"Ha! Muluke Alashanwa! The wind and snow of the far north blow upon all the tribes, from ancient times to today, from the Eastern Sea to the Western Sea! This is the power of the Chief Divine, mastering the oceans and thunderbolts, mastering mountains and marshes, mastering the endless dense forest, until this very moment to meet!… We beseech you, come now, O supreme Divine Spirit!…"

The bonfire blazes in the camp of the Maha tribe, the brand-new Divine Platform constructed at the fallen gates of Yongning Temple. Priest Kui Huo of the Kingdom removed gunpowder and divine smoke from the boat, performing an ancient sacrificial rite beside the Sacred Fire. He occasionally scattered pungent powder and expensive tobacco, causing the Sacred Fire to sometimes burn blue, sometimes explode, sometimes emit divine smoke, a truly dazzling spectacle.

And this dazzling flame effect, this strange intoxicating smoke, this buzzing shamanic chant, left the Fish-Skin Warriors bewildered, with a mystery and brilliance never before seen.

"Muluke Alashanwa! I am the Envoy of the dense forest, I am the Chief Divine's Shaman! It is the Hummingbird and the Flying Eagle that lead us here!... The Chief Divine has bestowed upon me fire and thunderbolt, to deliver the divinity of mountains, forests, rivers, and marshes to you, Maha Aguda, you are the Great Chief chosen by the Chief Divine!…"

Zuwaro, standing atop the lofty Divine Platform, with eerie white eyes, danced a trembling, bizarre dance. Those who had seen the Spiritual Descent of the Mountain Part's old grandmother would be surprised to find that this ceremony resembled the Forest's Spiritual Descent so closely! This was clearly an integration of the Kingdom Sacrificial Rite and local shamanic customs, a high-end version borrowed and emulated, but evidently more suited to the local tribes than the sacrifices of the Highland Nava Tribes…

"Muluke Alashanwa! Come! Aguda! Come here!... Let me personally, carve on your forehead a Divine Emblem! From now on, you will be different, you will unify the tribes, you are destined to be an extraordinary heroic chieftain!…"

Maha Aguda's mouth twitched as he glanced around at the scene. The tribe's warriors, even the newly captured slaves, stared unblinkingly at this so-called "Mountain God Sacrificial Rite," an unprecedented "Sacrificial Feast." As Aguda's gaze swept over, the many warriors lowered their heads in awe, even the defiant Hu Nu subtly turned, surprisingly none dared to meet his eyes directly?

If before, the warriors of the tribe merely revered his might, accustomed to his chieftain's command... Then now, with the past two days of the "Shaman" from the Boat-Using Department proclaiming some kind of divinity, producing all these "strange" grand displays... It seemed there truly was something unspeakable, indescribable, gradually being added to him! And his status in the minds of the warriors was subtly changing, slowly rising…

"...Zhuo this guy! Truly a half-crazy Shaman of the Forest! He even wants to carve a symbol on me? I could swat him away with a slap!... But wait! If he really has some spirit communication prowess, could this truly be a Divine Emblem?... I will be different, unify the tribes... And would my warriors think the same?"

"The head wolf obeys the Wolf King, but when the Wolf King ages, he is challenged and overthrown. Yet bees obey the Queen Bee, from birth to death... A Wolf King can at most command dozens of wolves, but a Queen Bee can control thousands of bees... Ah! Zhuo this cunning fox, always spouting strange words! But upon careful reflection, they're not without reason?..."

"Mountain God, what if… I first ascend the Divine Platform for a look? Let Zhuo connect me to the spirits? If it truly won't work, I can stop him at any time!"

At this moment, Maha Aguda was conflicted, hesitant, but his face was full of solemnity and seriousness. He stood up, seemingly compelled by some force, and ascended the Divine Platform step by step. As he turned to face the warriors of the tribe, for the first time, a peculiar thought crossed his mind…

"I stand taller than all of them! I am different from them… I stand taller than all of them!"

"Come, Aguda! The gaze of the Divine is upon you within the flames, it will also grant divinity to you through my hands!"

Zuwaro, clad in intricate ceremonial dress, his white eyes turned black, moved to Maha Aguda's side, the black eyes flipping back to white. He pressed Agauda's shoulder, yet found him as sturdy as a bear, unmoved at first.

"Aguda, kneel on one knee before the Sacred Fire! I am going to carve a Divine Emblem upon you with the Chief Divine's Obsidian Dagger! When everyone sees the Divine Emblem on your forehead, they will realize your extraordinary nature! And your tribesmen alike!"

"Aguda, your bravery is the strongest among the countless warriors I've seen! But you are not yet a true chieftain, still lacking the anointment of divinity to truly command your people… And at this moment, as long as you officially embrace the Chief Divine, accepting the title of 'Chieftain Chosen by God'!... You will not only gain our full support but also possess more than physical strength in the hearts of tribal warriors, a divine soul!"

"Aguda, trust me, I am a professional! I know how to help you dominate more tribes, even if they are thousands or hundreds of thousands! The Priest of the Chief Divine will also stay to assist you, helping you consolidate the tribal hearts, helping you create a clan banner team, helping you transform from a strong individual to a strong collective!"

"Come, my brother, kneel now! You are not kneeling to me, but to a truly existent Divine Spirit, a Divine Spirit that can bestow prophecy, leading us here!"

Zuwaro rambled on for a long time, speaking the tribal language stammeringly, who knows how much Aguda understood. But when he pressed lightly a second time, a strange thing happened. The bear-like Aguda slowly knelt down and closed his fierce eyes.

"Come, Zhuo!… I will become extraordinary, I will become the greatest chieftain! Even if… it costs my soul…"

"Alright! Endure a bit, carving the emblem with a dagger will hurt somewhat…"

"Go ahead!"

"Huff!... Ha!... Jingle!... Jingle!"

Priest Kui Huo continuously tossed sulfur powder and tobacco, causing the blue flames to blaze brilliantly before the Divine Platform. He then shook the bell of the Kamchatka Mountains Tribe, singing a song no one understood, lulling people to drowsiness.

Maha Aguda gritted his teeth throughout, motionless, allowing sweat to seep from his entire body, allowing the faint traces of blood to flow from his forehead, gradually forming a crimson hummingbird.

Everything was near silent until Zuwaro finished the engraving, raising the dagger high, then grasping Aguda's robust wrist, suddenly pulling the chieftain of conversion to his feet!

"Ah!... Ah!... "

Warrior Chief Tamikusa's face flushed red, forcefully blowing the terrifying Death Whistle! The sharp, bone-chilling sound was like the harshest winter wind, startling all the Fish-Skin Tribe warriors into tension. As their gaze focused once again on the Divine Platform, they saw the "Shaman of the Boat-Using Department," raising Aguda Chieftain's hand, loudly proclaiming!

"Maha Aguda! Is the God-chosen chieftain, the greatest chieftain of the forests and marshes! All warriors must submit to him! And under his leadership, the Maha tribe will grow step by step, ultimately becoming the master of this great river forest, becoming a great tribe of thousands and tens of thousands!…"

"Howl!... Chief Divine protect us!... Howl!..."

The Warriors of the Kingdom roared loudly, leaping into an intense celebratory war dance! Meanwhile, the warriors of the Fish-Skin Tribe stood stunned in place, gazing at the chieftain's forehead with its strange "bird pattern," watching the dignified and brave chieftain on the high platform, each looking at one another in bewilderment. It was only after Zuwaro's gaze swept over them that Maha Qimai came to his senses. He gave a shout, was the first to kneel and salute, stammering as he spoke.

"Greatest Chieftain! Aguda! I kneel before you, like kneeling before the Mountain God!..."

Zuwaro's lips curled slightly, and then he moved his gaze to another warrior, Wushu. Wushu was momentarily dazed, recalling the bag of rice he received last night, and the giant hammer from the chieftain...

"Greatest Chieftain! Aguda! I kneel before you, like kneeling before the Mountain God!..."

The atmosphere reached a crescendo, and with the warriors taking the lead, the Fish-Skin Warriors in the camp gradually began to kneel. As their reverent shouts reached Maha Aguda's ears, it was like the most resonant roar of a tiger, causing his entire being to be invigorated with excitement.

"Haha! Haha!... Bring me my heaviest greatbow! Place the wine jug eighty steps away, on that old tiger's skull!..."

Maha Aguda pounded his chest forcefully and laughed heartily. Then, with a wave of his large hand, he took the heavy bow of fifteen strength (180 pounds) from Qimai, who held it in both hands, and nocked a nearly meter-long heavy arrow. He then surveyed all the tribal warriors in the field, let out a loud roar, and confidently shouted.

"Watch me, watch me shoot!..."

Zuwaro's eyelid twitched; this was clearly an impromptu addition, not arranged before the sacrificial rite. But the surrounding tribal warriors understood the chieftain's intention, and everyone beamed with joy, shouting excitedly.

"Shoot the tiger! Shoot the tiger! Shoot the tiger!!..."

"Haha! Watch me shoot! Howl!..."

Maha Aguda's roar deepened, and the heavy bow of fifteen strength was slowly drawn, producing a deep and eerie creaking sound. Even standing two steps away, Zuwaro felt a chill. This giant bow with tiger strength, even when shooting bone arrows, was powerful enough to penetrate the cloth heavy armor of the warriors within eighty steps!

"Creak... Creak..."

Maha Aguda squinted his eyes, aiming the stout arrowhead at the wine jug eighty steps away. Then, he suddenly released his grip, and even facing the enormous recoil, his entire arm remained as steady as iron!

"Whizz!..."

Though it was an arrow released from a bow, it emitted a sound akin to that of a heavy crossbow. Then came the piercing sound of breaking bone, and the crisp crash of the wine jug shattering!

"Crack! Snap!..."

Zuwaro's eyes widened, and all the Warriors of the Kingdom and tribal warriors simultaneously widened their eyes. They simply saw the heavy arrow drop slightly and strike directly at the tiger head under the wine jug, the force so great that it pierced through directly, taking the tiger skull with it!

"Ah! Chieftain Aguda has hit the tiger head!... He is a true warrior, chosen by the Mountain God as the leader!..."

"Shoot the tiger! A true tiger shot!..."

"Greatest chieftain! As great as the Mountain God!..."

This time, the cheers erupting from the entire tribe were thoroughly genuine, emanating from the very heart! The warriors of the Fish-Skin Tribe celebrated, shouted, and knelt in reverence towards the chieftain on the divine platform. And as Maha Aguda gazed at the heavy arrow embedded in the tiger head and the broken wine jug, his face showed a clear surprise.

"This?... I was clearly aiming at... Oh well, it doesn't matter!... Hahaha! This is the blessing of the Divine Spirit!..."

Maha Aguda laughed heartily, tossed aside his giant bow, and grabbed the admiring Zuwaro at once. Then, he held onto Zuwaro's wrist and lifted it high, loudly declaring.

"The great Mountain God of the north has protected us, and the Chief Divine of the eastern Sun has also sheltered us! Today is a warm and sunny good day!..."

"Someone! Bring another jug of wine, and a piece of raw meat!..."

"I will pledge an alliance with the shaman of the Boat-Using Department, sharing the same hunt!..."

"From today, the Maha tribe and the Boat-Using Department are indestructible allies, brothers who can share the same mountain and forest! We shall fight shoulder to shoulder, from sunset to sunrise, from the lower reaches of the Great River to its endless upper reaches!..."

"Ahahaha! Ahahaha!..."