Chapter 215: Chapter 48 God’s Baptism_1
"Xuan Ye, don’t you have something to tell me? Speak up."
Xuan Ye didn’t dare to be as audacious as Xuan Yue, so he hurriedly responded respectfully, "Yes, Your Holiness the Pope. It’s like this, in the process of searching for Yue Yue, I found traces of the Sword of Hades."
The Pope was shocked, "What, the Sword of Hades, have we finally found that assassin?"
Xuan Ye shook his head, "Not the assassin, but his disciple." Without delay, he narrated how his subordinate, Ying Yi, discovered Ah Dai holding the Sword of Hades, how he searched for Xuan Yue at the Tian Gang Sword Sect, and the conflict that ensued. He just omitted the part about the wager he promised the Sword Saint of the Tian Gang. He didn’t want to stir up any hope in his daughter’s heart.
The Pope became silent after hearing Xuan Ye’s account. After a while, he sighed lightly, "It’s indeed strange that the Sword of Hades and Dragon’s Blood appear on the same person. Xuan Ye, you made a mistake. You should never have provoked the Tian Gang Sword Sect. Even though they have always kept their distance from our Church, they’re still a righteous sect. Under normal circumstances, we could gradually convert them to the followers of God. However, at present, we don’t have time for that. Thirty years ago, I once met with the Sword Saint of the Tian Gang. At that time, I had just taken the position of Pope. The Sword Saint was nearly ninety years old. Despite his fame, I felt unimpressed and so I challenged him."
Hearing his father’s words, Xuan Ye was startled. He had never heard his father talk about past encounters with the Sword Saint of the Tian Gang. He quickly asked, "Father, what was the outcome? Who won between you and the Sword Saint of the Tian Gang?"
The Pope sighed softly, "That time, I suffered the only defeat in my life. I lost."
Xuan Ye was taken aback. Clearly aware of his father’s formidable power as a Pope’s legacy, he exclaimed in disbelief, "No, how is this possible? No one on the continent could possibly defeat you!"
The Pope maintained a calm gaze, speaking lightly, "But indeed, I lost. In that battle, we only exchanged one move, and the Sword Saint left. Yet, I clearly knew I had lost. The Sword Saint of the Tian Gang had reached a divine realm with his martial arts, beyond normal people’s imagination. If we were a kilometer apart, maybe I could have won. But he would never give me such a chance. One to one, possibly no one in the world would be his match. Even I wouldn’t stand a chance."
Xuan Ye stood there dumbstruck. He never imagined his father would have such a high opinion of the Sword Saint of the Tian Gang. He murmured to himself, "Has the Sword Saint of the Tian Gang attained divine power? But, aren’t you the one closest to God on the continent!"
The Pope shook his head, "Indeed, his strength has nearly reached divine power, but alas, he isn’t a follower of God. If we were to fight without any artifacts assisting us, he could easily take my life in one move. On the other hand, with a divine artifact, I might just be able to destroy him in a single strike. After thirty years apart, I wonder how strong he has become. But I know clearly, without invoking a powerful Forbidden Curse, no magic in this world can harm him. In my whole life, he seems more terrifying than the Sword of Hades. So I just said, you made a mistake, you should never have provoked him."
Xuan Ye asked, "Father, if you led us, the four Red Robe Priests, to Tian Gang Sword Sect, could we completely annihilate them?"
The Pope’s voice suddenly cooled, "You mustn’t even think about it. Even if I were to go all out against the Sword Saint of Tian Gang, it’s not certain who would fall. While leading you, indeed, we could wipe them out. But, you must know, there are four Sword Saints on the continent. I told you once, if there’s anything that threatens the existence of our Church, it would only be these four. Although they don’t interact with each other, spiritually, they are the best of friends. If our Church were to annihilate the Tian Gang Sword Sect, let alone the reaction of the Empire of Washington, just the revenge from the other three Sword Saints would lead to a considerable loss. Therefore, we will always be friends in spirit with the Four Sword Saints."
Not until now did Xuan Ye fully understand the gravity of the issue. He lamented, "Father, I was indeed too reckless."
The Pope sighed, "You are the most talented priest in the Church. I hope you will be more strict with yourself. My position will eventually be succeeded by you. In any matter, don’t just look at the surface, delve into the inner meaning. Only after understanding everything thoroughly can you make the final decision. Do you understand?" The Pope, emitting a brilliant divine light, gazed at Xuan Ye unblinkingly.
Xuan Ye trembled, he nodded respectfully, "I will heed Your Holiness the Pope’s teachings." After a pause, he continued, "Father, what about the Sword of Hades and the Dragon’s Blood? They are things our Church urgently wants to retrieve. Aren’t we just leaving them in the hands of that simple-minded boy, Ah Dai? That would be very risky, you should be aware of the evil nature of the Sword of Hades."
