Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!

The sacred grand conversion ceremony began in the golden dawn and ended in the blood-red sunset, lasting a full three days. More than sixty thousand Totonac tribespeople cut their hair, drank blood wine, and facing the burning Sacred Fire, took a blood oath to convert to the Supreme Main God!

As a testament to this conversion, tens of thousands of surrendered Totonac troops, under the gaze of the Chief God Priest, tremblingly took up arms and killed more than six thousand priests, samurai, and tribespeople from various groups who were unwilling to take the blood oath and convert to the Chief Divine. This tenth of the blood and carcasses should be the most stubborn and obstinate among the seaside factions. Their complete disappearance and destruction at the hands of their own kind marked the Totonac factions' complete break with their old beliefs!

"Where the divine eyes gaze, the heavens and earth are blood-red! The red dusk passes, and the new dawn brings golden vitality..."

Xiulote stood on the Divine Platform, watching the sacrificial pit filled with fresh corpses being meticulously buried by the Totonac surrendered army. He listened to the Totonac people's weeping, feeling the fear and confusion within it. Then soon, the gentle comforting words of the Chief God Priests rose among the crying crowd, filling the newly desolate hearts of the converts in their moment of collapse.

"The Chief God witnesses! The radiant Chief God spreads the glory of the sun, warming the hearts of the faithful! He forgives the devoted believers, forgives their past sins, and guides them after death to the red kingdom!..."

"Praise the Supreme Main God! He bestows upon us the flame of light, burning away all past sins, and mercifully shelters us! Come! Pray to Him and receive holy forgiveness!..."

Under the persuasive guidance of the Chief God Priests, low prayers gradually emerged from the newly converted Totonac tribespeople.

"Praise the Chief God! We pray to you, ask for your forgiveness!..."

Hearing the prayers of the Totonac, for the first time a smile crept onto Xiulote's stern face. After a brutal baptism, the surviving Totonac tribespeople abandoned their past and, at the cost of blood, finally converted to faith in the Chief Divine.

"Your Highness, they have betrayed everything; only by converting to the Chief God can they achieve redemption! And only such a costly conversion makes those who've given everything unable to turn back, compelling them to sincerely worship the Chief Divine!"

Xiulote lowered his eyes, recalling this insight into human nature, feeling a slight stirring in his heart. He slowly descended from the Divine Platform to the blazing Sacred Fire. The elder Priest who spoke this maxim stood deferentially in a simple robe.

"Praise the Chief God! Divinely inspired Supreme High Priest sir, your loyal follower Yitai greets you!..."

"No need for formalities. Chief Priest Yitai, these past few years, you've excelled in leading the religious tribunal in the kingdom's south, dealing effectively with some stubborn nobles and chieftains..."

Xiulote smiled as he reached out, grasping Yitai's hair. Then, with a meaningful smile, he spoke.

"You must have heard the rumors... I summoned you here all the way from the kingdom's south and formally promoted you to Fourth Level Chief Priest; for what purpose..."

"Yes! Divinely inspired Chief Priest sir, I am willing to serve you to the death!..."

Hearing this, Chief Priest Yitai lowered his head excitedly, hard-pressed to suppress the joy on his face.

"I will heed your command, manage the newly established seaside ecclesiastical province, spread the glory of the Chief Divine, and educate the newly converted believers! I will exercise restraint, not being overly harsh, but will continuously purge the tribes' faith. I will favor the devout, quickly cultivating a batch of devout and trustworthy believers as the foundation of the kingdom's rule!..."

"Hmm, not bad! Very good!..."

The sunset fell, and the sky was filled with red clouds. Xiulote gazed at the seaside sunset, listening to Chief Priest Yitai's mission plans, nodding in satisfaction. Then, without speaking, he inhaled the sweet, metallic sea breeze, gradually turning around to face the now-dark east. Chief Priest Yitai stood by, reading the situation, and remained silent. He patiently accompanied the Divinely inspired Chief Priest, together watching the vast, somber Eastern Sea as it merged into deep endless darkness.

"Across the eastern sea, darkness is approaching... The Totonac coast is the frontline of the Chief Divine's faith, needing swift purification!"

After a long pause, Xiulote finally spoke softly. He watched the composed Chief Priest Yitai, contemplating before finally resolving to further unleash the chains of the fierce tiger.

"As the newly conquered seaside ecclesiastical district, the faith in the Chief Divine is not yet solid. Yitai, I permit you to go one step further and establish an Inquisition! The seaside ecclesiastical district's Inquisition can recruit two thousand people from the loyal Totonac believers who have been tested for the Temple Army! This armed congregation will be equipped with the main army's Leather Armor Bronze Soldiers, and further equipped with five hundred sets of Bronze Cloth Armor!"

"The chieftains, samurai, and priests of the seaside tribes, and even the nobles coming from the Alliance migration can all be directly examined for faith by the Inquisition! And below hereditary nobility and Great Chiefs, or for groups smaller than fifty, the Inquisition has the authority to judge directly without reporting!"

"What? Establishing a Temple Army of two thousand, all nobles below hereditary nobility can be directly judged?"

Upon hearing the promise, Chief Priest Yitai took a deep breath. He had a fierce reputation among the kingdom's southern nobility but acted with considerable discretion, not conducting wanton trials of the kingdom's upper classes.

However, now it seemed that His Highness intended for him to carry out a major purge of faith in the seaside lands with no reservations! Even granting the power to establish a Temple Army and expand the Church Armed Forces!

"Does this mean... Divinely inspired Supreme High Priest sir, that we must enact strict purgation, deciding everything by faith regardless of status or origin?..."

Chief Priest Yitai licked his dry lips, cautiously seeking confirmation.

"If we truly do this... once a great fire ignites, I may not be able to extinguish it... moreover, there is also the High Priesthood of the Lake Capital City..."

"Yitai, in the next twenty years, throughout the entire seaside land, adherence to the Chief Divine's faith will be the only way!"

Xiulote nodded solemnly to Chief Priest Yitai, affirming him. Then he reached out and lightly patted Yitai's shoulder. The elder Chief Priest trembled all over; his waist instantly bent halfway, as if bearing the weight of a heavy burden.

"I have reported to the High Priesthood to establish the Seaside Ecclesiastical District Inquisition, with you overseeing all religious affairs!..."

"Go all out! The kingdom's eastward expedition continues; start with spreading faith! Hereafter, no matter how many people you judge, as long as I'm here, you'll be protected. Whether Mexica, Vastec, or Totonac, in this thousand miles of seaside land, I want only the devout faith of the Chief Divine! All heresy and idolaters, irrespective of their origin, must burn away in the flames!..."

"Yitai, I entrust you with the missionizing of the seaside lands, the forefront of the Chief Divine faith!..."