The common folk and nobles of Kawatua subconsciously took a few steps forward, eager to see who would ultimately emerge from within.
Some among the crowd felt themselves being pushed forward by the press of bodies.
Yet a beam of brilliance streaming from the fissure shone down through the temple gates. Looking across the Avenue of All Spirits and the temples lining both sides, all remained bathed in a dazzling glare, obscuring everything from sight.
All anyone could hear was the impassioned drumming from inside the temple. By now, however, the beats had turned steady and forceful, each strike pounding like a hammer against the hearts of the crowd, making their breathing quicken slightly and bringing tense expressions to many faces.
Just then, a sudden cry of astonishment erupted from the crowd.
Following the gazes of those beside them, most people looked up, only to see the silhouette of Ikus looming indistinctly amidst the clouds, poking its head out from above to gaze toward the Great Temple of Hatikan.
Regardless of status, the people along the avenue and beside the temples dropped to their knees one after another. Some were overwhelmed with excitement. Since relocating to Kawatua, the older generation had caught glimpses of Ikus on occasion, but the younger folk had rarely ever witnessed such an appearance.
Toward Kawatua's guardian deity, the vast majority of the First People felt deep, heartfelt reverence and devotion. Even a man like Bieta had no choice but to follow the crowd, stepping down from where he stood to drop to one knee.
After a brief wait, the radiance upon the temple began to fade from strong to weak, gradually dissipating. Just at that moment, the dying glow of the setting sun took over the light, casting down from behind the crowd onto the elevated platform, bathing it in deep crimson.
Three figures slowly emerged from the light. The High Priestess and Chen Chuan walked at the front, while the elder priest trailed a step behind. The moment the crowd clearly saw Chen Chuan emerge, a sudden commotion swept through the gathering below, though a few excited cheers broke out as well.
Deputy Delegation Leader Lu had been waiting below all along. He had immense confidence in Chen Chuan; whenever Section Chief Chen took the field, he had never once disappointed the delegation.
Yet before the outcome was decided, Lu had still harbored deep apprehension, for the enemy in this duel had likely surpassed any before, and it was undeniably a battle of life and death. Now, catching sight of that figure standing upright with saber in hand, a look of delight broke across his face.
Remembering his duties, however, he quickly reined in his expression and cast a glance toward Wang Tongshan, who stood watching from a distance. The latter nodded back, signaling that he had everything well in hand.
The nobles below wore looks of disappointment and dejection.
Chen Chuan's appearance signified that Great Shun was the ultimate victor. Yet some still refused to believe it, fixing their eyes upon the High Priestess. What if? What if things were not as they seemed?
Could the Federation's demigod merely be injured, making it unseemly for him to step outside, yet he was still the one who had won? These people no longer relied on rational judgment; they only wanted to hear the result they longed for.
Bieta's face was dark, his hands trembling slightly. What he had said earlier had indeed not been false; according to his political experience, this sort of defeat generally would not lead to a purge. Even so, he was truly unwilling to concede defeat.
This meant he had failed to deliver on his promises to the Federation. The political capital he had invested in the past could not be recovered, his prestige would surely plummet, and his family would be dragged down with him.
The High Priestess spoke then: "Under the witness of the Sacred Tree and the spirits of the ancestors, guided by Ikus and illuminated by the radiance of the great blazing sun, the future of Kawatua has been decided. We shall obey the great and sacred will, marching toward prosperity alongside our ally—"
She paused after every sentence, partly due to her advanced age, and partly to allow the Sacred Land Warriors on either side to repeat her words in both the Shun and Federation tongues.
Yet before she could finish, during one of the pauses, a noble of Kawatua stepped forward. He called out loudly, "Respected High Priestess, I do not question the result, but can you be certain the priesthood showed no bias whatsoever during this contest?"
These words were extraordinarily bold. But the moment the noble spoke them, a Sacred Land Warrior materialized beside him. With a shove, the warrior forced him to his knees, drew a stone blade, and, before the terrified and reverent gazes of the guards on either side, severed his head in a single stroke. The warrior then returned to the platform, holding the dripping head aloft by the hair, its face frozen in disbelief and horror, displaying it to both sides.
A chorus of gasps and unease rippled through the crowd below.
Such a display—bearing the brutal savagery of primitive religious tradition—was actually rare in modern Kawatua.
Though this noble had held high standing, the members of the priesthood merely looked on with cold detachment. Even the man's own kinsmen remained expressionless, for any words that undermined their authority and legitimacy had to be struck down with absolute resolve.
Acting as if nothing had happened, the High Priestess continued:
"The priesthood has resolved to support the Grand Chieftain's stance and pursue deep cooperation with Great Shun. Our negotiations with the Federation will proceed no further. We will grant the Federation's delegation one day to descend the mountain."
The elder priest stepped forward at this moment and declared, "We must submit to the judgment of Ikus and the Sacred Tree, honoring the path laid out by the ancestral spirits." He slowly turned his gaze toward Bieta below.
"Bieta, what say you?"
Bieta bowed deeply, pressing one hand against his chest and resting his knuckles against his forehead. "I am willing to respect the ancestors' decision."
The elder priest's gaze lingered on him for a moment. "Do you still acknowledge the teachings of the ancestors? Do you still acknowledge the choice of the spirits?"
A sudden pang of unease struck Bieta's heart, but without hesitation, he replied, "Of course. I am Quezatec. My ancestor Lasukayin was the first hero to rise in rebellion against the Federation. I have never forgotten the glory of our ancestors."
The elder priest sighed. "No, you have forgotten. You no longer enjoy the favor of the spirits. The name of Lasukayin has been disgraced by you."
Bieta's heart jolted in alarm.
"People of Kawatua!"
A clear, resonant voice rang out from a corner of the temple, drawing the attention of most of the crowd.
Xin Hongtu stood there, holding a bark letter high above his head. "I possess evidence proving that Bieta no longer worships the spirits or Ikus, but has instead joined the Federation's New Church and undergone their rite of initiation!"
His voice boomed so loudly that every person present could hear it clearly: "Bieta, you have forsaken our ancestors! You have forsaken the spirits! You have forsaken Kawatua!"
Over the past few days, Xin Hongtu had not been idle. Taking advantage of Bieta's absence and aided by the Shun delegation, he had managed to send men into Bieta's manor to retrieve tangible proof. Even so, he knew that this alone would not be enough to bring Bieta down.
Bieta immediately feigned a look of outrage and retorted, "Slander!" He added, "This is a forgery!"
Xin Hongtu gave a cold sneer. "We not only have physical proof, but also the testimony of your personal servant—and your son."
"What?"
"Isn't Bieta's son dead?"
"Has Bieta truly betrayed the ancestors?"
Once the crowd processed his words, a tremendous clamor erupted, followed by a flurry of heated discussion. Some were incredulous, while others glared furiously at Bieta. For a moment, chaos threatened to break out, but the Sacred Land Warriors on the scene swiftly intimidated the crowd back into silence.
Xin Hongtu commanded, "Bring him forward."
Bieta whipped his head around, only to see a warrior leading a three- or four-year-old boy onto the platform.
This son, whom he had claimed was dead, had in fact been secretly handed over to the Federation's negotiating team, who had taken him down the mountain to live. It was meant both as a token of sincerity for joining the Federation and as a way to preserve his bloodline on the outside.
Xin Hongtu sneered. "Bieta, you swore up and down that your son had died, yet we discovered that you arranged for the Federation's delegation to escort him down the Life Plateau. How do you explain this?"
Bieta paid no heed to him. Instead, he turned toward the young boy in agitation. "Yilan, you're alive? Thank the heavens, you're alive! Praise the spirits, praise Ikus, praise the protection of our ancestors!"
His voice broke with sobs, tears welling in his eyes. That mix of joy and astonishment appeared so genuine that not a hint of falsehood could be detected.
He even made a move as if to embrace the child, only to pull back and freeze in his tracks. With an anxious and faintly pleading tone, he cried, "Xilapake, whatever lies between us has nothing to do with a child! Won't you spare him?"
These words immediately won the sympathy of many in the crowd. They looked suspiciously at Xin Hongtu, suspecting that he was exploiting the boy to crush a political rival; after all, everyone knew the feud between their factions ran deep.
Xin Hongtu said coldly, "Oh? Was it not you, Bieta, who claimed your Yilan died of illness?"
"No, that wasn't it!" Bieta declared, his expression twisted with pain and remorse. "Yilan was taken away by unknown assailants! I suspected those people intended to sabotage our negotiations with the Federation. So that the talks could proceed smoothly, I had no choice but to conceal the truth!
"I failed Yilan! I am not a good father! Xilapake, I am profoundly grateful that you brought him back. Won't you please let him go? I will agree to any condition!"
The people of Kawatua present felt a pang of pity. By all appearances, this was a father willing to pay any price and atone for his shortcomings for the sake of his child.
When Yilan suddenly burst into tears at that exact moment, the crowd sighed inwardly, and many truly began to sympathize with Bieta, feeling that Xin Hongtu had gone too far.
Even Deputy Delegation Leader Lu had to admit that this man was a formidable operator who acted with extreme caution. Bieta had never disclosed anything to his own son, and had even had the boy spirited away without a final meeting.
Yet none of that would matter. They had come prepared today; no amount of sophistry would save him.
Seeing that many below were beginning to question him and cast doubtful looks his way, Xin Hongtu remained completely poised. He called out loudly, "Bieta, since you claim you never joined the New Church and never betrayed Kawatua, do you dare swear an oath before the spirits of our ancestors, under the witness of Ikus?"
Bieta's expression shifted slightly. In Kawatua, oaths carried real, binding power and could never be sworn lightly. Though he had made preparations, he still could not guarantee he would emerge unscathed.
Leaning close to Amaru beside him, he whispered, "Amaru, if things go wrong shortly, get me out of here..."
Chapter 1236