Chapter 124: Demonic Sect

"However, I have a method," the Pontifex raised a finger. "When a consciousness awakens, it forgets the mortal mundanities it would never lower itself to perform. For example, Somnus would never play Imperial Chess, which is why my true ego could never forget how to play. To prove she is mortal, she must say something the Primeval Aurora would *never* say."

Theo looked down at Liana.

Liana blinked her eyes. Her delicate lips parted.

"You are a so-called gentleman who has an unhealthy fixation on my legs, with a mind filled with lewd—"

Liana’s lips moved, on the verge of unloading a barrage of embarrassing bedroom facts like an Imperial repeating crossbow.

"...!?"

That was incredibly abrupt.

Worse, Sylvia the Oracle was standing right there, her ears perked up in immense curiosity!

If Liana finished that sentence, what would Theo’s next title in the Imperial Academy be?!

He might survive this tomb, but his reputation as the stoic Abyssal Sword Sovereign would be buried six feet under.

Theo slammed a hand over Liana’s mouth.

"No need!" Theo declared. "I believe you unconditionally!"

"....?"

Their suspicion regarding the resurrection remained, but the target of their intense judgment had firmly shifted from Liana... to Theo.

*That... sounded oddly specific,* Sylvia thought, her eyes narrowing.

In any case, the crisis of Liana’s soul had been temporarily averted.

But a much more crisis loomed...

Theo cleared his throat, maintaining a solemn expression.

"We are currently trapped," Theo announced, pointing his hammer toward the doors. "There are at least two factions of Archon-tier wolves waiting right outside this Crystal Palace."

"The moment these doors open, Duke Regulus and Hierarch Malakor will charge in like starved beasts to claim the Sphere."

Theo looked at the Oracle, the Pontifex, and his Empress.

"I am an unparalleled genius, obviously, but even I recognize the value of a war council... How do we get out of this alive?"

Theo’s high hopes for ancient wisdom died a swift death within three seconds of her opening her mouth.

"Someone is outside... Watching us with hostility?" Pontifex Valerius blinked, her mind overflowing with little question marks.

It felt exactly like falling asleep during an Imperial theology lecture, waking up to attend the next class, and realizing she was not even in the correct academy.

The Pontifex rubbed her temples.

Her soul had been severely damaged from millennia of stasis, and she had just woken up to nearly witness the resurrection of the First Primeval.

Her soul had nearly jumped out of her body in sheer terror. All she had left were fragmented memories of her identity and her mission.

"The wolves outside are losing their patience," Theo said. He kept it brief.

He introduced himself, Liana, and Sylvia. He quickly outlined how the Abyssal Manticore had hunted Liana, how they navigated the Celestial Board, and how Crown Prince Aurelius and her own former sect were now blockading the only exit.

"I understand..."

"But how did the anomalies of this sanctum draw the attention of the Crown Prince?"

"That is irrelevant," Theo waved a hand. "The relevant issue is that they are going to slaughter us the moment we step outside."

"Heh... you have nothing to worry about."

The Pontifex chuckled lightly.

She clasped her hands behind her back, her posture straightening.

She retrieved the Tesserae piece from her robes.

With a flick of her wrist, the artifact glowed, and she withdrew an eight-sided bronze scepter.

It was engraved with majestic Primeval totems, exuding an air of supreme authority.

"This is the *Praetorian Scepter*," the Pontifex declared proudly. "It was bestowed upon the Pontifex by the founding Emperor himself. It grants the authority to strike down foolish royals and execute treacherous officials. Even the Emperor would tremble before it!"

"Truly?" Theo’s eyes lit up.

He respectfully extended both hands to receive the artifact.

This was the equivalent of a supreme royal decree!

"It possesses authority." Seeing Theo’s awe, she reluctantly handed it over for him to admire.

Theo hefted the scepter.

The craftsmanship was immaculate, forged from divine metals that mirrored the ores in his Abyssal Forge.

However, it felt entirely inert.

*Great Sage.*

[Scanning...]

[Artifact: Praetorian Scepter.]

[Material: Star-iron alloy.]

[Origin: Forged in the first year of Emperor Solarius’s reign, First Solarian Empire.]

[Chronological discrepancy: 6,000 years.]

Theo’s awe vanished. He stared at the Pontifex. "Who bestowed this upon you?"

"Are you dense? Emperor Solarius, obviously!" she rolled her eyes.

Theo dropped the scepter onto the floor.

"Why did you drop my scepter?!" she flared in anger.

"You are trying to use a rusted stick from the previous dynasty to discipline the Crown Prince of the current one?!" Theo massaged the bridge of his nose.

The Eternal Empire ruled by supreme divine right. They did not care about the relics of a dead regime.

"What do you mean, ’previous dynasty’?" Her legs trembled. "The Solarian Empire is gone? How could it fall? It was mandated by Heaven..."

She glanced at Liana, as if wondering why the Primeval Aurora had not protected her chosen empire.

Then, as if fearing divine retribution, she quickly looked away...

After a long silence, the Pontifex snapped out of her daze. "If it is merely the current Crown Prince and his Exarch... I might still possess a fighting chance."

"Duke Regulus is a mid-stage Exarch," Sylvia interjected.

"He wields the Aether-Storm Path," Liana added.

The Pontifex’s expression froze.

Her Dream-Path arts were countered by the destructive, purificatory nature of lightning.

Not to mention her current cultivation was practically crippled...

"What about the other group?" she asked, grasping at straws.

"Ah... well," Theo coughed awkwardly. "You used to be their leader. A long, long time ago."

"Oh! My holy sect still exists?!" The Pontifex’s eyes lit up.

She laughed heartily. "Of course! We trace our roots back to the Age of Primevals! There is no way we could have perished—"

"Correction," Theo interrupted gently. "It is the Demonic Sect now..."

"....?"

Theo quickly filled her in. "The Cult of the Devourer is the most infamous terrorist organization in the world. Your branches are filled with psychotic murderers who specialize in blood sacrifices, smuggling, and organ trafficking. You are universally despised. The current Empire executes anyone associated with your sect on sight."

Theo sighed. "If you walk out there and reveal your identity, Duke Regulus will execute you for treason, and Hierarch Malakor will probably dissect you to steal your Archon core."

"Wha—?"

The Pontifex collapsed to the floor. Her gaze turned vacant, her soul clearly leaving her body.

Theo felt slightly bad, so he tried to comfort her. "To be fair, your sect has contributed to society."

"How?" she whispered weakly.

"They significantly accelerated the Empire’s legislative progress. Without your sect, we wouldn’t have nearly as many anti-smuggling and anti-fraud laws."

The ancient Pontifex’s posture broke. She curled into a fetal position on the floor, hugging her knees.

*BOOM—!*

Outside, a deafening roar of thunder broke the silence.

The destructive aura of the Aether-Storm Path pierced through the glass, making everyone’s hair stand on end.

However, it was precisely at the moment of that lightning strike—

Theo’s eyes widened. A brilliant epiphany struck him.

"I have a plan!"