gazed at the towering snowy mountains, looking towards the northern Long Bay.

After the priests left, two warriors inscribed with emblems quietly came to the field. They widened their eyes, looking at the purple flowers blooming on the potato seedlings, and after exploring the field for a long time, they lost themselves in praise.

"Upon the Buddha, upon the Chief Divine! Otani, it turns out this rice fruit not only grows in cold soil but also bears edible tubers, just like delicious radish! Ah! It can also bear purple flowers, it's beautiful, truly beautiful!"

"Watanabe, you're mistaken! This rice fruit is far tastier than radish! Radish fills the belly, but it's not satisfying. After eating this rice fruit, I just knew it's the kind of staple food that's really good for life!"

"Indeed, indeed! Otani, you're right! This rice fruit is truly a good thing! I remember, at the Jiao People camp on that peninsula, the Ancestor High Priest was also planting this rice fruit. But the rice fruit back then was scarce, I didn't have the chance to taste it, nor knew of its benefits… Merciful Buddha, merciful Chief Divine! This hardy rice fruit, if introduced to Ezo land... it could truly be a lifesaver for countless people!"

"Ha! Ezo land? Watanabe, we're probably ten thousand li from Ezo land now! We've come so far, and the ship still sails eastward. Whether we can return in this life is still uncertain... you'd better not worry too much!"

"Alas! Thousands of li away from home, adrift on the sea. The thought of returning is like foam by the sea, or dew in the morning... But no matter what, Otani, it's important to keep hope alive, watching the flying birds of summer!… Namo Amitabha Buddha, main god radish of Go!"