"Nothing?"
"How could there be nothing?"
"Was I hearing things just now?"
After sweeping the area several tis with his divine sense and finding no abnormalities, confusion surfaced on the Light Pope's face.
Shaking his head, he decided he must have been frightened by Locke's soul attack earlier—so much so that he'd imagined things.
Yet just as the Light Pope was about to resu his cultivation, vast quantities of water-elent particles gathered before him, eventually forming into Locke's figure.
This was an elental avatar Locke had condensed through his absolute control over elents within his Divine Domain. Using the sa thod by which his divine power had once ford a godly body at the mont of ascension, he shaped this clone—one capable of carrying a portion of his soul power.
"Yo. Long ti no see, Your Holiness," Locke greeted casually.
"Locke?"
"How are you here?!"
The Light Pope was startled. He imdiately activated his upper-grade defensive divine artifact, seeking a bit of reassurance.
Only after doing so did he darken his expression and question Locke in a deep voice.
"Lord Locke, may I ask what business brings you here so late at night?"
Though wary of Locke's terrifying soul attack that could strip away all five senses, the Light Pope was not truly afraid of him here in the grand cathedral.
As the Pope of the Church of Light, he could directly contact his Sovereign through a sacrificial ritual and spend rit points to summon angels to descend.
Locke was rely a newly ascended Demigod. A single four-winged angel would be more than enough to kill him.
Of course, to prevent himself from being struck first and losing his senses, the Light Pope had already completed his connection to the altar monts ago.
The instant his five senses vanished, the altar would be activated.
"Your Holiness, I'm preparing to leave the Wakanda Plane and head for the Divine Planes," Locke said calmly.
"Oh?"
To be honest, after taking Locke's Celestial Dance Treasure Wheel head-on and experiencing that absolute darkness, the Light Pope was still deeply shaken by him.
So when he heard Locke say he was leaving the Wakanda Plane, a trace of joy unconsciously crept onto the Pope's lips.
But very quickly, he realized sothing was wrong.
If Locke was leaving, then so be it. Why co to see him before departing?
The Light Pope's face imdiately darkened.
"Hahaha. It seems Your Holiness has figured it out as well," Locke laughed.
Judging from the Pope's expression, Locke knew he already understood why Locke had co.
"Your Holiness, you know as well as I do—divine artifacts cannot be used by a new owner unless the forr owner severs their bond."
"And you also know my attainnts in the soul."
"If you don't wish to be enslaved by my soul and beco my servant, then Your Holiness would do well to personally sever your connection with the Rising Sun Spear."
"Otherwise, I'll have no choice but to expend part of my soul power to place you under soul enslavent."
"And when that happens, what you lose won't be just an upper-grade offensive divine artifact."
"Locke, you—!"
Hearing Locke's threat, the Light Pope's expression changed drastically. He raised a trembling finger toward Locke's elental avatar, shaking with rage.
"Your Holiness, my ti is limited. Please make your decision quickly," Locke said indifferently.
The elental avatar paid no attention to the Pope's outburst. Instead, Locke quietly guided his soul power, tugging at the fear within the Light Pope's soul and amplifying it.
At the sa ti, he continued speaking—accelerating the process.
"Your Holiness, you know very well that once the Dawn Spear is taken by , I'll never return it."
"After I leave the Wakanda Plane, it will be even more impossible for it to ever return to your hands."
"Since that's the case, what are you still holding on to?"
"Giving up the Spear costs you nothing."
"On the contrary, if you refuse , you should know exactly what kind of treatnt awaits you once you're enslaved by my soul."
"Not only the Rising Sun Spear—your upper-grade defensive divine artifact as well. I'll order you to sever its bond and offer it to ."
"Furthermore, when I head to the Divine Planes, I'll take you with ."
"The dangers of the Divine Planes hardly need explanation. I'm sure Your Holiness understands them well."
"When danger arises, I'll send you."
"I'll have you risk your life, working yourself to the bone, while I stay safely in a secure city, enjoying the resources you've earned through blood and sweat…"
As Locke's words guided him onward, the fear within the Light Pope's soul gradually spread, occupying most of it.
Unconsciously, the scenes Locke described surfaced vividly in his mind—
On one side, himself fighting desperately in the Divine Planes, risking life and limb to obtain a bit of precious resources.
On the other, himself kneeling before Locke, offering up those sa resources still stained with his own blood—only to receive not praise, but disgust at the blood sullied upon them…
"Ah—ahhhhhh!"
"No! I don't want this!"
"I'll give it to you! I don't want that damn Spear anymore! I'll sever my connection with it right now!"
The terrifyingly realistic illusion completely broke the Light Pope.
Without a soul-defense divine artifact, his soul before Locke was no different from that of a three-year-old child—utterly helpless, to be kneaded and shaped at will.
In sheer terror, the Light Pope spat out a mouthful of blood, ruthlessly severing his bond with the Dawn Spear.
In the sky, Locke waved his hand.
Instantly, the golden Rising Sun Spear appeared in his grasp.
He sliced his thumb with the nail of his middle finger, and a drop of crimson blood flew from his fingertip.
Unlike before, when it had been rejected, this ti Locke's blood rged smoothly into the Rising Sun Spear.
At once, Locke felt a faint connection form between himself and the weapon.
When he channeled divine power into it, the Spear let out a resonant hum. The trembling spear tip sliced through space itself, carving a thin black line across the fabric of the Wakanda Plane.
Seeing it's might, Locke nodded in satisfaction.
Then, he wrapped the Rising Sun Spear completely in his divine power. Shrouded in blue light, the weapon instantly concealed all of its sharpness.
Unless Locke actively dispelled that divine power, no one would ever guess that this ordinary looking Spear was a rare upper-grade offensive divine artifact.
Casting one last glance at the grand cathedral, Locke withdrew his soul power.
The elental avatar before the Light Pope dissolved into countless water-elent particles, scattering into nothingness…
(End of Chapter)
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