Lu Luo probably understood the enemy's strength.

The disk holder is likely Judgment Chief Bai Qingshuang, so that's ruled out. An S-rank hidden Sequence holder? A possibility, but not a high one. S-rank Sequences have an order of precedence, but they are all fundamentally of the same tier. I trust the Observer's power; if the Observer hasn't made a mistake, then even if the opponent is S-rank, it would likely be an S-rank Sequence with specific, unprobeable information, not a complete lack of findings like now. If neither of these is the case, then there's only one possibility left. The opponent is a Seventh Tier master. If so, this is truly a terrible situation. An unidentified Seventh Tier master has appeared here and locked onto me!

[The danger level of a Seventh Tier master is MAX. For your current self, the probability of defeating them is almost negligible.]

Lu Luo silently nodded.

"Almost negligible... does that mean there's still a tiny sliver of a chance I could actually defeat a Seventh Tier? So, the question is, what is that tiny sliver of a chance?"

[The person suffers a sudden debilitating brain condition and just stands there, letting you kill them.]

Lu Luo was silent for a moment.

A question: what is the probability of a Seventh Tier master suddenly suffering a debilitating brain condition? Waiting online, quite urgent.

The elevator was still ascending slowly. In this short span, Lu Luo's mind was already racing.

"Since the probability of a Seventh Tier master suddenly suffering a debilitating brain condition isn't high, I should calmly analyze the opponent's identity. Using the method of elimination, I just helped the Council, and the Council needs me as a trade link between the Fourth Ring and the Inner Ring. Considering stability, the current Council is unlikely to make any major changes. Moreover, they urgently need stable external allies and channels for living supplies. So, it's unlikely the Council would move against me. First, rule out people from the Council. Besides the Council, only the Church remains. The current Church is clearly divided into two factions. The first is the Judgment Chief's group; they should be considered the new power within the Church. Excluding the Judgment Chief herself, the Seventh Tier masters in her faction are the leaders of the three major Knights Groups. As for other hidden Seventh Tier masters, that's currently unknown. The Judgment Chief's group doesn't seem to hold much animosity towards me at the moment. Although we've had some conflicts, they previously mentioned that the Judgment Chief herself holds me in high regard. Coupled with Bai Yuetong's connection, I'll temporarily rule out the Judgment Chief and her trusted forces. The threat level of the four Knights Groups is unknown since I haven't encountered them. However, Wan Jing, leader of the Knight of Justice, was killed by me. From her demands, one thing is clear: the Dawn Star must be an extremely important item for Church members. So, the other three Knights might act, but the probability shouldn't be very high. If we exclude the Judgment Chief's faction, then only the Church's second faction remains: the Pope's faction. The Pope's faction basically represents the old guard of the Church; they are the old generation. Their ideas and goals tend towards conservatism and stability. If the first two possibilities are unlikely, then the Pope's faction becomes the most probable. The Pope has done many things, and a key focus of his actions was Qi Xinzhu. This means Qi Xinzhu herself holds a very special significance for the Pope's faction, although the specifics of this significance are unknown. However, it's certain that Qi Xinzhu's so-called status as the Church's Saintess is definitely not as simple as mere words. Their objective in targeting me might not be to capture me, but to take Qi Xinzhu. Of course, they would also conveniently take the Dawn Star from her. This conjecture has a very high probability. Without new intelligence, this should be the most reasonable explanation. So, Qi Xinzhu is likely in danger now. And I am the obstacle preventing them from taking Qi Xinzhu? Therefore, they will kill me first!"

「...」

As the elevator slowly rose to the top of the Second High Wall, Lu Luo no longer scanned his surroundings. Continued observation would only alert the enemy. But the current problem was how to evade a Seventh Tier master with stealth abilities. Or perhaps, find a way to kill them?

"Kill a Seventh Tier master? A monster like Ji Shaoran? Alright, maybe even stronger than Ji Shaoran. So, the question returns to the starting point: what's the probability of killing a Seventh Tier master? And what's the probability of a Seventh Tier master suddenly suffering a debilitating brain condition?"

[Infinitely close to zero percent.]

"Alright, I understand."

Lu Luo's silence made Qi Xinzhu, beside him, sense something.

"Lu Luo..."

Before Qi Xinzhu could finish, Lu Luo interrupted her. "Let's hurry. We have many important things to do."

Lu Luo didn't want Qi Xinzhu to mention the person observing them again. Right now, the only thing he could do was head to the Second Ring as quickly as possible, run to the Judgment Chief's side—his mother-in-law—and ask for help. Although Lu Luo didn't know if his esteemed mother-in-law would let him cling to her leg for support, he was certain that she and the Pope's faction were hostile to each other. If he brought the pursuer to her, the two sides would likely clash, right? Once they started fighting, he and Qi Xinzhu would be safe.

Qi Xinzhu sensed Lu Luo's interruption. Knowing him well, she immediately understood he was signaling her not to speak further at this moment.

That person… probably hasn't left yet!

"Mm, okay."

「...」

After the two descended the high wall, the old woman touched her somewhat tattered hood, which had been shredded by Qi Xinzhu's Sword Qi moments before. Lu Luo's perception was very accurate, and Qi Xinzhu's reactive attack had been sharp. The Sword Qi had indeed struck her, but as it made contact, the old woman's body had suddenly entered an ethereal state, as if merging with the air itself. Thus, Qi Xinzhu's strike had felt like it cut through empty air. They thought they had missed; in reality, they had hit.

The old woman then simply tore off her hood, revealing a bald head. Hairless, she appeared exceptionally eerie, especially floating in the air like that—as uncanny as the Specter Species depicted in many books.

"He noticed me just now? This Lu Luo… he's quite interesting."

The old woman watched Lu Luo from afar, choosing not to follow him at that moment. Lu Luo had already detected her. Although he hadn't pinpointed her location, his detection abilities were already formidable. To avoid unnecessary trouble, the old woman thought it best to maintain some distance from Lu Luo. This was, after all, the Second High Wall, teeming with Wall Guardians. Making a move meant revealing herself, and revealing herself meant exposing her identity. If she could achieve a one-hit kill, that would be fine. But if she acted rashly and was detected beforehand, failing to kill in one blow or even being delayed for a few seconds, many unforeseen complications could arise. The Wall Guardians would recognize her, an outcome the old woman did not desire.

At this moment, the old woman glanced towards the direction where the battle between the Judgment Chief and the Pope had erupted, a faint smile playing on her lips.

"That old fellow Fan Zhen… he probably won't survive. Qi Xinzhu will be mine!"

After a short wait, sufficient distance had opened up between the old woman and Lu Luo's group. She began to drift again, silently tailing Lu Luo and Qi Xinzhu. Her tracking was truly imperceptible to gods and ghosts alike. Unfortunately for her, she had encountered Lu Luo. Lu Luo was neither god nor ghost. Of course, he couldn't really be considered human either.

After the old woman moved on, a tiny eye suddenly opened where she had been. The eyeball was hazy, like a nascent dream, existing in the space between illusion and reality. Without close inspection, one would hardly notice its presence. But once this eye appeared, Lu Luo gained a general understanding of the old woman's situation.

"A shriveled, decaying, bald old woman?"

Judging people by their appearance is wrong, but there's often a basis for such judgments. From a person's appearance, one can roughly infer their identity, experiences, and some potential abilities. Although many people conceal their true selves, Lu Luo suspected that an enemy with the ability to become invisible wouldn't bother disguising her physical appearance. Judging by her appearance and the density of her age spots, this old bald woman must be over 150 years old. At that age, it's unlikely she's one of the Judgment Chief's people. The Judgment Chief's followers are mostly young or middle-aged. Although some are no longer youthful, they surely aren't this old. This old woman, like the Pope, likely belongs to the old guard faction of the Church.

[Unknown female, Seventh Tier, abilities unknown, Sequence unknown, attributes unknown.]

Although the Observer provided three unknowns, Lu Luo had obtained sufficiently accurate information: the opponent was indeed a Seventh Tier master.

An old adversary on par with the Pope!

Lu Luo took a deep breath, suppressing his unease, and said to Qi Xinzhu beside him, "Xinzhu, let's walk a bit faster. I want to go see the battle between the Judgment Chief and the Pope."

"Huh? Didn't you just say we should wait from a distance? Why do you want to go over there now?"

As they walked, Lu Luo explained his reasoning with a smile, "Didn't I just break through to the Fifth Tier? I don't have a very clear idea of the Sixth to Seventh Tiers yet. I didn't want to go before because of safety concerns, but look, all these people are heading that way, which means the safety issue isn't as severe as I thought. Witnessing such a battle up close is a rare opportunity. If I can observe a fight between the strongest in the Alliance, it might provide some inspiration for my future development."

[This reasoning is sound and convincing. The person following you should also believe it.]

Lu Luo's stated reason was indeed plausible. The Transcendents currently in the Second Ring were all heading towards the location of the battle between the Judgment Chief and the Pope. As Lu Luo had said, such a battle was among the strongest combatants in the Alliance. Any ambitious Transcendent would likely not refuse the chance to observe such a fight up close.

Qi Xinzhu nodded. "Alright, let's go then. This way is closer."

Just as Qi Xinzhu was about to take a shortcut, Lu Luo stopped her. "No, no, no, let's not take a shortcut. We'll stick close to the high wall and follow the crowd. I also need to observe the terrain of the Second Ring."

"Oh, alright then." Qi Xinzhu agreed without much thought.

Lu Luo took Qi Xinzhu's hand, and they began moving with the flow of people. His reason for this path was simple: the high wall had Wall Guardians. After the battle erupted, the number of Wall Guardians had increased even further. When facing danger, heading towards crowded places, towards where the "police uncles" were, was the most rational choice. Lu Luo didn't know if this would deter the old woman behind them, but he had no better options at the moment. Mingling in the crowd gave him a slight sense of security.

Even so, Lu Luo's mind didn't stop working.

"At this speed, considering the size of the Second Ring, we probably can't shake her off. Since we can't shake her off, the question becomes: how do you kill a Seventh Tier master? Waiting online, quite urgent. Sigh, if only I had some way to instantly look things up, I'd probably know by now."

「...」

Near the wooden cabins of the Second Ring, all surrounding structures had been razed to the ground. Intense energy clung to the debris. Stones and house remnants, for instance, continuously emitted a faint golden glow from the energy coating them.

Pope Fan Zhen gazed thoughtfully at the scene, seemingly unable to fully comprehend Bai Qingshuang's combat methods. "Bai Qingshuang, tell me, what exactly are you doing?"

"Fan Zhen, haven't you seen? At this point, are you still feigning ignorance?"

Pope Fan Zhen looked at the utter devastation around him, and a flicker of understanding dawned. Was Bai Qingshuang intending to completely destroy the Second Ring?

"Destroy and then rebuild? A very effective method indeed. But what are these specks of light?"

"Specks of light? Those are called Sun's Flares. Can you feel it, Fan Zhen? The Sun's Flares are filled with the aura of light. This energy is true light; it is warmer and purer than Holy Radiance." As Bai Qingshuang spoke, she casually condensed another flare and tossed it towards Pope Fan Zhen.

This seemingly ordinary attack unleashed earth-shattering energy and a deafening roar. An attack of this magnitude was already comparable in power to the Dark Energy Missiles, the highest-grade weapon of the Grand Arsenal. Yet, this was merely a casual strike from Bai Qingshuang. Even Pope Fan Zhen could not easily withstand such an attack. But if he dodged, Bai Qingshuang's attacks would obliterate swathes of buildings—personal cultivation sites established by the Church in the Second Ring. Each of these sites had its own name and identity, a legacy left by the Church and the Council in the Second Ring over the past 400 years. But Bai Qingshuang was now systematically destroying this legacy, and doing so with clear intent.

Since their battle began, Bai Qingshuang had relocated twice, destroying a vast number of structures in the Second Ring. She was using Pope Fan Zhen to achieve her goal of reshuffling the Inner Ring.

"Still not going to fight back? If you don't, I'll destroy that place!" Bai Qingshuang said, pointing to a nearby building.

Fan Zhen's aged face darkened, his chest heaving. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Seeing Fan Zhen's refusal to engage, Bai Qingshuang lost her patience. "Enough, Teacher Fan Zhen. This is the last time I will call you 'Teacher.' The Wasteland Alliance needs to move forward, not stagnate. So, you've forced my hand."

Bai Qingshuang raised her hand like a blade and swung it gently. "Great Annihilation!"

"What?" Before Fan Zhen could react, he was engulfed by light.

BOOM!

An astonishing flare shot towards Pope Fan Zhen. Holy Radiance mingled with the sun-like flare, annihilating everything in its path. Before this incredible power, Pope Fan Zhen was like a rootless weed, tossed about helplessly. The shockwave rolled over Fan Zhen and slammed directly into the Second High Wall. This wall, which had guarded humanity for over 300 years, collapsed with a thunderous crash, leaving a massive breach in its southeastern section.

Whether it was the Wall Guardians stationed atop the wall or the Transcendents caught in the energy wave, all were instantly reduced to ash. Residual energy from the Sun's Flare clung to the fractured Second High Wall, causing it to emit a continuous, dazzling shimmer. This light seemed to make the somber Wasteland Alliance a little more radiant.

As the dust settled, the survivors stared blankly at the breach in the high wall, then at the corpses strewn around. A profound sense of desolation washed over them.

"Why did this happen? What on earth occurred?"

Just as this desolation filled everyone's hearts, a golden orb of light slowly ascended into the sky. Golden sunlight bathed the land. All who were severely injured, even those on the brink of death, regained their vitality under this light. Limbs regenerated, and wounds gradually healed. Seeing their newly formed, unblemished skin, many wore expressions of joyful surprise.

"I'm not dead! And my old injuries are healed?"

"I feel even better than before!"

"Me too!"

At the same time, Bai Qingshuang's voice resonated from the sky:

"Everyone, I am Bai Qingshuang, Judgment Chief of the Dawn Church. I am currently engaged in battle with Pope Fan Zhen. The Wasteland Alliance must change; everything must change. And these changes begin now. This is an unavoidable conflict of ideals. I do not wish to harm the innocent, nor do I want any of you—the talented people of the Wasteland Alliance—to die in such a battle.

"I have done my best to treat your injuries, but the battle between myself and the Pope will continue.

"Therefore, I implore you all to leave this area."

Bai Qingshuang offered no stirring rhetoric, only simple, unvarnished truth. Yet, sometimes, truth spoken plainly and backed by action is far more effective than an elaborately embellished speech. Those still present in the Second Ring at this time were generally not ordinary people; most were exceptionally skilled Transcendents. Thus, after Bai Qingshuang finished speaking, they had a clear understanding of the situation. They exchanged glances. If the previous state of the battle had allowed them to observe safely, it was now clearly impossible.

Their survival after the calamity had already sparked much discussion, but at this moment, everyone fell silent. They were alive, but those who had died directly in Bai Qingshuang's recent strike had not been revived. However, no one spoke up for the dead now. Those still living were all profoundly grateful to Bai Qingshuang; after all, she had truly saved them.

The crowd gradually dispersed, heading towards the Third Ring through the breach in the Second High Wall. Along the way, some Transcendents, whether by chance or intent, came into contact with the Sun's Flares scattered on the ground. When they did, these flares flowed into their bodies, creating a new type of energy seed. This energy, like the power of the sun, possessed a warmth that not only shone like Holy Radiance but also warmed the heart. This was a pleasant surprise for these Transcendents, as gaining an additional type of energy was undoubtedly significant. It was similar to Lu Luo gaining Netherflame; even though the Netherflame was small in scale, it proved highly versatile in his hands. The situation for these individuals was comparable. To gain a new elemental energy for no reason was certainly cause for happiness, especially since this energy was majestic and grand, appearing even more righteous than Holy Radiance.

These energy seeds would gradually mature. Their ultimate potential would depend on Bai Qingshuang's own development.

「...」

Thus, with a single attack and a single act of healing, Bai Qingshuang had not only dispersed the crowd but also won their hearts. She herself slowly descended from the sky, landing on the ruined ground, and surveyed the devastation before her.

"Alright, Teacher Fan Zhen, everyone is gone now. You can drop the pretense. It's been 200 years. In these two hundred years, have you ever truly shown your hand?"

BAM!

An arm, muscular and healthy, suddenly burst from the scorched earth. Neither its complexion nor its skin appeared old; it looked, at most, like that of a man in his prime. The arm shattered the charred soil around it, and a tall man slowly climbed out from the ashes.

"Truly astonishing. A power like the sun itself." The robust man was none other than Pope Fan Zhen. He had now reverted to his youth, appearing as a man in his late thirties. Not strikingly handsome, nor overly brawny, his most notable feature, beneath an otherwise unremarkable appearance, was his towering height.

Bai Qingshuang looked at Fan Zhen, disgust evident in her eyes. "Indeed. The original source is still you."

Fan Zhen rotated his neck, as if acclimating to this much younger body. He didn't respond to Bai Qingshuang's statement but instead looked at the breach in the high wall behind him. "Bai Qingshuang, your strength has indeed surpassed mine. And your methods are truly excellent. By attacking the city wall and healing the wounded, you've gained the acknowledgment of these talented individuals. A truly effective two-pronged approach. However, after expending so much Holy Radiance to heal others, what power do you have left to defeat me?"

An astonishing surge of Holy Radiance erupted from Fan Zhen's body. Undoubtedly, it wasn't just his appearance that had returned to its peak condition.

Bai Qingshuang stared at Pope Fan Zhen, her initial composure now replaced by open disgust. Bai Qingshuang was usually somewhat unexpressive; for her to display such emotion meant Fan Zhen's actions had truly repulsed her.

"Fan Zhen, just how many Fruits of Life have you consumed?"

"I have lived for 203 years. Therefore, I have consumed 203 Fruits of Life. The power of life allows me to return to a youthful state; that is the power of Life Return. It is one of the greatest powers in this world. Originally, I could have become even younger, even reaching Xinzhu's age. For this, I endured for many years. Three years ago, to slow the passage of life, I even entered a state of quiescence. A pity… I was so close to success."

Looking at Fan Zhen, now restored to his thirties, Bai Qingshuang's disgust deepened. "If before, you merely seemed like an odious relic of the past, now you are simply nauseating! Fan Zhen, you are truly a disgusting creature."

Facing Bai Qingshuang's revulsion, Fan Zhen burst into loud laughter. "Hahaha, HAHAHAHA! Bai Qingshuang, your appearance is like a cruel joke played on me by the heavens! All my plans have been disrupted because of you. Your experiences, your hardships… they shine as brightly as those of a protagonist destined by this world. I could never understand why the Wasteland Alliance would produce someone like you. The protagonist of this world should be me! I have been Pope for 157 years. In these 157 years, what do you think I've done? Prayed to Li Ming every day? Bai Qingshuang, do you think you're the only one in this world who has touched the threshold of the Eighth Order? There has never been only one path to the Eighth Order. Just as I said before, perhaps your method is correct, but that doesn't mean mine is wrong. When Life Returns, I will ascend to the Eighth Order!"

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