Chapter 670: Chapter 185 Dark Saint Invasion_4
The Pope sighed lightly, smiling at Xuan Yue and Ah Dai, "It’s good that you’re back. Grandfather is fine. However, the continent is currently in chaos, with various forces teetering on the brink. The situation isn’t good."
Ah Dai replied, "Pope Grandfather, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Instead of allowing traitors to lurk in the shadows, it’s better to expose them all like this. Even though it’s a bit chaotic for now, it benefits our future expedition to the Death Mountain Range. I wonder how the losses of various forces are right now and whether any leaders have been assassinated..."
The Pope said, "The losses are quite substantial. For instance, in the Mage Guild, two elders became traitors. Although they were eventually eliminated, two other elders also died in surprise attacks. As a result, the overall strength of the guild was nearly halved. You must remember that elite fighters are crucial in dealing with the Dark Forces. Huh? According to what you just said, it seems you have confirmed the Church of the Dark Saint is in the Death Mountain Range?"
Ah Dai nodded, "We can almost confirm that..." He then quickly narrated the reason everyone had gone to the Death Mountain Range to investigate the Church of the Dark Saint headquarters.
After listening to Ah Dai’s account, the Pope’s eyes flashed. He finally received concrete information about the enemy. Even with his composure, he couldn’t help but reveal an excited expression, "Good, you all did very well this time. Knowing who our target is makes things much easier."
Ah Dai then inquired, "Pope Grandfather, did any other forces sustain damage? How is our Tian Gang Sword Sect?"
The Pope replied, "The Tian Gang Sword Sect recruits very strictly. Many disciples come from the direct lineage of seniors, so no traitors have been reported. However, other factions have suffered varying degrees of damage. Byinlog, the mage of the Empire of Sunset City, was injured, though reportedly not severely. King Quan Yi is now so afraid of assassination that he has deployed a large army around Sunset City, leaving the Empire’s people filled with fear. The Emperor of the Empire of Tian Jing was attacked, lost many elite fighters before the assassin was completely eradicated. Now, Mage Larthas personally holds the Royal Palace with absolute vigilance. The scum of the Dark Forces is pervasive, and almost all factions have suffered varying degrees of attacks. The Continent is on high alert. I’ve sent clergy to contact all parties. Except for Empire of the Sunset City, almost all the factions that had reached an agreement with us during the last synod have responded that they are waiting for concrete information and are unwilling to send their elites to the Church in advance. Ah, they are so short-sighted, I’m afraid it will cost us the timing of our final battle against the Church of the Dark Saint! Remember, every extra day they give the Church of the Dark Saint adds a bit more to their chances of success. Once the Demon Realm Entrance is opened, the losses will be incalculable. Fortunately, you all timely sent back the precise intelligence. Now in January of the 999th year, there is still time."
Ah Dai nodded solemnly, "Brother Yan Shi and the others have already returned to their respective factions. I believe the factions who support us this time will not hesitate anymore. After all, they should know how great a threat the Church of the Dark Saint poses."
The Pope turned to Xuan Ye, "Ye, immediately pass on my command. Send our most capable subordinates to all factions, invite them to bring their elites to the Church as soon as possible. We must gather our forces and fight to the death against the Church of the Dark Saint in the shortest time possible. Also, order all clergy members to intensify their training and be ready to mobilize at any time."
Xuan Ye took his leave to carry out the commands. The Pope then turned to Ah Dai, "You mentioned before that you wanted to return to the Tian Gang Sword Sect. You haven’t gone yet, have you?"
Ah Dai nodded, "At this point, there’s nothing to hide. The main reason I want to return to the Tian Gang Sword Sect is to participate in the once-every-twenty-years Sword Saint contest."
The Pope was surprised, "A Sword Saint contest? What’s going on?"
Ah Dai then explained the rules of the Sword Saint contest, "Pope grandfather, actually, my master, the Sword Saint of the Tian Gang, has passed away. When I return to the Tian Gang Sword Sect, I must participate in this contest in his stead. This matter is of utmost importance to our sect. I have already reported everything about the Church of the Dark Saint to you. Tian Gang Mountain is not far from the Church, rest assured, once the contest is over, I will rendezvous with you along with our people from the Tian Gang Sword Sect. It should not delay our trip to the Death Mountain Range."
The Pope’s eyes flashed with a hint of regret as he whispered, "The Sword Saint of the Tian Gang, he’s gone? I didn’t expect that when we said goodbye many years ago, it would be our last meeting. On this continent, he was the only person I truly admired. Ah..." Years ago, after losing to the Sword Saint of the Tian Gang, the Pope had always borne it in mind. Although his strength had greatly improved after taking on the Pope’s mantle, because of the heavy responsibilities of the Church, he never had the opportunity to spar with the Sword Saint of the Tian Gang again. Hearing now that the only person he regarded as a rival had passed away, he could not help feeling a sense of desolation.
A glint of tears flashed in Ah Dai’s eyes, as if his master’s figure were appearing before him again. Taking a deep breath, he said firmly, "Pope Grandfather, I will not lose in this Sword Saint contest. I will not disappoint my master’s expectations. The other three Sword Saints are also top figures on the continent. I will try my best to win them over, to be our strongest support in the expedition to the Death Mountain Range. I need to count on you here, given the time urgency, I believe I should return to the Tian Gang Sword Sect to prepare now."
