Chapter 900 Systemic Overreaction
However, he couldn't say much to Markus in front of him.
This old guy is so well-informed that he can even access high-level secrets from China. Jiang Bai would never believe that no one is secretly colluding with him.
The situation within China is currently turbulent and unpredictable, with some people wanting to deal with them while others are supporting them.
In general, there are many people who are wary of him, and many who want to suppress him. If it weren't for the fact that Emperor Wansheng forcefully stepped forward last time and said, "Whoever dares to touch Jiang Bai, my Wansheng Sect will not hesitate to fight him," he would have been in trouble.
"I reckon they've already started sabotaging me behind my back."
Therefore, Jiang Bai cannot tell Markus the truth about this matter.
Because you never know when that old guy might turn around and sell himself out.
This is not what Jiang Bai wants to see.
So Jiang Bai remained silent at this point, only saying just now, "You overestimate me."
However, no detailed explanation was given.
In Markus's eyes, this behavior was actually seen as humility.
As an old monster who has lived for hundreds of years, Markuz believes he has a good understanding of people from all countries and knows that the Chinese have a habit of humility. Regardless of whether something can be accomplished, they will first say that they cannot do it.
This habit is different from theirs, and in Markuz's view, it is a virtue.
So, without pointing it out to Jiang Bai, she simply smiled and said, "Mr. Jiang, rest assured, we necromancers will never let our friends suffer losses."
"Perhaps to outsiders, especially to those bastards in the Holy See, we are evil, extreme, and without any principles, but I want to tell you that we simply pursue power on a different path than they do."
"We are more genuine than those hypocrites."
We will not let any of our friends suffer!
Marcus's behavior made Jiang Bai raise an eyebrow, but he remained silent, stubbed out his cigarette, and sat there sipping a glass of red wine without saying a word.
He knew the main event was about to begin. Marcus's meaning was clear: he needed Jiang Bai's help with this, and he would absolutely not let Jiang Bai do it for nothing.
However, Jiang Bai is the type of person who won't act until he sees a clear benefit.
These guys in the council are different from the people Jiang Bai has dealt with before. He has never had any dealings with them before, and their reputation isn't very good. Jiang Bai won't help them unless he gets some real benefits in advance.
However, even if he received the benefits, he probably wouldn't help.
This "Echo of the Dead" is some kind of terrifying relic, but it must be incredibly powerful, otherwise Markuz wouldn't be so obsessed with it.
This thing caused immense damage to China a hundred years ago. If Jiang Bai were to help them retrieve it now, it would inevitably be seen as aiding the enemy. He would never do such a treacherous thing.
Seeing that Jiang Bai remained silent, Markuz chuckled. The next second, he clasped his hands together, and two burly knights, whose faces were obscured by their armor, slowly walked in.
Two people carrying a large box appeared in front of Jiang Bai, then slowly put it down, opened the box, and a set of armor with distinct Chinese characteristics appeared before Jiang Bai.
The crimson brocade beast-face lion-head armor was majestic and shimmering with silver light. Its origin was unknown, but it looked dazzling and was adorned with dozens of sparkling jewels.
I don't know exactly where it came from.
"What is this?" Jiang Bai knew this armor was extraordinary when he saw it. There was a faint flow of energy on it, and it was clear that it was not an ordinary object.
The colorful gemstone in the very center of the armor is particularly captivating.
"This is a piece of armor, left behind by a powerful warrior we killed during our first clash between East and West. The exact date of its creation is now impossible to determine."
"In your terms, it should be after the pre-Qin period. I don't know the exact time. This thing originally belonged to another faction in the parliament. One of our previous councilors liked to collect Eastern treasures, so he traded it for something."
"I don't know the specific power of this thing, but this armor is extremely powerful. Wearing it can actually regenerate severed limbs, which is equivalent to immortality."
"In that battle, this expert killed many of our people. If someone hadn't tricked him into taking off his armor, he would have been practically immortal. He would regenerate every time he was attacked, which is extraordinary!"
"However, we can't use this thing, and the people who captured it don't need the skill of limb regeneration, so we traded it for it. If Mr. Jiang likes it, consider this a thank-you gift."
"Once the matter is settled, we will reward you handsomely. The Necromancer Alliance will never treat any friend unfairly!"
The undead councilor, Marcus, chuckled as he said this, implying that the armor before him was undoubtedly one of Jiang Bai's gifts to him. If Jiang Bai agreed, he would immediately receive it.
Moreover, according to the other party, this was only part of the thank-you gift, and there would be more to come.
However... Jiang Bai had very little trust in the old man in front of him, and unconsciously thought to himself, "Another generous reward? I helped you find that thing and brought it back, your reward isn't going to be turning me into some kind of undead warrior or something, is it?"
To be honest, respecting the dead is paramount, and it's hard for any normal human being to have any good feelings towards these necromancers.
Jiang Bai was no exception; he lacked trust in these guys who had no moral compass whatsoever.
"System, take a look at this thing, is there anything wrong with it?" Fortunately, Jiang Bai had the system at his disposal, otherwise he really wouldn't dare to take this thing carelessly. Who knows if these treacherous guys would do something to this armor?
You should know that these guys have a lot of underhanded tricks up their sleeves.
Jiang Bai didn't want to fall into a trap without realizing it.
"Hehe, don't worry, young man~ There's no problem at all~ Hmm... this armor is quite nice, but that's not the real reason it's full of magical power. What truly makes it so powerful is the gem on its chest~"
"Haha... It's actually it! Young man, you must get this thing... Promise him! Quickly promise him, no matter what he asks for, you must agree to this guy's request and get this armor!"
"Young man, you're going to be rich!"
The system had been quite calm, maintaining its usual sarcastic voice that was rather unpleasant. However, after observing the armor, it surprisingly lost its composure and cried out to Jiang Bai in surprise.
This greatly surprised Jiang Bai, because he had never seen the system so agitated since he met it!
This is... a bit too strange!
Chapter 901 Damn it! The Holy See
"What is this thing?" Jiang Bai couldn't help but ask after hearing this.
The system has extremely high standards and usually appears quite calm. It's rare for it to lose its composure, so something big must have happened.
"This..." The system was somewhat speechless.
Jiang Bai was somewhat suspicious.
However, he was too lazy to bother with the system. He could talk to it about it later; after all, the system was one of his own, right beside him... no... in his own mind.
They're always available whenever you call.
If there are any problems, the two of them can communicate later.
Since he said that, and trusting the system, Jiang Bai said to Markus in front of him, "In that case, I'll accept without hesitation."
However, after saying this, Jiang Bai realized he had been too eager and might have aroused suspicion, which was not good. So he hesitated for a moment and said, "But I'll accept the things, and I can help you with your needs, but there's a price to pay..."
"Of course. I know that these costs are not enough. The Ten Thousand Saints Sect is not to be trifled with, and our things are extremely important to us, so we will certainly not treat Mr. Jiang unfairly!"
"In fact, as you know, our parliament has a long history, even predating the Holy See."
"We have had dealings with the East before, and even had a few not-so-pleasant conflicts, resulting in losses on both sides. The East has stored many of our precious artifacts, and we have also made some captures."
"These are all top-quality treasures. If Mr. Jiang can help us find the echo of the dead, I can grant you permission to open the council's treasury and let you choose three treasures from it."
"Don't worry, there are many things inside that are just as good as this amazing armor."
Upon hearing Jiang Bai's words, Marcus smiled. He wasn't afraid of Jiang Bai's greed, but rather that Jiang Bai wouldn't be greedy and would firmly refuse. In that case, their desire to retrieve their inherited sacred artifact from the Ten Thousand Saints Sect would be nothing but a pipe dream.
Unless there is another major conflict between East and West, and everyone joins forces to attack the Ten Thousand Saints Sect, there is absolutely no possibility of this thing returning.
Jiang Bai has a good relationship with the Wansheng Sect, so if he were to step in, retrieving a staff that is not particularly useful in the East should not be a problem.
This is the fundamental reason why he sought out Jiang Bai.
As for what he had to give up, he didn't care at all. The council's treasury contained many Eastern treasures, but everyone's power system and cultivation methods were different. Those treasures were just like the "Echoes of the Dead" that the Ten Thousand Saints Sect had discarded there as firewood sticks.
Dealing with them is completely useless.
Trading something useless for "Echoes of the Dead" is a very worthwhile deal.
"In that case...we've made a deal!"
Jiang Bai chuckled, stood up, and extended his hand.
Marcus on the other side felt the same way. Jiang Bai felt a chill run down his spine as he held hands with the other's hands and quickly let go.
Then, right in front of Markuz, Jiang Bai put the armor away.
This made Markuz's eyes light up, and he couldn't help but reveal a hint of fanaticism in his eyes: "A spatial ring?"
Jiang Bai ignored him, smiled slightly, and remained silent.
Jiang Bai was too lazy to explain anything to this guy.
Just as Jiang Bai felt the transaction was basically complete, he turned around to say goodbye and return to his room to enjoy the two golden cats, no longer wanting to talk to this inhuman old pervert.
A loud bang suddenly came from outside!
With a loud "boom," the entire castle shook, causing everyone present to change their expressions.
Jiang Bai could feel the enormous impact, which caused the entire castle to shake. He thought that if it weren't for some kind of powerful barrier protecting the castle, it would probably have been reduced to dust by now.
Jiang Bai is an absolute top expert, extremely sensitive to power, and naturally able to judge that the power is comparable to a magnitude 4 earthquake.
This caused his expression to change abruptly, and he didn't know what was wrong.
He knew someone was attacking this place, but who was it? And why was they attacking this place?
You should know that this is the castle of Marcus, the undead member of the council.
How dare someone attack this place!
This was a provocation against the entire massive council. Jiang Bai's understanding of the council was limited, but even with his extremely limited understanding, he knew that it was a huge organization with unimaginable power.
Moreover, Markuz himself is a necromancer of the Lesser Celestial rank.
It's quite surprising that someone would dare to attack this place when he himself is in charge.
Jiang Bai was completely surprised, while Markus was already furious.
Today, he entertained Jiang Bai, explained his demands to Jiang Bai, and also emphasized the power of the council in his words, so that Jiang Bai would be wary and dare not play any tricks like taking the money and not doing the job.
So he exaggerated a little when he spoke just now.
Now look what's happened! Not long after the agreement was made, and only a short time has passed since it was agreed upon with Jiang Bai, our castle has already been attacked!
This is a blatant slap in the face.
If Markus hadn't lived for over four hundred years, he would have been thick-skinned long ago and would probably be utterly ashamed by now.
"Who is it! Show me who it is! Who dares to attack my castle! Damn it! I'll kill him! Kill him!" Marcus roared angrily.
The words had barely left his mouth when, just as his men were about to rush out, a chanting sound came from outside.
A hymn, accompanied by classical melodies, began to play: "Merciful Lord..."
This caused everyone present to change their expressions. Markuz's face also turned deathly pale. If he weren't already terribly pale, his expression at this moment would have been quite obvious.
Jiang Bai will see through the flaw.
"Damn it, it's the Holy See!" Someone shouted in alarm, and everyone present rushed out, ignoring Jiang Bai. Everyone, including Marcus, vanished from the room in an instant and rushed to the top of the castle walls.
Jiang Bai was also stunned for a moment, then followed Marcus and rushed out. Once they reached the city wall, Jiang Bai was surprised to find himself inside a black light curtain.
A semi-transparent black light curtain enveloped the entire castle, forming a semi-circle, and at this moment, Qilian flowers appeared on it.
Not far away, groups of people stood in neat formation in front of the castle, divided into three camps.
While hundreds of men and women dressed in white robes stood there chanting, two archbishops in red robes standing in front of them were using various methods to attack the black light barrier.
Chapter 902 Restarting the War
Besides, there were rows of knights in silver armor standing in neat formation not far from the castle. They did not make a move at this moment, but just stood there quietly, watching the two cardinals beside them perform their magic and their companions chanting.
The most eye-catching group was not these two groups, but a group of black-robed cultivators on the left. Each of them was extremely deep and unfathomable, and they did not utter a sound. The bright red cross in the center of the group emitted an eerie light.
"Damn it!"
Jiang Bai was absolutely furious at this moment.
He came to Markus's house as a guest. Although Markus asked him for a favor, which Markus agreed to, and they were theoretically business partners, their relationship was actually quite ordinary.
I never expected to be trapped in this castle.
Jiang Bai knew all too well what kind of person Markuz was: a half-human, half-ghost old man who had lived for four hundred years, the head of all necromancers in the world, and a member of the council.
Jiang Bai didn't know much about the council or anything like that, but he knew the necromancer's character all too well, and he also understood his relationship with those guys from the Holy See outside.
Don't be fooled by the fact that we live in a new era, that the Holy See has declined significantly, and that secular forces have risen to power; that's just a superficial phenomenon.
Who dares to say behind the scenes that the Holy See is no longer capable?
Who would dare to stop them from doing what they want?
Besides, what they were doing was an upright and honorable act of eliminating evil and protecting the righteous. In a strict sense, Marcus by his side was really no good.
The grave robbing and murder they were involved in would only happen in the West. If it were in China, Jiang Bai would have killed them without the Vatican even needing to lift a finger.
When people come to us, it's because we're doing a service to the people.
Originally, it wouldn't have been so frustrating for Jiang Bai. The key was that he knew the nature of those people outside. If he stood with Marcus and was a guest in his castle, according to medieval custom, the whole family would be burned at the stake.
Even if I don't use it now, I can forget about a peaceful retirement.
These fanatics, if they just saw themselves, they'd probably be labeled as heretics.
In fact, the situation was exactly as Jiang Bai had imagined. When Jiang Bai stood on the city wall, someone had already seen him: "Your Excellency Vice Judge, look... Marcus is indeed on the castle, and there's someone else next to him? Judging from his appearance, he's an Eastern heretic?"
"No matter where a heretic is from, as long as they are heretics, we must never let them live and harm the world. This is our responsibility and obligation!"
The deputy judge, who was completely hidden in a black robe, said in a deep voice.
I wonder what Jiang Bai would think if he heard this.
In fact, he already had a slight feeling about it. His eyes kept rolling, and after a moment, he stood next to Markuz and said in a deep voice, "Your Excellency, there is a saying in the East: 'No banquet is ever a good banquet.' Indeed, that's true!"
"I just had a meal here, and your ancient castle, which has remained unconquered for four hundred years, has already been attacked. Am I just unlucky, or is someone deliberately trying to drag me into this?"
Jiang Bai's face was grim when he said this, and it's no wonder he had such thoughts, given how sudden and coincidental the events before him had unfolded.
Marcus has lived in this castle for so long without anyone causing trouble, which shows that it is quite secluded and safe.
They've been fine for four hundred years, but he's only been here for a few hours and a large number of troops have already arrived. Jiang Bai couldn't help but have some doubts about this.
Markuz's expression changed several times, and he understood the implication in Jiang Bai's words. He said in a deep voice, "Mr. Jiang, I am very sorry about this matter, but... you shouldn't think that way. This was definitely not something I arranged!"
"Actually, I'm not that stupid!"
"There are at least one hundred Knights Templar outside, along with one hundred papal priests, one hundred inquisitors from the Inquisition, two cardinals, a vice-principal of the Knights Templar, and a vice-inquisitor of the Inquisition!"
"I don't think I need to explain much about my relationship with them; you should understand! If I were to use them to scheme against you, I would be the first to die!"
"Moreover... to be honest, I don't have the ability to face an attack from five experts of equal skill to mine."
"Their cultivation system is naturally a counter to me. I don't need many; a vice judge or a cardinal would keep me busy, let alone so many people?"
At this point, Markuz's usually calm face showed a slight change. Looking at the crowd outside the castle, he felt as if a bottle of mixed emotions had been spilled in his heart.
Jiang Bai could vaguely see a trace of worry and fear deep in the other person's pupils.
This is extremely rare for an old monster like this.
This made Jiang Bai believe about 70-80% of what the guy in front of him said.
He's right. Even if he wanted to get himself involved in their fight, there's no need for him to risk his life to get himself killed.
According to him, the opponent has five beings equivalent to the Heavenly Realm, and with such beings, Markuz and Jiang Bai have no chance of victory.
The opponent has an absolute advantage. Even if Markus is a shrewd person, he wouldn't do something so foolish as to drag himself down, because that would likely get him killed.
"My lord, what do we do now?" A necromancer beside Marcus asked Marcus in a panic.
He hadn't seen such a scene, such a lineup, in many years.
"What can we do? What else can we do? How many years has it been since the Holy See did something like this? Fifty years? Eighty years? Or even longer? We haven't seen a lineup like this since we entered modern society!"
"What are they doing! Do they want to tear up the peace agreement and restart the war?"
"My lord, I think we should immediately seek help and issue a war warning to the council, telling them that the Holy See is going to war against us!"
Not everyone was at a loss at this moment. Another necromancer standing next to Marku stepped forward and spoke in a deep voice, his attitude somewhat firm.
It seems he's advocating for holding out and waiting for reinforcements.
The power of the Parliament was no weaker than that of the Holy See. Although it was suppressed by them, it was not without the power to fight back. In the dark Middle Ages, it was even able to rival the Holy See.
The two sides have been fighting for thousands of years, and only a little over a hundred years ago, when they were fighting against China, did they reach a tacit understanding: the Parliament would restrain its behavior, and the Holy See would no longer fight them to the death!
Originally, this was just a temporary ceasefire agreement, but the losses suffered by both sides were too great and beyond imagination, so they were naturally unable to fight each other. The ceasefire agreement became a tacit understanding between them and has been preserved to this day.
Chapter 903 Holy Light Forbidden Spell
But judging from the Holy See's attitude now, it seems they intend to tear up the agreement and confront us like this.
No! It's not just about confrontation; it's about taking this opportunity to first eliminate Markuz, the undead councilor and a big shot among necromancers!
Cut off one of Parliament's hands.
Parliament would absolutely not allow such a thing to happen.
Even though they are actually vying for power among themselves, without a core leader, and due to the complex factions shirking responsibility and attacking each other, it all depends on the context.
Even the witches who are most hostile to necromancers wouldn't sabotage them at this time.
Because they are one, within the parliament, they share the same breath and are bound together by common interests; one prospers, all prosper; one suffers, all suffer.
Necromancers have always been a target of attack, even in the Middle Ages, and were a priority for the Holy See to deal with because they were far more dangerous than others.
If this lineage suffers a severe blow, it's hard to say who the Holy See will turn to next.
If we cannot unite, then there is no need for a parliament to be established!
No one wants to return to the initial state of disorganization and individual fighting, only to be wiped out one by one by the Holy See.
Why did everyone unite in the first place?
Necromancers, nature mages, witches, werewolves, vampires, and so on... Why would these evil forces unite to form the Dark Council?
It's because everyone was being driven into a panic by the Holy See, with nowhere to hide, and each fighting their own battles, resulting in heavy losses that became unbearable.
It was because of this that we were forced to unite against the Holy See, giving us a chance to survive. By working together and relying on the Dark Council, we were able to live until now.
Anyone with a modicum of common sense wouldn't stand idly by at this time, no matter how much hostility or conflict they harbor towards Markuz.
"You're right! While our barrier can still hold for a while, let's send a message out immediately!"
After hearing his subordinate's suggestion, Markuz immediately said this.
Upon hearing this, the subordinates on the other side quickly bowed and then left, heading towards the top floor of the castle, unaware of what was hidden there.
After he left, Markuz said to Jiang Bai, "Jiang, I'm really sorry to have dragged you into this. I apologize!"
"Don't worry, the barrier around my castle was set up and reinforced when I became a necromancer. Later, when I became a necromancer archmage, I renovated it again and had it reinforced by a large number of necromancers. Now it is practically unbreakable."
"Beneath my castle lies an ancient battlefield. We used our unique methods to imprison the souls there, turning them into our energy source. Currently, at least twelve necromancers, led by two necromancers, are maintaining the barrier. We will be fine!"
"My men have already requested reinforcements. The council members will arrive soon, and then we'll be safe."
To Jiang Bai's surprise, the man never asked for Jiang Bai's help from beginning to end. This surprised Jiang Bai greatly. He had thought that things had come to this point and the man would say something to him. Now, the man was asking Jiang Bai for help to fight against those Holy See guys outside.
Jiang Bai himself was even prepared to agree, because he had seen what those religious fanatics outside were like.
He had already stood with Markus, and people had seen it. In their eyes, he was definitely a heretic colluding with Markus.
At this point, saying anything more would be pointless; the other side was definitely determined to kill him and Markuz.
Therefore, Jiang Bai was already prepared to join forces with Markus.
I just didn't expect that after telling me so much, the other party didn't mention a word about asking me for help.
This startled Jiang Bai for a moment, then he realized what was happening and cursed under his breath, "Old fox!"
Yes, at this point, does Markus need to say anything more to himself?
Since things have come to this point, why bother asking to incur a favor?
Who knows those guys out there better than Markus?
After all, Markus has been fighting against them since the Middle Ages, so his understanding of them probably surpasses that of the people themselves.
He would naturally understand that as long as Jiang Bai appeared in this castle and stood beside him, Marcus, he could not escape the consequences.
Those people will not let Jiang Bai go!
Since that's the case, why say anything more and incur favors?
Thinking about this, Jiang Bai felt that his previous idea was somewhat naive and foolish. Just as he was about to say something else to regain some face, the barrier above the castle suddenly shook.
A beam of light shot out from the top of the castle, heading straight into the night sky, shooting into the air at an altitude of ten thousand meters, like a giant firework. Then it exploded in the air, and the image of a necromancer appeared out of thin air.
"Damn, that's pretty flashy!" Jiang Bai couldn't help but think to himself.
He knew this was a way for the other party to call for help, but he didn't know how effective it would be.
However, the reactions from those outside had already provided the answer. This method of seeking help clearly represented something extraordinary; otherwise, there wouldn't have been a brief commotion outside, with some even shouting at the holy priests, "Can't you hurry up?!"
"Once their reinforcements arrive, we'll face a tough battle. Before that, let's deal with these despicable necromancers!"
In response, the chanting of hymns was noticeably faster.
Even the two cardinals, who were originally focused on single-target attacks, joined the chanting at this moment.
"This thing... is it useful?"
The other person was reciting the most common Bible hymns, which Jiang Bai had heard before when he went to church. They sounded quite good, especially when recited together by a large group of people.
But does this thing actually have offensive capabilities?
Jiang Bai expressed his doubts!
However, his doubts were quickly dispelled, because halfway through the chanting, the other party suddenly changed course, when the chanting was, in most people's understanding, almost at the end.
One by one, they raised their hands in unison, and then shouted, "May the holy light shine upon the world!"
Markus was so scared he peed his pants!
"Damn it! Holy Light Forbidden Spell! They're actually going to activate the Holy Light Forbidden Spell! Damn it! These bastards, these lunatics! Don't they know that if the Holy Light Forbidden Spell is activated, eighty percent of them will die?"
"Even those two cardinals will be injured!"
"Damn it, have these bastards gone mad?! This is an advancement spell! I was just having a meal at home with some people! What have I ever done to you?! Why are you all treating me like this?"
"You'd risk the deaths of over a hundred holy priests and the serious injuries of two cardinals just to kill me?!"
This was the first time Jiang Bai had ever seen Markus, and he was genuinely panicked. Even when he saw the surging crowd outside, he hadn't shown such a reaction.
He was still able to remain calm, but when the other party changed the course of their chanting, he was completely... scared out of his wits!
Chapter 904 Stop! I surrender!
Even if Jiang Bai were stupid, he would know that this Holy Light Forbidden Spell was definitely not something to be trifled with.
This castle and Markus are certainly in grave danger, which in turn means they pose a fatal threat to themselves.
It must be an extremely terrifying spell, otherwise it wouldn't be called a forbidden spell!
It shouldn't have frightened this seasoned undead councilor, Marcus, to such an extent.
Thinking of this, Jiang Bai's expression changed, becoming slightly unpleasant.
"Damn it, what does your fighting have to do with me? Why are you dragging me into this? I'm just here as a guest, okay? Don't include me!" Jiang Bai shouted in his heart at this moment.
Thinking of this, Jiang Bai glanced at Markuz, whose face was filled with worry and fear, and made up his mind. He immediately raised his hands and shouted, "Stop! I surrender!"
However, as soon as he finished speaking, someone next to him did the same thing and said the same words, which made Jiang Bai visibly stunned.
The speaker was none other than the necromancer standing next to Jiang Bai!
Undead councilor Marcus.
"You daughter!"
Jiang Bai thought to himself, glancing at the equally dazed Markus.
He thought to himself, "Damn it, bro, you're supposed to be a necromancer archmage, the leader of necromancers! Can't you have some backbone?"
"Don't you know that even if you surrender, these guys won't let you go?"
"You're different from me. I'm just a bystander, an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire. You're the main character! How could you say such a thing!"
As for Markuz himself, his expression was also somewhat strange, his eyes constantly scanning Jiang Bai, probably harboring similar thoughts to Jiang Bai, except that the one thinking about him was probably Jiang Bai himself.
Their actions left the necromancers standing behind them dumbfounded. As for the knights hidden in the black armor... well, they weren't human, so they naturally wouldn't waste any words.
The two people were speaking very loudly, which startled those outside. The chanting stopped abruptly, and there was even some commotion.
Jiang Bai, with his sharp eyes, clearly saw that the two cardinals in front had left their original positions, the holy priests had stopped chanting, and the five giants had gathered together and started fiddling with something.
I don't know what they were saying.
I reckon the other side has never seen anything like this before.
I thought it would be a life-or-death battle, but before it even started, they backed down.
This somewhat disrupted their plans.
Therefore, they had no choice but to get together and discuss it.
After all, the sacrifice of the Holy Light Forbidden Spell is too great. Not only might more than 80% of the holy priests return to the Lord's embrace as a result, but the two cardinals will also be severely injured, and may even be in mortal danger.
They are unwilling to use such methods unless absolutely necessary.
However, since Markus had sent out the ultimate signal for help, they had no choice but to resort to this desperate measure.
If Markuz were willing to surrender, then they naturally wouldn't need to resort to such methods.
"Boom! Boom!"
Just then, a huge firework exploded in the night sky hundreds of miles away, revealing a giant head.
Then fireworks began to fill the night sky, blooming continuously and spreading throughout Europe, much like the flames of an ancient war.
The flames of war have been ignited, and the war has begun again!
This made the men's expressions even more unpleasant.
"If you want to surrender, open the barrier immediately and submit! Otherwise, we will use a forbidden holy light spell to annihilate you all!"
Finally, after a minute, the group reached a conclusion. A very loud and booming voice belonged to the vice-commander of the Knights Templar. He stepped forward and roared at Jiang Bai and the others.
"We can surrender, but you must guarantee our safety. Otherwise, we will not surrender! We would rather fight to the death than surrender! At the very least, many people will die with us!"
Markuz did not immediately step forward to surrender; instead, he put his hands on his head and waited for his death.
This is not a battlefield. There are international laws and prisoner-of-war treaties. Everyone is an enemy fighting to the death. If they surrender without agreeing on terms, death is all that awaits them.
"We have already discussed this. If Representative Markuz surrenders, we will not kill you, but you will have to spend the rest of your life in the Inquisition prison!"
"The Holy See's refusal to compromise with any dark forces is already the greatest act of mercy. The choice is yours!"
The enemy knew that if they didn't give Markuz and his men a way out, they wouldn't surrender and would rather fight to the death.
Although they were not afraid, it was not in their interest. Capturing a member of the Dark Council would be a rare victory for them.
This will be their biggest gain from restarting the war, and its significance is extraordinary. That's why they made an exception and gave Markuz a chance to survive.
Of course, the price was that Markuz spent the rest of his life in a religious inquisition.
These words caused Markuz's expression to change, turning somewhat gloomy. He responded in a hoarse voice, "Spend the rest of your life in a religious inquisition prison? Is that worse than death?"
"At least you're still alive!" the person on the other end replied proudly.
"Give me ten minutes, I need to think about it!" Markus said in a deep voice after hearing this.
"good!"
Ten minutes wasn't long; they discussed it briefly and agreed.
However, Jiang Bai had already figured it out by this time. This Markuz didn't want to surrender at all. The old guy understood the consequences of surrendering. He was just stalling for time.
Those outside clearly didn't realize this; they simply thought the old man was afraid of dying and dared not fight back.
But... what does this have to do with Jiang Bai?
"Well, I'm not really familiar with him. I was just invited here as a guest. I have nothing to do with him. Could you let me go first?" Jiang Bai leaped out and reached the edge of the barrier at the castle entrance, waving and shouting to the people outside.
He was telling the truth; he wasn't really that familiar with Markus.
They can settle their own scores; why drag others into it?
Unfortunately, Jiang Bai had barely uttered those words when a religious inquisitor dressed in black robes shouted at him, "Shut up! You heretic from the East, you absolutely cannot live!"
"If you are smart, surrender now and you will repent for your sins in the abyss! Otherwise, you will surely be shattered to pieces!"
"Damn it!"
Jiang Bai was immediately annoyed.
I am a master of the Heavenly Realm, and you are all yelling at me and calling me a heretic. Are you trying to make me fight you to the death?
Chapter 905 Sacrifice
"So you're saying there's no room for negotiation?" Jiang Bai said, squinting his eyes.
"There is absolutely no room for negotiation. The Holy See will not compromise with heretics. All you need to do is make a choice between life and death!"
A deputy judge stepped forward, squinted, and said to Jiang Bai in a deep voice.
As if he already felt victory was assured, he was unwilling to bargain with Jiang Bai. Although he could tell that Jiang Bai was no ordinary person and should be an exceptional expert from the East, this was not within his consideration.
"Damn it! You wait, I'll be the first to kill you!" Jiang Bai angrily threw down these words, ignoring the other party's gloomy face, and turned to walk inside.
"Hehe, it seems Mr. Jiang's negotiations have failed!" Markus stood there with a smile as he watched Jiang Bai walk in angrily, as if he had expected everything.
"You failed too, didn't you? I don't believe that you, Representative Markuz, would willingly be arrested and imprisoned in a religious inquisition to spend the rest of your life there."
Jiang Bai sneered.
He failed in his negotiations, but Markuz's success is not guaranteed either; the matter was never going to be discussed from the start.
The status is fundamentally unequal, and outsiders think they have the upper hand, so how could they possibly compromise even a little?
"Hehe, that's for sure. I know them better than they know themselves. They're all stubborn and inflexible, so naturally they won't let you and me, two heretics, go."
"Instead of wasting time arguing with them, let's have a drink and then go up to the castle in ten minutes to talk to them."
Markuz's worry had completely vanished, replaced by a wide smile.
He seemed unconcerned about the matter, and it was unclear where his confidence came from.
However, Jiang Bai was certain of one thing: Markuz must have some kind of confidence that Jiang Bai didn't know about, otherwise he wouldn't be so calm.
It's true that the older you get, the more afraid you are of death. There's some truth to that. For an old guy like Markus who has lived for hundreds of years, the thing he fears most is death. Nothing else matters.
"What methods do you have?" Jiang Bai asked noncommittally, showing no remorse for what he had just done.
He was telling the truth. This whole thing had little to do with Jiang Bai, and he didn't need to stand up for Markuz and risk getting hurt.
"Hehe, I do have some methods. Mr. Jiang, just wait and see. Since you are my invited guest, I will naturally guarantee the safety of the baby."
"If we stall for time, will your men be able to get here?" Jiang Bai asked, squinting his eyes.
"That's about right. We'll try to stall them a bit more later. If they refuse to give us time, it doesn't matter. The Holy Light Forbidden Spell needs some time to chant and prepare before it can be released."
"That thing is too powerful; it can't be released just like that!"
"It will take at least a few minutes. There is enough time for us to prepare. Those fools have forgotten that our Dark Council has not only necromancers, but also nature mages who were forced to live after the Common Era by them!"
"Those guys are no match for us in terms of attack power and unpredictable methods, but they are not weak in other aspects. Some of them are proficient in spatial techniques and can set up teleportation arrays without much difficulty."
Marcus chuckled and, after thinking for a moment about Jiang Bai's question, didn't beat around the bush and directly stated the crux of the matter.
The two of them are now in the same boat, and Jiang Bai can't possibly leak this information; it wouldn't do him any good.
And even if it gets out later, what difference will it make? It will be completely meaningless.
"Hehe, so that's how it is. It seems our friends outside are going to be in trouble!" Jiang Bai chuckled.
"Suffer disaster? Not necessarily. They are numerous and powerful. To be honest, it would be difficult for us to severely damage them. Reinforcements will certainly come, but their numbers will be limited and there won't be many."
"Self-preservation is not a problem, but inflicting heavy damage is out of the question!"
"If it weren't for the fact that this damned Holy Light Forbidden Spell is too terrifying and I don't have much time, I would really like to keep these people here!"
"If we annihilate them, the Holy See will truly suffer a severe blow, and I estimate they won't cause us any trouble for a year or two!"
"Unfortunately, there wasn't enough time."
At this point, Markuz looked full of regret and resentment. Time was too tight. If he had enough time, he really wanted to annihilate the people outside.
If the other party wanted to kill him, how could he not want to kill the other party as well?
However, time was of the essence, and the manpower that could be mobilized was limited, so the idea of killing and annihilating the enemy became just empty talk.
"What exactly is the Holy Light Forbidden Spell? Judging from your expression just now, I thought you were genuinely frightened."
Having said all that, Jiang Bai saw no need to press further. He sat there, swirling his wine glass, and asked Markus with a smile.
He didn't know much about the Holy See, only that it was once a powerful religion that dominated the West and is now the world's number one religion with astonishing influence.
However, the methods and power behind the scenes are vastly different between the two, and Jiang Bai was unaware of them.
Even if Markuz resolves the issue after today's conflict, as long as he doesn't eliminate all the outsiders at once and cause a bloodbath, he'll definitely be labeled a heretic.
Jiang Bai was certain that he would face endless troubles in the future.
Since that's the case, Jiang Bai naturally needs to understand some of the other party's situation, especially the Holy Light Forbidden Spell that made Marcus change color.
Jiang Bai could tell that even if Markuz was acting just now, the sudden change in his expression when he saw the other party chanting the forbidden holy light spell was enough to prove that he was really scared at the time.
"Holy Light Forbidden Spell? Heh, that thing is one of the ten Light Forbidden Spells passed down by the Holy See, ranked third. As for its power... well, let me put it another way. Anyway, it should be able to raze this place to the ground and kill you and me along the way, without much trouble!"
"Of course, there is a price to pay. The caster will consume a lot of mental energy, causing mental energy overdraft, and will need a blood sacrifice to cast the spell. If the caster were to cast the spell at the level just now, and it was led by two cardinals, at least 80% of the casters would have to be sacrificed."
"If they grit their teeth and sacrifice everyone, including the two cardinals, then not only you and me, but even a few more people would be wiped out."
"Of course, they would never sacrifice a cardinal. The Holy See has never done such a thing since its founding. After all, there are only a handful of cardinals, and each of them holds a high position of power."
Chapter 906 Breaking the Tacit Understanding
Jiang Bai understood this; those people held high positions and wielded great power, and they wouldn't easily sacrifice themselves.
Jiang Bai was also aware of the traditions of the Holy See. Every cardinal was a strong successor to the Pope, and there were only a handful of them. It was only natural that they wouldn't easily give up their lives.
After all, they are fighting heresy, not trying to perish together with it.
What good would it do them if they did that?
In sacred acts, some necessary sacrifices are certain, but these sacrifices must be kept within a controllable range and cannot be unrestrained.
If they didn't even understand this, then the Holy See wouldn't have been able to dominate Europe for over a dozen centuries.
Jiang Bai remained silent and said no more. It was clearly not in his interest to confront this group of powerful religious fanatics.
Jiang Bai expressed his helplessness at being caught in this vortex.
If this was someone plotting against him, then he would accept his fate and could later seek revenge on that person.
The current situation is that it's clear no one is plotting against him; he's just unlucky to have encountered such a thing, which is quite frustrating.
They drank silently without saying a word, and ten minutes passed in the blink of an eye. Jiang Bai and Markus once again reached the top of the castle.
"The time has come. What have you decided?" a cardinal standing there said in a deep voice.
They seemed to be getting impatient, or perhaps they had realized something.
"What's your decision? Do I even need to say it? Of course I disagree!"
"I've lived this long and always been free, so how could I possibly agree to live in your hellish prison? You know better than I what kind of place it is; going there would be worse than death!"
"I would rather die fighting than agree to your conditions!"
With a cold laugh, Markus seemed to have reverted to his arrogant demeanor, showing no sign of compromise and only disdain on his face.
"You heretics! You all deserve to die! You despicable rats!"
Marcus's reaction immediately made the other party realize that he had been tricked. The vice-captain of the knight order immediately roared, looking both embarrassed and angry, as well as somewhat regretful.
I regret giving the other person time!
"Merciful Father…"
It's started again!
The chanting started again at this moment. The two cardinals were much more decisive and didn't waste any words with Jiang Bai and his group. They started chanting right away.
The goal is to completely destroy Markuz and Jiang Bai, the two major heretics, along with some minor heretics within the castle, all at once.
Unfortunately, too much time has been wasted. Ten minutes is enough time to do a lot of things here.
The chanting was forced to stop just as it began, as two enormous six-pointed stars appeared out of thin air in the empty space in front of the castle gate.
The massive array shone brightly, its light curtain shooting straight into the sky.
The light screen disappeared the next second, and groups of people appeared here.
A well-organized group of mages, each wielding a staff, numbering about a hundred, appeared before the crowd, led by a white-robed mage.
In another six-pointed star, burly warriors wielding shields and longswords appeared out of thin air.
The leader stood there empty-handed, letting out a furious roar. His entire body transformed; he was already over two meters tall, but now he became a giant wolf over three meters long, standing there with ferocious and terrifying muscles all over his body.
Its fangs and claws gleamed coldly in the moonlight, and its long, silvery-white fur covered its entire body, making it look majestic.
As he roared, the hundred-plus warriors behind him transformed into moonlit werewolves, becoming exceptionally ferocious.
His bloodshot eyes seemed to be filled with a desire for battle and slaughter!
"Damn it! You despicable heretics are stalling for time to request reinforcements. How could we be so stupid as to give you that opportunity!" a cardinal said with a pained expression.
At this moment, the Knights Templar sprang into action, each wielding a weapon and clad in silver armor, standing in front of the holy priests who were helping the weak.
These werewolves were incredibly fast and fought exceptionally fiercely at night; they were not far apart from each other.
These sacred priests would immediately suffer if the other side made a move.
On the contrary, the strongmen of the religious inquisition were not protected by them.
Don't be fooled by their black robes and seemingly frail appearance. In a real fight, these elite members of the Holy See, seasoned veterans of bloodshed, are far more formidable than ordinary priests.
"Now our strength is about the same as theirs. From the higher-ups' perspective, including you, it's four to five. Although we're a bit weaker, we're not incapable of putting up a fight."
"As for the number of people, we have just as many as they do, so there's nothing to be afraid of now!"
"If they want to use forbidden holy light spells, my men and I wouldn't mind using Descent of the Dead once!"
Marcus chuckled and had someone open the barrier, then led Jiang Bai out.
Jiang Bai was also helpless. To be honest, he really didn't want to stand with someone like Markuz at this moment.
But he also knew that now that everyone was in the same boat, if Jiang Bai refused to help paddle, the boat would definitely capsize.
If the boat capsizes, it's no good for anyone; those people on the other side won't let the opportunity to kick a man when he's down pass by.
At times like these, working together is the right thing to do.
Therefore, Jiang Bai had no choice but to come out with Marcus and stand there, facing the group of Holy See members in front of him.
"What do you say now? Are we still going to fight?" Markuz stepped forward and chuckled. He first greeted the two people who had come to his aid, and then spoke to the deputy judge who was leading the opposing side.
"Hmph!" The other party snorted coldly without speaking, but unlike before, he did not have the same determination to kill all of Marcus and the others.
They clearly realized that they had already missed their best opportunity, and that killing the undead councilor in front of them was obviously unrealistic.
If they insist on fighting, the final result will only be mutual destruction.
The opposing side has many skilled fighters and a large number of members. If a real fight breaks out, no one will have the upper hand, and even he may not be immune to the possibility of falling.
Putting himself in danger is clearly not something this deputy judge wants to see.
"So that means we're not fighting anymore? Heh." Markuz laughed sarcastically, then asked with a serious expression, "I don't understand. Since the beginning of the new era, our ceasefire agreement has lasted for a century. Although there have been some minor conflicts between us, everyone has maintained a certain degree of restraint."
"Our Dark Council has never attacked your high-ranking members, and you have never attacked our core members. This tacit understanding is excellent, so why break it?"
Chapter 907 Mistaken Strings
"Because you are heretics!"
The bigwig from the Inquisition only gave one sentence, which immediately shut Markuz's mouth.
This is something I really don't want to talk about.
Markuz looked rather grim. A large-scale conflict would not benefit anyone. His reinforcements had already arrived, and although Jiang Bai was not as good as the other side, the difference was not far off. If a real fight broke out, at most it would be a lose-lose situation.
This benefits no one.
Markuzken continued talking to others even when they came to his doorstep and nearly turned him into a monster, because he didn't want to cause a large-scale conflict, which would benefit no one.
But to his surprise, the other party refused to talk to him at all.
This left Markuz with a dark expression, unsure of how to deal with the situation. Even a cunning and shrewd man like him was at a loss when faced with this stubborn religious fanatic.
Fortunately, this vice-judge of the Inquisition is inflexible and has a head of stone, but some people are not like that.
The two astute cardinals exchanged a glance, and one of them stepped forward, saying in a deep voice, "We attacked you because you necromancers have become far too lawless!"
"The ancient warrior alliance of Africa is protected by our Holy See, yet you almost uprooted them."
"The Ancient Warrior Alliance is a traditional power on the African continent, and that is their territory. You actually attacked them and killed many people for a Bloodstone. This is something we cannot tolerate!"
"The one who made the move was Marcus. You should be familiar with him, right? He's one of the best necromancers among you, an archmage. You have to give us an explanation for this! That's why we're here to see you today!"
Upon hearing this, Marcus's face showed a look of sudden realization. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "I am not aware of this matter, but as a member of the necromancers, Marcus did something intolerable, so I should indeed be responsible."
"I will investigate this matter and give you an explanation later!"
How could Markus not know about this?
Marcus's affairs were all arranged by him. Although he didn't use the Bloodstone, he gave it to another important figure in the council as a bargaining chip in a deal between the two.
He knew the whole story perfectly well from beginning to end.
Even the things Marcus did in the African Ancient Warriors Alliance were instigated by him. He even sent reinforcements to Marcus and rewarded him for his achievements.
He knew all of this perfectly well.
However, he would absolutely not say it at this time.
We're all smart people. Now that the two sides are deadlocked, it's no problem for them to exchange fire or even fight each other. After all, they're enemies, so fighting is normal.
However, large-scale clashes that lead to all-out slaughter are something no one wants to see.
When the forces are evenly matched, the most likely outcome of a battle between them is mutual destruction.
That would truly be a pain to loved ones and a joy to enemies!
Don't assume that these two companies can dominate Europe without any rivals. The Hall of Heroes in Northern Europe and the Olympian Altar in the Mediterranean are their rivals.
However, they have been suppressed by them for years and are now on the verge of collapse, not daring to make any move.
But if the two sides fight each other and suffer heavy casualties, it's hard to guarantee that those who were suppressed won't have other ideas. At that time, it will be too late to regret it.
That's why Markuz is pretending not to know and refusing to admit it, in order to avoid a large-scale conflict at this moment.
However, once this matter is over, Markuz, as a member of the Dark Council, was almost besieged and killed. This matter cannot be left unresolved and there must be an explanation. War is inevitable, but it will definitely be controlled by someone with ulterior motives.
These are all things that are tacitly understood.
So after Markuz gave his reasons, the cardinal who had spoken simply snorted, indicating that he was not satisfied with the explanation, and added, "You have one week. You must give us a satisfactory answer and deal with the people involved. Otherwise, the Holy See will not let this go!"
At this point, it's actually all bark and no bite.
Everyone here is a concerned person, and controlling the scope of this matter is what they want to do most right now.
That is why the cardinal spoke up at this time.
Markuz, on the other hand, was relatively humble at this time. As one of the thirteen members of the Dark Council, his status was no worse than that of a cardinal, and even slightly higher.
However, he was not angry because of the other party's tone, and just chuckled and said, "Okay, we will give you an answer as soon as possible."
Having said that, the matter is now considered temporarily settled. At that point, the Holy See's cardinal in his robes will not be so tactless as to actually demand an explanation from Markuz.
Even if he wanted to, Markus probably wouldn't bother with him.
Moreover, he couldn't find the undead councilor whose location had already been exposed and who would definitely have to move.
The inevitable result will be a conflict between the two sides, but the conflict will certainly be kept within a certain range.
The Holy See will kill some low-ranking members of the Dark Council, and the Dark Council will retaliate by attacking some clergy. This matter will then come to an end.
But then, a sudden change occurred!
The cardinal snorted coldly, turned around, and prepared to speak with his companions before they all left together.
In fact, he didn't need to explain anything. Everyone was a smart person, and even the vice-judge of the Inquisition was not an unreasonable fool.
Nobody's really going to fight to the death here!
After all, nobody wants anything to happen to them, and the glorious cause of the Holy See is waiting for them to develop!
However, as luck would have it, the vice-judge, for some unknown reason, did not cause trouble for Markuz and his group after the cardinal had reached an agreement with the others. Instead, he turned his attention to Jiang Bai.
"You heretic from the East, you said you wanted to kill me? That's utterly evil! On behalf of the Inquisition, I declare you guilty and you must be put to trial in the Inquisition's dungeon! A long time will be spent washing away your sins until you receive the Lord's forgiveness!"
These words caused everyone present to change their expressions, and the atmosphere, which had just eased, became tense again.
Chapter 908 Am I Easy to Bully?
"What is this idiot trying to do?" The first to curse in their hearts were not Marcus, but the two cardinals who had already turned around.
They didn't understand that things had come to this point, and everyone should have tacitly left. But what was this Vice-Presiding Judge of the Inquisition trying to do at this moment?
Are you trying to stir up trouble? Where's your brain?
But they couldn't say that. The Inquisition was a force to be reckoned with. Although they were cardinals and not afraid of the Inquisition, their men were.
If the Inquisition deems you a heretic, even if you are a cardinal, they can send you to prison in a heartbeat without asking for permission. Who among the cardinals isn't afraid of these guys?
Therefore, no one wants to offend them!
But this matter... they can't remain silent.
The way out is already there, so it's best to know when to stop. Saying more now would be tantamount to starting a war.
This is no good for anyone, doesn't he understand?
"Me? You mean me?" Jiang Bai was taken aback for a moment, then realized who the other person was referring to as the "Eastern heretic".
It seems like I'm the only Asian here.
What the hell does this mean? Do you think I'm easy to bully?
You guys were all so cocky just now, but when it comes to actually fighting, you're all cowards. Now that both sides seem too scared to fight, why are you trying to cause trouble for me? Do you think I'm easy to bully?
Thinking about this, Jiang Bai was extremely angry.
"It's you! You heretic! Kneel down immediately and accept your judgment!"
The other party responded coldly, with a condescending tone in their words.
Logically speaking, Markuz should have spoken at this point, since Jiang Bai was his guest and on his side. However, the guy wore a playful smile and remained silent.
He remained silent, and the cardinals on the other side understood and kept quiet as well.
This only made the deputy presiding judge of the religious inquisition even more arrogant and domineering!
"What? You seem very angry? You lowly Easterner, you despicable heretic, how dare you be angry with me here? Kneel down immediately, and I might spare your life. Otherwise, you will surely die a horrible death!"
"Fuck your mother! Do you think I'm easy to bully?" Jiang Bai immediately got angry and pointed at the other person's nose to start cursing.
The Holy See is not to be trifled with, but Jiang Bai is no pushover either. If he really angers him, it's nothing more than a fight.
Are we afraid of them?
Even if Markus needs something from me, he'll still have to play in the end if things really come to a fight.
Even without that incident, Jiang Bai is not someone to be trifled with; when it comes to fighting, he's truly not afraid of anyone!
If you can win, then fight; if you can't, you can just run away.
Wait until Grandpa turns around, then see how he deals with you!
Jiang Bai's biggest advantage is his youth; he has plenty of time to settle accounts with the other party.
Moreover, he possesses an abnormal "super regeneration" ability, with his regeneration capacity almost surpassing that of ordinary people, no less than those legendary vampires who possess immortality.
It's important to know that even the legendary vampires, once they recover, probably won't recover much faster than Jiang Bai. Moreover, they have various weaknesses, such as silver artifacts, holy light, the sun, and ultraviolet rays, all of which can cause irreversible damage to them.
It is true that he is physically strong, but he also has many weaknesses.
However, Jiang Bai has almost no weaknesses, which is his greatest strength.
He probably can't beat so many people in a fight, but if he wants to run, it shouldn't be a big problem; he'll just get injured.
In fact, when Jiang Bai was surrounded here just now, while he was shouting to surrender, he had already made two preparations. If the other party agreed to his surrender, then it would be easy to say anything.
He was prepared to fight his way out if the other party disagreed.
I thought the two sides had talked things out and the matter was settled, but I never expected there would be such a bastard who thought I was easy to bully and talked to me like that.
Jiang Bai naturally couldn't back down; he had to stand up!
"Damn it! You vile wretch, what are you saying? How dare you insult me—the great Vice-Chancellor of the Inquisition! Do you know what crime that is? I'm going to burn you and your entire family at the stake!"
Upon hearing this, the deputy judge immediately became enraged and stood there, glaring at Jiang Bai with a vicious remark.
As he spoke, the more than one hundred experts from the Inquisition dressed in black robes behind him moved and surrounded Jiang Bai completely, as if they would rush up and tear this despicable heretic to shreds at the first order of the Vice Inquisitor.
"Do you think I'm afraid of you?" Jiang Bai said viciously, and then immediately made his move.
The first to strike wins, the last to strike loses – Jiang Bai knew this principle from fighting since he was a child, and now he understands it even more clearly.
Speaking is one of the most powerful techniques, the Claw of Heaven.
Jiang Bai's latest martial arts supernatural power.
Once unleashed, a giant hand appeared in the sky in an instant, transforming into a claw that slashed down at the ground, crushing everything in its path.
"Damn it! This is an Eastern holy warrior! God, how did you provoke such a person, damn Lor!" As soon as Jiang Bai made his move, a cardinal on the other side immediately reacted.
They knew what Jiang Bai was using, and they also knew what level of power it represented.
Although he was also at this level, strictly speaking, he belonged to the category of mages. Such a distance was far too dangerous for these cardinals and the holy priests behind them.
At this distance from a holy warrior, the other party is confident of killing him.
Therefore, after letting out a horrified roar, the cardinal and his companions immediately cast a protective shield on themselves and the holy priests behind them to prevent collateral damage.
The deputy judge named Lor also changed his expression at this moment. He was causing trouble for Jiang Bai because he thought Jiang Bai was an insignificant kid who dared to taunt him just now.
This trip was grand and impressive, but they returned without any results. It's fine for the others, but for him, as the deputy chief judge of the Inquisition, returning like this would be quite embarrassing.
What's more, this Eastern kid dared to challenge me?
So he decided to capture this Eastern boy and take him back, which would also help him save face.
However, things did not go as he expected; the strength of this young man from the East clearly exceeded his expectations.
It was actually a holy warrior!!
He immediately realized he had kicked a hornet's nest.
Chapter 909 Turning Around and Running Away
However, there is no turning back now, no matter what.
That despicable Eastern brat just spoke so rudely, blocking the way, and he even made the first move. As the deputy chief judge of the religious inquisition, if I back down now, I'll have no face to stay in this position in the future.
He was already at a disadvantage among the three deputy judges. The two senior judges were above him, and he didn't have a high status within the court. If he weren't so powerful, his subordinates wouldn't even take him seriously.
If we lose face again this time, we'll have no standing left when we go back.
That is why, at this moment, Vice-Judge Lord Lor decided to refuse to compromise!
"The Cross of Judgment!"
Lor roared and charged out, drawing his longsword from his waist. He then unleashed a set of cross-shaped sword techniques, and the next second, a huge cross-shaped sword aura surged up, heading straight for the Claw of Heaven.
Unfortunately, he underestimated Jiang Bai and overestimated himself.
The result was tragic, of course. This so-called cross of judgment did not cause even the slightest damage to the giant hand of the sky that fell from the void.
A semi-transparent hand fell straight down.
The deputy judge was so frightened that he quickly dodged away. He was a guy with similar strength to Jiang Bai, both of them belonging to the ranks of holy warriors. Although his attack on Jiang Bai had not achieved the effect he had expected in breaking the evil magic of this Eastern boy, he could still dodge away.
However, his dodge caused trouble for everyone around him.
Frankly speaking, these were the elite of the Inquisition. Each of them was a master, and in any other place, each of them would be a match for a hundred men. None of them were easy to mess with.
But facing Jiang Bai's newly mastered martial arts supernatural power...
That would be a tragedy.
As the giant hand descended, the ground shattered, and dozens of people within that area who hadn't managed to escape were instantly reduced to ashes.
A crater a hundred meters in size appeared on the vast ground, as if a large part of it had been torn away by something. The ground was uneven and looked extremely terrifying.
This scene caused those around to swallow hard and their expressions to change drastically.
Unfortunately, before they could even react, Jiang Bai had already made his move again, transforming into a streak of light and rushing out with the speed of lightning and thunder.
Now that we've already taken action, there's absolutely no possibility of holding back again.
Jiang Bai wouldn't be polite to these bastards in front of him.
If you're going to kill them, kill them so badly that they tremble with fear and never dare to speak again, their very names trembling at the mere mention of their names.
Anyway, the feud has already been formed.
What's there to be afraid of?
"Damn it!" The deputy presiding judge of the religious inquisition was now so cold that a layer of ice could be scraped off his face.
The scene before him was beyond his expectations; so many people had died, all of them elites of the Inquisition.
In this situation, if he doesn't catch the person, he'll have even less standing when he gets back.
Therefore, although he sensed that Jiang Bai was dangerous and that he had underestimated this young man from the East, he still gritted his teeth and made a move.
Only by killing this heretic can he return and report his mission.
So he cursed under his breath and rushed out, intending to kill Jiang Bai.
Unfortunately, his power was really limited. Although he was also a holy warrior, he was no match for Jiang Bai, who had mastered top-level martial arts and possessed fierce moves such as the Seven Limits and had drawn the "Tiger Soul" sword.
The result... is self-evident.
After only a few dozen rounds of fighting, the intense battle between the two didn't last long before he was already struggling to keep up.
"What are you doing? Are you just here to watch a show?" He yelled at the people behind him when he realized he couldn't hold them off.
He's not fighting alone; he has so many people following him.
As soon as he finished speaking, one of the cardinals standing there made his move. He concealed himself, and a beam of holy light descended, followed by a flawless white longsword that hurtled towards Jiang Bai's back.
With a "whoosh," Jiang Bai was caught off guard and hit, having a piece of his flesh cut off. You should know that he is now practically invulnerable to swords and spears, and water and fire, so ordinary weapons are really hard to harm him.
He had tried it when he broke through, and the Yamato sword Kikuichimonji that he had captured only managed to scratch his skin, and could not cause him any harm at all.
But now this sword that appeared out of thin air has sliced off a piece of his flesh. It was because his aim was off; if it had hit him, it would have been a fatal blow.
This made Jiang Bai somewhat uneasy.
A fierce glint flashed in his eyes, and ignoring the vice-judge Lor in front of him, he charged directly at the cardinal.
He's a much greater threat than Lor in front of me. I need to take him down first, otherwise I won't be able to live in peace.
But as soon as he moved, the vice-commander of the Temple Knights stood in front of the cardinal, his pure white battle aura shining like a blazing sun in the night sky.
It blocked Jiang Bai's attack without sustaining any damage.
"Aren't you going to help?" Jiang Bai quickly turned around to respond, because at this moment, the deputy judge, Lor, had already rushed to his side.
However, while he was defending himself, he still said this sentence.
"I'm sorry, Jiang, we can't get involved in this!" To everyone's surprise, Markuz simply shook his head and said this.
"I will explain the matter of the Ancient Warrior Alliance to His Holiness the Pope, and we will not pursue this matter!" A cardinal in red robes spoke up at this moment to repay Marcus for not supporting Jiang Bai's actions.
Even when Jiang Bai was fighting someone, in the fleeting glimpse of light, he could see that both sides showed tacit smiles on their faces.
"I'm not done with either of you two over this!" Jiang Bai roared, then turned and left without further ado.
In this situation, it would be foolish for him to stay here and fight.
He realized that he had been betrayed by Markuz, who wanted him to retrieve the Echo of the Dead. However, this item had been lost for so many years. It would be good to retrieve it, but it wouldn't really matter if he couldn't.
What they bribed Jiang Bai with were just some collectibles they couldn't use; they were insignificant.
Faced with the choice between fighting a bloody battle with the Holy See and having Jiang Bai help find a sacred relic whose fate was uncertain, the undead councilor Markuz made his choice in an instant.
Therefore, Jiang Bai could only utter a harsh remark and then turn and run away.