CHAPTER 1270: CHAPTER 636: POPE

Rod’s vision abruptly widened as he crossed a few more streets.

Before him lay a scene of destruction: in the open space, shattered buildings, collapsed houses, black fog swirling in the air, and intersecting cracks on the ground, painted a portrait of disaster.

Hundreds of warriors had fallen here, their bodies shattered, black fog seeping into their flesh, spawning new monsters from the remnants.

Rod immediately noticed the central structure, a Guardian Fire Sacrificial Ground, surrounded by warriors. They defended the remnants of the firelight after the Holy Fire extinguished, until their bodies were torn apart, until the Guardian Fire Sacrificial Ground was leveled, until the Guardian Fire inside was snuffed out.

Saint Reel’s Royal City was truly different; under the Holy Fire, it still retained so many Guardian Fires and Guardian Fire Sacrificial Grounds.

After the Holy Fire went out, these flames became the warriors’ last hope.

But sadly, until the end, no one came to their aid.

Takxis calmly maneuvered through the monsters, picked up a Fire Spark from the ashes, and said blandly, "Let’s go."

Shielded by the secret light, the two did not alarm any monsters and confirmed one thing: Saint Reel Royal City had completely fallen; after the first Bishop evacuated with the last survivors, there were no living souls left.

At least, Rod hadn’t seen any.

Before the fall, the citizens and warriors of the Royal City gathered near various Guardian Fire Sacrificial Grounds, leaving many areas vacant, but others were densely packed with monsters.

The Abyss Rift had closed, and Takxis found signs of its existence—a scorched patch of ground, over 2000 yards long, 100 yards wide, spanning a residential area, like a scar patched onto the earth.

Rod detected no trace of Abyssal Aura nor any Abyss Monster.

"Where have they gone?"

"They may have been absorbed by the God of Contaminated Blood."

Takxis answered, finding remnants of an Ancient God within the scar.

"These are remnants of power; its Spirit had been here. Perhaps every Abyss Rift bears such traces."

Rod inquired, "How can an Ancient God absorb the aura of the Abyss?"

"It might relate to corruption. The Abyss and black fog have always been deeply intertwined. We don’t know why the Ancient God was here, but it is very likely situated within the Abyss."

Rod nodded, continuing his investigation; he soon found smaller Abyss Rifts still within the Royal City, but no monsters emerged, with the rifts’ interiors nearing collapse.

In Takxis’s eye, a gleam flickered: "I sense some force is opposing them."

Rod frowned, "What do you mean? Are you suggesting the Pope might..."

Takxis did not reply; he stood up and quickened his pace.

After bypassing several areas, they finally reached the Holy Fire Sacrificial Ground.

The Holy Fire Sacrificial Ground in Saint Reel was enormous, with a radius exceeding 10,000 yards, a terrifying size for any construction.

The entire Holy Fire Sacrificial Ground was semi-circular, resembling a massive oval pebble, and its outer walls were adorned with the White Sect’s emblem.

But as Mod had mentioned, a mysterious force obscured it, with an invisible dark ripple enveloping the entire Holy Fire Sacrificial Ground.

Takxis spoke in a deep voice, "This is the barrier Mod mentioned..."

He gently touched it, suddenly forming his fingers into a fist and striking the barrier.

It didn’t budge, only a dark ripple spread out.

"A miraculous sealing... it seems impossible to break through with brute force; we must locate its nodes and dismantle it from the structure... no, that’s not right, there is no breach, I can’t find the node, this is a deadlock!"

For the first time, impatience appeared on Takxis’s face.

He continuously assaulted the barrier, but it remained unmoved.

"Move aside."

Takxis shouted.

"I’m going to use all my strength now."

Rod suddenly shouted, "Wait! I know what this is!"

Takxis looked at him impatiently, waiting for his answer.

Rod had completely recalled and shouted, "It’s Starry Sky City, exactly like the Holy Fire Sacrificial Ground in Starry Sky City!"

He quickly relayed the battle process in Starry Sky City.

"I have a way to break it."

Rod placed his hand on the dark ripple, using the method he previously found at the cost of 10 points of Divinity, not expecting it to be usable again.

In the next instant, a special tool almost buried in the Dream Realm’s rubble summoned to his hand.

Slash!

Instantly, the sky was filled with dark ripples spreading out, the seal flickering rapidly; Rod pondered and gently tapped, arriving once again at the constructed space.

With foresight, he quickly completed the challenge, aligning the inner stars.

With a rumbling sound, a small gap broke open in the dark ripple.

Rod and Takxis stepped inside immediately.

What lay before them was a vast and chaotic space; dark waves floated in the air like a certain area within the Spirit Realm.

"Where is this?" Rod asked urgently.

Takxis replied, "It’s the interior of the Holy Fire Sacrificial Ground; it’s falling into the Spirit Realm."

Though his tone was calm, Rod could hear a slight tremble.

The answer was perhaps about to appear.

Guided by Takxis, they quickly reached the center of the Holy Fire Sacrificial Ground.

It was underground.

Takxis gently touched, and a gap appeared in the ground.

He jumped down almost instantly, with Rod following closely.

Tap!

A very subtle sound; Rod landed in thick white ashes.

The sound vanished, with silence beginning to pressure the eardrums.

He promptly looked up; this was a very spacious arena, oval-shaped, surrounded by white ashes, a gigantic cauldron-like object erected at the center.

Within the cauldron-like object flowed black liquid, dripping down and permeating the ground.

Rod’s pupils contracted abruptly, recognizing it as Black Water!

The Primordial form of Source Black Fog, the most suitable pollutant for extinguishing fire!

The Holy Fire was extinguished by Black Water?

Rod quickly dropped his gaze, noticing beneath the cauldron-like object was a grand throne.

On the throne, reclined a small figure.

He donned a long robe of gold and red hues, crowned with a towering white crown, the White Sect’s semicircular emblem adorning every part of his attire.

Rod detected Takxis trembling violently beside him.

At that moment, the figure subtly trembled, opening its eyes.

Its pupils were entirely black.