The red-haired hunter Chabo, in straw sandals, set out from Snake Lake Village, occupied by scouts, and ran all the way north. He passed through the lush lowland jungles, crossed the deep and shallow river streams, and tread along the soft edges of cornfields. He passed by various waterside villages, encountered militia squads collecting food supplies, and saw waves of warriors heading southward. Finally, he reached the edges of Nianshui City, Cempoala, and saw the ancient, low-lying stone buildings, along with the nurous pyramid temples.
"Wide noses, thick lips, deford eyes, and helt-like clay pots... such strange sculptures, strange Divine!"
Chabo’s gaze lingered slightly on the ancient stone carvings on the outskirts of the ancient city, and he casually smirked. Ever since the corps moved south to the seaside lands, such worthless stone sculptures have been frequently seen, like relics of ancient civilizations.
He heard from the accompanying priest that these carved statue relics all originated from the ancestors of the various tribal alliances, the Olc Jiao people. And what was carved on these stones were Divine from the Second Epoch, whose worship was continued by the Third Epoch’s Teotihuacan people, referred to as the "Olden All Gods."
Over a thousand years ago, the ancient Cempoala inherited the remnants of Olc civilization, forming large settlents for the first ti. Over eight hundred years ago, the Teotihuacan people once ruled here, establishing the most prosperous city-state of the entire seaside lowlands. Subsequently, the Teotihuacan civilization collapsed, and ancient Cempoala fell into a prolonged decline.
"Undefeatable Divines, if they’re dead, let them be dead!... Now in this world, only the Supre Main God is the most invincible! Praise be to the Chief Divine!"
Chabo thought nonsensically as he presented the scouts’ patterned wooden badge to the patrolling Mistek warrior squad. Then, he surveyed the city’s myriad of stone and thatched huts, gazed at the dozen towering pyramid temples, scratched his head, and loudly inquired of the familiar Mistek captain.
"May the Chief Divine protect us! Tortillas, I have the latest military intelligence to report to the Great Chief Black Wolf! Where is the Great Chief?"
"Oh, praise the Chief Divine! The Great Chief is at the Chief Divine Temple, eting with the Envoy of the Supre Chief and so local tribal leaders."
The tall "Tortillas" turned around, propped his copper spear on the ground, and answered with a goofy smile. In Mistek Language, his na was "Jita" (Ji), which ans "Tortillas."
At the sound of this na, it is clear he cos from ordinary Mistek commoners, destined to be a low-level warrior in the tribe for life. However, after surrendering to the Kingdom of the Lake, he was promoted to third-level warrior because of his fierce fighting and even served as a squad leader of a hundred n. Now, his smile was indeed genuine. Because, only within the corps of the Great Chief Black Wolf, did he have the opportunity to ascend.
"What? The Supre Chief’s envoy?"
On hearing this, Chabo paused, counted on his fingers, and tried hard to figure it out.
"The Black Wolf leader is the Great Chief, the God of Death is the Supre Chief, then who is the Supre Supre Chief?... Uh, forget it, can’t figure it out... the Chiefs never ntioned it, never mind!"
After a while, Chabo vigorously shook his head, not bothering to think anymore.
In the Black Wolf Army, Red Monkey, Red Deer, Red Frog, several chieftains leading the troops, have only ntioned the na of the God of Death and never talked about the alliance’s Supre Supre Chief. Therefore, for the canine descendant warriors in the corps, their loyalty is not to the King of the xica Alliance but to the sole Supre Lord!
"Tortillas, where is the Chief Divine Temple? Is it the largest pyramid temple at the center?"
"Oh, no, it is not. The largest one is the Temple of the Feathered Serpent."
"Is it the second largest one on the left?"
"Oh, no. That one is the Temple of the Sun."
"Is it the third largest one on the right?"
"Uh... Chabo, you see that mural of rainfall looks much like my hotown Divine Stone City, clearly it’s the Rain God Temple..."
"Damn it! Where is it exactly?"
The Red-haired Hunter Chabo finally got angry. He widened his eyes and glared fiercely at the "corn cake".
"I have the latest military intelligence! You take over there!"
"Oh, okay!... Actually, it’s this one at the end, the smallest, newly built temple. It’s the main temple..."
The Mistec Warrior Jita, carrying a long spear, led the Red-haired Hunter Chabo towards the depths of the ancient city. Majestic, cyan-grey pyramid temples with carved murals stood silently beside the two, quietly narrating the vicissitudes of history.
More than five hundred years ago, dozens of wilderness tribes from the North, in order to escape the flourishing Toltec Empire, migrated southeast to the coastal lowlands. These martial tribes from the highlands imdiately favored the low plains where Cempoala was located. They defeated and integrated the local Teotihuacan remnants, occupied the fertile Cempoala, and gradually took root. Subsequently, these martial southern tribes continued along the coast, intermarrying with seaside tribes along the way, extending eastward to hundreds of miles away to the Hidden Serpent City.
Then, more than three hundred years ago, the martial Toltec civilization from the highlands once again collapsed amid the southward turmoil of the Canine Descendants. The xican Plateau, with its nurous city-states and dense population, fell back into a long and cruel civil war.
During the enduring plateau civil wars, so Toltec remnants migrated east to the Seaside Lands. They brought with them advanced stone construction techniques, the organizational form of city-state alliances, and built many large temples. It was they who brought the multi-god belief centered around the Feathered Serpent Divine, rging with the local "Old Gods." The eastern-migrating Toltec remnants gradually fused with the southern-migrating wilderness tribes, forming the concept of the "Totonac people," people of the hot lands!
Of course, the centrally prosperous xican Plateau had always been the political center of Central Arica, and the fate of all surrounding tribes was always influenced by the hegemony on the plateau. After the rise of the Tepanec people more than a hundred years ago, they once again demanded tribute from the coastal Totonac city-states.
More than thirty years ago, after the establishnt of the new Aztec Triple Alliance in the xican Valley, the conqueror Montezuma I was dedicated to expanding hegemony, gathering a large warrior corps from the affiliated city-states, and initiated subjugation wars against various eastern tribes. First, he invaded the Northeast, subduing the Vastec people along the way, then marched south along the coast, forcing various Totonac city-states west to pay tribute.
It is said that in the Feathered Serpent Ancient City, Montezuma I stayed for a month, listened to the Feathered Serpent priests of the ti elaborate myths, and accepted the tributes of the Totonac tribal leaders. Then, he led the Alliance’s army to the vassal Nianshui City Cempoala, left an envoy of the xican Royal Family, and designated this place as the Alliance’s "registry place," or the gathering site for coastal city-states’ tributes. The temple’s main sanctuary was only begun after the Nianshui City tribes beca a vassal of the Alliance, less than thirty years ago.
"Oh mighty Main God! So many strange divine murals, I don’t recognize any of them..."
Hunter Chabo glanced around, looking at the engravings on the temple, blinking. He didn’t know those ancient stories, nor did he really care. Soon, his sharp eyes lingered on the divine glowing engravings, a strong desire erging.
"Hiss! These divine statues’ red eyes are all inlaid with rubies! Ah, the helts are glowing gold items, and the straps are countless silver grains... Oh main god, truly prosperous seaside tribes!"
"Aren’t they! These local Totonac tribes are indeed rich! Heard from the surrendering militian that the nobles in Nianshui City feast on at each al, along with inexhaustible salt and spices. Even ordinary city-state warriors have several feathered garnts, all of different kinds!"
Warrior Jita licked the corner of his mouth, tightened the copper spear in his hand, a pure yet cold bloodlust flickering in his eyes, like a brown bear yearning for honey.
"What a pity, there are envoys from the Great Great Chieftain stopping us, forbidding us to plunder! Even though the local tribes were defeated and surrendered, those wealthy leaders remain unaffected! Damn it, truly infuriating!"
"Hmm? Envoys stopping... no plundering?"
Hunter Chabo rubbed his chin, deep in thought. He withheld his temper, looking around at the golden sparkling temples and palaces, speaking no further. Light rain gently fell again, hitting his red hair, not cold, rather warm.
Centered around ancient Nianshui City, along the coast for hundreds of miles, including Feathered Serpent Ancient City, Golden Bay City, Conical House City, Coyote City, Hidden Serpent City... all gathered Totonac tribes’ "hot lands." This stretch along the seaside, abundant rainfall, hot and humid climate, suitable for crop growth. Rivers flowing from the Western highlands irrigate the coastal lowland plains, forming thriving villages. Along the coast, a chain of developing Totonac city-states gradually ford prosperous coastal trade routes, linking trade between the Nava Plateau and the Maya lowlands.
Due to its vast region and prosperous trade routes, Totonac city-states were rich. But, also because along the long coastline, scattered for hundreds of miles, the Totonac city-state alliance was extrely loose. Customs amongst the tribals were different, mostly unaffiliated, even antagonistic to each other. In reality, only the Priesthoods of Holy Lands on Totonac’s east and west had the influence to rally the tribes to unite.
The fine rain fell on the mixed green stone dirt roads, making walking a bit slippery. Compared to the great cities on the xican Plateau, the jungle city of Nianshui City Cempoala was not particularly large. Hunter Chabo walked quickly, arriving at the newly bricked main sanctuary in a re quarter of an hour. As he ascended the more than ten ters high temple pyramid, the spacious hall ca into full view, vast and unobstructed.
The Great Chief Black Wolf donned armor, a bronze sword at his waist, his head held high, gazing at the Main God statue holding a javelin. Over ten Totonac divine descendants, crowned with a feather crown, were bowing, kneeling at the back of the temple. An alliance’s great nobility, clad in a feathered garnt and holding a scepter, stood with furrowed brows facing Black Wolf, standing in front of the local nobility.
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