Hurriedly, Wang Lan pulled up the most basic information on the ten murdered individuals. Indeed, their birthdays did not fall in the same month.
While this didn't prove much, it was a slender clue—and any clue, no matter how thin, was still a clue.
"We've been trying to find a connection through their life experiences, but we overlooked the most basic information..." Wang Lan's voice immediately drew everyone's attention.
Yulia looked over. When she saw Wang Lan circling the birthdays of these people, she was momentarily taken aback.
"Different months? Does Lucifer intend to gather experts born in all twelve months of the year?" Jiang Xinyu asked, puzzled.
"No, it's the Zodiac," Yulia suddenly said. "In our Heaven God Sect, different months correspond to different constellations. The Zodiac comprises the twelve constellations that revolve around the sun and are the twelve pillars of the wheel of fate."
"Then why is Lucifer killing experts from the twelve zodiac signs?"
"It must be some kind of sacrificial ritual," the Pope said gravely. "Wang Lan, do you know why the Star Picking Building is called that? Why is its location so crucial, situated right between the Pope's Palace and the Palace of the Saintess?"
"Why?"
"Because in the Mythical Era, the Star Picking Building's status was above that of the Saintess and almost on par with the Pope. The Pope, as the divine's voice on earth, listens to the heavens' will and spreads it among the people. The High Priest of the Star Picking Building would divine the heavens' will by observing the stars and foresee the future.
However, since the end of the Mythical Era, the line of High Priests gradually declined until the lineage was completely severed five thousand years ago. But the Star Picking Building has always been preserved.
The variations of the Zodiac in the night sky are the most unique and foreshadow the most significant events. Lucifer, being a deity from ten thousand years ago, very likely possesses the secret techniques of the High Priest lineage.
His killing of experts corresponding to different zodiac signs might be for some kind of sacrificial ritual. But rituals must be performed at specific times, specific places, and under particular fated changes. I suspect the Zodiac is currently in a very unique state.
Notify the meteorological service immediately to observe the current status of the Zodiac!" the Pope ordered at once.
"Yes!"
"Currently, only individuals from Pisces and Gemini remain unkilled. Among all the experts in the Star Soul Realm and Half-step Star Soul Realm, who belongs to these two constellations?"
"There are five people in total, including Emperor Bai and myself," Yulia said gravely.
Upon hearing this, Wang Lan quickly took out his cellphone and dialed a number. The call connected promptly. "Emperor Bai, where are you? Is everything alright there?"
"I'm with Qing Emperor and the others; Hui Xin Divine Sword Zhang Xiao and the rest are all here as well. Don't worry. If Lucifer dares to come, we're not easy to push around. Even if we're not his match, we can make him retreat with injuries."
"You're all in the Capital, right?"
"Yes."
"Move to my house in the Capital. I left a spatial coordinate there. If anything happens, I can be there immediately."
"Alright, no problem. But Wang Lan, why the sudden call? Did you find something?"
"Emperor Bai, your zodiac sign is Pisces, right?"
"Eh? Zodiac sign? Who remembers that stuff? Seriously, what sensible person bothers with zodiac signs?" Emperor Bai said, looking confused.
"Well, let me tell you, Lucifer's killings are sequenced by zodiac sign. He aims to kill a Star Martial Art expert from each of the twelve different signs. Ten have already been killed, leaving just two.
Pisces and Gemini! Through data comparison, you are a Pisces. So, among the remaining Star Martial Art experts, anyone from these two zodiac signs could be Lucifer's target."
"Is that so? I'm actually a bit scared," Emperor Bai said jokingly.
"Don't worry. As long as you stay where I left the spatial coordinate, I can be there the moment he shows up."
"I'm more afraid he *won't* come for me. I've got the message, and I'll be on the lookout. If there's nothing else, I'll hang up."
"Be very careful. If Lucifer attacks, you must hold him off for me. Lucifer is avoiding me now, but as long as you can delay him, I can cut him down with a single strike."
"Out of all the experts in the world, you're probably the only one who can confront Lucifer directly."
「 」
After hanging up, intelligence from the meteorological service arrived shortly. As the Pope had guessed, the current position of the Zodiac was indeed very special.
The twelve constellations were arranged in an orderly pattern around the sun. Although still moving slowly, their angular separation was converging towards thirty-six degrees, forming a perfect, symmetrical disk.
The entire world was on high alert for Lucifer's next surprise attack, but for three consecutive days, Lucifer did not strike again. Just as Wang Lan was becoming extremely anxious, the latest intelligence suddenly arrived at the Papacy.
"Lucifer has struck again! This time, a peak Star Sea Realm individual from Pisces and a Half-step Star Soul Realm expert from Gemini."
"Damn it!" Wang Lan slammed his fist on the table angrily upon hearing the news. "How did they protect them? Couldn't they even delay him for a moment? Why didn't they contact me immediately?"
"Great nations have their pride. Many people won't believe it without witnessing Lucifer's terror for themselves. Even if they believe it in their hearts, without experiencing it firsthand, they won't understand how terrifying Lucifer truly is."
"Now that he has gotten his hands on experts from all twelve zodiac signs, no one knows what Lucifer will do next."
"However, there's something odd about Lucifer's actions this time. He didn't kill the two on the spot but directly took them away using his Time-space ability."
"Took them away?"
"Yes. The previous ten all had their hearts torn out immediately. This time seems somewhat different…"
AWOOOO AWOOOO AWOOOO—
Suddenly, a piercing alarm sounded. Wang Lan's expression changed drastically. In a flash, he appeared in the void. Above the sky in the Holy Territory, the Power of Space rippled wildly, with no intention of concealment.
Instantly, Yulia and Jiang Xinyu rose from below, hovering in the air beside Wang Lan.
Wang Lan's face was somber. He slowly lifted his hand, and the starry sky opened. A silver-white phoenix flew out from the Star Palace and hovered above his head. In an instant, the phoenix disintegrated, and the Phoenix Saint Cloth enveloped Wang Lan.
The spatial fluctuations in the sky grew more intense. Suddenly, a black dot appeared in the void, and a figure in black armor emerged. Eight pairs of wings trembled slightly on his back, each tremor causing space to ripple like the surface of a wind-brushed lake.
"Long time no see. I heard you've had a hard time looking for me?" Lucifer asked with a faint smile.
"And you've had a hard time hiding from me," Wang Lan retorted. "Why aren't you hiding this time?"
Lucifer waved his hand gently. From the void, two corpses fell from the sky—the two experts he had abducted.
"Since you've issued me a challenge, how could I not come? Do you really think I'm afraid of you? Or do you believe your strength can match mine? Here, there's no Gaia to aid you, no Hou Tu Goddess to save you. Unless the God of Heaven resurrects, you will die today."
"You're not afraid? If you weren't, why would you hide from me?" Wang Lan scoffed.
"Arrogant!"
BOOM—
Ripples spread through space. Wang Lan hovered unmoving in the void, letting the spatial ripples wash over him.
We all have Space-time Attributes—who's afraid of whom?
In a flash, Wang Lan moved, leaving trails of afterimages as he slashed horizontally, aiming for Lucifer's torso.
No sooner had the Breaking Swords swung out than they shattered.
But in an instant, Starlight twinkled, and the Sword of Light appeared in Wang Lan's hand, slashing toward Lucifer, its momentum unbroken.
DING—
Lucifer casually raised a finger, blocking the sharp edge of the Zanpakuto. Suddenly, his expression changed; the Zanpakuto he was blocking seemed to turn ethereal, passing through his finger and slashing at his body.
Lucifer fiercely thrust a black spear toward Wang Lan's chest. Last time, this move had pinned Wang Lan to the ground, but this time, the spear passed effortlessly through Wang Lan's body.
Wang Lan and Lucifer brushed past each other, their figures overlapping and then separating.
Instantly, Wang Lan spun around, slashing his sword at Lucifer's neck.
DING—
The sword, though composed of light, still couldn't harm Lucifer's sturdy body, not even severing a single hair.
BOOM—
Suddenly, Wang Lan waved his hand, sending a blast of Holy Light Fire roaring towards Lucifer.
But Lucifer's figure vanished in an instant, reappearing behind Wang Lan, his hand a blade chopping viciously at Wang Lan's head.
Yet, this blow seemed to strike only a shadow; Wang Lan retreated to one side, unscathed.
Lucifer looked at Wang Lan, puzzled. "What kind of Time-space ability is this, allowing you to switch between illusion and reality at will?"
"Hmph, guess!"
Little did Lucifer know, his slash had split the sea within the Divine Might Space in two.
Even with god-like power, Lucifer could not destroy an independently existing Different Dimensional Space. Such a space, unaffected by any external spatial forces, was in principle indestructible.
"Lucifer, today I shall exterminate you!" A furious shout erupted. The Twelve Palaces beneath them suddenly lit up, sending twelve pillars of light shooting into the sky. The Pope, holding the Genesis Bible, flew into the void.
With a gentle toss, the Genesis Bible in his hands unfolded above his head, its golden pages emitting a sun-like radiance.
"Great Mantra Skill, Seal!"
"Hmph, embarrassing yourself with a fake Genesis Bible. If you're not ashamed, I am," Lucifer scoffed, reaching out. The Genesis Bible automatically flew into his grasp.
"You—!" The Pope's face contorted. Even more unbearable was the revelation—the Genesis Bible was fake?
"But you do have some skill, crafting a fake so convincing that even I was almost deceived. Or was it perhaps so terribly made that you all managed to convince yourselves it was real? Still, if you can produce a Genesis Bible that *appears* this authentic, then you must have the real one. Where is it?"
BOOM—
As his words fell, the Genesis Bible in Lucifer's hand turned to dust and vanished.
"Ah, I must be confused. If you knew where the real Genesis Bible was, you wouldn't be here revering a fake," Lucifer stated nonchalantly.
"The Genesis Bible might be fake, but my Holy Grail certainly isn't! Sealing Divine Skill!" Yulia roared. Instantly, the Holy Grail shot into the sky, rapidly expanding. In the blink of an eye, it became a massive vase, dozens of meters tall, its opening aimed at Lucifer as it activated its sealing power.
"Wang Lan, now's your chance!"
Yulia's reminder was hardly necessary; Wang Lan had already activated his one and only diamond-tier Star Martial Skill, Break Sky Slash.
