Chapter 406: Archbishop Candidate (22)

Cliffside Cave.

"Who? Who's speaking?!"

The unexpected voice sparked a glimmer of hope in Aoliangde's heart.

Without waiting for a reply, he immediately shouted:

"Yes, I need help, great help."

"If you can help me overthrow the Dawn Eye Mage Squad and even destroy Yueliangcheng in the sky, I will give you everything I have!"

"No, not just everything I have."

"Moreover, countless mortals who share my ideals are willing to sacrifice everything we have!"

Aoliangde clung to hope like a drowning man clutching at straw, ignoring the pursuers outside the cave, shouting hysterically inside.

His voice echoed not only inside the cave but also reached outside.

Outside came a mocking laugh.

"Hahaha~~ Aoliangde, are you crazy? Talking to yourself to thin air?"

"To be honest, Aoliangde, we were all jealous of you because we entered the Mage Association earlier than you, yet you, a latecomer, stepped on us."

"I thought I'd be forever under your thumb, but your mind actually fails—you've developed such a bizarre delusion, hahaha~"

"Yes yes yes, and you even want to destroy Yueliangcheng?"

"What will you use to destroy it? Your mouth, or the gun between your thighs?"

"Hahaha~~"

Laughter outside the cave rose and fell.

As fellow members of the Mage Association, familiar with each other day-to-day, seeing the traitor cornered, they had no rush to act.

They tried every means to mock their once-talented colleagues, venting the resentment of being suppressed.

Inside the cave.

Aoliangde completely ignored the mockery outside, for he had again received a response from the mysterious one.

"Young man, I see your predicament and hear your heart's voice."

"I'd like to know what crime the Dawn Eye committed to make you stake everything to destroy it."

Aoliangde's spirits lifted.

"Because they are accomplices of Yueliangcheng!"

"What about Yueliangcheng?"

"Yueliangcheng is the greatest source of evil in the world!"

"That city floating in the heavens looks splendid, but everyone living there is a cold-blooded, greedy great demon!"

"They wage wars, slaughter countless innocents, turn the prosperous world into desolate ruins, yet they themselves hide in the high heavens, living comfortably."

"If they merely stayed in the heavens and ignored the mortal realm, that would be fine, but they are not satisfied; they insist on fostering one sinister hand after another in the mortal realm to destroy all hope of mortals rebuilding a beautiful home."

"Those demons want us to forever live in the desolate wasteland, forever plagued by poverty, disease, and monsters, and to die slowly in despair."

"What's more shameful is that if they openly declared their goals and frankly engaged in slaughter and extermination, I would actually admire their courage."

"But they lack even that courage; they do evil yet dare not speak it aloud, instead hiding behind lofty slogans, thus deceiving many ignorant people."

Aoliangde grew more agitated as he spoke; unable to contain his anger, he turned to the cave mouth and roared at his former comrades.

"Yueliangcheng houses a pack of hypocrites, and you are the poisoned daggers hidden beneath their splendid robes!"

"You stir up conflict in the mortal realm, gather all talented children, train them to be cold-blooded killers rather than craftsmen who build homes."

"You sow suspicion, intrigue, betrayal in the mortal realm, plus endless but meaningless slaughter!"

"I curse you all—may none of you die well!"

Outside the cave, three mages stood silently on a hovering disc.

One of the mages shrugged and let out a light sigh.

"Aoliangde, you scold well, you're right, but what can we mere mortals do?"

"No matter how satisfying your scolding, how insightful your view, what can we do?"

"We are all ants controlled by Yueliangcheng; ants should know their place, stop daydreaming about saving the world—you're not up to it!"

A few sentences left Aoliangde's face flushed, panting for half a day, yet he couldn't utter a word.

Just then, that gentle voice sounded again in his heart.

"Young man, I am Luosen, the Sun War God of the Divine Realm."

"If you wish to follow me, silently keep my name in your heart."

Aoliangde stared for a moment: "Sun War God? What true god exists in this world?"

The voice immediately replied: "Believe and it exists; disbelieve and it does not."

Aoliangde was half‑believing, half‑doubting, but finding himself in dire straits, a mysterious path suddenly appeared—of course he had to try it.

"Plop~"

He knelt again on the ground: "Sun War God Luosen, I wish to follow you and become your faithful servant in the mortal realm."

"Very good~~ continue~~"

As those words spoke, Aoliangde felt a faint tremor in his palm, and then something appeared.

Turning his head, he saw a short staff, simple in style but exquisitely crafted, made of an unknown material.

On the staff was engraved a line of small characters: "All mortals must die; for what important matter should one die?"

Aoliangde's heart gave a slight jolt; he felt those words spoke to him.

He does not fear death, for he has witnessed countless deaths.

What he truly fears is dying without worth, dying silently and unnoticed.

He instinctively gripped the short staff, and at that moment, the staff's related information flooded his mind.

"Death Prophecy Staff: speak the enemy's name, and once they respond, they die instantly; if they don't respond, as long as they are within sight, they also die."

Afterwards, concrete usage also flooded his mind.

The usage is simple, easy to grasp at a glance. Aoliangde was half‑believing, half‑doubting, but at this juncture he had to try it no matter what.

He immediately followed the usage and shouted loudly at the cave entrance.

"Ma Wen!"

Outside the cave, the mage floating at the very front answered with a smiling grin.

"Eh~ I'm here."

"You've figured it out, preparing to leave the cave to face trial—trial—trial—trial, why am I suddenly sniffling~~cough cough~~~cough~~~~no, blood~~how can there be so much."

"Plop~~"

He actually bled from seven orifices, then plummeted directly from a hovering flying disc over thirty meters high.

And just like that, he died.

The other two mages stared at each other, their faces uncertain and shocked.

They were very familiar with the Dawn Eye's magic, so they didn't think it was Aoliangde's doing.

The two looked left and right, suspecting someone was lying in ambush nearby.

Aoliangde felt both startled and delighted, and he shouted again: "Ge'erte!"

The second mage instinctively wanted to reply, but his companion suddenly realized and immediately said: "Don't speak, something seems off."

But just a few seconds later, the mage named Ge'erte also bled from seven orifices and silently fell from the flying disc.

The third mage was frightened out of his wits, turned his flying disc, and fled.

Aoliangde's mind, however, was filled with great information; he hurried to the cave mouth and, seeing the third mage's back, shouted: "Buleike!"

"Plop~~"

Five seconds later, the third mage also fell from his flying disc.

Inside the cave, Aoliangde gazed at the corpses of his former comrades, unable to speak for a long time.

As a former elite member of the Dawn Eye, he well knew the power of the Moon Artifact; calling it a divine tool is no exaggeration.

As a result, the opponent wielding such a mighty artifact died so mysteriously that even the cause of death remained unknown.

"Could it be that I'm holding a divine artifact?"

"Is this mysterious war god a true god?"

All kinds of thoughts suddenly sprang up in his mind.

"If it truly is a great deity, what is the purpose of helping me?"

Although he was young, he had already endured many worldly hardships and deceit, knowing that there are never free lunches in this world.

It has always been an exchange of one benefit for another.

"Plop~"

He knelt again on the ground, clasping the awe‑inspiring Death Prophecy Staff with both hands: "Great Sun War God Luosen, I want to know why you are helping me."

Luosen had remained hidden in the darkness, naturally having already prepared his reasons.

He spoke in a gentle, calm tone: "Because I have always been willing to help mortals who truly strive for justice."

"In my view, mortals may be ants, but they are thinking ants."

"Because of thought, there is resonance, and thus compassion arises in my heart."

"Mortal, I acknowledge your thoughts, pity your plight, and also pity all mortals who share your fate."

"Therefore, take the weapon I give you, spread my divine name among mortals, and also gather mortals who share your aspirations."

"An ant's strength is utterly humble, but the combined power of myriad ants can gather into a terrifying flood‑tsunami, enough to change this wretched world."

Aoliangde listened quietly to these words, feeling a tremendous resonance in his heart.

Every word spoken by this mysterious war god struck deep into his heart.

He couldn't help but shout: "God, I truly feel your mercy; I wish to follow you and, to the best of my ability, proclaim your name among mortals!"

"Then go; if you encounter an insurmountable difficulty, simply call out my name."

"Remember well, the god never abandons loyal followers."

Aoliangde felt greatly comforted: "Praise you, Great Sun War God!"

His heart brimming with excitement, he no longer thought of resting in the cave; he took the Death Prophecy Staff and left.

He still had many comrades sharing the same aspiration, many of whom had been captured.

He needed to rush to rescue them.

After he departed, Luosen and Beilu Dandi then emerged from their hiding place.

Beilu Dandi watched Aoliangde's retreating back and murmured an evaluation.

"At just eighteen, he already possesses ten rings of power—although part of it comes from the twenty‑three‑ring magic circuits, his own spellcasting talent is also remarkably outstanding."

Luosen nodded: "That's right."

"His spellcasting talent is outstanding, and his will is extremely tenacious."

"Such a young person is a pearl in the sand; if he can safely weather some twists of fate, he will surely achieve great things."

He paused, then smiled: "Perhaps he will be my first archbishop in the Abyss."

Since he intends to ignite the divine fire, he naturally must make thorough preparations.

The greatest preparation is, of course, to cultivate as many mortal followers as possible.

By laying the groundwork now, when the divine fire is lit he can immediately build upon it, thus minimizing the vulnerable period in the Divine Realm to the greatest extent.

"And what about me, Your Majesty?" Beilu Dandi felt a twinge of jealousy.

"You? You are my divine envoy, my eternal companion."

Beilu Dandi was quite satisfied with this position, and the slight jealousy instantly vanished.

On the other side, Luosen smiled and said: "The days of cultivation are truly boring; since we have such fun, let's follow along all the way and enjoy the liveliness."

By this point, the work of cultivation had been completely handed over to Laifu to do; although it saved a lot of effort, the secluded life in the cave also became more difficult to endure.

Beilu Dandi had also long been bored, with an eager expression: "As you wish, Your Majesty."

(End of chapter)