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Shui Wuya felt quite satisfied.
The Sun-Moon Empire was gradually yielding; complete submission was only a matter of time. Now, only the Holy Spirit Church remained as the last force yet to submit. Once the Dou Ling Empire, the Sun-Moon Empire, and the Holy Spirit Church were subdued, the divine test would be complete. The seventh trial of the Ice God—conquering the world.
Shui Wuya dismissed Juzi and summoned Zhongli, the leader of the Holy Spirit Church. Ju zi respectfully withdrew.
Inside the grand hall, Zhongli felt uneasy, silently pondering the situation before him.
He had just witnessed Shui Wuya's power firsthand. The ability to freeze missiles effortlessly left him utterly astonished.
How could the Holy Spirit Church possibly contend with such a formidable opponent?
"No wonder they call him the descendant of the Ice God," Zhongli murmured to himself. He understood the terrifying power he was up against.
To him, Shui Wuya's strength was nothing short of divine, instilling both awe and fear.
"The power of the Shui family is beyond my imagination," Zhongli thought, feeling a wave of helplessness. He knew that while the Holy Spirit Church was powerful, it was no match for the Shui family.
The Holy Spirit Church could never serve two masters; that much was certain.
However, he also realized that if the Holy Spirit Church chose to oppose the Shui family, it would be disastrous.
With Shui Wuya's grand ambitions, the Holy Spirit Church might very well be his next target.
"What should I do?" Zhongli closed his eyes, sinking into deep contemplation.
At this critical moment, he, the leader of the Holy Spirit Church, felt an unprecedented sense of powerlessness.
Just then, Empress Ju zi appeared suddenly, her expression calm and her tone gentle: "The Shui Clan leader requests your presence."
Zhongli's heart skipped a beat, filled with unease.
The fact that Shui Wuya wanted to meet him—what could it mean?
Had the Shui Clan leader already decided to deal with the Holy Spirit Church?
"What you fear always comes to pass," Zhongli thought to himself, forcing himself to remain composed.
He knew this was no time for panic; he had to face the situation calmly.
So, Zhongli slowly made his way deeper into the grand hall.
Entering the room, he was greeted by Shui Wuya's voice, which was as gentle as flowing water yet carried an undeniable authority.
"Zhongli, you're here."
Though Zhongli's expression remained composed, his heart was in turmoil.
A flash of hesitation crossed his eyes, but he did his best to maintain his composure.
"Master Shui, may I ask what brings you here?" Zhongli respectfully bowed, striving to appear at ease.
Shui Wuya smiled slightly, his smile carrying an inscrutable meaning: "The Sun-Moon Empire is no longer an issue. Next, I hope we can form a partnership."
A partnership!?
Zhongli's heart skipped a beat.
"What is the Holy Spirit Church leader contemplating?" Shui Wuya's voice suddenly cut through Zhongli's thoughts.
Zhongli immediately raised his head, wearing an expression of reverence.
"Master Shui, I was just considering how the Holy Spirit Church can best contribute its strength to your cause.
Given the immense power of the Shui family, the Holy Spirit Church dares not defy you in the slightest. I pledge to fully comply with your orders!"
Zhongli's tone was sincere.
Shui Wuya gave Zhongli a long, thoughtful look, his gaze holding an enigmatic meaning.
Trusting Zhongli to submit was as likely as believing a pig could climb a tree.
However, he had already devised a strategy.
Shui Wuya smiled faintly, his voice as clear as a gentle stream: "Very well. Since you are willing to submit, there's no need to make things too difficult. The Holy Spirit Sect will remain under your leadership."
Upon hearing this, Zhongli could hardly contain his joy and felt a wave of relief.
But his happiness was short-lived, as Shui Wuya's next words shattered his elation.
"However, managing the entire church alone while cooperating with the Shui family might be too much for you. So, I'll appoint a new Hall Master to assist you in handling affairs. What do you think?"
Zhongli's heart tightened at these words.
Although he didn't fully understand Shui Wuya's intentions, he sensed an underlying mistrust.
Nevertheless, he knew that any sign of resistance or disrespect at this moment would be disastrous.
After all, in the presence of Shui Wuya, he was nothing more than an insignificant weakling.
He quickly bowed low, respectfully saying, "Thank you, Lord Shui, for your grace. I humbly accept."
"Alright, you may go now."
Shui Wuya nodded, signaling for Zhongli to leave.
Zhongli exited the grand hall with a smile, but as soon as he turned away, his expression darkened.
"Assigning a new Hall Master to the Holy Spirit Sect… What is Shui Wuya really planning?"
Zhongli was filled with doubt and unease.
For now, he had no choice but to take things one step at a time.
After Zhongli left, Shui Wuya exchanged a few words with the elders of the Shui family before also departing from the palace.
In the aftermath of the turmoil, the people of the Sun-Moon Empire were left bewildered and confused.
They had suddenly been subjected to a missile attack, teetering on the brink of death. Yet, at the critical moment, it seemed they were saved by some mysterious force, narrowly escaping death.
In the ruins of the Sun-Moon Empire's cities, people gathered, discussing the recent events.
They were utterly perplexed by what had just occurred.
Who would be so heartless as to launch such a terrible attack on innocent civilians?
And who was the benevolent power that pulled them back from the brink of death?
"What on earth just happened?"
"Was the missile attack a plot by an enemy nation?"
"And who was the powerful figure that saved us?"
People began speculating, trying to find answers.
While the citizens of the Sun-Moon Empire were still grappling with their confusion, news quickly spread from the palace.
Emperor Xu Tianran had succumbed to a terminal illness and fell into madness.
In his final moments, he clung desperately to power, launching all the missiles in a bid to bury the entire Sun-Moon Empire with him! He sought to rule the Sun-Moon Empire for eternity!
When this news broke, the entire empire was thrown into shock, and even allied nations were taken aback by such behavior.
As word spread, the people of the Sun-Moon Empire were filled with overwhelming anger towards Xu Tianran.
In the empire's central square, furious citizens gathered.
One enraged citizen shouted, "Xu Tianran, the tyrant, deserves to die a thousand deaths!
How could he be so insane, attempting to drag us innocent people into the flames with him?"
No sooner had he spoken than a chorus of curses rose from the surrounding crowd.
The enraged citizens began hurling stones and sticks at the statue of Xu Tianran in the center of the city.
With each impact, the statue groaned and gradually leaned until it finally toppled over, shattering into countless pieces.
But one question still lingered in the minds of the people.
At that crucial moment, who was it that saved them?
This mystery gnawed at every citizen of the empire, and they couldn't stop discussing the identity of this enigmatic savior.
What kind of immense power could rescue them at such a critical juncture?
Soon, all sorts of speculations about this mystery began to emerge.
(End of Chapter)