Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!
Chapter 1045 - 635: The Second Kingdom Exploration, Maya’s Three-World Myth, The Prelude of Destiny

Chapter 1045: Chapter 635: The Second Kingdom Exploration, Maya’s Three-World Myth, The Prelude of Destiny

Puap left, in a great hurry. Because he had received a divine revelation of fate, an invaluable revelation. This revelation consisted of just one sentence, obtained in exchange for a whole bag of gemstones.

"...Maya Divine Descendant, Heavenly Serpent Divine Blood, can break the Divine Eagle Curse!"

Puap remembered this revelation firmly. His eyes were full of killing intent, his hand rested on the bronze axe, murderous, eager to find the Mayan merchant Tikalo. In the entire expedition fleet, only the bald Mayan merchant knew the details of the Maya city-state and knew where the Serpent Divine Descendant might be!

However, just after Puap left this bustling market, Tikalo strolled in leisurely. Beside him was the old militia Chiaco, and two tagalongs holding small sculptures.

The old witch doctor was still laying out a white cloth, holding a mysterious earthen plate, sitting cross-legged and at ease. The conspicuous bag of gemstones was missing, and it was unknown where they had been placed. He squinted his eyes, glanced at the bald Mayan merchant, and then carefully looked over the militia-dressed Chiaco and the two young ones behind him.

The old witch doctor remained silent, pondering. After a moment, he cleared his throat and sang slowly.

"I see a turtle swimming in the sky. He has a bare forehead and can’t find his way home... I see a dirt dog running in the woods, looking old and in doubt of where his home is!... The curtain of fate unfurls, they all head to the East, suffering in endless storms!..."

"Hmm?"

Upon hearing the old witch doctor’s song, Chiaco and Tikalo simultaneously turned back, looking at the mysterious elder in a feathered garment, holding an earthen plate. Chiaco examined the old witch doctor, stroking his chin, saying nothing. Tikalo, after glancing at the old militia, smiled and stepped forward, asking.

"Esteemed old witch doctor, your song seems to have a deeper meaning... Could you perhaps explain a bit?"

The old witch doctor smiled, touched the mysterious earthen plate in his arms, and shook his head with a smile.

"The divine object has a spirit, knowing the fate of mortals, borrowing my voice to sing a song of encounters! However, encounters are also a part of fate’s arrangement. Can mortals comprehend the unfathomable fate? That depends entirely on themselves, nothing to do with me!"

"Hmm... A divine object with a spirit, fate predestined and unpredictable. What you say is not without reason."

Tikalo nodded. His gaze soon settled on the mysterious earthen plate in the old witch doctor’s arms. With just one look, the Mayan merchant’s eyes narrowed suddenly. He glanced sideways at the old militia always watching him, then smiled and spoke to the old witch doctor.

"Esteemed old priest, could you lend me the divine object in your hand, the precious Ritual Plate, for a look?"

"Oh, you recognize this Ritual Plate?"

The old witch doctor curled up his mouth and smiled.

"However, the divine object said, it won’t lend! It doesn’t recognize you."

The old militia observed for a while, studied the "divine object" plate intently, and asked in confusion.

"Tikalo, this plate, with such a big tree painted on it... What does it mean?"

"Oh, Captain Chi, this is an exceptionally ancient divine map, aligning with our corn people’s mythology, signifying the world’s origin and truth!"

The Mayan merchant Tikalo reached out, touched the divine baldness, smiling as he explained.

"You see, this divine plate is divided into three parts: upper, middle, and lower. The upper part is the blue sky, depicting the sun, moon, stars, and various divinities. That is the sky where the sun and stars reside, the Upper Realm where divinities dwell! The will of the divinities circulates in the Upper Realm, delivering their divine revelations through the sun, moon, and constellations. Believers belonging to different divinities, after dying in sacred ways, will go to the Upper Realm, known as the Divine Kingdom by the Alliance."

"Mayan mythology? The Upper Realm, with the sun, moon, stars, and the Divine Kingdom of the gods..."

Hearing this, Chiaco pondered. However, the simple old militia did not react much to such mythology.

"Ahem! The middle of the divine plate is the Middle Realm, the human world where we reside. The human realm is divided into eastern, western, southern, and northern regions, with twelve smaller regions. This represents the different directions of the world, the different tribes! The world is vast and boundless. What we know is just one small region... Priests in the human world built pyramid temples, desiring to communicate with divinities in the Upper Realm. However, what truly connects the three realms of upper, middle, and lower is this, an unimaginably tall Cotton God Tree!"

Saying this, Tikalo pointed to the center of the earthen plate. The giant divine tree, with its indistinct details, captivated Chiaco’s attention.

"Is this... the Cotton God Tree that connects the three realms?"

"Yes! The Cotton God Tree rises to the sky, reaches down into the earth. Its peak reaches the Divine Realm, its trunk remains in the human world, and its roots extend to the Abyss! The souls of the dead in the human world follow the manner of death, passing through the Cotton God Tree, traveling to the upper and lower realms. And at the treetop, resides the sacred Divine Bird, receiving the prayers of mortals and the will of divinities..."

Tikalo explained with a smile, Chiaco nodded and listened, the old witch doctor closed his eyes without speaking. The expressions of the three men were very calm. Because in their hearts, they all had their own opinions, their profound understanding of the world from various perspectives. They would not be easily swayed by others.

"Below the divine plate is the Lower Realm, the terrifying Abyss. It is divided into nine layers, holding nine terrible calamities, with two rivers flowing through, marking death and rebirth. Without a sacred manner of death or divine guidance, mortal souls would go to the Lower Realm, enduring harrowing trials to cleanse all, before moving from death to rebirth!..."

Tikalo narrated about the frightening Lower Realm, even his words became sombre. He looked at Chiaco, whose expression remained calm, and spoke with a deep meaning and smile.

"Captain Chi, all profound water sources flow to the Lower Realm. If we were to die in a storm at the eastern sea, our souls would sink with our bodies into the sea, suffering trials in the Lower Realm!"

"I see! So in one map, such rich meaning is painted, truly impressive!"

The old militia pondered for a moment, nodding in admiration. But his face showed no fear of the Lower Realm, only some serene yearning.

"Ah! If after dying, one goes to the Lower Realm to suffer a bit and then can live again, that would be nice too!"

"Uh..."

Hearing this, Tikalo’s expression froze, and the old witch doctor’s face stiffened. After a while, Tikalo shook his head with a wry smile, carrying some admiration.

"Captain Chi, you are indeed, as open-minded as an old turtle!..."

"Tsk tsk! The divine object has a spirit; those who don’t believe cannot perceive it."

On the other side, the old witch doctor shook his head. He hid the earthen plate in his ample feathered garment, no longer allowing the two men to see it.

"It seems that the destined encounter of fate ends here then!"

"Ah! Please, dear old priest."

The face of the Mayan merchant Tikalo showed a hint of disappointment. He looked at Chiwaco with some blame and stepped forward to speak.

"I believe this clay plate is an ancient divine object... just wanted to ask you, what lies ahead on this journey!"

"I don’t know, I don’t know. Fate has long been determined, when the time comes, mortals will naturally see it."

The Old Witch Doctor hid the clay plate, just shook his head. Tikalo was a bit anxious, took out a pebble-sized Lake Gem from his bosom, and placed it on the Old Witch Doctor’s white cloth.

"Respected Old Priest, this is a precious Lake Gem! Its quality is higher than all the gemstones produced by the Tutulxiu city-state of the Corn People!"

"Oh? A Lake Gem, better than those from Tutulxiu city?"

The Old Witch Doctor smiled faintly and repeated.

Tikalo glanced calmly at Chiwaco, speaking firmly.

"Truly!"

"Just this one, better than all the gemstones of Tutulxiu?"

The Old Witch Doctor raised an eyebrow and emphasized the word "all" as he asked again.

"Truly!"

"Ha! I don’t want it!"

The Old Witch Doctor laughed freely, waved his hand. He took out the clay plate from his bosom, waved it, attracting the old militia’s gaze, and said slowly.

"Fate is not predetermined! If it is, even white sand can bring divine revelation. And if it is not, even a green gemstone, I cannot reveal a word."

Hearing this, Tikalo’s pupils contracted. He was lost for a moment and murmured.

"Even sand? White sand?!..."

"Yes! Even white sand can bring divine revelation!"

"Oh! Respected Old Priest, I can offer another cost..."

Tikalo steadied his mind, took a deep breath. He glanced at the old militia whose attention had shifted, and spoke seriously.

"Whether it’s gold, silver, bronze, or obsidian... anything!"

"Fate is not revealed, I am powerless!"

The Old Witch Doctor shook his head, smiling in reply.

"Foreign merchant, you should go! The answer you tirelessly seek will soon appear before you. But this is your own fate, you must seize it yourself. Fate is always hard, hard to change easily! Even with the help of powerful foreign samurai..."

"..."

Tikalo lowered his eyes, silent for a moment. Then, he bowed his head sincerely, and saluted the Old Witch Doctor in front of him.

"Thank you, respected Sage!"

"Go, go! Foreign merchant, our meeting ends here."

The Old Witch Doctor waved his hand with a smile. Then, he put away the mysterious clay plate, closed his eyes, and spoke no more.

Tikalo turned his head and met the eyes of the old militia who was watching him. Suddenly, his expression relaxed, he smiled warmly and spoke leisurely.

"Captain Qi, let’s return to the ship!"

"Ah? Just leaving?"

The old militia widened his eyes, looking suspiciously at the Mayan merchant who never left his sight.

"Ha! It was you who eagerly invited us ashore to find divine objects at the market. Now it’s you who wants to return early... Tikalo, what are you really up to?"

"Ah! Captain Qi, what could I be up to?"

Tikalo gave a bitter smile and sighed, pointing to the clay plate hidden in the Old Witch Doctor’s bosom.

"We have all seen the divine object, yet it is destined, we have no affinity with it... what a pity! In that case, why not return to the ship early and find some peace of mind!"

"Divine object?... Fate?..."

Chiwaco pondered for a moment, without figuring it out. He looked again at Tikalo’s calm expression, then at the Old Witch Doctor’s closed eyes, finally nodding.

"Alright, we’ll leave then!"

Divine Smoke floated away, flying to the distant Upper Realm. The fleet departed, quickly disappearing at the market’s edge. Meanwhile, in this flourishing human world, entanglements of fame and fortune, vengeance and struggles, there was not a bit of tranquility to be found.

"Ah! The world is bitter, who can truly let go of the past?"

The Old Witch Doctor held the clay plate, watching Tikalo’s disappearing back, and sighed. Then, he skillfully rolled up the white cloth, carrying the black purple clay plate, holding a bag of gemstones, swayed into the crowd, and suddenly vanished.