Chapter 369
Chu Yuanqing counts herself as one, the enhanced Saintess Miss, and Xuan Bao count as two, making a total of seven, but even with allies, it's still not enough.
At the same time, the Cult of Disaster Gods had also prepared a seed of demonic possession specifically for [Full Bloom]. If Russell hadn't encountered himself, he might have fallen victim to it if he hadn't been careful.
In summary, it is lagging behind in all aspects.
Chu Yuanqing wearily rubbed her temples, adjusting herself to her best state. Like the cool and stunning magic of moonlight, her blazer, skirt, and stockings were transformed into a light gray dress in an instant.
The Pure White Witch lowered her eyes to look at the beautiful Mercury Sword in her hand, which resembled a ceremonial vessel; she had already made up her mind.
Looking at the bigger picture, whether it's the rebellion within the empire, the invasion of the Cult of Disaster Gods, or the safety of the other Magical Girl, the root cause lies in the invasion of the Disaster God from beyond the heavens.
The world is in chaos because the protection of the Golden Sea is no longer able to cope with both the corruption of calamities and the suicidal invasion of the gods.
At present, while Charlotte is clearing out the Black Tide, she is also searching for the strongholds of the remaining believers to prevent a second wave of divine descent, thus putting her in a predicament of being on the defensive.
The most feasible approach is to awaken the Divine Sentient Body, restart the Golden Law, and proactively observe the invading "virus" to defend against and counterattack, thereby stabilizing the situation.
The Archbishop preemptively turned the Oath Family against the Church, plotted to seize the Oath-Called Rings, and even found a strategy to kill the Arbiter, all in an effort to stifle the means of awakening the Divine Sentient Body and allow the Disaster God to descend quickly.
However... aside from the Imperial Council and qualified adjudicators, there may be other ways to awaken the other party.
For example, there's the secret realm, known as the temple, which is also linked to the roots of the Giant Thought Tree.
Chu Yuanqing stepped out of the lounge and headed deeper into the Saint Roland Academy. She passed the three towers—Black Sun, Forest Moon, and White Chalk—and, with the authority of the student council president, went directly to the closed sanctuary.
However, before even reaching the border, the vast, boundless tide of Magic Element forged a gigantic, illusory portal, blocking the only path to the temple.
"Ms. Dilia, are you going to stop me?"
Chu Yuanqing looked up and saw a familiar yet unfamiliar figure solidify before her eyes.
This once hunched and frail head of the Chalk Tower seems to have defied the flow of time, frozen in her most youthful and beautiful state. Her gray hair has been dyed back to golden, and the wrinkles on her slender face have faded, revealing a delicate and scholarly youthful appearance.
The girl wore a white robe embroidered with cloud patterns. She looked up and her indigo eyes were full of intellectual rationality. Her face was pale and her eyebrows were indifferent. She was like a dandelion swaying in the wind, illusory like a flower in a mirror. She remained silent throughout.
This reaction seemed to silently convey the answer.
In Lucy Tiffany's memory, Dilia had always been like this; she was always immersed in her own focused path, a scholar-type mage, and served as the tower master in order to gain more knowledge—pure and persistent.
Therefore, the outside world's belief that Dilia will pass the Tower Mastership to Lucy Tiffany is not unfounded.
If it were a normal tower master, they would naturally consider the identity of the next successor. Nobility would undoubtedly be a disadvantage, and Oath Family would be an immediate factor for rejection.
Dilia not only got along very well with Lucy, the alchemical genius, but also showed no prejudice against her weak magical talent. It wouldn't be impossible for her to pass on her position one day and travel the world.
Chu Yuanqing pondered for a moment, then asked on behalf of Lucy Tiffany:
"What's the reason?"
Dilia countered with a question:
"Lucy, do you think the Emperor is great?"
Chu Yuanqing felt something was off, but still stated objectively:
"For the Empire, for humanity, and for you and me, the Emperor certainly deserves to be described in this way."
Dilia glanced at the Pure White Witch.
This answer was far too conservative for Lucy, who was a fanatical Emperor worshipper; so conservative that it made one wonder if the young girl had been possessed. However, she didn't dwell on it and replied:
"That's my reason for betraying you."
Chu Yuanqing didn't understand the logic, but fortunately, her former teacher was generous in continuing to explain:
"The Emperor was great; he rose from humble beginnings, a mere mortal, to lead humanity to the end of the hopeless Age of Gods."
"The Emperor is gentle; he bears pain far exceeding the burning of divine fire at any moment, yet he has never used the Philosopher's Stone, which can relieve pain, on himself."
"The Emperor was tyrannical. When he was so angry that he didn't use alchemy, even saints trembled like squirrels in the forest, fearing the collapse of the divine kingdom beyond the heavens."
"The Emperor was holy. He created Divine Sentient Body from the Giant Thought Tree, ended the Second Divine Age with the Golden Law, left everything behind for the Empire, and then chose to depart."
"This is not only because in his eyes, the Empire and humanity no longer need him, but also because the Emperor believes that only by breaking free from him can humanity truly be free."
A light shone in Dilia's indigo eyes, and she smiled with longing and anticipation, whispering softly:
"So, you tell me, if this nearly eternal empire, which has lasted for a thousand years, were to collapse, plunging the entire continent into a despair even darker than that of the Age of Gods, would His Majesty... be willing to come back and take one last look?"
Chu Yuanqing was greatly shocked upon hearing this. She subconsciously took a step back, and for some reason, she instantly hallucinated the crazy couple who were talking to her in the program's comments section. Even her cute, serious face tensed up even more.
The Pure White Witch was momentarily at a loss for words to communicate with Dilia. Suddenly, she began to pity the Emperor, and now she understood why he had deliberately erased her information.
Even though no portrait or sculpture has been left behind, and history books only record a few words about it, people are still captivated by it after a thousand years, and even... driven to extreme madness by it.
Wait a minute, could the other traitors be just like Dilia?
Chu Yuanqing felt as if she were facing a formidable enemy. She became inexplicably wary, pursed her lips, and said dryly:
"You won't see him. You'd better give up on this plan. A thousand years have passed; the Emperor is long dead."
Dilia remained unmoved; she smiled and said:
"Lucy, do you know why you, with such poor magical aptitude, are still qualified to inherit the White Chalk Tower?"
"Because the legacy of the White Chalk Tower is about time magic, and Time Magic is precisely the one that doesn't depend on aptitude. The factor that determines the upper limit is only the Golden Sea's favor towards you."
"So, how much do you think the Emperor must have been spoiled by the Golden Sea to have been able to get the Golden Law to accept it? By the way, the magic used by the three sages was all taught by the Emperor, and Time Magic is no exception."
Chu Yuanqing was almost convinced, because in Lucy Tiffany's memories, the hypothesis that the Emperor was a time traveler did exist, and now, based on Dilia's theory, this hypothesis had gained considerable credibility.
In other words, if this madwoman were to wreak havoc on the entire world, wouldn't the Emperor actually have a chance to return?
Judging from Dilia's appearance, she probably has no fear of being purged. When she sees the Emperor return, she will likely only feel joy and happiness, willingly letting him crush her to death, which is inexplicably chilling.
Damn it, why didn't Lucy's memories reveal that the other person was an extreme Emperor fan?
Chu Yuanqing even began to hope for the appearance of a more normal villain, wouldn't someone like Archbishop Russell be great?
And as if his wish had come true, a chilling voice entered his ears:
"Lucy Tiffany, this is not a place for you."
"Retreat immediately."
The speaker was a tall, wise-looking middle-aged man. He wore gold-rimmed glasses, a robe symbolizing the Black Sun Tower, and held a blazing staff from which fire spirits gathered and intertwined. He was none other than Archibald, the legendary mage who inherited the magic of the sun.
Legend has it that the Forbidden Spell he wields, the Black Sun Corona, is powerful enough to burn down a lost kingdom and easily boil the ocean dry. Each time he uses it, he creates an elemental wasteland that is perpetually scorching hot and pampered by fire spirits.
Incidentally, the assessment that the Heavenly Kingdom Sequence's puppets, when fully staffed at 10,000, are comparable to legendary figures, was a conclusion reached after Archibald took action.
However, after those ten thousand Heavenly Kingdom Demon Puppets clashed with the opponent, almost half of them were destroyed and had to be reforged. This shows that the evaluation was indeed literal, that they could fight against a legend.
Chu Yuanqing looked at the newcomer, not surprised at all. Russell's memories had already mentioned that the Black Sun Tower Master was bewitched by the power of the Disaster God because his lifespan was coming to an end.
Although I don't know if that's the reason, I've already formed an expectation in my mind.
Furthermore, compared to Dilia, who was acting crazy, even Archibald's deadpan face seemed handsome and kind.
Thinking of this, Chu Yuanqing couldn't help but ask:
"Your reasons for betraying me are different from Dilia's, aren't they?"
Archibald, as if insulted, frowned and replied:
"Lucy Tiffany, don't compare me to her."
Even if that hypothesis holds true, how could that aloof monarch possibly return?
"The Emperor understands better than anyone that his chapter has come to an end, and he has handed over the right to write the future to those who come after him. Therefore, all the consequences must naturally be borne by those who follow."
The legendary mage spoke with such conviction that Chu Yuanqing, who had been expecting to hear normal words, fell silent.
No, couldn't you have been a little more defiant?
How can someone who has betrayed the empire still act like they idolize the Emperor?
As for the confusion surrounding the Pure White Witch,
Archibald, transformed into the Divine Cutter, said indifferently:
"Emperor is Emperor, and an empire is an empire; the two are no longer related."
"What I want to overthrow is the Divine Sentient Body that has accumulated wisdom over time, which will sooner or later dominate the fate of mankind, forever solidify the empire, and hinder the progress of the times."
"Lucy Tiffany, as the most outstanding alchemist of our time, you should understand the problem with the Divine Sentient Body."
Archibald glanced at the distant branches of thought on the dome and sighed:
"That Giant Thought Tree is a miracle created by the Emperor. It bears the input of the Golden Law and connects the Heavenly Machine Engineering and the Magic Net, ushering in a new era for the Empire and allowing alchemy to flourish rapidly."
"Without a doubt, this is the Emperor's most precious legacy."
"But hundreds of years ago, it had already absorbed countless pieces of information and thoughts, embarking on a new round of evolution, which was a good thing, but also a bad thing."
Chu Yuanqing fell silent upon hearing this. She seemed to understand why the Divine Sentient Body had fallen into a deep sleep. Was it maintaining its final purity by refusing data access to the main brain?
Archibald sneered:
"Lucy, can you imagine an era where Divine Sentient Body truly possess a self and intelligence?"
"If it so desires, it can use the Giant Thought Tree, through the Heavenly Machine Engineering and the Magic Net, to control the thoughts of 99% of the empire's population and determine their life and death in a single breath."
Archibald's expression was indifferent, and he spoke in a ruthless tone:
"When the Giant Thought Tree possesses a true self, the intelligent system it constructs is no longer sacred or pure."
"I will never allow the Emperor's legacy to destroy the future he created. If someone is determined to destroy the Empire, then I shall do it myself."
"At least, by using external forces to restrain the intelligent entity, we might still find an opportunity to use magic and alchemy to reset that Giant Thought Tree and restore the purity of the intelligent entity."
After listening, Chu Yuanqing felt that compared to Dilia, Archibald wasn't so crazy. At least he had a plausible reason. It was just that his calm attitude made the bishop of the Cult of Disaster Gods seem foolish and uncultured.
The Pure White Witch looked at the two tower lords blocking her way and frankly tried to persuade them to surrender:
"Archibald, you're playing with fire. The people who came to you don't worship the gods born from the Golden Sea, but rather Disaster God, who is even more powerful than the Emperor. If they complete their invasion, the world will face destruction."
Archibald frowned upon hearing this, his gaze towards Chu Yuanqing filled with confusion. He shook his head dismissively and said indifferently:
"Ridiculous! What kind of nonsense is this Disaster God? Even if enemies come from outer space, so what? His Majesty can suppress them all with a single hand."
"Lucy Tiffany, how can you gloat over someone else's success?"
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P. S.: Went to my high school classmate's engagement party??? It's kind of sad that I'm starting to become like Old Deng???
Volume 1: Chapter 343. The Pure White Witch VS. the Three Tower Masters. (5K)
Chu Yuanqing was speechless at such confident words.
Archibald, does the Emperor know you're praising him like this?
The extraterrestrial enemy she referred to was a terrifying force that had devoured countless civilizations and worlds, unifying them into a conceptual gene pool. The Disaster God, as the one who reached the highest level among them, was not even in the same league as the gods born from the Golden Sea.
No matter how powerful the Divine Emperor is, if he wants to truly contend with the thirteen Disaster God, he would have to start planning at least a thousand years ago to have any hope of turning the tide. But given the Empire's current "vibrant" state, it seems destined for utter defeat.
Chu Yuanqing tried to carefully choose his words.
Dilia was one thing, but Archibald's reasons for rebelling against the Empire had some degree of plausibility, and in her eyes, he was someone she could try to persuade, not someone who could be resolved simply by force.
"Archibald, even if the Emperor can defeat the Disaster God, that's while he's still alive. Have you considered the consequences of allowing the Disaster Tide to erode the Empire's territory and restrain the Divine Sentient Body?"
The Pure White Witch's exquisite and pretty face held a serious yet authoritative expression. Her golden, gleaming pupils reflected the figures of the two. She wisely abandoned the idea of implying the Emperor's incompetence in front of the Emperor Chef, and instead directly explained the advantages and disadvantages:
"If the Giant Thought Tree were to collapse, the Golden Law would also be extinguished. Gods, or even more powerful Disaster God, would invade the continent. These are enemies that no legend can rival."
"If you are not confident in cleaning up the mess, and are not prepared to bear the fate of humanity, you should not decide the destiny of the empire's hundreds of millions of people."
"Because even that Emperor doesn't have the right to do that."
Archibald was somewhat dazed; for a fleeting moment, he saw a dazzling and radiant light emanating from the girl.
But the other person's last words ignited a surge of rage within me.
"Ridiculous, how utterly absurd!"
"Lucy Tiffany, the era you live in, any rights you enjoy, the air you breathe, the very reason you were born, all stem from the Emperor's grace."
"This area, encompassing the realm of Divine Sentient Body, even extending to the heavens and the earth, is filled with mortals who enjoy the conveniences of intelligence, free from worries about food and clothing, unaware of war and despair. Their happiness is a gift from the Emperor."