Chapter 1514: Chapter 167 Wedding Begins_2
Xi Wen stopped Zhou Wen from speaking further with a stern gaze and said in a solemn tone, "Among the non-clergy standing here, which one does not hold significant status on the continent? You still don’t understand the Holy Church well enough. For a thousand years, the Holy Church has deeply rooted itself in the hearts of people. They command an unparalleled status on the continent, and the Pope is even referred to as the person closest to the Sky God. While I’m unsure if the Sky God truly exists, the Pope is undoubtedly the most powerful magician on the continent. Years ago, my teacher once said that if the Pope kept a distance of one thousand meters from him, he himself might struggle to protect his own life—which demonstrates the Pope’s prowess. Under normal circumstances, even ordinary clergy cannot easily meet him. Among those who have come today, if we compare status, Quan Yi of the Empire of Sunset City should rank highest. But look—did the Pope grant him an audience?"
Under Xi Wen’s reprimand, Zhou Wen lowered his head and stepped aside, not daring to speak anymore. Beside Xi Wen, Larthas smiled and said, "Look, the magic of Mang Siu is about to change."
Xi Wen refocused his attention on the open space before the Temple of Light. Just as Larthas had said, Red Priest Mang Siu’s radiant golden light transformed into countless beams, strikingly vivid even under sunlight. Enveloped in the golden glow, Mang Siu slowly levitated off the ground. He chanted loudly, "Sky God’s blessing, the first manifestation of divine signs." Bringing his hands together, he summoned a golden pillar of light that shot downward abruptly and struck the trembling earth. The quaking ground suddenly stilled. The Judges standing on either side of the Temple of Light once again sounded their horns, their mournful tones reverberating. Where Mang Siu’s golden pillar had struck, a tiny point of golden radiance emerged, quickly spreading out. In the blink of an eye, a massive golden six-pointed star formed beneath Mang Siu. As his chanting continued, the golden six-pointed star beneath his feet grew brighter and brighter. The entire area before the Temple of Light brimmed with sacred energy. Suddenly, the golden six-pointed star began emitting thin rays of golden light from its six vertices. Those golden rays rotated clockwise, rapidly connecting in a continuous loop to form a perfect circle.
"Rise, Altar of God!" Mang Siu’s loud command resounded. The recently stabilized ground began trembling violently again, far more intensely than before. The enormous golden six-pointed star shook faintly. All the guests were astonished to witness the six-pointed star actually pulling the earth upward. Slowly, a massive platform with a diameter of ten meters and a height of three meters emerged into view, bathed in radiance from the golden six-pointed star. This platform, dazzling under the golden light, was revealed to be one of the three sacred altars used by the Holy Church to pray to the Sky God—the divine Light Altar.
The sound of horns continued to echo as all clergy fixed their reverent gazes onto the Light Altar before the Temple of Light. Mang Siu gently descended onto the center of the altar, the golden light enveloping him gradually fading away. With a faint smile on his face, Mang Siu declared loudly, "Today marks the wedding ceremony of the Holy Church’s Acting Red Priestess, Goddess Xuan Yue, and the youngest and most distinguished Judge of Light, Ballon. I, Red Priest Mang Siu, on behalf of the Holy Church, extend heartfelt gratitude to all esteemed guests who have come to witness this event." Saying so, he slightly bowed toward Xi Wen and the various emissaries from other nations nearby. The emissaries hurriedly returned the salute. Mang Siu’s words were incredibly pleasant to hear, leaving even Zhou Wen—who had previously been dissatisfied with the Church’s indifference—speechless. As a Red Priest, Mang Siu’s status on the continent, whether in terms of age, prestige, or magical ability, was sufficient to rival anyone present. His gesture of respect granted significant honor to the visiting emissaries.
With a casual wave of his hand, Mang Siu drew a red scroll from his spatial barrier. "Next, I will announce the life histories of the groom and bride." As he spoke, he slowly unfolded the scroll and declared aloud, "Groom: Ballon, male, age twenty-six. Father: Ballon, Deputy Judge of the Holy Church Court of Judgement. Mother: Luo Shui. Ballon was born into the Church and displayed exceptional talent from an early age. Through tireless effort, he passed the Judge of Light’s rigorous trials four years ago, becoming an outstanding senior clergy member and one of the Sky God’s most devoted followers. Bride: Xuan Yue, female, age nineteen. Grandfather: Xuan Di, the current Pope. Father: Xuan Ye, former Red Priest of the Church. Mother: Luo Shui, White Robe Priestess. Xuan Yue was born into the Church and is extraordinarily gifted. She is a once-in-a-century prodigy for the Church. Through years of diligent practice, she achieved the sacred Light Magus Realm at the tender age of nineteen. Following the unfortunate passing of former Red Priestess Na Yan, Xuan Yue underwent the Church’s rigorous selection process and succeeded Na Yan as Acting Red Priestess. She is also the youngest Red Priestess in the Church’s history. Both the groom and bride meet the requirements for clergy to marry. This union has received official approval from the Pope himself. Authorization date: Autumn, October 23, Year 998 of the Sacred Calendar."
After hearing Mang Siu’s introduction of Xuan Yue, not only did the esteemed guests attending the wedding ceremony gape in astonishment, but even the thousands of clergy in attendance stared wide-eyed in shock. None of them had anticipated that Xuan Yue possessed such an illustrious background—being the Pope’s direct granddaughter. This sudden revelation instantly sparked intense excitement among those gathered in front of the Temple of Light. Both the clergy and wedding guests instinctively began conversing fervently with one another.
