"O Chief Divine! It's snowing, another winter season has arrived!..."

In October, the winter snow falls gently. Two heavy snowfalls have already blanketed the Kamchatka Peninsula, while the Great Whale Port on the far north Alaskan coast is just experiencing its first snow of the year. Influenced by the warm Alaskan current, the same latitude on the eastern side of the North Pacific is indeed warmer than the western side.

"Giddy-up! Giddy-up!..."

The High Priest of Chimere rides the Jurchen Stallion, galloping swiftly, a bright smile on his face. Meanwhile, the horse breeder Sukeichiro jogs breathlessly behind, shouting but failing to catch up.

Further by the river, two Yakut mares, bellies full, graze leisurely by the riverside with two foals. They were impregnated after giving birth in June, in the first heat at the end of the month, and now they are already four months into another pregnancy.

In horse breeding, the breeding during a mare's first heat after giving birth is known as "hot breeding", with a very high pregnancy rate, almost guaranteed. Although a mare's gestation period is as long as a year, with adequate nutritional supply and timely hot breeding, it's possible to achieve almost one foal per year.

This is key to rapidly expanding a horse herd. Similar key points have been orally shared by Sukeichiro many times. After Chimere inquired one by one, he even created a small booklet with illustrations and his recorded texts, called "Run, Divine Horse! The Divine Revelation Scroll of the Four-legged Riding Beast".

"Whew! Whew!..."

The wind howls as the horse's hooves fly across the grass. Chimere tightens his grip on the mare's abdomen, pushing it to run faster and faster! This kind of speed exceeds the running limits of a samurai, an unforgettable exhilarating experience once tried!

"Haha! Galloping across the grassland, hooves beating through the flying snow! Even the Elder Priests of the capital cannot feel as joyful as I do at this moment! Haha!..."

Chimere laughs heartily, charging several miles before gently pulling the reins, relaxing his legs, and gradually slowing the horse's pace. As the first rider in all of America, he indeed enjoys unparalleled pleasure in horseback riding! This free and unrestrained life in the far north completely unleashes his romantic nature, continuously inspiring his artistic creativity, filling a whole box with his scrolls.

Perhaps only sitting on the Kingdom's in-progress, uncertain-to-succeed "manned Eye of the Divine Spirit"... Only the shock of flying on such a divine object could surpass this joy. No, there's still one kind of pleasure he hasn't fully experienced yet. That is to sail across the tumultuous, stormy Divine Initiation Archipelago, reaching the opposite side of the sea!...

"Grand Priest, Grand Priest!... There's important news at the port! An emissary is looking for you!..."

The horse breeder Sukeichiro, after running for two quarters, finally arrived, sweating all over, by the creek where Chimere was feeding his horse. Accompanying him was a vigorous, fleet-footed Tecos Warrior. Chimere was slightly dazed; this warrior dressed as a scout of the Kingdom, he did not recognize.

"Greetings to you! Respected High Priest Sir!..."

"Witnessed by the Chief Divine! Who are you?..."

"I am Ax Mountain, captain of the warrior squad, the vanguard scout that joined the support fleet of the Divine Monkey Corps!"

Ax Mountain of the Tecos Warriors forcefully thumped his chest, saluting Chimere. Then, taking a deep breath, he loudly reported back.

"Blessed by the Chief Divine! The Kingdom's vanguard support fleet, two Wind God Shuttle Ships, have arrived at the Divine Grand Whale Island's port under the leadership of High Priest Luoshanda!..."

"High Priest Luoshanda is currently at the port, waiting to meet and hand over with you!"

"What? A new batch of support fleet has arrived at the port? At this time when the waters are about to freeze?..."

"Luoshanda? Ah! It's him?... Eight years ago, one of the rare Tecos Priest from the first cohort of Divine Power University... He has actually advanced to High Priest? Now, he must be among the highest-ranking Tecos Priests... The one leading the support fleet this time is actually him?..."

Chimere was a bit dazed, his mind conjuring the image of a tenacious and persistent mountain man, a priest apprentice. This was a student personally taught by His Majesty at Divine Power University, where he had assisted in many auxiliary teaching tasks, like launching the "Eye of the Divine Spirit" hot air balloon or roasting the "Sacred Turkey" that flew into the sky into a delicacy...

"Blessed by the Chief Divine! I'll head to the port first; you follow behind!..."

Chimere immediately mounted his horse, wielding his whip for the first time, sprinting swiftly toward the port. Soon, the Stone Temple of the Chief Divine appeared in the port town behind the hills. Two Wind God Shuttle Ships, styled as Ocean Shielding Ships, were moored beside the simple but functional wooden port.

A short but very strong Kingdom Priest, wearing a Feather Crown, was standing at the edge of the port, observing the Stone Temple of the Chief Divine. When he heard the "dada" sound of horse hooves, he suddenly turned around, his face first startled, then filled with excited joy!

"The Chief Divine guides our meeting! Respected Master Chimere, we meet again!..."

"Haha! Loshanda, your current solemn and majestic demeanor is completely different from seven or eight years ago!... Ah? You rise, no need for kneeling!... You are now also a High Priest, just like me, no need for such formalities... Oh! I am not worthy of the title 'teacher,' previously I was only accompanying His Majesty, in charge of the academic affairs of a term of apprentices..."

Loshanda, kneeling gracefully on one knee, performed the ritual of audience. Then he rose, smiling, and said.

"Teacher Kimier! Congratulations to you!..."

"I have come this time, bearing His Majesty's Royal Decree of Promotion... You are now, following Zuwaro High Priest and High Priest Miki, the Kingdom's third Fourth Level Grand Priest in the northern preaching district!..."

"Praise the Chief Divine! Praise the Divine Revelation Majesty! And praise you, Kimier Grand Priest!..."

"Ah? His Majesty promoted me to be the third Grand Priest?!"

Kimier looked utterly surprised, completely unforeseen. He led the fleet to the Far North Coast, apart from sending three support longships westward, arranging the support supplies at various ports along the Far North Coast... most of the time he was nestled in the Divine Grand Whale Island, painting leisurely and happily horseback riding... how come in just over a year, His Majesty has sent the Royal Decree, appointing him as a Grand Priest?

"This is... truly... an unavoidable responsibility!"

Kimier pondered silently, reflecting on the arrangement of fate, while holding Loshanda's arm, they headed toward the Temple at the port. Once they were seated in the newly constructed annex of the Temple, he blinked and opened his mouth to ask.

"Loshanda, how is the situation at the southern expedition front with His Majesty?"

"Master, His Majesty is well... the news of the evil demon arriving from the Eastern Sea has already spread throughout the Alliance and the Kingdom. His Majesty's divinity is undeniably real, even the nobility and priests of the Alliance are filled with reverence!"

"The Alliance's High Priesthood was initially contending secretly with the Kingdom Priesthood for the rights to preach among the Otomi Tribes... but after His Majesty's prophecy came true, those mid and low-level priests sent by the Alliance to the Otomi Tribes, have changed their attitudes, some even began to lean towards the Divine Revelation Majesty..."

"It is said, along the Alliance's western border near the Kingdom, many noble manors and rural villages have started to worship wood carved statues of the God of Death. Yet, the local Alliance priests have taken no action to stop this... indeed, His Majesty has become the only living Great Prophet in the Alliance's history!"

Loshanda spoke much, and Kimier listened patiently. After a long while, Kimier then, with a wistful expression, sighed aloud.

"Oh Chief Divine! The divinity is like true gold in the fierce flames, the more it burns, the more it shines brightly!"

"This is the only living Great Prophet in Alliance's history!"

"And His Majesty adheres to the Divine King's summons, with absolute loyalty and sincerity, without any deception! Everyone sees it... everyone sees it in clear view!"

"This is the renown of loyalty, and the prestige of the Prophet!... Regardless of the thoughts of the Divine King, one must admit... should His Majesty fall, not only will various parts of the Kingdom... even various states of the Alliance, branches of the Royal Family will..."

"May the Chief Divine protect! His Majesty's safety is at last assured again!"

Kimier marveled for a long time, his heart both joyous and much at peace. Then he inquired about the arrangements of the northern ports and several important Kingdom priests.

"Loshanda, your route northwards... High Priest Keyuan of West Mountain Port, and High Priest Kejie of North Port, these two esteemed High Priests... Has His Majesty bestowed any honors?"

"Master, Keyuan and Kejie, the two priests, were promoted to Third Level Main Priest two years ago by the Royal Decree you delivered, how could there be so soon other honors? ...However, the fleet did indeed carry some feathered garments, turquoise, spices, honey, and divine smoke as rewards from the Kingdom to the various priests!"

Afterward, Loshanda glanced around to ensure no one was nearby, before lowering his voice and speaking softly.

"Master... actually, the Priest Elder Council at the Capital City doesn't wish to bestow too many total priestships in the northern preaching district... after all, if these Grand Priests were to be transferred back to the Kingdom, it's tantamount to becoming Elder Priests, or even entering the Priest Elder Council, taking on important roles..."

"Given the current situation, it is estimated there would be only four permanent Grand Priest seats in the entire northern preaching district, responsible for four newly divided Coastal General Dioceses! The Divine Revelation Priests and Preaching Priests at various ports can serve as the heads of the northern four general dioceses, competing against each other indeed..."

"May the Chief Divine witness! Right now, these four positions, three have already been granted, one appointed, they are entirely filled!"