Chapter 170: The Pope Doesn't Want to Go

the deputy leader,

It knows how to weigh various gains and losses.

If there aren't any good treasures, giving the Bloodsuck Mosquito Queen forty percent is no big deal.

But if it encounters something valuable, like a body part of the Collapsing Star Demon, it must immediately inform the alien big boss, thereby gaining favor with superiors and secretly making a move to score big.

"But we agreed that after entering the Epoch Treasury, we shouldn't first clash with the End Stars."

"Also don't be too eager to help them; conserve your strength. After we clear out the Dragon Nation, it will be time for our three major planets to contend."

This alien deputy leader knows its two old rivals all too well.

Cunning and deceitful, full of bad ideas, inconsistent inside and out.

When dealing with them, you must never believe their nonsense!

"Rest assured, I'm not stupid either; I know what to do."

"As long as I'm here, this treasury trip will definitely not return empty-handed!"

The Bloodsuck Mosquito Queen's mouth curled into a dangerous smile.

Its eyes flickered with anticipation.

Epoch Treasury...

Hope this time, I can find a way to break through to the Fallen level.

On the Desire Planet,

A majestic church stands tall.

This church's style is unique, with huge statues arranged neatly; a wide avenue leads straight into the church interior, and mysterious gray mist surrounds it.

The Desire Sect Leader walked down the avenue, and the stone statues on either side seemed to come alive, bowing in respect.

Crack—

Upon reaching the front gate,

The massive stone doors swung open automatically; the church's interior décor was lavish, with golden chandeliers shining overhead, stained-glass windows of many colors, and lifelike creature carvings on the walls, everywhere exuding luxury.

There were no chairs inside the church.

The Desire Sect Leader approached the prayer altar, one hand on the chest, the other resting on an ancient tome.

In heart, silently chanting a string of obscure incantations.

The next moment!

A black light shot down from the church's ceiling.

After the light pillar vanished, a figure appeared inside the church.

He wore a black halo above his head, palms together, toes touching, hovering in midair.

Behind him unfolded a pair of black swan wings, each feather sharp as a blade and still stained with blood.

No part of his skin was intact, etched with bizarre runes, and his arms and legs were wrapped in rings of scars like postoperative sutures.

Its face was even stranger.

A mouth full of serrated teeth stood upright, one eye shone like a star, there was no nose, and the facial muscles were as smooth as a baby's, highly elastic.

This strange creature seemed a fusion of beauty and ugliness.

It had an impressive figure, yet was paired with an ugly, monstrous face.

"Pilgrim..."

The Desire Sect Leader gazed at the creature before him, a hint of wariness flashing in his eyes.

A destruction-level terrifying existence—the Pilgrim.

Within the Desire Sect, its status is on par with that of the Desire Sect Leader.

Sometimes, its words carry more weight than those of the Desire Sect Leader!

In terms of strength,

Both the Desire Sect Leader and the Pilgrim are destruction-level.

But if they truly fought head-on, the Desire Sect Leader would be no match for the Pilgrim.

The Pilgrim's Holy Domain is third-tier, while the Desire Sect Leader's Listening Domain is only second-tier.

Just in this aspect of domain, the Desire Sect Leader cannot compare to the Pilgrim.

Moreover,

The Pilgrim is one of the devotees closest to the Desire Pope!

It always takes the Desire Pope as its faith; that pure, sincere heart moved the pope, thereby gaining a portion of the pope's power!

Possessing the power of the Desire Pope at Collapsing Star level,

enough to make the Pilgrim, also destruction-level, nearly unbeatable among peers.

"Respected Sect Leader, long time no see."

"Your summoning me this time—could it be that you've encountered something even you cannot resolve?"

The Pilgrim floated before the Desire Sect Leader.

Although words maintained respect for the Desire Sect Leader,

but its expression showed some arrogance, with a hint of contempt in its eyes.

As if speaking in a sarcastic tone.

"Hmm, the Epoch Treasury has already been opened."

"To avoid any mishaps, after careful consideration I decided to let you take the lead," said the Desire Sect Leader calmly.

After hearing that, the Pilgrim did not immediately agree.

Instead, it furrowed its brows.

"The Era Treasury has opened? That's no small matter; have you informed the Pope?"

"\"Of course I did, but the Pope told me to decide on my own, \" the Desire Patriarch replied."

It guessed that the treasures on the first and second floors of the Era Treasury might already be insignificant to those of Collapse Star level.

Thus the Desire Pope was too lazy to intervene.

"If the Pope doesn't want to go, what about the three senior confidants?"

"\"They are the Pope's most trusted people, and each possesses Fallen-level strength; wouldn't the chance of success be even higher with them? \""

As the most devout follower of the Desire Pope,

the Pilgrim constantly considers the Pope.

In a sense, it is also extremely loyal.

"\"Although the three senior confidants are Fallen-level, I have no authority to directly mobilize them. \""

"\"Since the Pope is aware of the Era Treasury, the three senior confidants naturally know as well; if the Pope is willing to send them on the expedition, I won't need to ask you. \""

The Desire Patriarch said, feeling puzzled and bewildered himself.

Why doesn't the Pope send the three senior confidants?

With them present, perhaps we could obtain more treasures.

If we could find the organs of the Collapse Star Demon, the three senior confidants might ascend to Collapse Star level.

As for why the Desire Pope is unwilling to do so,

the Desire Patriarch neither wants nor dares to guess the mystery.

"It seems, then, that I'm the only suitable one."

"As the strongest Destruction-level member of the Desire Church, once I act, success is guaranteed."

The Pilgrim has absolute confidence in his own strength.

"Indeed, the more treasures we obtain, the more beneficial it is for our Desire Church."

The Desire Patriarch was calculating the distribution of profits in his mind.

However, the next moment,

the Pilgrim's words poured cold water over it,

"Regarding profit distribution."

"Because I contributed, I must receive seventy percent."

"I suppose the Patriarch wouldn't object, right?"

The Pilgrim looked at the Desire Patriarch with a mocking gaze.

The latter clenched his teeth, his complexion extremely grim. As a dignified Desire Patriarch, he holds a position within the entire Church.

Although it was a puppet raised by the Pope to handle dirty work, it still has its own dignity.

Now, to be mocked like this!

For a moment, anger burned in the Desire Patriarch's chest.

But it knows that without strength, anger is merely a laughable performance in others' eyes.

It glared at the Pilgrim and said, word by word:

"Fine!"

"I accept!"

The treasure‑seizing contest.

At this moment, it officially begins!

"Please hand over the Keys of the Era you hold to me, everyone."

The Mysterious Judge spread his palm, and the three leaders, along with Zhang Cheng, hurriedly handed him the Keys of the Era.

Immediately after!

The Mysterious Judge raised his blood‑colored scythe high, and a blinding blood‑red beam shot straight into the heavens.

The once clear sky was instantly shrouded by blood‑colored clouds, and within the layered blood clouds, a massive fissure suddenly split open.

A bizarre, terrifying giant eye emerged.

The giant eye was surrounded by sticky, nauseating tendrils; its pupil was as deep as an abyss, endless.

Swoosh!

A strange light flashed from the giant eye.

In an instant, everyone felt as if their heads were struck by a heavy hammer, with demonic whispers at their ears, and an extreme discomfort throughout their bodies.

Everyone involuntarily covered their heads, and the scene before their eyes began to fragment, as if stepping into an entirely new unknown space.

When the crowd opened their eyes again,

what met their gaze was an endless, dim‑yellow desert!

In the boundless desert, dunes rose everywhere, the scorching heat baked the ground, and even the lizards and other creatures were charred black.

At the very center of the desert,

a colossal airborne structure floated.

It was a uniquely shaped hexagonal prism building, its outer layer clad in silvery alloy, encircled by rings of blue‑glowing technological light, with countless circular flying vessels hovering around, as if to guard the prism.

Era Treasury!

The three leaders' eyes flashed with burning light, eager to rush in at once.

Very soon.

Under the Mysterious Judge's guidance.

Zhang Cheng and his group arrived at the central entrance of the Era Treasure Vault.

When the Mysterious Judge placed the four Era Keys, blue light quickly lit up along the patterns on the building's surface.

At the moment the gate opened.

The Mysterious Judge waved his arm.

Around the Era Treasure Vault, a ring of spectator seats instantly appeared.

Hundreds of thousands of light pillars descended from the sky, and this time the audience numbered as many as 800,000!

The three major planets together had 600,000, while Dragon Nation contributed 200,000.

However, the moment they appeared here,

The scorching heat beat down on their skin, and the intense stinging pain made them suffer terribly.

"It's so hot!"

"Whoa, I feel like I'm dancing disco on a hot pan!"

"No way, in such terrible weather, even with the air conditioner on, we'd melt on the spot."

"Everyone, don't panic—I, an SSS-Rank Horror Summoner, will help cool things down."

On Dragon Nation's seats, a lovely young lady raised both hands, summoning ten water ghosts that joined forces to erect a water‑curtain barrier.

The temperature then dropped slightly.

But that was far from enough; the venue still remained above 40 °C, and staying long would be unbearable.

"Let me handle it!"

At that moment, a clear, bell‑like voice rang out from beside Zhang Cheng.

Xiao Dian instantly appeared in the Dragon Nation seating area, waved a hand, and an invisible shield descended, causing the temperature to plummet.

Adjusted to a comfortable twenty‑five degrees.

Seeing this scene,

the alien spectators' eyes nearly popped out of their heads with envy.

They gazed eagerly at the three leaders, only to receive cold stares in return.

The Vice President of the Apocalypse Society snorted coldly, "Get lost!"

"A bunch of workers, and you still want me to provide a comfortable environment?"

"I see you're usually lazy—this is the perfect chance to really train!"

"You might even make a breakthrough!"

For him, changing the temperature of a small space is no trouble.

But the key is that the three major planets have no such thing as morality or righteousness.

Here, subordinates must obey superiors.

Those at the bottom have no power at all.

Faced with such heartless superiors, and looking over at Dragon Nation's side, the alien spectators' hearts filled with resentment,

"Sometimes I really want to defect to Dragon Nation…"

"What did you say?"

As soon as those words were spoken, the Apocalypse Society's Vice President glared, eyes wide, locking onto the alien who had spoken.

Then he pointed, and a shard of stone shot forth.

Puchi!

It blew the other's head apart in a burst.