Chapter 1335: Chapter 129 Soul Release_3
As Xuan Ye’s Divine Judgment wreaked havoc, the dark alien races also launched a frenzied assault on the clergy, and all but the Dark Ice King, Black Magic King, Wing King, and Moon King among the twelve Heavenly Kings joined the battle. Their formidable strength successfully held off the Holy Church’s Assault Team led by Xuan Yuan. Although the Dragon Man King’s skills were not equal to Xuan Yuan’s, he managed to fight Xuan Yuan to a draw with his exceptionally strong body. Ballon also met the Dwarf King head-on and found himself in a stalemate. However, the other six Dark Heavenly Kings were not so easily dealt with. The Lust King Yinnu’s soul-enticing Pink Battle Aura destroyed a Judge of Light in just a few encounters, and the lowest-ranking Cat King Cat Woman Mimi, with her extraordinary speed, wounded two Judges of Light, leading to a well-matched battle. But with the loss of the Assault Team’s support, the outnumbered Sacred Knights and Judges were in a perilous state. In a short time, their numbers had plummeted from twelve hundred to eight hundred, their defensive lines increasingly pushed back, on the verge of collapse while their previously nimble Sacred Knight battle formation lost its effectiveness with fewer numbers. The Dark Forces’ eight thousand strong, over ten times the number of Church clergy, suffered few deaths among the powerful Dark Demon Clan, Dragon Man Clan, and Dwarves in the clash, and most casualties in the Divine Judgment were weaker Half-Beasts.
The Moon King watched coldly from the shadows. Although she knew that victory in this battle would inevitably be theirs, the extent of their losses was unexpected and she cursed inwardly. Raising her hand, she released a black orb that traced a strange arc through the air, bursting into a bright purple-black glow when it reached the apex of its flight—a signal for a total offensive. The Wing King, having rested half the day to recover his strength, led the remaining four hundred of the winged warriors to soar into the sky and dive down towards the Holy Church’s crowd. These were the elite of the winged people, and their sudden involvement immediately quickened the pace of the clergy’s retreat. The aerial assault combined with the potent attack from the ground tipped the scales drastically in one direction.
Xuan Ye had regained some of his magic power but couldn’t help feeling deeply shaken at this scene. He shouted loudly, channeling the restored magic power into Divine Blessings, healing the clergy’s wounds while enhancing their combat strength. However, it was merely a stopgap measure—he was acutely aware that defeat was inevitable. Xuan Ye let out a mournful sigh. Was the Sky God truly abandoning them?
At the moment when the Holy Church’s clergy faced imminent crisis, a golden light slowly rose from the ranks of the Holy Church’s army, growing stronger with every ascent. This surge of divine power greatly lifted the spirits of the fewer than five hundred remaining clergy, while noticeably slowing the attacks of the dark alien races. Xuan Ye’s heart skipped a beat as he fixed his gaze on the source of the golden light, his body trembling and tears welling in his eyes, for the figure rising in that golden light was none other than his father-in-law, Na Yan, appearing so sacred against the golden light’s halo.
"No, father-in-law, don’t!" Xuan Ye screamed in anguish. He knew all too well what Na Yan was doing—this was the final move of a high-ranking White Robe Priest! Na Yan continued to ascend as a gentle smile graced his face. As a practitioner of Light Magic, he was even more advanced than Xuan Ye. To give the slightest hope of breaking free, he made the resolute choice to sacrifice himself. Yes, it was self-immolation, burning his very body with the flames of light. This was the Holy Church’s taboo self-destructive technique that only those with the power of a White Robe Priest or higher could learn. The most distinctive aspect of this magic was that the caster gives up their own body, converting all potential and spiritual power into a divine force for attack. With Na Yan, a powerful Magician, exerting such a force, it was sure to match the power of a Forbidden Curse in a short time. To aid Xuan Ye’s escape, Na Yan sacrificed his life without hesitation.
Tears streaming down his face, Xuan Ye watched Na Yan continue to ascend. His father-in-law’s kind words and smile incessantly flashed through his mind. His care for Xuan Ye was no less than that of the Pope, and over the years, Xuan Ye had grown to hold deep respect for his father-in-law. He blamed himself for not heeding Na Yan’s advice and foolishly storming in, leading the Church’s people into such dire straits. And now, to preserve a glimmer of hope for everyone, his father-in-law had chosen to use the terrifying Soul Release spell. To use Soul Release was to embrace certain death!
Na Yan’s voice echoed in Xuan Ye’s heart, "Child, do not grieve. Everyone must die someday, and I have lived beyond eighty with no regrets. But you are still young, and the heavy responsibility of the Church rests on your shoulders. In a moment, I will blow open the exit of the valley; you must lead everyone out. Each person who escapes will retain a fraction more strength for the Church. Take care of Nasha for me. Tell His Holiness the Pope that I am going to meet the Sky God and ask him to take care of himself."
"Father-in-law, no!" Xuan Ye cried out again, but in his heart, he knew that at this point, no one could stop the completion of Na Yan’s spell. As his heart filled with grief and anger, to his astonishment, he saw six golden glows rise alongside him, as six voices spoke in unison, "Bishop, take care; we are going." It turned out that six White Robe Priests, drained of their magic, had also chosen the same path as Na Yan. To enable the remaining clergy to escape, they decided to sacrifice themselves in a spirit of fearlessness.
