Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!
Chapter 913 - 528: High Priest Heads East for Negotiations with the Divine Kingdom

Chapter 913: Chapter 528: High Priest Heads East for Negotiations with the Divine Kingdom

Divine Smoke curls gracefully, the soft jade emits a warm fragrance. Gold, silver, and gemstones shimmer, feather crowns and robes fluttering. In the pavilion of the Holy Place, many elder priests are wandering beyond worldly matters, meeting with the gods, feeling at ease and without a return path. This indulgent pleasure is the most intoxicating, completely wearing away the spirit and will.

The High Priest sat solemnly, and with a sharp inquiry, it was as if a stone were thrown into the lake, stirring up ripples of shock. The elder priests were suddenly awakened, pushing aside the maidens on either side, straightening their bodies to sit upright, and looked toward the priest leader.

Upon hearing this, the face of Priest Leader Petl darkened slightly, the shadow passing quickly. Soon after, he donned a smile and asked warmly.

"High Priest, why do you say such things?"

The High Priest glanced around, pointing to the elder priests whose expressions were tense. Confident in his heart, he replied with a smile.

"Haha! Petl, you are an old fox capable of deceiving others. But the other elders do not have your skills! Speak up, what have you and the king negotiated? Did you use me as a bargaining chip?"

"...Damn!"

Petl looked at the elders, whose faces were filled with tension, anxiety, fear, and unease—this was the clearest answer. He muttered a curse under his breath and then suddenly put on a smile.

"Respected High Priest, I indeed went north and reached an agreement with King Aweit. Cholula City is willing to join the Mexica Alliance, obey the king’s orders, and serve the great cause of unifying the world for the alliance! And the King, representing the alliance, has accepted Cholula City, granting us the ecclesiastical affairs of the Telascallans and retaining some degree of autonomy..."

"...High Priest, the elders of Cholula City are willing to believe in the supreme Chief Divine, to spread the glory of the Chief Divine, and to sacrifice our lives! As for the High Priesthood of the West, they are similarly objects of our reverence, above all people..."

"Oh? The king agreed to accept you?"

The High Priest raised his eyebrows and asked sternly.

"Petl, stop beating around the bush. Tell me, what are the king’s specific terms? ...To be frank with you, my coming to the Holy City this time was instructed by an elder!"

"...The Immortal Sun?... That old undead!..."

Upon hearing the elder’s name, old fox Petl shuddered inside. That person was the one who ultimately made decisions in the Mexica Alliance, surpassing both the king and High Priest. Petl had no choice but to respond.

"Cholula City serves the alliance, naturally expressing sincere intent! First, Cholula City will perform a submission ceremony to the king, announcing it to all tribes. Second, hand over the Telascallan divine descendants and nobility, calling for Telascallan surrender. Third, worship the War God as the Chief Divine to unify faith with the alliance. Fourth, relinquish half of the state’s land and half of the villages’ population..."

"Hmm, submission and allegiance, handing over the enemies, worshiping the War God, relinquishing land and population... indeed all align with the king’s interests."

The High Priest pondered slightly, nodding. He waited a moment, but Petl stopped speaking. The High Priest raised an eyebrow and asked with a cold smile.

"Only a few terms? Such generosity is unlike the king’s style."

"...Just give me a moment."

Petl bowed slightly, offering a slight apology. Then, he called for a trusted aide and gave some instructions. The aide quickly left.

The elder priests in the hall glanced at one another, then looked down and remained silent. Warfare Elder Wezil lowered his gaze, secretly sighing. Beside him, an old man showed sorrow mixed with some discontent. Among everyone, only the newly arrived Queo was bewildered and confused.

In just a moment, a group of clan samurai hurried over, saluting the Clan Leader Petl.

The old fox nodded and sighed softly. He glanced lightly at Queo, then turned to the High Priest.

"The High Priest’s eyes are indeed like Obsidian, able to pierce through reality! ...This last condition is to offer two esteemed elder priests for the sacred ceremony of the Chief Divine!"

"Oh!"

The High Priest nodded with satisfaction. From these conditions, it seemed the king was mainly wary of him, not having much defense against his direct descendant Xiulote. With this confirmed, he was at ease.

"What? Sacrifice the elders!"

Upon hearing this, Elder Queo’s expression changed drastically. He had just returned from the capital and was completely unaware of this matter. Observing the performance of the elder priests...

"Capture him!"

Petl’s expression turned fierce as he pointed toward Queo. Several clan samurai suddenly leaped forward, pinning Elder Queo to the ground, subduing him on the spot. Then, the samurai pulled out ropes, binding Queo’s arms, dragging him out of the gathering.

"Petl! How dare you harm me!"

Queo’s eyes bulged with rage, immediately blood-red. He had just been immersed in smoke and enjoying a beauty’s softness, and now, like a turkey ready for slaughter, he was tightly bound. The emotions were truly maddening... Even the dumbest person knew what had happened.

"Queo, the elders had no choice! ...When you were not here, everyone discussed and decided on old Yoluowa and you!"

Petl’s face showed sincere sorrow. He looked at the struggling Queo and sighed with pity.

"Well! Don’t worry! After you are gone, this vacated elder priest position will still belong to your family!"

"Petl! You shameless old fox! If I die, I’ll take you with me!..."

Queo’s face turned red with fury, unable to break free, he could only roar with rage. He struggled vigorously on the ground, opening his mouth wide to bite Petl.

"Hehe..."

Upon seeing this, Petl shook his head and reprimanded coldly.

"Queo, you truly lack the dignity of an Elder! With honored guests present, why make it so embarrassing? You bring ridicule upon all the Elder Priests!"

After speaking, Petl said no more. He looked at the family samurai and ordered sharply.

"Gag him and take him away!"

"Old fox, I curse you, die! Die!... Mmm... mmm!"

In less than a quarter of an hour, one less member sat in the Elder’s seat. The High Priest watched Petl’s actions with interest and commented with a smile.

"Old fox, your ruthlessness is just as it was back in the day!"

"Haha! Honorable High Priest, just some trivial matters, please don’t laugh!"

Petl shook his head, his expression unchanged. He waved his hand to have the frightened maids replace the divine smoke to soothe everyone a little.

Soon, the new divine smoke rose again. This time it was exceptionally thick, swirling endlessly among the many elders, creating an earthly paradise. Those within this paradise seemed like divine spirits heading to the Divine Kingdom in the heavens.

"High Priest, these conditions represent the utmost sincerity of Cholula City!"

The old fox showed difficulty in his expression, bowing low once more, respectfully showing weakness.

"I ask the High Priesthood to leave a little insignificant power for Cholula’s Priestly Families..."

"Haha! Insignificant power?"

At these words, the High Priest burst into laughter, almost laughing breathlessly.

"Old fox, your submission to the King, your plotting for the future, who could you deceive? It seems the King indeed fears me, even accepting you rotten wood!... I just wonder, how will you deal with the Southern Army so close at hand?"

"... Xutel, you!... "

Petl’s face changed again. He frowned, finding himself in a difficult position. Today, the High Priest was exceedingly aggressive, even beyond what rumors had suggested, which was truly unexpected! Such behavior likely meant his life was near its end, so he was unrestrained...

"Damn Queo! Bringing this nearly dead old fellow here!"

The old fox pursed his lips, sighed inwardly, and harshly cursed Queo a few times. He hoped for a clash between the High Priest and the King, but certainly not here and now, making the Holy City of Cholula the center of conflict. After all, the Mexica Southern Army surrounded the city, and the commander was the High Priest’s legitimate grandson. For now, the only plan was to continue bowing low and enduring until this crisis passed.

After thinking for a long time, Petl took a deep breath, suppressing the bitterness in his heart. He faced the High Priest, bowed low to the ground with great ceremony for the first time, and pleaded aloud.

"Honorable High Priest, what do you require to spare the Elders of the Holy City and allow us to join the Alliance?"

"Haha! Petl, it’s not impossible for me to accept Cholula’s Priestly Families either."

The High Priest sat cross-legged, accepted Petl’s salute. In that moment, he felt like drinking a glass of ice-sweet honey water in midsummer, wholly comfortable. He nodded with a smile and said in a deep voice.

"Firstly, hand over the half-man to the Southern Army instead of the King!"

"Agreed!"

Petl agreed decisively. The King only required the population be handed over to the Alliance; he did not specify to whom. Since His Highness Xiulote was the heir to the Alliance, handing them over to him was naturally the same.

"Secondly, Cholula shall be the Second Holy City, honoring Teotihuacan as the First Holy City to proclaim to the world!"

"Agreed!"

Petl gritted his teeth and nodded again. By this point, anything that could be tolerated had to be. When the High Priest eventually dies...

"Thirdly, the Elder Priests of Cholula shall be beneath the High Priesthood. The Priest Leader shall be a Fifth Level Supreme High Priest, and the other Elders shall be Fourth Level Chief Priests."

"Agreed!"

"Fourthly, surrender the inheritance tablets for the High Priesthood to copy. Surrender half of the Divine Objects to the Lake Capital City."

Upon hearing this, a shiver ran through Petl’s heart, and the faces of the other elders twitched as well. The inheritance tablets were extremely important, and half of the Divine Objects were even harder to part with. But with the situation as it was, they could only wait for the future to find another opportunity...

"Agreed!"

"Hmm, not bad! Truly sensible!"

The High Priest beamed, his face wearing a conspicuous smile. At this moment, he enjoyed the pressure he placed on the old fox, setting these harsh terms, feeling both delighted and entertained. He raised the corners of his mouth and looked at the ashen Petl, finally chuckling as he spoke.

"Petl, there’s only one last thing. Hmm, among the Cholula Priesthood, the King has taken two sacrifices, so I will also take two!"

With these words casually floating out, the faces of all the Elder Priests turned deathly pale. They looked at each other, unable to stop their fingers from trembling!