Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!

Chapter 1385 - 940: The Mayans Saw the Light

The silver moonlight floated on the surface of the sea, and the gray-black mountains loomed along the coast. Between the sea and the Divine Mountain’s bay, there was a stone-built water fortress, low, ancient, and desolate.Actually, this was also one of the ancient Olmec relics, established during the final days of the Celestial Empire’s Warring States Period, over a thousand years ago, just like the two ancient statues at the volcano’s crater in Divine Mountain. The original purpose of this water fortress was as a sacrificial altar under the Divine Mountain, worshipping the seaside-revered "Mother of the Ocean," who was also one of the deities of the Mexican Plateau, Cihuacoatl.

"Under the protection of the Sun and the Feathered Serpent! We have achieved a rare victory in this raid against the Mexica!"

The Feathered Serpent Priest Papu, with a smile on his face, loudly announced to the welcoming temple priest and samurai. Afterward, he arranged for the crew to rest and arranged for craftsmen and personnel for ship repairs. Not until everything was completed, with the moon high in the sky, did the Feathered Serpent High Priest, the Naval Commander of the Holy City, silently proceed into the depths of the water fortress’s sacrificial altar under the escort of Chieftain Chuchut.

"Chuchut, take a few tribal warriors and guard outside carefully!"

"Yes, Lord Papu Priest!"

The head of Snake Lake tribe, Chuchut, bowed respectfully, just like Papu’s trusted aide. As the Papu Priest resurged, his status rose, ensuring the placement of his clansmen. Together they had fled hundreds of miles, sharing numerous life and death experiences, developing trust that surpassed the faith in the Sun and Feathered Serpent, enabling them to seek a way out together!

"Very well! Chuchut, I will take you, just like during the escape... to find a way out!..."

Papu Priest’s eyes flickered, hinting softly. Chieftain Chuchut lowered his gaze and nodded solemnly. The two understood each other, passing by one another. Subsequently, the cold ancient sacrificial site, along with the underground sacrificial dungeon, accompanied by the extending serpent carvings, gradually appeared in front of Papu Priest.

"Open the stone door!"

"Yes, Lord Priest!"

At the end of the underground sacrificial site, there was an old and eerie stone prison used to imprison sacrifices, buried with countless souls. The deepest stone prison was also the most expansive, used to imprison the most noble Divine Descendant sacrifices.

These stone prisons had no locks, only heavy stone doors. The weight of the stone doors was not something one person could push open. Thus, the method of imprisoning sacrifices was simple and straightforward: tie them with rope, throw them into the stone prison. Open the stone door once a day, deliver food, then close it again.

"Boom..."

Four stationed warriors exerted force together, pushing open the heavy stone door. The torchlight shone into the stone prison, illuminating a hunched figure in the corner.

"Hmm... you wait outside!"

"Yes, Lord Priest!"

Papu Priest sniffed, raising his eyebrows before holding up the torch and walking into the cold underground black prison. Soon, he was covering his nose, approaching the cornered figure. The other person was covering their eyes, struggling to adjust to the sudden light, issuing a low moan.

"Heavenly Serpent Divine! ... I finally... see the light again!..."

Mayan merchant Tikalo covered his eyes, taking a while to adapt before opening them tearfully. Under Papu Priest’s torchlight, his face was weak and pale, his figure gaunt to the point of being unrecognizable. However, he struggled to open his eyes, recognizing the person in front of him, a sincere smile lifting the corners of his mouth as he greeted in Totonac Nava language.

"Papu... Priest... Lord! We meet again!..."

Papu Priest held the torch, looking down at Tikalo in the corner. His eyes flickered before speaking calmly.

"Mayan, I remember you once said... you know the Mexica’s God of Death, His Highness?"

"Yes! Honorable Papu Priest... I have old ties with His Highness Xiulote... in front of His Highness, I can speak a few words..."

"With the divine as witness! How could a Mayan merchant know the God of Death, His Highness?"

"Well... His Highness Xiulote’s Capital Army Commander, Olosh... owed me quite a bit for tobacco, also my old friend! ... He was once His Highness’s Martial Arts teacher, brought His Highness to my shop... later, I sourced copper materials for His Highness, transported from the Weytamo Mountains to the Alliance... and later, I ventured east to Cuba Snake Island on His Highness’s behalf, until encountering the fleet’s raid... Lord Priest, I’ve recounted all this once before!..."

"I know. But this time, you must swear by the divine and the ancestors!"

"Chief Divine as witness! Ancestors..."

"No! Use the Mayan’s Heavenly Serpent Divine."

"... Heavenly Serpent Divine as witness! Ancestors as witness! Everything I said before is the truth! If there’s any falsehood, let me..."

"Have your family line extinguished."

Papu Priest’s eyes were cold as he spoke in a low voice.

"Don’t use yourself. Swear on your family!"

"..."

Mayan merchant Tikalo remained silent, looking at Papu Priest’s stern and somber eyes. After a while, he barely perceptibly nodded.

"Heavenly Serpent Divine and Ancestors as witness! At this moment, if I utter a single falsehood, let... my family line be extinguished!..."

"Hmm. Very good!"

The Papu Priest squinted, carefully observing the Mayan merchant Tikalo, then revealed a slight smile, guiding like a priest.

"With the protection of the Sun and the Feathered Serpent! As long as there is sincere faith, and you follow the guidance of the priests... your family will continue like roots, owning a future rooted in the heights!"

"A future... rooted in the heights?"

Hearing this, the Mayan merchant Tikalo blinked, his weak smile spreading like ripples. He licked his dry lips and, looking at the suddenly silent Papu Priest, smiled and tentatively asked.

"Lord Priest, is there water? I’m very thirsty... could you give me some water?"

The Papu Priest pondered for a moment, then gestured to his trusted aide behind him. Soon, sweet well water flowed "glug glug" into the Mayan merchant’s throat, making him feel comfortable all over.

"Ah... the Chief Divine’s blessing!"

The Mayan merchant Tikalo shook the skin bag, licking the last drop of water, and intentionally prayed to the Chief Divine. Then he glanced at the silent reaction from the Papu Priest, his eyes flashed, and he said with a smile.

"Respected Papu Priest... is there anything to eat? One meal a day of sour pumpkin really makes me hungry... could I have a bite of corn cake? Just one bite..."

Hearing this, the Papu Priest raised his eyebrows. He gave Tikalo a deep look and then ordered his trusted aide behind him.

"Get some corn cakes for him to eat!"

"Wait! Wait!..."

The Mayan merchant Tikalo weakly stretched out his hand, but his face was full of a cunning smile like that of a fox.

"Respected Papu Priest! This stone prison hasn’t been cleaned for a long time... it’s really not suitable for eating... Could I change to a cleaner cell, preferably with light..."

"Change to a cell? One with light?..."

The Papu Priest frowned but calmed down after a few moments. He again turned his head and ordered the guards stationed at the stone prison.

"Take him to another room, one with ventilation holes. From now on, give him two meals a day and take care of his hygiene! Yes, treat him according to the status of a Divine Descendant sacrifice!..."

"Yes, Lord Papu Priest!..."

Soon, the two of them moved to a clean and ventilated stone room, and Tikalo ate warm corn cakes. He almost licked the last crumbs like a greedy, weak old fox, and then sighed in satisfaction.

"Oh Chief Divine! I never knew... a simple corn cake could taste so good!..."

"A simple corn cake? Ha!"

Upon hearing this, the Papu Priest sneered and shook his head.

"Mayan! Do you know? Most of the thousands of tribal warriors outside can’t even eat this piece of corn cake!..."

"Oh?"

The Mayan merchant Tikalo’s eyes flickered, savoring this statement. After a good while, he cautiously asked.

"Respected Papu Priest... I have one last request!... As a sacrifice in your captivity, I want to go to the sacred sacrificial lake and take a bath..."

This time, the Papu Priest’s silence was longer than all the previous ones combined. A conversation between wise men doesn’t need many words or explicit statements. He silently lowered his eyes and, after a good while, spoke in a low voice.

"Not now! The sacrificial rites at the lake have been suspended. And you, as a sacrifice, are not qualified yet!..."

"But... in the future... you may still have a chance!"

"All Gods’ protection! Divine blessing!"

Leaving these words, the Papu Priest raised a torch and turned to leave. Behind him, the heavy stone door closed again with a "boom" by four people. In the stone chamber, Tikalo raised his head, looking through the simple vent holes towards the distant light above. Those simple holes were like the eyes of the Divine, calmly gazing at him, their eyes filled with starlight.

"I see..."

"Has the Kingdom already reached the Lake Sacrifice City? Divine blessing?..."

"Oh Heavenly Serpent Divine... I have finally... seen the light again!..."