Chapter 952: Chapter 48: Baptism of God
"Xuan Ye, is there something you need to tell me? Speak," he demanded.
Xuan Ye dared not behave as arrogantly as Xuan Yue, and quickly responded respectfully, "Yes, Your Holiness. It is like this: during my search for Yue Yue, I encountered traces of the Sword of Hades."
The Pope was startled and exclaimed, "What, the Sword of Hades? Have you finally found that assassin?"
Xuan Ye shook his head, "Not the assassin, but his disciple." He then recounted how his subordinate, Ying Yi, discovered Ah Dai possessing the Sword of Hades, how he went to the Tian Gang Sword Sect to search for Xuan Yue, and the conflict that occurred with the Tian Gang Sword Sect. He merely concealed his agreement on the wager with the Sword Saint of the Tian Gang, as he did not want to kindle any hope in his daughter’s heart.
After listening to Xuan Ye’s account, the Pope fell silent. After a while, he sighed softly and said, "The Sword of Hades and the Dragon’s Blood appearing together in one person is indeed peculiar. My child, you made a mistake by provoking the Tian Gang Sword Sect. Although the Tian Gang Sword Sect has traditionally not interacted with our church, they are still a righteous sect. Under normal circumstances, we might have devised ways to gradually convert them into believers of the divine. However, these are critical times, and we do not have the luxury to do so. Thirty years ago, I met the Sword Saint of the Tian Gang soon after I had assumed the papacy. By then, the Sword Saint was already approaching the age of ninety. I have always been somewhat unimpressed by his reputation, so I challenged him."
Xuan Ye was shocked upon hearing his father’s words, as he had never been told of his father’s encounter with the Sword Saint. He quickly asked, "Father, what was the outcome? Who won between you and the Sword Saint?"
The Pope let out a slight sigh, "That time, it was my only defeat in my life; I lost."
Xuan Ye was astounded. He knew well the extent of strength his father possessed, having inherited the papacy, and blurted out, "No, how could that be possible? No one on the continent could possibly defeat you!"
The Pope’s gaze remained calm as he spoke indifferently, "Yet, I indeed lost. We exchanged only one move in that battle, and the Sword Saint left, but I clearly understood that I had been defeated. The martial arts of the Sword Saint had reached a transcendent and holy realm, unimaginable by ordinary people. If the distance between us had been a kilometer, perhaps I would have stood a chance. But he would never give me that opportunity. In a one-on-one match, I fear there is no one in the world who could match him. Even now, I am no exception."
Xuan Ye stood there dumbstruck. He hadn’t expected his father to hold the Sword Saint in such high regard. He muttered, "Could it be that the Sword Saint already possesses divine power? But, you are the one closest to a god on the continent!"
The Pope shook his head, "Indeed, his strength has reached a level close to that of a god, but sadly, he is not a follower of any god. Without using any kind of artifacts to assist us, he would be fully capable of taking my life with one strike. However, if I had a Divine Artifact to assist me, perhaps I could destroy him with one strike as well. It has been thirty years with no sight of him, and I do not know how much further he has advanced. However, I clearly understand that unless a mighty Forbidden Curse is employed, no magic in the world could affect him. In my mind, he is even more formidable than the Sword of Hades. This is why I said earlier, you made a mistake by provoking him."
Xuan Ye said, "Father, if you lead us, the four Red Robe Priests, to the Tian Gang Sword Sect, could we completely destroy them?"
The Pope’s voice suddenly turned cold, "You must never harbor such thoughts. If the Sword Saint of the Tian Gang and I were to fight with all our might, it is uncertain who would survive. Indeed, with you, we could annihilate them. However, you must understand, there are four Sword Saints on the continent, as I have told you. If there is any threat to the survival of the church, it is them. Although the four Sword Saints do not interact with each other, they are the best of friends in spirit. If the church were to destroy the Tian Gang Sword Sect, not to mention how the Empire would react, the retaliation from the other three Sword Saints would lead to severe losses for us. Thus, between the church and the four Sword Saints, we are eternally spiritual friends."
It was only now that Xuan Ye fully grasped the gravity of the situation and said sheepishly, "Father, I was truly too reckless."
The Pope sighed, "You are the most outstanding priest in the church, and I hope you will be more demanding of yourself. In the future, my position will be yours to inherit. You must not judge solely by appearances; delve into the underlying meaning and fully comprehend it before making a final decision. Do you understand?" The Pope’s presence radiated a profound divine light as he stared intently at Xuan Ye.
Xuan Ye shivered slightly and nodded respectfully, "I will heed your teachings, Your Holiness." After a pause, he continued, "Father, what about the Sword of Hades and the Dragon’s Blood? Those are items our church urgently needs to recover. Are we to simply let them remain in the hands of that foolish boy, Ah Dai? That is very dangerous, and you are well aware of the evil of the Sword of Hades."
