Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!
Chapter 832 - 459: The Temple in the Mountains, the Priest of the Capital City

Chapter 832: Chapter 459: The Temple in the Mountains, the Priest of the Capital City

Mount Estrella is only four or five hundred meters high, not particularly steep or perilous, yet its thick peaks exude an imposing aura, akin to the throne of a deity.

Xiulote stepped on the faint morning light, holding Alisa’s delicate hand. They climbed steadily along a winding path, with dozens of Samurai carrying weapons and dressed in Leather Armor, spreading out before and behind them in vigilance.

After walking for several quarters of an hour, the scenery along the way was nothing short of breathtaking. Looking down, the mountain terrain appeared vast with jagged rocks; on a level view, the woods were elegant and flowers were in bloom; looking up, clouds rose, revealing an ancient Temple of the Sun among the mist and trees, already within a hundred meters.

"The ancient Temple of the Sun, passing down the sacred fire..."

Xiulote gently chanted, and Alisa responded with a smile.

"The original sun descended upon this mountain, the stairway for the highest Chief Divine, the place of the fifty-two-year cycle’s initiation..."

They exchanged smiles, tightly clasping hands, and chanted the final part of the hymn together.

"Mount Estrella, witness the immortal miracle, make an eternal promise!..."

The clear chanting voice floated away on the wind, spreading afar. Moments later, a hearty laugh echoed from the Temple of the Sun.

"Haha! The Divine Eagle flies from the sky, the egret descends from the clouds, truly a blessed day!"

A lean middle-aged Priest, dressed in simple Ceremonial Dress with a long crown adorned with Eagle Feathers, strode out from the Temple. The middle-aged Priest had an elegant, otherworldly look, a warm smile on his face, and walked with firm and steady steps. In just a few moments, he passed through the Samurai’s formation and arrived before the two, bowing respectfully.

"Praise the Sun God! Honorable Supreme High Priest, esteemed Princess, the High Priest of the Temple of the Sun, Tonaya, greets you!"

"Praise the Sun God! Greetings, High Priest Tonaya!"

Xiulote smiled warmly, holding Alisa as they returned the greeting to the lean middle-aged Priest. Then, Alisa blinked and took a delicate wooden box from the guards’ hands.

"Uncle Tonaya, Uncle Tonatiuh knew I was coming, so he specially asked me to bring some gifts and food for you."

"Oh?..."

The High Priest Tonaya received the wooden box, slightly opened it, and saw a precious jade necklace. He was momentarily stunned, then immediately understood, his smile becoming even warmer, and his tone shifted.

"Thank you! Your Highness, Princess, the incense in the Temple is already lit, please follow me to worship the Sacred Fire together!"

"Thank you, High Priest!"

Xiulote responded with a smile and walked side by side with Alisa to the Temple. He pondered for a moment, thinking about the various priestly main branches of the Capital City.

In the Mexica Alliance, Divine Authority and royal power coexisted, making the priestly groups in the Lake Capital City very powerful.

The traditional Capital City Priests could generally be divided into five main branches based on the divinities they inherited: the Mexica Chief God, Sun God, War God, Rain Divine, and Fire God. In the High Priesthood, there were twelve Elder Priests, overseeing the Alliance’s religious affairs. Six Elders came from the Holy City and the Lake Region, while the remaining six Capital City Elders mostly came from the five main priestly branches.

The Chief God is the most important tribal deity. The Chief God faction Priests have always been prestigious, with traditional roles in tribal education, but they can intervene in all matters. The former Chief Priest Quetzalcoatl came from the Chief God faction. After Quetzalcoatl’s death, the Chief God faction became marginalized, and now its successor is the youngest Elder Priest, Acap.

The War God is the Chief God’s avatar, responsible for martial prowess and punishment. The War God faction Priests mostly undergo rigorous Samurai training and can lead the Temple Guards to battle. Elder Priest Azar represents the War God faction. The Chief Priest Yaoco also comes from another branch of the War God faction, which has been responsible for the prison for generations.

The Rain Divine controls rain and floods. After the religious reform, the Rain Divine’s divinity was incorporated into the supreme Chief God, but the Rain Divine’s priestly heritage still exists. The Rain Divine faction has many Priests, usually responsible for rain-making and harvest ceremonies, and has a significant influence in villages. The chubby Elder Priest Uguel comes from this faction.

The Fire God controls mining and forging. The Fire God faction Priests oversee temple construction, Craftsman management, and weapon crafting. Their presence is not strong, and their influence in the High Priesthood is weak. Their representative in the High Priesthood is Elder Priest Tekuis.

The Sun God’s rays shine in all directions, holding a revered position. The Sun God faction Priests oversee the Holy Land, pass down the Sacred Fire, and participate in sacrifices, holding a supremely noble status, with many even possessing Royal Family bloodlines. The High Priest Tonaya before them is a third-level main Priest of the Sun God faction, and Elder Priest Tonatiuh represents the Sun God faction in the High Priesthood. In the Navajo language, "Tona" means the sun.

If Tizoc had been captured and not executed by Aweit, his fate would have been to retreat to the Holy Mountain and Holy Lake, becoming a Royal Family Priest serving the Sun God.

In the Capital City’s heritage, besides the five main priestly branches, there is actually a sixth, the Feathered Serpent Divine faction. But the Feathered Serpent Divine faction mostly came from the culturally rich city of Tlacopan. Many High Priests were implicated and executed during the great purge. Their representative in the High Priesthood was replaced by Elder Priest Como, who came from the Royal Family. This was an important reason Xiulote’s suggestion to erase the Feathered Serpent Divine was adopted during the religious reform.

Xiulote’s expression remained unchanged, his thoughts filled with myriad concerns. He contemplated the Priests’ heritage and the situation in the Capital City. The Chief Priest had a formidable reputation, strict and decisive, and was the leader of the Holy City Priests, supported by the eternal sun, allowing him to have absolute authority in the High Priesthood. However, the five main Capital City Priestly branches had deep roots, controlling numerous Priests and offices.

Hence, the centralization of Divine Authority was not easy, facing many obstacles like the centralization of royal power. His grandfather intended to integrate Divine Authority by using the High Priesthood as a foundation to control the local priestly heritage. The main priestly branches of the Capital City needed to be drawn together through cooperation and alliances.

"Praise the Chief Divine! Your Highness, Princess, this is the Sacred Fire passed down from the Divine City of Quetzalcoatl!"

Upon hearing this, Xiulote returned to his senses and found himself already inside the Temple of the Sun. He looked around; the Temple was actually not large, simple in style, and weathered with many statues and bricks eroded by wind and rain, with visible signs of wear. Only the main hall appeared slightly more magnificent.

In front of the main hall was an ancient clay fire basin. Under the fire basin was a large pile of Gold and Silver and ornaments, left by the nobility who came to worship. In the fire basin, a flame of Sacred Fire burned vigorously, having never been extinguished for decades!

"Praise the Sacred Fire!... May the Sacred Fire protect and bless the holy Alliance, and bless our marriage!"

Xiulote lowered his head, and he and Alisa bowed in prayer towards the Sacred Fire.

The High Priest Tonaya added some expensive spices to the Sacred Fire and dropped in the skull of a mature mountain eagle. After a moment, he carefully removed the skull and examined it, then smiled with joy.

"Honorable Your Highness and Princess, the Sacred Fire brings blessings, protecting the holy wedding, a sign of great prosperity!"

"Praise the Chief Divine! Thank you, esteemed High Priest Tonaya!"

Though Xiulote was a High Priest and knew the origins of most omens, receiving the blessings of a holy marriage was still a joy. He gently waved his hand, and a Samurai offered a heavy cloth bag to the Sacred Fire.

"This is a bag of gemstones from the Lake Region, a modest offering."

"Praise the Chief Divine! Thank you for your devout offering!"

Tonaya’s smile was sincere. Just a glance allowed him to estimate the weight of the gemstones. He bowed his head, then extended his hand invitingly, and turned to enter the hall.

"Honorable Supreme High Priest, please join me in the morning prayer!"

Xiulote nodded and strided into the main hall, while Alisa stayed outside. In the center of the main hall stood a tall statue of the Sun God. The Sun God faced the East, primitive and ancient in design, yet thick and solid. It was adorned with Gold and Silver all over, and its eyes were inlaid with gemstones, but its facial features were extremely blurred, making it difficult to discern.

"High Priest Tonaya, this Sun God statue... seems very old."

"Indeed, Sir Supreme High Priest, this ancient statue comes from the ruins of the Divine City of Quetzalcoatl, several miles away."

"The Divine City of Quetzalcoatl... that means it is at least two thousand years old!"

Xiulote exclaimed in surprise, finding it unbelievable.

Hearing the exact date, Tonaya also showed a surprised look. He glanced deeply at Xiulote and then smiled.

"The time is about right. Honorable Supreme High Priest, please stand at the main position and lead us in prayer!"

"Indeed, light the pine incense, and begin the morning prayer."

The pine incense was lit, and its faint aroma spread. Xiulote’s expression immediately became solemn. He lowered his head and chanted softly a few lines before raising his voice in praise.

"Praise the Chief Divine! Truly believe in our divine Huitzilopochtli! He is the highest and greatest, omnipotent! He gives us sunlight and rain, harvest and food..."

"Praise the Chief Divine!..."

A dozen temple priests bowed their heads together, chanting the standard scripture from the Book of Ama Colley. Alisa, along with the Samurai, also chanted softly in response. Soon, the sincere prayer spread, echoing through the Holy Mountain and Temple, delivering the religion and the devotees’ hearts through heartfelt voices.

Two quarters later, the strict morning prayer concluded. With the solemn prayer ceremony complete, everyone relaxed. Xiulote adjusted his attire, bowed, and withdrew from the Sun God statue.

"Your Highness, is this your first time vacationing at the Holy Mountain?"

Tonaya smiled and asked softly.

"Yes. I’ve been too busy before to find the time."

Xiulote nodded, smiling as he asked.

"With so many hot springs at the Holy Mountain, residing here for years, do you have any recommendations for me?"

"Your Highness, do you prefer the larger springs or the smaller ones?"

"The larger springs are too noisy. If I encounter other nobility from the Capital City inviting me to bathe together, it would be difficult to decline."

"Then the smaller springs it is."

Tonaya nodded. He thought for a moment and asked softly.

"Your Highness, you and the Princess are here for a honeymoon?"

"Yes."

"Then go to the southwestern valley, two or three miles away, where there is a small spring used privately by the Priests. The small spring is connected to geothermal heat, flowing with the vitality of the Fire God, promoting longevity. The scenery there is beautiful, with flowers in bloom, off the main path, and surrounded by deep woods. Even if there’s some noise, you don’t have to worry about being overheard... Your Highness, I will instruct the temple priests to avoid the area during their breaks, so as not to disturb you."

"... Thank you, High Priest."

Xiulote was silent for a moment and then had to thank him. The Alliance’s customs were such, with simple and ancient manners, not avoiding the topic of merry songs.

"Haha!"

Tonaya laughed heartily, winking and speaking in a low voice.

"Your Highness, the Holy Mountain has many hot springs, each with its own characteristics. There are also some hidden large springs in the mountains, some scorching, some mildly spicy. There are also secluded priestesses, each with a graceful figure, particularly good at swimming like fish... If the Princess were not here, I could lead you to enjoy some uniquely exquisite pleasures!"

"Uh..."

Xiulote was slightly embarrassed, understanding well. It was none other than the legendary hot spring trip...

"High Priest Tonaya... Perhaps another time..."

"Haha! Your Highness, I was merely suggesting."

Noting Xiulote’s discomfort, Tonaya chuckled. His expression turned solemn again, speaking in a low and meaningful tone.

"Uncle Tonatiuh has mentioned many times that Xiulote’s wisdom is divinely inspired, destined to shine brightly... In the future, please stay close!"

"Elder Priest Tonatiuh..."

Xiulote’s eyes flickered. He nodded and smiled, reaching out to pat Tonaya on the shoulder.

"Praise the Chief Divine! We will draw close, discussing theology and scripture together in the future!"

"Haha, praise the Chief Divine!"

The hearty laughter spread far, dispersing into the long wind of the Holy Mountain. A majestic mountain eagle circled the mountain, looked for a moment, then turned and flew west. As the sun rose and the clouds dispersed, a few eagle feathers floated down from the sky, falling into the Temple, unnoticed by anyone.