Chapter 1041: Chapter 984: 1453, The Fall of Holy Seat City (Part 1)

The time goes back to a month ago.

The waves hurled icy sprays against the railings on the shore.

The cold wind swept by, turning the railings and the seawater dripping on the shore into crystal-like icicles.

A cold mist rose over the sea, and Xie Li could not see beyond the sea, nor could he see the future.

Since the defeat at Grey Robe Hill four years ago, the entire Northern Church has been on a steady decline.

First, the political ally Leia Kingdom was in turmoil, with constant strife, followed by the invasion from the north by the Falan Kingdom.

The Northern Church was further accused of colluding with the Royal Court, yet ironically, the only one who could help them now was the Royal Court.

Even if Puliano is reluctant, he cannot change the outcome of the Royal Court’s army wanting to provide support.

The only thing he could do was pretend not to know and reject assistance.

Yet, orders from the Pope wouldn’t even leave Golden Horn Bay, let alone Holy Seat City.

After the battle of Grey Robe Hill and the fall of Angels, Puliano’s prestige suffered greatly.

The Red Cardinal Group almost completely sidelined him, and in facing the Royal Court, they unanimously agreed to support.

Puliano, no matter how he opposed, could only watch helplessly, unable to take any counteraction.

The result of handing the church over to the Cardinals was that the thousand-year-standing Holy Seat City was conquered by the Ogre Warlord Cancun.

Recalling that day, Xie Li remembered.

Those terrifying vampires glided to the city walls and swept the temple knights off the walls with lances formed by frost.

Then they raided the winch room of the city gate, lowering the city gate to let the massive ogre Cancun enter.

Under normal circumstances, Holy Seat City had the Pope’s Guard, temple knights, and Border Knight Order stationed, with strict defenses.

Even if the ogres entered, there were Great Knights and other high-tier knights defending, not to mention the various forces supporting Holy Seat City.

But unfortunately, the Pope’s Guard, temple knights, and Border Knight Order were all gambled away by Puliano in the Battle of Thousand River Valley.

Xie Li still remembers when he led the armed monks to confront the vampires in the streets.

Normally, everyone knew each other; after millennia of warfare, they had a good sense of each other’s possible fighting capabilities.

But the battle that day was something Xie Li had never seen in his life.

The sheer number of high-tier vampires was simply overwhelming compared to before!

It was as if every vampire was proficient in bone spike and blood burst techniques, forcing the supporting temple knights to retreat step by step.

One powerful knight after another fell among the bone spikes, with a choking red smoke spreading through the streets.

Even the snow-white flag with the symbol of "屮" toppled into a pool of blood, stained with black and red hues, trampled under the vampires’ boots.

In just one day and night, all four city walls fell, leaving only the Pope’s Palace stubbornly holding out.

If it were in the past, armies from various countries would have come to support.

But now?

The Leia Kingdom is half-dead.

The Falan Kingdom is an enemy rather than a friend.

The Norn Kingdom is beyond reach.

Who else could they rely on? The Holy Alliance?

How did the church fall into such a state? Could this be the divine punishment given by Saint Master Miseria?

Wrapped in a thick black woolen robe, he stood on the wall of the Pope’s Palace, looking both inside and out.

On the wall stood a group of White Armored Knights, and on the square in front of the wall, blood slaves pushed catapults, hurling big chunks of granite and small skeletons toward the wall.

As for the Pope’s Palace behind the wall, the thousand-year-standing Pope’s Palace, the grand and resplendent Pope’s Palace, now appeared somewhat precarious in Xie Li’s eyes.

Somehow, the Pope’s Palace before him suddenly blurred.

Was that fog, or tears in his eyes?

"...Lord Xie Li, Lord Xie Li?"

The distant to close call pulled Xie Li back from his reverie to reality, and he wiped the corner of his eye with his robe: "Father Alfonso, what’s going on?"

The priest forced a smile: "His Holiness the Pope has requested to see you."

As the former Pope’s close monk, after Johnny VIII’s death, Xie Li became the youngest Cardinal.

Of course, besides Puliano’s favor for the old Pope, using him to a certain extent, within the circle of Cardinals, he sat at the lowest rank.

After all, he was too young.

However, precisely because of this, he instead became Puliano’s confidant, especially after this Pope was sidelined.

Following Father Alfonso, Xie Li jogged all the way to the authentic Stag Chamber, where he saw the dispirited Pope.

Compared to the past, the relatively young Puliano had red eyes, dark circles, and even his cheeks were sunken.

The Holy Father wasted no words, directly asking, "How long do you think the Pope’s Palace can hold out?"

"....."

"Speak honestly."

"A week, a week perhaps."

"A week? I fear not even three days! Those damned red-skinned beasts have probably long thought of selling me out, right?"

As one of the "red-skinned beasts," Xie Li didn’t know how to respond.

"To this church, I am an orphan." Puliano slowly stood up, "I didn’t have time to cultivate my foundation, you are the only one I can trust... Can I trust you?"

"You can."

Puliano believed Xie Li’s words because he knew that to the Cardinals, Xie Li was also an enemy.

From the moment Johnny VIII used his will to forcefully elevate Xie Li into the Red Cardinal Group, he was bound to the new Pope.

If Puliano was an illegitimate pope, then Xie Li was an illegitimate cardinal.

But if given a choice, Puliano truly didn’t want Xie Li to do this.

Yet he had no choice.

"This is the Holy Cabinet, along with the remaining six Angel’s Tear candles, take them and escape through the secret passage."

Xie Li stayed put for a full five seconds before suddenly moving forward in shock to support Puliano, whispering, "If someone has to escape, it should be you!"

"I’m not running, what does it look like for a Pope to escape? I want to stay here, die here, otherwise no one in the Empire will have faith anymore!"

Xie Li was momentarily speechless, but Puliano spoke: "These things are sacred relics, take them, don’t let them be defiled by vampires."

Xie Li remained silent for a while, finally unable to hold back: "Forgive my presumption, if the Holy Cabinet is a sacred relic, then what about the Triple Crown? It’s the thing vampires absolutely shouldn’t get."

"You can’t take it away, if you leave with it, you’ll be discovered by the vampires besieging the city right away."

"Why?"

"That’s not from me." Puliano pointed to the sky, "It’s the command of the Saint Master."

"... The Saint Master has given divine orders? Has He said how to resolve this dilemma?"

"He has." Puliano smiled bitterly, and if someone asked this question four years ago, he never would have believed it would come from his own mouth.

"Take these sacred relics to the Holy Alliance, proclaim to all — the Saint Master has given divine orders, passing the papacy to the Pope of the Holy Alliance, Miseria’s son — Horn Gallar!"

Seeing Xie Li standing frozen as if iced, Puliano remained calm, for he had once been as shocked himself.

Even more shocked than Xie Li.

Puliano couldn’t understand the intentions of the Divine Master.

Generally speaking, according to the memories left by previous popes, it’s known the Triple Crown could receive one gaze and one divine command from Miseria.

This gaze should quickly disappear, and thereafter, as long as the divine order was obeyed, anything the pope did would not be interfered with by the Divine Master.

The Divine Master’s indifference could clearly be seen from Pope Joan.

She became pope with the identity of a witch, and the Divine Master said nothing.

As for the consequences of defying divine orders, the most classic example was Pope Joan — directly "killed" by an Angel descending.

Normally, this was how it should be.

Yet after he donned it, the Divine Master consecutively issued four clear commands.

The first was upon his initial ascent to the papacy, which directed them to invite or capture Horn Gallar and bring him to Holy Seat City.

The second was when Horn Gallar defeated Prince Kongdai, instructing them to kill Horn Gallar and burn his body promptly.

The third was after King Jiji’s defeat, ordering the pope to summon Angels to assassinate Horn Gallar.

The fourth was this very command, after the failed angel assassination, as the Divine Master remained silent for four years, unexpectedly directing the Holy Cabinet and the remaining six Angel’s Tear candles be brought to Horn Gallar.

Puliano truly could not comprehend what the Divine Master intended.

One moment inviting him, the next trying to kill him, then entrusting him with the righteous tradition...

The Divine Master seemed like that insane woman, one moment deep in love, the next filled with hatred.

This Horn, could he truly be the Divine Master’s illegitimate child? Or perhaps, the Divine Master simply wants to bring His child back to Celestial Paradise Mountain?

This was not Puliano’s random thought, but the anomaly was too rare, unseen for centuries.

If he could see that Horn for himself, he might understand, but alas, he no longer had the chance. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

"Xie Li."

Xie Li raised his head from bewilderment and shock, only to see Puliano bow deeply to him: "The purity and faith of Miseria’s teachings, I’m entrusting to you."