Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!
Chapter 929 - 539: The King’s Decision, An Unprecedented Grand Sacrifice!

Chapter 929: Chapter 539: The King’s Decision, An Unprecedented Grand Sacrifice!

"The immortal sun has set... The uncle who shone upon me since childhood for thirty-seven years has fallen!"

Cries echoed in the grand tent, and sorrow spread among the crowd. After a moment, Aweit came to his senses, with grief appearing on his face and tears streaming down.

Upon hearing of the fall of the immortal sun, it was as if witnessing the collapse of the Divine Mountain, his heart suddenly emptied, losing a towering Divine Tree he could rely on. He recalled Uncle Trakel Er’s dignified teachings, reminiscent of Grandfather Montezuma’s appearance and smile, and the reverence from childhood, unable to restrain the sorrow...

The mature King suddenly turned around, facing away from the crowd. He cried out angrily, like a Fierce Tiger mourning the loss of a parent!

"Wuwu! Roar! Wuwu!..."

The mournful sorrowful cry was heard from the tent of the Northern Route Army, carrying the low growl of the Jaguar, yet like the lament of an eagle, both painful and majestic!

"Ah!..."

Gillim’s eyes shimmered, silently sighed. He looked at the envoy from the capital crying on the ground, asked in a deep voice.

"What kind of last wills did the Elder leave before passing?"

"Wu! The Elder’s last will... Elder Priest Uguel is appointed as the new High Priest; Tonaltiliu, Azar, and Acap, the three Elder Priests, are appointed as Vice High Priests. Henceforth, all major matters in the High Priesthood are decided by vote between the High Priest, Vice High Priests, and the other Elders..."

"Hmm? Uguel as High Priest? Establishing three Vice High Priests? voting decision in the High Priesthood?..."

Gillim was stunned, this is truly an unexpected arrangement, surely containing the Elder’s profound intentions.

"...A weak, mediocre new High Priest, ambitious Vice High Priests, vote decision in the council of Elders... Well! The strong power of the High Priesthood is completely divided from now on, no longer a threat! And the King, young and strong, with great prestige, just right to be above all, governing the divine authority and kingly power of the alliance!..."

The Female Snake Intelligence Officer frowned, pondered for a moment, then gradually relaxed, even with a hint of a smile. After a while, he pursed his lips, and softly remarked.

"The Elder’s arrangement for the King, truly... thoughtful and earnest."

"Uncle..."

Aweit’s sobs slowly subsided, his voice choked. He was immersed in grief, still unable to extricate himself. Gillim looked at the sorrowful King and showed sadness on his face too. Then he sat up straight, solemnly inquired.

"Did the High Priest die in Cholula City, poisoned by the priestly families of the Holy City?"

"Indeed! The High Priest commanded the Elders of Cholula to select two people to sacrifice to the Chief divine! But the Elders of Cholula carried resentment in their hearts, sending poisonous Divine Smoke and potions. After the High Priest used them, on the same night, he was poisoned beyond treatment and went to the Divine Kingdom!..."

The envoy from the capital glared fiercely, reported back in a deep voice. When mentioning the Elders of Cholula City, he couldn’t help gritting his teeth, with anger in his voice.

"Cholula City dared to do this! This is a great insult to the Mexica Alliance, an irreconcilable blood feud!..."

"Hmm..."

Gillim showed a solemn expression, nodded approvingly. He remained indifferent, thoughts raced, yet unable to sort them out.

"Cholula Holy City, probably lacks the audacity to assassinate the High Priest... But if it was impulsive by an Elder, it might be possible... However, the Elder and the High Priest almost fell one after another? ...Something is fishy... No, there must be a hidden truth!..."

The Chief Intelligence Officer frowned deeply, pondered silently. The intuition from years in intelligence work told him, behind the High Priest’s death, surely concealed something. But as the envoy said, since the High Priest died in Cholula City, it’s an insult to the strong alliance, a blood feud that must be avenged! The Elders of cholula cannot defend themselves, likely unable to escape death. He thought for a moment, steadied his mind, carefully inquired further.

"After the High Priest went to the Divine Kingdom... what was His Highness Xiulote’s reaction with the Southern Army?"

"His Highness was both sorrowful and angry, personally donned armor, led the Imperial Guard Legion, attacked Holy City Cholula... when I arrived, I heard the city of Cholula was breached, the Southern Army paid blood for blood, massacring twenty thousand from top to bottom in the Holy City, completely annihilating the twelve priestly families!"...

"What?!"

Hearing this, Aweit turned around. In his eyes still held tears, he exclaimed.

"Xiulote destroyed Holy City Cholula, massacring twenty thousand in the Holy City? Is this what that child would do?..."

After the Western expedition and fiefdom, Xiulote was stationed at the Kingdom of the Lake, Aweit didn’t have many opportunities to meet him. In the King’s heart, still remained the image of that clever, determined, yet innocent, soft-hearted youth.

Gillim raised his eyebrows, with growing fear. The young tiger has grown, carrying fearsome murderous intent, roaring fiercely in the mountain forest. And compared to him, the young Highness is just a fledgling, which needs to grow quickly!

"Indeed! His Highness avenged his Grandfather, personally sacrificed twelve Elder Priests on the Great Pyramid of Cholula! After the sacrificial ritual, His Highness raised a dagger, performed the sacrificial dance, chanted incomprehensible divine words, bidding farewell to the cremated High Priest! All present were moved, tears flowed with sorrow..."

"Ah!..."

Seeing the envoy’s sure nod, Aweit sighed deeply. He imagined the scene, slightly shook his head.

"The child will be so angry as to massacre the city; it shows just how heartbroken he is over the High Priest’s death!... Very well, let’s give him some time. Once his grief has subsided, we can summon the Southern Army northward!"

"Your Majesty!..."

Hearing this, Gillim was immediately shocked. Delaying the Southern Army’s move northward would affect the attack on the Three-Snake City Fortress... He opened his mouth, observing the King’s expression, hesitated, and decisively changed the subject.

"...The elders of Cholula City have promised to surrender. The divine objects and population within the city..."

"Hmm. I will send an envoy to have Xiulote bring the divine objects to be enshrined in the Great Temple of the capital. As for the tens of thousands of people in the Cholula territory..."

Aweit pondered for a moment, feeling a bit of relief mixed with genuine sadness. He had always greatly respected and feared the old fox of the royal branch, the decisive and ruthless High Priest.

Years ago, it was their joint plan that toppled the rule of his brother Tizoc and successfully seized power over the Alliance. Over the years, the High Priest managed the High Priesthood in the capital, with increasing prestige and proximity. Without a word, he eliminated the nobility and priests of various territories; during morning and evening prayers, two hundred thousand citizens of the capital responded in unison! Such formidable power made Aweit feel constantly on edge, unable to sleep peacefully...

Now that the High Priest has gone to the Divine Kingdom and no longer holds the divine authority, the urgent threat to the throne from the Holy City’s faction has vanished instantly.

"Phew!..."

The middle-aged King let out a breath, letting down his guard against the Holy City’s faction. He thought of Xiulote, his distant maternal nephew, personally cultivated student, and the son-in-law he watched grow up... His heart suddenly softened, filled with much tolerance and love.

"The Kingdom of the Lake has risen for a short time, desperately needing population replenishment. Let Xiulote handle the tens of thousands of able-bodied men captured by the Southern Army!"

"Your Majesty?..."

"So it is decided!"

Aweit regained his composure, making his decision. He waved his hand, ordering the samurai and envoy to leave the tent, then coldly began speaking, his words as chilling as a glacier.

"Gillim, with the expansion of the Great Temple completed and both the Elder and the High Priest fallen... The passing of these two venerable figures who once suppressed the Alliance dictates that the Lake’s capital must hold an unprecedented grand sacrificial ceremony! Only in this way can we consecrate the Chief Divine and the Ancestors, honor the deceased with respect, and once again subdue the hearts of the people across various territories of the Alliance!"

"...An unprecedented... ’grand sacrificial ceremony’?"

Upon hearing this, Gillim immediately stood upright. He solemnly saluted and quietly inquired, slightly pausing on the King’s emphasis on the term "grand sacrificial ceremony."

"Exactly!"

Aweit nodded coldly, his expression filled with murderous intent, without a trace of mercy.

"At least six thousand Tlaxcalan divine descendants and nobles, along with five times as many samurais and militiamen, a total sacrifice of thirty-six thousand five hundred and sixty-five people! Invite envoys from all parts of the world and all territories of the Alliance to witness. The Great Temple in the capital will conduct sacrifices for thirty entire days, sacrificing two hundred noble bloodlines and one thousand common war captives daily! I want every city-state and tribe under heaven to bow their heads in awe and fear!"

The King stopped speaking at this point, not revealing everything. For the devoutly divine and warrior-eager Mexica people, victories in war and grand sacrifices best enhance the King’s prestige. And after the grand sacrificial ceremony following the conquest of the East, he would replace the Elder and become the new immortal blazing sun!

"Ah! Six thousand divine descendants and nobles?!"

Gillim was stunned and cried out softly. Thirty thousand able-bodied men were easy to acquire; the Northern Route Army captured as many Tlaxcalan able-bodied men after six months of eastern expedition. But six thousand noble divine descendants and nobles? That is a number that would make everyone in the world shiver!

One must know that the Tlaxcalan’s four-state total population of 1.2 million, with a noble proportion of 1%-2%, amounts to at most just over twenty thousand noble bloodlines, including the old and young! And in today’s brutal campaigns, the Otomi, Tarasco, and Tlaxcalan have all suffered nearly half losses, leaving only eight to nine million people and just over one hundred and ten thousand noble bloodlines!

"Indeed! This grand sacrificial ceremony must annihilate the Tlaxcalan Cloud Serpent divine descendants, sacrificing half of the noble bloodlines in the world!"

Aweit lifted his head, gazing at the overcast sky, eyes filled with coldness as harsh as the Divine Mountain, with a will as firm as adamantine.

If the Alliance seeks to unify the world, the greatest obstacle is the noble bloodlines possessed by the cities and tribes within it. In this era, where divine descendants are born, the noble bloodline holds a deeply rooted appeal for the samurais and commoners of various territories!

The history of the Mexica Alliance is firmly recorded. Over seventy years ago, the City of Texcoco was conquered by the Teopanek Alliance. Prince Nezahualcoyotl wandered across various territories for over a decade yet managed to return to the City of Texcoco, rallying the noble and samurai submitted to the Teopanek Alliance to rise, and forge alliances with the city-states of Tloquiditlan and Tlacopan.

Thus, the Mexica Triple-Alliance was formed, raising the banner in the heartland of the Teopanek Alliance. Taking advantage of the Teopanek forces being deployed externally, they quickly captured the Teopanek capital of Azcapotzalco, sacrificing the Teopanek Royal Family. With that, the Alliance achieved success, establishing dominance in the Mexican Valley. The exiled Prince Nezahualcoyotl also restored his royal glory, becoming the renowned poet king.

It was for this reason that the Elder decisively killed, exterminating the royal family and nobility of Texcoco with the death of Quetzal. During the Western Campaign, he issued severe orders to eradicate the Tarasco royal family without leaving a single survivor. Likewise, after the High Priest’s death, the annihilation of the Holy City’s twelve priestly families was in his plan. As for this Eastern Campaign, the Tlaxcalan divine descendants must also be exterminated!

"All divine descendants under heaven must be utterly severed! Only the Mexica Royal Family shall continue to reign and unite the world for eternity!"

Upon hearing this, Gillim, the Female Snake, passionately prostrated herself, heavily kowtowing. She raised her head, looking at the King’s cold demeanor, her heart full of reverence and a surge of murderous intent in her chest.

"I am the King’s dagger, safeguarding the King’s legacy! I will tirelessly, regardless of gains or losses. For the Mexica Royal Family’s rule, the divine descendants of all the tribes under heaven must either be publicly sacrificed by priests or secretly executed by the Secret Guard!..."

"...Only, decades later, which royal branch should ultimately succeed?... Man proposes, fate remains undecided!"