Vol 4. Chapter 31: Moran

The ancestral spirit of the founding emperor, whom the people of the Snow Night Empire revered above all else, had now shattered in full view of the public. The Snow Night Empire's people's deep faith in their ancestral spirit had begun to waver.

And Xue Tianao, the hero in their hearts, had directly lost his life in the Battle of Skyvault.

In other words,

now,

the two greatest factors obstructing the Asumos Church from expanding its influence throughout the Snow Night Empire no longer existed. Enmm, even though the Ancestral Spirit Church still possessed a certain amount of influence, their terrible performance during this battle was already enough to destroy the people's trust in them.

In Nick's eyes, if they took advantage of this opening now, they would undoubtedly be able to expand the Asumos Church's influence throughout the territory of the Snow Night Empire on a massive scale.

This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

If he could successfully expand their influence, perhaps his own disastrous performance in this battle could be covered up.

As for treating the refugees, aiding the Snow Night Empire, and so on, those were naturally merely excuses that gave them an opportunity to act. Nick did not particularly care whether these heretics, these lowly commoners, lived or died.

Although quite a few people understood this perfectly well, on the surface, the necessary appearances still had to be maintained. Everything had to be made to look righteous and aboveboard.

However,

under the gazes of the assembled believers, his own son, and the Child of Destiny, that thin veil had actually been torn away so blatantly. Naturally, Nick was extremely displeased. His aged face instantly darkened as he viciously raised his head and looked overhead.

"Archbishop Nick, everyone here is one of us. Is there really any need for you to keep pretending?"

"Moran... you bastard..."

Nick clenched both fists and spoke in an extremely displeased voice.

At this moment,

above the hall, a woman with long coffee-brown hair was leisurely sitting atop one of the crossbeams, gazing mockingly down at Nick and the others below.

The brown-haired woman wore a strange smile and possessed a slender figure. Her long coffee-brown hair cascaded over both shoulders, with two dark-green ribbons gently tying its ends.

She wore black clothing embroidered with the emblem of the Asumos Church, along with a pair of somewhat dashing black military boots. Two curved blades hung at her waist. The woman was in the prime of youth, seemingly no more than eighteen years old. Her skin was fairer than snow, and her features gleamed like polished jade. She possessed the hazy beauty of a crescent moon and the dazzling grace of a flowering tree covered in snow, her bearing striking and captivating.

Even more distinctive were the diamond-shaped pupils within her silver-gray eyes, which gave the young woman an indescribably unique charm.

In terms of beauty, this brown-haired girl naturally could not compare to Mengxi, the Child of Destiny, but she was still unquestionably a peerless beauty. That was hardly surprising. After reaching the Eighth Tier, one's body underwent a qualitative evolution. For powerhouses of this tier, the concept of being 'ugly' seemingly ceased to exist.

However,

when such an alluring woman met Nick's displeased gaze, her lips abruptly split into a somewhat chilling smile.

A terrifying chill and aura of madness immediately spread around the young woman.

Within the hierarchy of the Asumos Church,

the status of an Archbishop unquestionably stood above that of a Heavenly Apostle.

Yet when facing Nick, the eyes of the Heavenly Apostle named Moran contained not the slightest trace of awe, much less respect. There was only intense mockery and madness. Just like that, under everyone's complicated gazes, Moran stuck out her tongue and waved her hand teasingly.

"Oh, please, Archbishop. Don't look at me like that, okay? You're making it seem as though I said something wrong?!"

"You... bastard... You're as crazy as ever..."

Just like that damned superior of yours.

You're both insufferable!

"Hmph!"

Nick snorted coldly but did not furiously reprimand her.

After all,

trying to reason with a woman who spent every waking moment in a neurotic state was no different from playing music to a cow. Besides, this bastard was no weakling. If they started arguing and she suddenly attacked him again like last time, he would undoubtedly be the one who suffered.

After all, Bai Xiaozou was still lying in bed right now!

Considering that no one present was capable of suppressing Moran, Nick restrained the anger on his face.

"Forget it. I won't argue with you."

As he spoke,

Nick clasped his hands behind his back and dispersed the dense Holy Aura surrounding him, instantly returning to his usual appearance of a kindly and benevolent old grandfather.

"Then, Moran, why have you suddenly come here? Surely you didn't come all this way merely to undermine me?"

"Huh? That?"

With a faint smile, Moran sprang from the beam and transformed into a streak of silver light, abruptly appearing before Nick. In an instant, powerful waves of Holy Aura surged forth, sweeping over everyone around them like enormous waves. Although the silver light was exceptionally dazzling, a trace of blood-red was concealed within it, immediately sending an involuntary chill through everyone present.

Those whose strength was insufficient instantly felt their legs go weak and collapsed onto the floor.

Moran was indeed one of the Asumos Church's foremost combat forces, but as a Heavenly Apostle who was supposed to make the Church's believers feel safe, Moran sometimes gave them an even greater sense of danger than an Abyss Demon.

Even Nick was shaken backward several steps.

Damned bastard!

"Whatever you came to see me about, just say it."

"See you? Ah, strictly speaking, I'm not the one who wants to see you."

"Hm? What do you mean?"

Nick frowned slightly as an ominous premonition surfaced within his heart.

And the next moment,

as Moran spoke teasingly, that ominous premonition was immediately confirmed.

"Archbishop Nick, His Holiness the Pope wishes to see you. You are ordered to return to the main church immediately."

?!!

The instant those words were spoken, Nick's eyes abruptly contracted.

As though recalling some terrifying experience, Nick's body actually began trembling slightly upon hearing the word 'Pope.'

"Y-you said His Holiness the Pope wants... wants to see me?"

"Yes, Archbishop Nick. You know me. I don't like joking around."

Seeing the fear on his face, Moran's smile grew increasingly radiant. She was quite satisfied with Nick's trembling reaction.

"Also~"

As she spoke, Moran directly ignored the now-shivering Nick before her and instead turned her gaze toward the silver-haired girl of devastating beauty standing behind him.

"Also, Miss Child of Destiny, His Holiness the Pope would like to meet you as well. You'll be coming back with us."

Mengxi: ...

--

Meanwhile,

within the Black Rose Family's encampment,

Liyu hid among the bushes together with her sisters, staring at the main tent in the center of the camp with a complicated expression.

Her thoughts involuntarily drifted back to what had happened more than an hour earlier.

Originally, when the little girl noticed a terrifying aura erupting from inside the tent and heard Mengxi's screams coming from within, she had been rather delighted.

After all,

if Mother directly dealt with the Child of Destiny, then there would be nothing left in this world for them to worry about! A wonderful life without the threat of the chosen one was about to begin!

As the Child of Destiny's screams grew weaker and weaker until they finally disappeared completely, Liyu had already felt an urge to jump up and cheer.