Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!

"Let us drink the blood wine and swear an oath of blood!"

"Never surrender, fight to the death against the Aztecs!"

"Someone, quickly bring the blood wine!"

In the Temple, the chieftains of many tribes from the East were fervently shouting with excitement. Great Sun Chief Qiqini turned to whisper a few words to the Head Warrior Qiyan standing behind him. The latter gave a deep bow and headed out of the hall.

Soon, the Serpent Priestess Miyava swayed gracefully, carrying a clay pot filled with blood wine, accompanied by four lithe Serpent Assistant Priestesses. The strong smell of blood wafted from the opened clay pot, adding a sense of mystery and strangeness to the ancient Temple, while masking all other scents.

The Serpent Priestess bore a solemn expression, dressed in a pure white priestess robe, her neck as gracefully elongated as that of an egret. At this moment, her face held the purity and nobility of a High Priest, yet with an innate charm and allure. Her bright eyes flowed as she exchanged glances with each chieftain in the hall, offering a gentle smile, and poured out cups of crimson rice wine, personally handing them to the brave chieftains.

"...The Serpent Priestess Miyava is truly a rare beauty among the tribes!"

The chieftains in the hall accepted the blood wine, looking at the enchanting and sacred Serpent Priestess before them, their thoughts began to stir. The Golden Bay Tribes had a history spanning hundreds of years, with the Serpent Priestess carrying the bloodline of the Divine Descendants, granting her high esteem. The Serpent Priestess Miyava before them was also the sister of the Great Sun Chief Qiqini, and she too held the right to inherit leadership of the tribe.

If one were to marry her, not only could they enjoy the beauty of the priestess, but they would also have an excuse to seize control of the Golden Bay Tribes! It should be known that from the region around Golden Bay City, there were at least twenty to thirty thousand tribespeople who had fled to the Eastern Totonac tribes!

"...Just by marrying her, one could gain both beauty and the tribe!..."

Under normal circumstances, such thoughts would merely pass through the chieftains' minds. For, undoubtedly, this was challenging the Great Sun Chief Qiqini's rule over the tribe. But with the imminent evacuation, the Great Sun Chief could only lead away a few hundred samurai, soon becoming dependent on others, losing his foundational rule...

Thinking of this, Ozli, the young and ambitious chieftain of the Lake Sacrifice City tribe, could hardly restrain himself. He seized the opportunity when Miyava handed a cup, catching her delicate hand in return, eagerly extending his proposition to the alluring Serpent Priestess.

"Miyava, during this evacuation, why don't you join our Lake Sacrifice tribe by boat? I have just inherited the leadership of the Lake Sacrifice tribe and have yet to take a wife. Our powerful tribe needs a noble lady! Ah, let us sail the Sacrificial Lake, like our earliest ancestors, and pray to the spirits at the lake's bottom!..."

The so-called Sacrificial Lake refers to a vast Great Lake, situated west of the Great Divine Mountain of Fire, also an ancient site for sacrificial rites. Since the distant Olmec Era, it has been a tradition for the coastal tribes' ancestors to hold sacrifices there, praying to the spirits residing in the lake's depths. Typically, the first part of the sacrificial rite involves offering sacrifices imbued with life force into the lakebed, in hopes of tribal prosperity. The second part of the ceremony is where the young men and women of the tribe, aboard numerous small boats, sing and dance freely, receiving blessings from the spirits, and nurture new life.

Upon hearing such words, the chieftains in the hall were visibly stirred, gripping their wine cups, casting their gazes forth. The Great Sun Chief Qiqini narrowed his eyes, and a cold killing intent flashed briefly within them.

The Serpent Priestess Miyava remained at ease, seemingly unfazed. She chuckled softly, her fingers dexterously twisting, teasingly scratching the palm of Chieftain Ozli's hand. The slippery sensation triggered a tremor in Ozli's heart; his gaze locked onto Miyava, seeing only her alluring face.

"Oh! Mighty Miyawakotel, forever roams in the darkness. Only warriors as radiant as the Sun can emit beams of light to lay her down in submission!... Mighty Chieftain Ozli, are you truly such a Sunlit Warrior?"

Hearing this, Chieftain Ozli of the Lake Sacrifice tribe was invigorated. Raising his fist, he pounded his chest heavily, urgently pledging.

"May the ancestors be my witness! I am the most fearless and battle-hardened warrior in the City-State! Even if it's the Aztec's Eagle Warriors, I will personally sever their heads as an offering to the most beautiful you!"

"Indeed, Chieftain Ozli, I believe in you... and will wait for you..."

The eyes of the Serpent Priestess Miyava glimmered, displaying a maiden-like admiration. Thereupon, she blinked, gently withdrawing her hand while Chieftain Ozli's longing gaze lingered upon her, and she approached the last great chieftain, Santu Tlaco.

"Honorable Chief Santu, here is your blood wine! The All Gods witness your piety and self-discipline, for which I have always held deep admiration!"

Santu Tlaco maintained a calm demeanor, solemnly accepting the blood wine with both hands. Looking at the Serpent Priestess coveted by all, he paused in contemplation, then solemnly vowed.

"Respected Serpent Priestess, though you hold an esteemed position with the ancient priestly lineage of Golden Bay, if you do not wish to go to any tribal territory... I swear by the name of the ancestors! You shall have a place within the Temples of the Gods in the Hidden Serpent Holy City!"

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Hearing this, Serpent Priestess Miyava raised her eyebrows and gave the Holy Land Chieftain a deep look. She understood the weight of this promise; it was a shelter from the prying eyes of the chieftains of the eastern tribes within the divine authority of the priests. If she really left with everyone and lost the foundation of the Golden Bay Tribes, she would also lose their protection. At that time, she would only have the position and power to protect herself by going to the Temple in the Holy Land and taking charge of a Goddess's temple!

"Thank you, Holy Land Chieftain..."

Serpent Priestess Miyava was silent for a moment, then gently nodded. She smiled gratefully at the Holy Land Chieftain and fluttered away gracefully like a butterfly.

"Alright! The Feathered Serpent Divine watches over everything, and also our choices!"

The Great Sun Chief Qiqini's face was as calm as water as he looked at the chieftains in the hall. The retreat had not yet begun, but these great chiefs of the eastern tribes were already contemplating the annexation of the Golden Bay Tribes. At this moment, he felt no guilt about the upcoming plan, and was even somewhat eager.

"Come! Let us drink the blood wine together and swear to the All Gods! All tribes must unite as one and fight to the death against the Aztecs!"

"Witnessed by the All Gods! United as one, fight to the death!"

The sky gradually darkened, and bonfires were lit in the Temple, casting the serene face of the Feathered Serpent Divine in a somewhat dim light. The chieftains swore in unison, then without hesitation, drank all the blood wine in their hands!

Serpent Priestess Miyava stood by the divine statue with a sacred yet gentle smile, watching the chieftains who had drunk the blood wine. She watched the devout Holy Land Chieftain sip it without spilling a drop of wine. The other chieftains were similar, without any doubt, and did not miss drinking the oath blood wine.

Only the Great Sun Chief Qiqini drank with a bold motion, spilling almost half of the blood wine while only drinking less than half a cup. The Sacrificial Lake City Tribe Chieftain Ozli watched the Great Sun Chief's actions and only followed suit, boldly drinking and spilling after the former finished. After drinking, he provocatively glanced at the Great Sun Chief and then raised his head with a smile at Miyava, like a stag competing for a mate.

"..."

Seeing this, Serpent Priestess Miyava gave a charming smile, nodded at Chieftain Ozli, and made a mysterious heart gesture over her chest. Then, she turned her head, ignoring Chieftain Ozli's excited expression, and glanced at her brother's most trusted aide, Head Warrior Qiyan.

Head Warrior Qiyan kept his head down, loyal and guarding closely by the Great Sun Chief's side. He cautiously held the red bronze axe at his waist, hardly leaving Qiqini's side. He only lightly sipped the blood wine earlier, not actually drinking it. Meanwhile, the trusted aides brought by the other great chiefs were completely unaware and drank the sacred blood wine.

"Haha! What good wine! This is the fine wine of the Totonac people, containing the blood of the divine, leaving an endless aftertaste! Hahaha!..."

Qiqini, having finished the blood wine, looked around at everyone and laughed heartily. Upon seeing this, the chieftains of the eastern tribes joined in the hearty laughter.

"Haha! Witnessed by the All Gods! The victory of the divine war will surely be ours with all tribes devoutly united!"

"Indeed! The warrior who fights most bravely against the Aztecs is truly like the Sun's warrior! And only a warrior truly like the Sun is qualified to possess the Serpent Woman imbued with divinity!"

"Praise the Ancestors! Our eastern tribes must resist to the end! Under no circumstances should we surrender to the Aztecs who force us to change beliefs and plunder our tribes!"

"Haha! The leader capable of leading all tribes to resist the Aztec invasion should become the king of the Totonac people! It is time for the Totonac tribes to produce a true king!"

"Hahahaha!..."

The chieftains laughed heartily, using the cover of the wine's influence to tentatively reveal their ambitions and thoughts in this rare occasion. Their eyes flashed, they exchanged glances, and continued to laugh heartily...

"Hahahaha! Hahahaha!... Uh!..."

As they laughed, their bodies suddenly paused, and their laughter abruptly stopped. Then, their gazes turned dazed, showing surprise on their faces, as they swayed and fell to the ground, like frogs leaping into a pond, "plop, plop."...

The bonfire cast flickering shadows on the statue of the Feathered Serpent Divine. Serpent Priestess Miyava's eyes curved beautifully, she smiled brightly, like a sacred Feathered Serpent.