Chapter 104: Start

Although Zhou Tian had asked Anduin to save as many people as possible from Jiuzhou besides Zhang Yi and Mu Su, the two who were absolutely essential to rescue, Anduin clearly did not wish to take on so many burdens.

Crossing the molten iron formed from condensed energy, Anduin, now a being of pure form, gripped the Ash Spear tightly in his hand. His crimson eyes swirled with flames as he stared intently into the void ahead, searching for something elusive. The aura radiating from his body warped the surrounding emptiness, scorching it with a faint distortion.

Suddenly, the Ash Spear thrust forward, half its length driving deep into the void. Clank, clank—the sound of chains echoed from within as row after row of white order divine chains materialized out of nowhere, binding the Ash Spear and Anduin together.

This judgment hall had been constructed by the ancient Holy God Church, naturally infused with spatial seals. Breaking free would not be simple.

“Whoa!”

Anduin’s entire body blazed with luminous patterns, surging with majestic energy. Crimson flames clung to the white chains, causing them to tremble violently. Yet the same problem persisted: this hall had remained unrepaired for a long time, and the Holy God Church now lacked the technical means to mend it.

The chains shattered like glass, and Anduin was swallowed by a roaring flame storm as he twisted the Ash Spear deeper into the void.

Sizzle!

A crimson vortex coalesced in the void. Anduin retracted the spear, muttering hoarsely,

“Keep up!”

With that, he plunged into the vortex first. Zhang Yi turned back to glance at the others still caged, their faces a mixture of hatred, longing, and indifference. He shook his head, turned, and followed Mu Su into the vortex.

The crimson vortex spun slowly. All the remaining beings in the cage watched with burning eagerness, yet they could only gaze upon it without touching it.

Suddenly, two crimson chains erupted from the vortex, carrying overwhelming power that pulverized the enclosure of the cage and dragged the occupants out.

The man’s face twisted in horror. Though he wished to escape, he refused to flee this way. Energy bloomed across his body, runes surging forth, but he was ultimately dragged into the crimson vortex, which only then began to close.

If Zhang Yi had been present, he would have recognized the captive as one of Jiuzhou’s imprisoned people—though not from a great faction, but a wandering wanderer.

When Zhang Yi and Mu Su emerged from the crimson vortex, they stood before the central cathedral. Anduin floated in the void, Ash Spear in hand. His wings stirred gently, unleashing torrents of crimson flame. Two horns on his head emitted purple ghostly radiance, the very image of a great demon.

Confronting him was the Pope of the Holy God Church, scepter in hand, clad in a pristine white robe untouched by dust, barefoot upon the void, his expression indifferent as though Anduin held no significance.

Countless silver-armored guards encircled them, Bohr among them, alongside several imposing knights whose faces burned with hatred as they regarded the floating Anduin.

“The Holy God Church is not a place you can simply walk away from,” the Pope declared calmly. Sacred hymns immediately resounded in the void, enveloping him in holy light.

“It seems your Holy God Church truly has no one left, requiring the Pope’s personal intervention against a minor like me.”

Anduin opened his mouth and laughed boisterously, magma dripping from his jaws to corrode vast craters into the ground.

Though his face remained impassive, he felt a growing unease. He had intended to open the spatial passage directly outside Sailer City, but the Pope’s swift reaction had intercepted him, forcing this confrontation.

“You are no match for my sect. Surrender willingly, and you may avoid greater suffering.”

The Pope’s gaze remained serene.

“Surrender? So you plan to extract my divinity and ascend yourself? How surprising. The Pope of the Holy God Church, instead of serving the Lord of the Holy God, dreams of becoming a god himself.”

Anduin revealed this bombshell, his voice thundering and shaking the void so that the entire Sailer City heard it. He sought to sow chaos.

Yet to his disappointment, no one on the Holy God Church side betrayed any shock, utterly disbelieving his words. Only a minor figure on his side showed genuine incredulity, though it was useless. Fortunately, the time for delay had run out.

A mighty shout echoed from afar:

“Holy Son, we have arrived!”

In the southern reaches of Sailer City, surging flames rolled skyward as though igniting the heavens themselves.

The Pope’s face remained unmoved. “It is good that you have all come. It will allow us to ensnare every last one of you.”

“Then come!” Anduin roared, wings flaring. An endless crimson flame storm erupted, the Ash Spear blazing as its crimson tip glowed with divine radiance, cleaving through space.

This weapon had been forged for slaughter, once the artifact of an ancient god lord stained with divine blood, now exuding fierce killing intent.

White light flickered in the Pope’s eyes. The scepter in his hand blazed as he struck sideways at the spear, shattering the long weapon. Because it was locked upon him, he had no choice but to resist.

Though the Ash Spear was repelled, the scepter in the Pope’s hand was now laced with cracks. The sacred artifact had been destroyed in a single exchange.

The Pope’s expression finally grew grave as he fixed his gaze on the Ash Spear in Anduin’s hand.

“No wonder you can awaken the faint divine blood in your body. So this is the divine artifact’s power. So that is how it was…”

Divine blood was an extraordinarily potent energy, yet only a few could awaken it. Those capable were exceedingly rare, even in ancient times they were treasured. In the prime of the ancient divine realm, Anduin with such diluted bloodline would not even merit a number on the list of demigods, let alone touch a divine artifact.

He cast aside the cracked, dim scepter and waved toward the central cathedral. A streak of light flew into the Pope’s grasp.

It was a long sword entirely veined with cracks, some sections even missing, yet a faint radiance still flowed through it, radiating an astonishing presence.

“Though this holy sword does not possess the same origins as your weapon, it has remained well preserved and can be put to use with effort.”

The Pope gripped the holy sword and swung it casually. A sword qi of dozens of meters in length surged forth in holy light.

Anduin remained silent. His demonic form erupted with blazing flame. The long spear wielded, shattering the sword qi. For a great sect like the Holy God Church to lack one or two ancient relics as foundation would indeed be strange.

The Ash Spear flashed with intense flames, every thrust infused with boundless power. The Pope, wielding the holy sword, exuded an aura as sacred as a deity, every movement blessed with holy radiance.

Weapon against weapon, master against master. Anduin and the Pope’s clash was fierce. The Ash God Sect’s people were breaking through layer by layer. Bohr led a large contingent of holy temple knights forward to reinforce, leaving only a portion to encircle and eliminate Zhang Yi and Mu Su.