Hah!
What a remarkable display by the Dark Fox!
The Pope rose coldly from his seat. "All who dare blaspheme against the divine shall be put to death with all our might!"
"Temple Enforcement, order all citizens within Europa City to evacuate immediately. In three days, I shall bathe the Dark Fox in blood to purify it with the Holy Light of the Temple!"
Was it merely an obscure, unheard-of organization? Did they truly believe they had the power to contend with the sun and moon?
The Pope sat on his throne with cold eyes, a bloodthirsty killing intent swirling within them.
"Your Holiness…"
The Venerable bowed his head even lower. "According to reports from the Temple's Fourth District, the five great families have severed ties with our Temple and formed an alliance with the Dark Fox."
"What?"
The Pope's eyes snapped open instantly, the fury within them impossible to conceal. "They dare betray me?!"
"Is it that I have been too lenient with them all this time?"
The Venerable knelt on the ground, not daring to interject.
The Pope paced before his pure gold seat.
Then, with a cold smile, he sat back down. "So be it!"
"Then, we shall seize this opportunity to deal with these disobedient elements all at once."
"Europa has long had no need for these five great families. The Temple's power alone is sufficient."
The Venerable pursed his lips. "The Fourth District branch received a letter stating that anomalies have appeared frequently within several major families today, seemingly the radiant glow of continuous advancements."
Advancements?
Continuous?
A flicker of seriousness finally appeared in the Pope's eyes. "What do you mean?"
Before the Venerable could reply, a voice announced from outside, "Your Holiness, a person claiming to be from the Zhou family of Europa wishes to defect and bring you news."
The Zhou family?
The Pope looked questioningly at the kneeling Venerable.
Meeting his equally unknowing gaze, the Pope furrowed his brow and sat back in his seat. "Let him in."
The arrival was Zhou Lu.
The Zhou family was on good terms with the Maas family, and he was largely aware of the recent events.
Zhou Lu had long been displeased with Chen Fan and his associates. Upon learning that the five great families were all following his lead against the Temple, the simmering anger in his heart could no longer be contained!
He could not comprehend it!
Why were these family heads being swayed by Chen Fan to resist the sacred and luminous Temple!
Zhou Lu could not agree, nor could he stand by and watch as Chen Fan one day stood in the supreme position of Europa.
Therefore, he had come.
The humiliation inflicted upon his Zhou family by Luomen that day was something Zhou Lu would never forget!
He was determined to make them pay a terrible price for it!
Zhou Lu revealed everything he knew truthfully.
The Pope's expression immediately turned grim. "Spirit Stabilizing Pills?"
"Yes!"
"They are mass-producing Spirit Stabilizing Pills to enhance their forces. We cannot wait any longer! If they continue to refine them like this, who knows what kind of army they will cultivate!"
Zhou Lu recalled the astonishment in the eyes of the Maas family members when they mentioned the Spirit Stabilizing Pills and hastily added with urgency, "I don't know what methods they used, but they have indeed managed to significantly increase production in a short period."
The Pope immediately thought of the recent news from his subordinates about the situation in Europa.
It seemed the talk of continuous advancements was true.
Quite a few people were consuming these.
Were these people from the Medicine Valley?
Hah!
A bunch of rabble thrown together!
The Pope nodded to the Venerable kneeling beside him. "There are no longer three days."
"I shall give the citizens of Europa only one day to evacuate."
"At dawn, I shall reshuffle the entire power structure of Europa."
"Yes!" The Venerable responded respectfully and quickly withdrew to make arrangements.
Only then did the Pope's gaze fall upon Zhou Lu, who had been standing to the side. "You have done well."
The Pope nodded and leaned back leisurely in his chair. "What do you desire?"
Zhou Lu's eyes lit up, and he immediately prostrated himself. "I want! Chen Fan's life!"
Chen Fan?
The man who had killed Zhang Ji?
The Pope chuckled and nodded. "I grant you this."
As he spoke, he beckoned Zhou Lu closer. "Come before me."
Zhou Lu walked forward, trembling, and stopped a step away from the Pope. "Your Holiness, I—"
"Ah!"
The intense pain silenced Zhou Lu instantly!
He felt as if the scalp on his head was exploding at that moment, his entire body's bones and sinews being reforged.
Zhou Lu wanted to break free from the Pope's hand on his head, but he was utterly powerless!
His life force gradually ebbed away, until—
A dark, bloody gleam flashed in Zhou Lu's eyes. A powerful spiritual energy erupted from his body, and he knelt respectfully before the Pope. "Master—"
The Pope chuckled and withdrew his gaze. "Go yourself and kill Chen Fan."
...
News from the Temple quickly spread throughout Europa.
That night, alarms blared ceaselessly.
Everyone knew.
The Temple's army would soon march forth from Heil—
No one dared to delay.
No one dared to hesitate!
That was the wrath of the Temple, something no one could bear!
"The Dark Fox truly deserves to die! How dare they blaspheme against the great gods! All their suffering tomorrow will be self-inflicted!"
"And the five great families, they are a bunch of ungrateful wretches!"
"The Temple once showered them with blessings, but what did they do! They chose to consort with wolves and betray the Temple!"
"Pah! They are all insane wretches, deserving of death!"
As all the citizens packed their belongings and fled the main districts of Europa, they continued to curse Chen Fan and his group.
"Europa is in such chaos now, where else can we escape to?"
"Let's head towards Santoris!"
"It is under the Temple's protection, there will be no problem!"
Someone in the crowd made a suggestion, which was immediately met with a chorus of agreement.