"Captain Zu! The Riverfront Chief of the Beiyu Cold Shore Division has arrived! He brought plenty of rice wine and fish as gifts to celebrate the ’son-in-law’s’ great victory! By the way, the Riverfront Chief also ntioned he has dispatched ssengers to inform the Beiyu Cold Swamp Tribe, and they will arrive in four to five days!"
"Great Chief! The Mud Swamp Chief of the Beiyu Cold Swamp Tribe has arrived! He brought a large brown bear skin as a gift for the ’brother-in-law’! The Little River Chief of the Beiyu River has also sent a ssenger ahead, saying he will arrive in two days!"
"Lord Priest! The Mountain Xiong Da Chief of the Ishikari Mountain Bear Tribe and the Chieftain of the Beiyu River Tribes have arrived together! They brought a black bear for the Bear Spirit Sacrifice, carried over by a dozen warriors!"
"May the Chief Divine protect us! The Black Stone Chief of the Ishikari Heishi Tribe has arrived, along with a ssenger from the Ishikari Great Bear Tribe..."
As the news of the "Kingdom Thousand Island Division’s" victory over the Japanese fleet spread, Ainu tribes within three hundred li swiftly received the news. For hundreds of years, the military might of the Japanese cast a shadow over the Ainu tribes, a fear passed down through ancestral stories that had long been ingrained in the hearts of the Ainu people!
Upon hearing of yet another victory by the Kingdom, the nearby Ainu tribes, though shocked and incredulous, were filled with complex emotions and excitent, and imdiately sent envoys. As allies of the Kingdom, the various factions of Beiyu, led by their Great Chiefs, personally ca with congratulatory gifts, faces beaming with joy.
Thus, the Chief Divine’s sacrificial rite by the banks of the Korobetsu River, extended from three days to five days, then from seven days to ten days... Finally, it was officially held on the snowy seaside half a month later, under the gazes of hundreds of emissaries from various Ainu tribes.
"Praise the Chief Divine! He rises from beyond the Eastern Sea, gazing with the sunlight, bringing us light and warmth!"
The captured Japanese prisoners cut down trees, constructing a wooden Divine Platform several ters high. The warriors of the Kingdom, each holding a torch, axes, and daggers, ford inner and outer circles. The Ainu tribespeople watching surrounded the outermost circle, their eyes wide open. On the innermost Divine Platform stood the High Priests of the two main Chief Divines, personally lighting the Sacred Fire of the Chief Divine and reciting the sacrificial scriptures combined with Ainu mythology!
"Praise the Chief Divine! Whether the ocean, thunderbolt, or gold, whether blood, battle, or harvest, all are the great divinity of the Chief Divine! He is omnipresent, reaching across ten thousand li. He shines upon us like the sun, once incarnating as the Ainu Heavenly Divine, descending the first Divine Envoy Fishing Owl to soar over the Ainu Maoshili Great Island!"
"Muluke Alashanwa! We are the Shaman Priests of the Chief Divine, envoys of the forest, and guardians of the Maoshili Great Island! It is the Chief Divine’s Hummingbird, Flying Eagle, and Fishing Owl that guide us here, bringing the light of the Chief Divine, saving and protecting you from the hands of the Japanese!"
"Co! Light the Divine Smoke, dance the Chief Divine’s ritual dance! Rejoice for the blessing of the Divine Spirit, hope for the future of all tribes! The Chief Divine is with us, and we are with you, all of us gummy people’s brothers and kin!"
The opening of the Chief Divine’s sacrificial rite was a prayer led by Zuwaro, also marking the declaration of the "Ainu Unified Front." Then, before the blue Sacred Fire, he, eyes turning white, danced the Northern Land Shaman Dance. Luoshanda, after a brief pause, waved shaking bells, dancing the traditional Nava Festival Dance to support the rite.
"Boom boom boom! Boom boom boom!"
"In the best ti of victory, dance the happiest dance, for the Chief Divine of the sun’s eye, for the ancestors of the Red Divine Kingdom!"
"Howl! Roar! Awooo!"
The warriors of the Kingdom vigorously beat the war drums, dancing the Feather Shield Battle Dance of the Highland Tribe. Soon, warriors from the Jurchen and Shandan tribes also raised their arms, performing the "Biomitic Dance" mimicking bears, tigers, and flying eagles, emitting various animal howls. As cheerful bamboo flutes played, and local sword zithers strumd, the tribespeople of Ainu origin eagerly joined in, circling the bonfire with joyful dance steps!
"Tap tap tap! Tap tap tap!"
Sunrise marked the hour for singing, flocks of birds circling in the sky, winter clouds scattered by joyful sounds. Singing from sunrise to noon marked the true climax of the rite.
"Praise the Heavenly Divine! The ti to sacrifice the Bear Spirit has co!"
Zuwaro, with a gentle smile, watched as the Ainu chieftains and leaders pulled a two-year-old black bear onto the Divine Platform. Then, over a dozen Ainu chieftains bowed down, delivering heartfelt prayers to the "Bear Spirit" within the cage.
"Great spirit of the mountains, protective Bear Spirit! We adore you; you were sent to this world by the Heavenly Divine to allow us to capture you... We nurture you, raise you with great effort, all because of our reverence, our reverence for the protective Bear Spirit!"
"May our ancestors and the Divine Mountain witness, the sacred bear has grown! The Bear Spirit resides in the bear’s body, and it is now ti for it to return! Great Bear Spirit, we will send your soul back to the immortal side of the Heavenly Divine. Please speak well of us, telling the Heavenly Divine of our respect and adoration for you!"
"The ti of return has co indeed! Please go with our blessing, and sincerely we ask you, once again to return as a bear cub to our side... The mountain’s protection endures forever, the tribe’s promise is everlasting. We will raise you again, once more offering you in sacrifice to the Heavenly Divine... Oh! Immortal Bear Spirit!"
Old and tiless ballads erged from the mouths of the Ainu chieftains, drifting down from the Divine Platform into the sacred forest, and over the Maoshili land. Below the platform, the Ainu tribespeople’s eyes moistened as they gazed at the bewildered black bear, as if seeing the "Divine Might" that repeatedly ca to protect them. Not until the song of the Bear Spirit Sacrifice ended did the dozen Ainu chieftains exchange a glance. Each took a several-ter-long rope, securing it tightly to the black bear, eliciting roaring sounds from within the cage.
"Roar! Roar!"
"Zu, you are the greatest Ainu chieftain recorded by our ancestors, the most revered Great Chief! We offer our hunting bow and arrows to you, for you to send the sacred Bear Spirit on its final journey back ho!"
As he spoke, the Great Chief of Beiyu Mud Swamp bowed his head toward the Divine Platform, presenting Zuwaro with an ancient wooden hunting bow. Zuwaro solemnly accepted the bow and arrows, returning the salute, and in the Ainu and xica languages, responded repeatedly.
"Praise the Chief Divine! The Heavenly Divine Camui, is the Chief Divine Huitzilopochtli! It is the blood of our ancestors that united us as one, we are the gummy people of shared ancestors!"
"Praise the Heavenly Divine Camui!..."
"Praise Chief Divine Huitzilopo!..."
"Sacrifice Bear Spirit!..."
After the generous shouts, over ten Ainu chieftains together tightened the ropes in their hands, exerting force to stretch the human-sized black bear into a four-limbed spread shape!
"Roar!..."
The angry black bear let out a shocking roar, and its strong body began to struggle. This was a contest of strength, over ten Ainu chieftains with bulging veins together suppressed the bear’s actions with force. And their exertion at this mont was only for a man holding a bow and arrow...
"Exhale!... Inhale!..."
The taste of power stirred within Zuwaro’s heart, silently reshaping him, molding him into a new form. His face was calm as water, deeply inhaling and exhaling, pulling back the heavy wooden bow, placing a heavy arrow tipped with a sharp bear tooth. Then, standing a few paces away, he aid at the bear’s pulsing heart and suddenly released, letting out a loud shout!
"I offer this bear as a sacrifice to the divine!..."
"Thud!..."
"Roar!!!..."
The bear let out a piercing roar, struggling madly! This final furious struggle of life made the Ainu chieftains on the other end rock and stagger in their movents. Zuwaro visibly tensed, staring at the roaring bear as if facing a most terrifying courage test. Yet he did not retreat a step, still showing the courage of the Great Chief, eyes fixated tightly on the bear’s enormous eyes!
"Roar!!... Roar!... Roar..."
The bear’s roars gradually diminished, grew smaller, finally its head drooped, coming to a complete halt. Then Beiyu Nizhao stepped forward again, checked the arrow in the bear’s heart, and suddenly shouted delightfully.
"No bleeding! It’s Great Prosperity!"
"Great Prosperity! The Heavenly Divine Camui has accepted the sacrifice, the Bear Spirit has returned to the divine’s side! This is the most celebratory mont!"
"Praise the great Heavenly Divine! We will take out the bear’s heart! Chieftains share the warm bear blood, equally sharing the bear spirit’s courage and strength!..."
At this, Beiyu Nizhao took out an iron blade, knelt before the deceased bear, ready to extract the heart blood. Yet a strong hand pressed down on his shoulder, halting his action.
"...Zu?..."
"Heavenly Divine Camui’s protection! Let do it! Let do it!..."
Zuwaro smiled faintly, took out the Obsidian Dagger for the sacrifice. In this aspect, he has always been professional. This act of blood extraction and sharing clearly is a revered honor of ancient cognition. He hopes to fully inherit this revered honor of the Ainu clan, not wishing to share with anyone. Even if the person to share with is his brother-in-law, his strongest supporter Beiyu Nizhao.
"Chief Divine Huitzilopochtli’s protection! Brother-in-law, during the upcoming sacrifice and human priest, you and other clan chieftains can help !"
"...Ah? Sacrifice and human priest? Let us participate?!..."
In Beiyu Nizhao’s shocked and faintly fearful gaze, Zuwaro smiled gently, nodded indisputably. Then, he raised the blade in one hand, held the blood-filled water pouch in the other, slowly bent down... Soon, the deafening cheers erupted from below the Divine Platform!
"Praise the Heavenly Divine! Praise Great Chief Zuwaro!..."
"Praise the Great Chief! He has taken the bear spirit’s heart blood!..."
At this mont, the excited cheers of the Ainu tribe for the first ti surpassed the Kingdom’s Warriors, resounding through the sky!
"Haha! Praise the Divine is to praise the Chief Divine!..."
Zuwaro laughed heartily, tossing the filled water pouch to the silent Luoshanda High Priest. Luoshanda looked up, a smile-like blood mark printed at the corner of the "senior’s" mouth. It was the Ainu’s "bear spirit" blood, representing the Ainu’s "Divine Mark", representing recognition as a "Great Chief" by the Ainu. Moreover, its significance extended further! Such as... the "King" of Maoshili Great Island!~~
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