The four cardinals walked like soldiers ready to confront an enemy, their expressions stoic and calm.
Elian did not flinch upon seeing them. Normally, if someone murdered one of the most important figures in the world, they would vanish into hiding. But Elian only smiled, as though she had expected their arrival at this grim pope-slaying ceremony.
"Come when the party is over," Elian said, dragging the pope's body forward.
One of the cardinals let out a sharp laugh.
"Who would have thought a girl could actually injure that arrogant brat? Perhaps the world is changing, and things are getting more interesting."
"Hmm. We don't have time for thanksgiving or empty praises," another cardinal replied. He appeared younger than the rest, perhaps in his thirties, with an Eastern look to his features. The others were at least in their fifties—two women and a man—making it two male cardinals and two female.
"If the Supreme Pontiff learns that the Four Great Praises allied to remove one of his popes, it will not end well," Elian said coldly, throwing the pope's body at their feet like a discarded carcass.
"No one could ever suspect the Four Great Praises," one of the female cardinals answered. Her face was veiled, and on her head rested a golden crown bearing a star—the mark of the Star Saint. "We are guardians of order, not assassins. Our role is to ensure no pope is removed by force."
Within the secretive hierarchy of the Glorious Church of Light, twelve popes ruled different regions across the world, all beneath the Supreme Pontiff—an unseen figure regarded as the highest praise below God, and said to wield divine power himself. Like God, none had ever laid eyes on him not even the popes.
Beneath the popes were the hidden powerhouses known as the Four Great Praises: the Sun Saint, the Star Saint, the Moon Saint, and the Djinn Saint. They were revered as the mysterious guardians of the Church's glory. At present, they were Elder Tianxue, Elder Aviso, Elder Seraphim, and Elder Tong Yuxuan. Among them, Elder the Star Saint was considered the strongest.
Their powers were shrouded in secrecy, even from the twelve popes. They alone held the authority to elect a new pope if one died, or to strip away the title if a pope descended into tyranny. Such was Adrian's fate—after killing thousands without mercy, he would be judged and removed. And if slain by another in the midst of his crimes, that killer could even be hailed as a messiah.
The Church, for all its mysteries, maintained such laws to preserve its image. Though its popes committed atrocities, when one sinned openly before the world, the institution moved to replace him. For centuries, the Church had erased entire kingdoms and powers from existence, making it one of the most fearsome forces in history.
"Our plan is proceeding well," Elder Tianxue, the Sun Saint, said. He wore a crown marked with the blazing sun. "After this, it is time to make Elian our new pope."
He stepped toward Adrian's body, pointing his staff at it. A blinding light poured forth, lifting the corpse from the ground.
"In terms of strength, this man surpassed all of us," Tianxue admitted. "But what is power without wisdom? Even when rebellions swelled within his own faction, he refused to report to the council, trusting only himself. Foolish. Pathetic."
Elian's fists tightened as she stepped down from the stairs.
"What will you do with him? He deserves death, not a lingering coma."
"I know your pain, my dear," the Star Saint said gently, moving to touch Elian's shoulder. "But his death will solve nothing. Kill one idiot,and another rises. The cycle is endless. Your only path is to become the next pope, to bring hope to the people. Perhaps under your reign they will finally understand the difference between light and darkness and stop worshipping the devil ."
"You don't understand," Elian snapped, shoving her hand away. Her eyes burned. "I hate the entire Glorious Church of Light. Killing one is not enough. I want to kill millions… billions, wherever they are hiding."
She turned toward the altar, its surface still dripping with blood.
"I remember my family slaughtered like animals, strung up for display. Those memories burn in me. Sometimes I wish I could forget, move on… but I cannot. No wonder I made a pact with the devil himself."
The Sun Saint struck his staff on the floor, the sound echoing like a hammer blow.
"Enough. Soon the guards will flood this basilica."
"Are you still with us?" the Star Saint asked quietly.
Elian smirked. "When you ally with the devil, the chain is not so easily broken. Am I right? Let's finish this."
The Moon Saint let out a weary sigh, pressing his fingers to his temple. "We are going to burn away a third of our lives just to open the doorway to the Realm of Madness. We will borrow millions of strands of spiritual energy from the Guardian Pillar, but only for a short time—before the High Praises discover it. If they do…" He trailed off, leaving the threat unspoken.
"Then it is decided," the Star Saint said. She drew her staff's blade across her palm, blood dripping onto the marble.
The other saints followed, cutting their palms without hesitation.
"Even we have never stepped into the Realm of Madness," the Moon Saint admitted. "Only Adrian has returned from it. We still do not know what attribute he cultivated there. Whatever it was, I believe it is the same one you will inherit."
The four saints lowered themselves into a circle, cross-legged, surrounding Elian.
Elian sat with them, mirroring their posture. A strange disbelief lingered in her chest. The Four Great Praises, pillars of the Glorious Church for over five centuries, were turning against it—for her.
They set their staffs before them. Each one glowed, threads of light stretching outward until they connected, weaving together in a lattice that rose upward. Slowly, the shimmering lines formed a hexagonal prism, its brilliance enclosing Elian until it swallowed her whole.
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