Holy Island, situated on the boundless ocean south of the Yulan Continent, is shrouded in a layer of holy white light year-round, appearing from afar like a divine city floating on the horizon.
The island spans a hundred miles, with a Radiant Temple built against the mountain in its center. The temple buildings cascade down the mountainside, stretching from the foot to the summit. The highest spire pierces the clouds, its tip radiating a holy light that shines day and night—said to be a divine blessing bestowed by the Lord of Light himself. At the foot of the mountain, statues of angels stand in rows, and pools of holy water encircle the island, forming a river on which white petals left by worshippers float year-round. The entire island, every blade of grass, every brick and stone, is steeped in an almost frozen devotion.
Heidens stood atop the spire, draped in a platinum papal robe, holding the Original Bible he never parted with.
The sea breeze was strong, making his long robes flutter loudly, but he remained motionless, gazing only towards the northern continent.
Linley has become a god.
These four words swirled in his mind, burning a tightness in his chest. He had ruled the Radiant Church for so many years; what geniuses hadn't he seen? But someone like Linley was a first. In just a few decades, he had risen from a descendant of a fallen Dragonblood Warrior Clan to the Deity Realm, with Doehring Cowart standing behind him. If such a person were given a few more decades, where would the Radiant Church find a foothold on the Yulan Continent?
Footsteps sounded from behind. Chief Judge Useno ascended to the top of the tower, bowed, and then whispered, "Your Holiness, regarding Baruch, Linley has indeed become a god on his own, a lower- Wind Element Lowgod. Furthermore, Doehring Cowart has returned from the Necropolis of the Gods and has advanced to Midgod."
Heidens didn't turn around, only saying calmly, " Midgod... that old geezer, he's really finally made it."
Useno hesitated for a moment, then said, "With Doehring here, it will be as difficult as climbing to heaven for us to move Linley. Your Holiness, should we use that one ahead of time?"
Heidens then slowly turned around and looked into the depths of the temple.
There, a ten-zhang-tall statue stood silently, carved entirely from an unknown type of white jade, its wings folded behind its back, its face filled with sorrow. But upon closer inspection, a faint golden light seemed to flow deep within the statue's eyes.
That's not an inanimate object.
Those were Twelve-Winged Divine Angel bestowed by the Radiant Divine Realm, sealed within a divine statue, the last trump card of the Radiant Church, passed down for ten thousand years. In ordinary times, it remained as silent as a stubborn rock; but once awakened, it was an existence that even Deity Level powerhouses such as the War God and the High Priest could not match.
" Linley's most fatal flaw was never himself," Heidens said softly, almost as if carried away by the sea breeze. "It was Doehring Cowart, the man behind him. The day the Eight-Winged Angel was subdued by him in one move, I knew that there was no one on this Yulan Continent who could suppress him."
Useno clenched his fist. The scene of the Eight-Winged Angel being frozen in mid-air by Doehring's single move that night, and the holy light fading away, was still a thorn in his heart. A dignified Deity Level angel was as powerless as an infant in front of that white-haired old man.
"So, if we're going to make a move, we'll do it quickly and ruthlessly, Heidens back to the north. We need to pin Linley to the island before Doehring can react."
Useno's eyes lit up. "Summon the gods?"
Heidens nodded and said, word by word, "Activate the Grand Six-pointed Battle Formation, invoke the gods."
The order was given, and the entire Holy Island seemed to come alive.
Six towers on the island lit up simultaneously, and six beams of holy light shot into the sky, converging in mid-air to form a giant six-pointed star. The six-pointed star slowly rotated, stirring up the spiritual energy of heaven and earth within a hundred miles. Beneath the sea, countless rivers of holy water flowed upstream, surging around the temple, pouring all the power of faith accumulated over countless years into the statue.
Deep within the temple, the statue's eyes suddenly snapped open.
A pillar of light, a thousand feet high, shot up from the top of the statue, piercing the sky and turning the entire night sky into daylight. Within the pillar of light, countless hymn-like voices echoed, as if millions of believers were praying in unison at the same moment.
The Radiant Divine Realm responded.
This beam of light also alarmed the Dark Church of the Dark Forest. Dark Pope Affleck stood in his temple, gazing at the bright daylight in the south, his expression uncertain. He hated the Radiant Church to the core, but he also knew that once the Radiant Divine Realm truly sent angels, no force on the Yulan Continent would be able to remain unscathed.
"Your Holiness, should we...?" The Grand Elder of Judgment O'Casey, hesitated before speaking.
"Don't move," Affleck said slowly. "Let Linley and Doehring lead the charge. In this battle, regardless of who wins, the Dark Church will be the ultimate victor."
At the same time, the Angel Legion around the Holy Island began their final assembly. Dozens of temples simultaneously unleashed white torrents, two-winged, four-winged, six-winged, eight-winged, layer upon layer, forming a chilling killing formation beneath the Six-pointed Battle Formation. The angels' faces were filled with sorrow, yet the holy swords in their hands were tempered with holy light capable of incinerating everything.
At the top of the tower, Heidens gazed at the slowly rotating six-pointed star and suddenly whispered, " Useno, tell me, after this battle, how much of our Radiant Church's incense offerings will be left?"
Useno was taken aback, then said in a deep voice, "Your Holiness is overthinking it. With the help of the divine realm, Linley is nothing but a chicken and a dog."
"A chicken or a dog?" Heidens suddenly laughed, a hint of sorrow in his smile. "If that's truly the case, why would I need to invoke the gods? Useno, remember this: if we win this battle, the Radiant Church will remain a perpetual dynasty; if we lose, we will be sinners for all time."
Useno remained silent, only clenching his fists tighter.
Below the tower, two figures swept up one after the other. One was Leiming, the commander of the Fanatic Legion, his body wreathed in almost insane holy light; the other was the leader of the Ascetic, emaciated as a rake, yet possessing an aura as calm as an abyss.
"Your Holiness," Leiming knelt on one knee, his voice fervent, " the Angel Legion is in full battle array, awaiting only your command."
"Very good." Heidens nodded. "Today, I will make sure Linley and that old bastard never leave alive."
In the north, in the Baruch Kingdom, at Dragonblood Castle.
Linley and Doehring stood side by side atop the city wall, gazing at the pillar of light that pierced the heavens and earth on the southern horizon. Even across a continent, the pillar of light was dazzlingly clear.
"He's started," Doehring said.
"Perfect." Linley gripped the Purple Blood Soft Sword tightly, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force. "It saves us the trouble of going to find him."
Doehring glanced at him and smiled, "In this battle, you are the commander-in-chief, and I am the second-in-command. Heidens is yours, and the Twelve Wings are mine."
Linley was taken aback. "Grandpa Doehring, twelve wings are Midgod."
"You think I went to the Necropolis of the Gods for nothing?" Doehring stroked his beard, a hint of arrogance belonging to an Earth Element Saint Magus flashing in his eyes. "We're both Midgod, I'd like to see if this birdman from the Radiant Divine Realm can shake the ground beneath my feet."
Linley smiled upon hearing this.
That night, Dragonblood Castle was brightly lit. At the military council, the assignments were decided: Linley would lead the attack on the temple and head straight for Heidens; Doehring would face the Twelve-Winged Divine Angel alone; Bebe and Barker would clear the way and tear apart the Angel Legion's lines; Sessler would lead the undead to protect the fleet and provide rear support.
Barker patted his chest. "Leave it to me! I'll test this Lowgod's abilities."
Bebe, perched on the corner of the table, darted around with his little eyes. "I like leading the way. But boss, don't kill Heidens, leave me a claw."
Sessler merely smiled sinisterly, offering no further words. He knew that the mission of his undead army was to survive, and also to hold back the tide of the Angel Legion, buying time for Linley and Doehring.
After listening to everyone's boastful words, Doehring simply shook his head and slowly said, "Remember one thing—in this battle, kill if you can, retreat if you can't. Don't be reckless. If any of you die, Linley will be sad, and so will I, this old man."
Before dawn, the fleet had already set sail. Linley, Doehring, Bebe, Barker, Sessler, and a group of the Saint Realm powerhouses from the Baruch Kingdom boarded the ships and sailed south.
The bow of the ship cut through the dark sea, heading straight for Holy Island. Behind her, Delia stood on the cliff, watching the departing ship, motionless for a long time. The sea breeze tousled her long hair, as if seeing it off, or as if trying to hold it back.
Beside her, the Wharton and Barker brothers stood silently. No one spoke. Whether she would live or die, no one dared to say.
"Sister-in-law," Wharton finally spoke, his voice a little hoarse, "My brother... he'll definitely come back."
"I know," Delia said softly, her gaze still fixed on the receding sea. "He's always been like this. This time, he'll come back too."
Her tone was calm, but the fingers gripping the hem of her clothes were white from the force.