Chapter 323: Chapter 70: The Court of Justice Director _4
Ballon halted in his tracks, a touch of fear appearing on his face. "You go on your own; I can’t stand the Chief Judge’s temper."
With a helpless shake of his head, Xuan Ye pressed onward alone towards the small house. When he was about ten meters away, he could clearly sense the fluctuating enormous energy within. A sense of awe filled his heart. With respect, he called out, "Red Robe Priest Xuan Ye requests an audience with the Chief Judge." Although Xuan Ye and the Chief Judge held the same rank within the Holy Church, Xuan Ye’s respect for his uncle was no less than for his own father. He wrapped his voice in Light Magic Power and projected it into the room. Suddenly, the room’s energy receded. A deep, icy and unemotional voice resonated, "Who allowed you to disturb me? Don’t you know I’m meditating?" It almost seemed as though the Chief Judge was unaware of his own nephew standing outside.
At the sound of the deep voice, Xuan Ye’s heart jolted. Swiftly, he drew upon his divine power to protect himself. "Chief Judge, I must consult you on a matter of urgency."
The deep voice returned, "Speak. I hope what you have to say is worth my while."
A slight tremor ran through Xuan Ye’s lips. "About half a year ago, the Pope gave an order for the Holy Judges to monitor a certain individual. Recently, we received intel from the Empire of Sunset City. The Dark City Lord’s Mansion has been purged in blood. Given the manner in which those men perished, I conclude that the perpetrator is likely the individual the Holy Judges have been surveilling. Thus, I would like to know their current location."
"The dead men of Dark City were long overdue for their demise. Why concern yourself with these trivialities? Only the Pope can command the Holy Judges in the Church. Why are you asking me? Leave at once."
Anxious, Xuan Ye rebutted, "But the Holy Judges regularly send back reports. I thought you would be in possession of them."
"This matter isn’t important. Leave me alone." A surge of energy emanated from the room, pushing Xuan Ye back. He landed next to Ballon, gasping for air despite the shield of divine power, feeling rather exasperated of his uncle’s indifference.
Ballon chuckled softly. Seeing Xuan Ye stopped in his tracks seemed to amuse him greatly. Xuan Ye shot him a glare, and then, an idea struck. He exclaimed, "Chief Judge, I encountered the Sword Saint of the Tian Gang and fought with him not too long ago. Wouldn’t you like to know the details?" Xuan Ye knew his uncle better than anyone. His one true passion was martial arts, and the four Sword Saints were always his targets. He once claimed that by the time he reached eighty, he would be on par with the Sword Saints.
Right as expected, Xuan Ye’s words evoked a reaction. The firmly shut door opened, and a figure emerged. Within a blink, another person appeared before Xuan Ye. This man donned a white robe, his hair and beard unkempt. Despite his crinkled skin, his eyes were as sharp and piercing as a young man’s, It was the Chief Judge of the Holy Tribunal, Xuan Yuan, who stood around a foot away from Xuan Ye. In a casual tone, he asked, "You’ve met the Sword Saint of the Tian Gang? Tell me, what was he like?"
Xuan Ye felt the binding energy around him, a tremendous pressure that sent chills down his spine. He swallowed and began, "A little over six months ago, just before the Pope dispatched the Holy Judges, I visited Mount Tian Gang. That’s where I met the famous Sword Saint of the Tian Gang. He looked as old as I am, surprisingly, except for his white hair, he seemed like a middle-aged man. His power was terrifying, he manipulated the mist around the mountains as a weapon, piercing a hole through a mountain peak far away. I was defeated before I even had the chance to utter a spell. He was the strongest martial artist I’ve ever seen. Even the Pope said, in a one-on-one fight, no one could stand against him." The pressure lifted, and Xuan Yuan stood with his hands behind him, his eyes filled with a sense of nostalgia. He sighed, "It seems I still can’t compare to him. The gap is too big."
Seeing his uncle’s softened demeanor, Xuan Ye quickly added, "The person the Pope ordered the four Holy Judges to monitor is the third-generation disciple of the Sword Saint of the Tian Gang, and he also possesses the Ultimate Evil Hades Sword. That’s why I’m asking about the Holy Judges’ whereabouts, especially after the tragedy in Dark City. We must clarify the situation."
Xuan Yuan glanced at Xuan Ye. "A message sent recently claimed that the monitored person had only slain those deserving death. He is presently in the Empire of Sunset City and has shown tremendous power. Despite his young age, his energy has reached a significant level. According to the reports from Holy Judges, this man is as powerful as any of them, even without the Hades Sword. Furthermore, he has demonstrated impressive skill in magic, having summoned two dragons, a silver, golden-eyed giant dragon, and a Bone Dragon. The divine light at Dark City may also have been their work. I’m quite surprised he managed to break through the thousand-man army alone in Dark City. I never thought the third-generation disciple of the Sword Saint of the Tian Gang would be so powerful."
Xuan Ye exclaimed in surprise, "What? He summoned dragons? How is that possible? Summoning Magic has long been lost, and the Church’s scriptures do not even mention the possibility of Summoning Dragons."
Xuan Yuan snorted coldly, "The facts are right in front of us, this lad who calls himself the Grim Reaper indeed summoned a dragon, not one, but two."
Coldness rose in Xuan Ye’s heart, could it be, everything Yue Yue said was true, was Ah Dai truly the savior of the millennium catastrophe? Otherwise, how could he summon such powerful creatures like dragons. Recalling his pledge with the Sword Saint of the Tian Gang, he lost confidence for the first time. Despite his exceptional abilities, he could never conceive of the dragon he had never seen before. "Thank you, Chief Judge, I must inform the Pope immediately, and have him make a decision."
Xuan Yuan turned his back to Xuan Ye, "There’s no need, he already knows."
Xuan Ye was taken aback just as he was about to say something, a white figure suddenly appeared next to Xuan Yuan. "Yes, I have indeed known this for a long time." The person who just arrived was Xuan Ye’s father, the reigning Pope.
Ballon and Xuan Ye promptly bowed in respect, "We greet the Holy Pope."
The Pope slightly smiled, "You are all our own people, no need for such formalities. I was also shocked by this. It appears, everything Yue Yue said was true. Though Ah Dai has caused many deaths this time, just as the Chief Judge said, they were all people whose souls had been corroded by darkness. This matter won’t destabilize the foundation of the Empire of Sunset City. Although they are economically beneficial to the Church, we will never support their dark forces. Let them handle this matter themselves. As for the Savior, it’s better that he continues his path on his own, we should not interfere, fate will take its own course. Xuan Ye, send a decree to our people in the Empire of Sunset City, and ask them to assist in pacifying the local unrest."
Xuan Ye hurriedly responded, "Yes, Your Holiness."
The Pope said, "Alright, you may leave now, the Chief Judge and I have some things to discuss." Xuan Ye and Ballon exchanged a look and bowed in respect before leaving. Watching their departing figures, the Pope said, "Brother, are you still so stubborn?"
Xuan Yuan calmly replied, "Martial arts is the only pursuit I have. My desire is to defeat the Four Swordsmen. You should know this."
The Pope heaved a sigh, "In fact, except for the Sword Saint of the Tian Gang, your skills should be similar to the other three Swordsmen. Why trouble yourself like this?"
Xuan Yuan responded, "But the Sword Saint of the Tian Gang is my ultimate goal. What he can do, I can do too. Brother, there’s no point in trying to persuade me."
The pope exhaled deeply, "Go out and clear your head. Don’t you want to see that young man?"
Xuan Yuan was taken aback, "Are you willing to let me leave the Church?"
The Pope nodded, "You have stayed in the Church long enough, going out might be good for you. However, you should know that it’s still too early for you to challenge the Four Swordsmen with your current skills. I don’t want to hear about your death. I want you to personally go and see that lad named Ah Dai. If he really is the Savior, I think, you should be the driving force that unleashes his potential."
