Chapter 152

"Therefore, I must never repeat the same mistake; that is what I must do."

It's not something I want to do, but something I should do.

Tlaloc understood neither; she truly didn't understand the difference between them.

But from Favia's voice, one could hear a determination that even her brother could not sway.

What kind of person is this in front of me?

For the Black-Haired Girl who only gleaned the allegory from the Tezcatlipoca, it was all too vague. Despite being so close at this moment, it seemed like an object she could never comprehend.

However, the silver-haired youth seemed oblivious to her surprise and continued:

"Therefore, I have prepared a safe and foolproof plan for the Aztec and this continent."

"... What is the plan?"

"Let Tonatiuh, the Sun God of the Fifth Sun Era, truly become the One God of the Aztec."

In other words, in terms of the spread of Faith, they completely overwhelmed other Aztec gods, carried out necessary religious reforms, and promoted Aztec mythology, which regarded them as the absolute origin.

However, when Tlaloc heard Favia say this, she immediately frowned:

"The Sun God of the Fifth Sun Era... Tonatiuh? Did such a god exist in the Aztec? And as Sun God at that?"

"Haven't you heard of this name?"

"No, I've never heard of it."

The Black-Haired Girl shook her head; Favia could tell she wasn't lying.

This puzzled him somewhat, since there were many different opinions about who the Sun God of the Fifth Sun Era was.

However, according to the Sun Stone, the fifth Aztec Sun God was Tonatiuh, who in some versions attempted to devour all the gods.

Lost in thought, Favia suddenly noticed the Sun Stone behind Tlaloc, upon which the Sun was carved only...

Four?!

First Sun, Tezcatlipoca.

The Second Sun, Quetzalcoatl.

The Third Sun, the Rain God.

The Fourth Sun, the God of Fertility.

Where did the 'Sun' that foreshadowed the Fifth Sun go?

It's important to understand that in Central and South America mythology, death, while the end of growth and maturity, is also a harbinger of a new birth. This refers not only to the way living beings exist, but also to the way the world exists, a world that is constantly repeating destruction and creation.

After destroying the ancient world, the Aztec gods would surely create the next one.

The people who live in it have witnessed the world of the Sun, the destruction and creation, the death and the birth.

After all, it is the Sun that provides shelter for the flourishing of life, which is the center of the world or the world itself.

According to legend, the current world was created after going through such a process, forming the fifth world.

Thinking of this, Favia suddenly asked the Black-Haired Girl who had been silent from the beginning, leaving him to ponder:

"Now, it's the Fifth Sun Era of the Aztec, right?"

"Right."

Although he didn't know why Favia asked this common-sense question, Tlaloc still answered it properly.

"Then who is the Fifth Sun God you know of?"

"You..." Seeing that the person in front of her really didn't know, the Black-Haired Girl couldn't help but feel her cheeks twitch a few times before she suddenly realized, "Indeed, I just remembered that you're just an Outsider relies on legends, so it's normal that you only know a little bit."

She then began to explain.

"The Fifth Sun Era is this world today. The end of the Fourth Sun Age marked the end of the Age of Gods on this land. I think you understand that with the end of the Age of Age of Gods, there can be no more gods on earth. Therefore, there is no Sun God in the Fifth Sun Era. If you have to say, it's that sphere far away outside of Earth."

"I see."

Favia nodded.

He really hadn't expected that the Fifth Sun God didn't exist. Although he could accept it, it undoubtedly hindered his plan to create One God.

After all, how can people who Faith in the Aztec pantheon accept the creation of a non-existent god out of thin air, a new god who stands above all other gods?

However, Favia did not dwell on this too much, because collecting the power of the Aztec gods was necessary in any case, to counter the 'destruction' of the Central and South American World caused by the prohibition of Human Sacrifice.

During this journey, Favia felt that he might also be able to propagate a unique, non-existent Sun God.

In terms of martial prowess, even Tlaloc fought using the Faith of two great gods, was no match for him, let alone other priests.

Legally, as the Quetzalcoatl, he enjoyed the trust of Moctezuma II, and his role in promoting the shift in Faith was beyond question.

And most importantly, Aztec mythology, in any case, still falls within the realm of primitive religion, and for him, as the editor of the New Covenant Bible, there were many aspects within it that he could work with.

Just as Christianity initially flourished among the Rome people, the protracted Human Sacrifice was undoubtedly both terrifying and exhilarating for many Aztec, and the legend of the return of the Quetzalcoatl would give them a subconscious endorsement to abandon Human Sacrifice.

As for creating a unique Sun God, all that's needed is for Favia to have enough prestige within the Aztec Empire. After all, the Aztec themselves had a tradition of constantly adding new legends once they had a high level of Faith in a god, which in itself was a manifestation of a high status.

Moreover, once the sole Sun God is identified, it means that the other Aztec gods have already been incorporated into the group, indicating that the Crowd are all one family.

Just like monotheistic religions, there is only one supreme God; in other words, everyone is the same.

Even professional soldiers in the Aztec had to acknowledge this Deity with the Authority of War God. It should be noted that the most respected Jaguar Warrior or Eagle Warrior in the Aztec were not hereditary, but rather those who fought bravely and earned the Jaguar Knight Rank or Eagle Knight Rank could be promoted to this class.

However, although they were ready to die, they were essentially used to it. After all, dying on the battlefield was acceptable for Warrior, but to die as a 'Living Sacrifice' like this must have been incredibly painful in the final moments.

Therefore, in Favia's view, the Aztec should not die as Living Sacrifice to maintain the continuation of the world.

"While I don't understand why you came up with a non-existent Sun God, it seems somewhat disappointing, doesn't it?"

"Because that would mean I'd have to spend more time, which would be a bit of a hassle."

Despite this, Favia's gaze was extremely serious.

Tlaloc couldn't bear his gaze; she felt her heart wasn't strong enough to withstand it.

Therefore, she couldn't help but look away and turn her head to say:

"Ha, what an exasperating guy. He came here so irresponsibly without even having a proper idea. Well then, if you apologize for your rudeness first, I can offer you some suggestions."

"Suggestion?"

"Yes, Perfection advice, but before that, you need to show respect to Tenochtitlan. You didn't react at all when you came in, which is very unusual. There are very few cities in the world as magnificent, sturdy, and beautiful as this. You should, no, you must show some emotion, right?"

As he said this, Tlaloc couldn't help but feel his cheek twitch a few times.

No.

Perhaps unlike a twitch, she didn't understand what the surging emotion was. She touched her lips, and her fingertips brushed against them, revealing a natural smile that didn't even feel like her own lips...

Putting that aside for now, what Tlaloc actually wanted to suggest was to regard the Tezcatlipoca as the Sun of the Fifth Sun Era.

Although she and Tezcatlipoca, who advocates fighting to the death, are completely incompatible, she is somewhat tolerant of this because she respects and regards Tezcatlipoca as an older brother... However, she clearly thinks things through more.

After all, Favia's desire to abolish Human Sacrifice was, in a sense, a rejection of the Aztec' daily battles, and also a threat to the rules of the Central and South Central and South American World. Quetzalcoatl was, in a sense, an enemy of the Tezcatlipoca, who Protection the rules of the Central and South American World.

"That's unnecessary, I already have a solution."

"Huh? Impossible, how could a mere human like you—"

"It's simple, I'll just become the new 'Sun,' and let a brand new 'Sun' exist in the entire Aztec world."

Following such a youth—

A gentle breeze swept across the night sky of the Ancient City.

Cheerleader Rain God

234: "Who will I be?" (4k)

Two weeks later, late at night, in Tenochtitlan, in front of the Great Temple where people were packed, almost everyone's attention was drawn to the silver-haired youth who had arrived.

The silver-haired youth stood before the Great Temple, the towering Sacrificial Altar in the distance like a silent Protection.

In fact, many Aztec understood that this Second Sun was different from the War God, the Huitzilopochtli. She abhorred Living Sacrifice and blood sacrifice Ritual. Based on this, the Aztec also feared that their human Living Sacrifice Ritual, which had continued for so many years, would lead to them being hated by the Quetzalcoatl.

The reason for their fervent belief in Living Sacrifice was primarily their profound reverence for the War God, the Huitzilopochtli. They believed that dying in battle or becoming a sacrifice to the god would grant them divine favor and make them his followers after death. This belief, over time, became deeply ingrained in their minds.

Although the Aztec held a less Faith for the Quetzalcoatl than for the Huitzilopochtli, as they were more focused on Human Sacrifice and thus did not worship the Quetzalcoatl as much as the Maya religious kingdoms to the south, it was still a Sun and a Deity with a legend of return, so they naturally dared not neglect Favia.

As for whether there will be any doubts?

That was indeed possible to some extent, but with Moctezuma II's approval and the priests having already predicted the return of Quetzalcoatl in 1519, the idea was quickly dismissed.

Moreover, Moctezuma II an exceptionally capable military leader who single-handedly brought the Aztec to unprecedented heights, thus earning him immense prestige within the Aztec.

Since the king has already acknowledged it, then he is absolutely the messenger of Quetzalcoatl.

That's what the Aztec thought.

However, they soon noticed something was amiss, as many priests began flocking to the square from all directions. The priests wore colorful feather cloaks and had mysterious totems painted on their faces, and the entire square was filled with a solemn and dignified atmosphere, as if even the air had frozen.

As a deep and solemn drumbeat sounded, a group of priests slowly emerged from a corner of the square. They wore magnificent feather cloaks and carried golden ritual implements. Every step they took was steady and powerful. Then, the prisoners from Tlaxcala in the west were led by the priests to the front of the temple.

What's going on? Could this be the original Living Sacrifice? But wasn't that the messenger of Quetzalcoatl? How could Quetzalcoatl allow this...?

Tlaxcala, a kingdom located west of the Aztec, maintained its independence throughout the Aztec expansion. For this reason, the Aztec would hold the Flower Wars every year to capture people from Tlaxcala for Living Sacrifice.

In the daily lives of the Aztec, they Sacrifice the gods almost every day according to the requirements of festivals and Ritual. However, this was not a random massacre. They established various precise Ritual and festivals, and even people of different classes and professions had different sacrificial methods.

Each ritual has very complex and rigorous rules, and the person being worshipped also needs to undergo very complex learning, practice, and training, sometimes for more than a year.

It is estimated that as many as 20,000 people are sacrificed each year for the sacrificial rites alone.

People know that life is the most precious thing, so when they want to ask the gods for something, they often offer their lives as bribes to please the gods and thus satisfy their desires.

Every nightfall, when the stars dotted the sky, was the time for the Aztec to perform Human Sacrifice Ritual.

Today was the day of the Aztec' annual Great Living Sacrifice. Had it not been for Favia, the messenger of Quetzalcoatl, the approximately three thousand prisoners and two thousand Aztec would have already been disemboweled and skinned.

Just as the Aztec were at a loss, at that moment, Favia stood before the Sun Stone that had been brought down and spoke:

"Sun, please hear my plea."

"Let this blood, about to spurt, nourish you; let this beating heart, about to be offered, fuel your pent-up Wrath. We, in your name, have created this darkness that embraces us, let this darkness become new life, and herald a new era—"

"These are the words of your past Living Sacrifice."

For the people who had lived in the Aztec, this was a passage they had heard countless times in Ritual in the past, but they seemed to sense... Wrath in the words of the person before them.

In an instant, the Aztec understood that the messenger was expressing Quetzalcoatl's displeasure with the Living Sacrifice Ritual, and upon realizing this, they felt their bodies tremble involuntarily.

Those who were sacrificed were still somewhat puzzled. Some of them came from the defeated Tlaxcala, and some were originally Aztec. They had no fear or despair about death, but rather a sense of relief and acceptance.

Because in their hearts, their sacrifice was to bring prosperity and peace to the empire, and to offer the most devout sacrifice to the gods.

According to Aztec mythology, every fifty-two years, the Sun would be destroyed if a blood Sacrifice was not offered. At the end of each fifty-two-year cycle, when the Pleiades rose in the eastern night sky, people waited in terror, believing that this, in a true sense, also signified the end of time, and that the gods might choose this moment to destroy the world...

Although it was said that 52 years would pass, Living Sacrifice every year; it was just that the Aztec would be more nervous in certain years.

However, the people who appeared as sacrifices soon discovered the fear of the Aztec around them, and even the priests beside them were afraid.

Their confusion was immediately resolved by the words of the silver-haired person standing in front of them—

"My friends, it is good to love battle, but one must not be without limits. Quetzalcoatl extremely Wrath for those who have died because of this. Her Wrath is not because you have focused your Faith on the Huitzilopochtli and the Rain God, but an anger born of profound Wrath."

"Why does Quetzalcoatl grieve? Not because of his Faith, not because of his forced departure in the past, nor because of the changing of the world, but because of this Ritual that sacrificed countless lives."

"Before I came, Quetzalcoatl wished for me to punish you for the various transgressions you committed during the Human Sacrifice."

Favia's words once again instilled fear in the crowd, who inwardly sighed that it was indeed true.

The people of the Aztec Empire believed Favia's words without a doubt, because in their view he was a messenger of the Quetzalcoatl and would not lie.

Although this blood-stained Ritual was started by the Huitzilopochtli, Quetzalcoatl did not want it to be this way. It was clearly a dispute between gods that caused people to suffer. The people of this land had become accustomed to it, because the Aztec gods were both omnipotent and capricious, and humans could only survive by silently enduring it.

Then, in a solemn atmosphere and under everyone's gaze, the silver-haired youth raised his exquisitely polished Obsidian Sacrificial Knife, its uneven blade shimmering with a dim geometric luster under the starlight.

No muscle tissue or bone can withstand its sharpness; it can directly cut open the chest cavity, sever the arteries connecting to the heart, and rip out a beating heart.

Next, if Favia were willing, everyone present would be willing to be killed by him personally as an atonement.

"Ladies and gentlemen, my mission is to restore peace to this land ravaged by destruction, bloodshed, and war. Before that, I must apologize to you all. I should have arrived sooner."

As he spoke, Favia raised the Obsidian Sacrificial Knife in his hand and slowly placed it against his chest.