Zhao Xun looked at the powerful wish power gathering, feeling a trace of reluctance, but thinking about the nutrients used as materials would also be very abundant, he felt a bit of anticipation.

Luo Xue was not in life-threatening danger, mainly external injuries. Although Rastan won, the spiritual ability of that sword went deep into the body, and the injury might be slightly more severe. Of course, if it were a life-and-death battle, Luo Xue would have already died.

Li Xin watched Zhao Xun get up and walk inside. Where was he going at this time?

He felt like he was about to grasp the key, vaguely sensing that the Four Nations tournament was related to whether Zhao Xun could become a councilor, so he could oppose the Archbishop. But if the two were together, the Archbishop would definitely support Zhao Xun in becoming a councilor and wouldn't hold him back. This reason was for all of Celestial Capital, even to act for those above, to cover their true intentions.

The real purpose of the Four Nations tournament was not the councilor position but to obtain these wish powers.

There was no news from Kathy; it seemed things weren't going smoothly. The human wish power gathering in the air disappeared again. Clearly, most of it wasn't absorbed by those on the battlefield.

Who took it?

Worms are from the abyss, and creatures from the abyss find it difficult to enter the real world, definitely requiring certain conditions. The Knightly Path requires glory, which is a form of wish power. He already saw it. Simply put, it should be a pure human wish generated by all.

Mr. Cancer once said that different paths have different needs. Matthew isn't a knight; he is a preacher. So, when he seized wish power, it was definitely for his own use.

Is there a connection between wish power and worms?

Feeling the direction where the wish power vanished.

Li Xin's eyes lit up instantly; Matthew's old lair is in the arena!

...

In the massive underground chamber deep within the arena, each jar's rune was illuminated, with people inside the jars showing painful and twisted expressions. Their bodies would occasionally bulge out with huge writhing lumps, blood vessels bursting. A barrier was set around them on the outside, and sound couldn't penetrate outside. Meanwhile, Matthew was releasing spiritual ability, guiding the descent of the worms. The continuously gathering wish power was an important medium to attract them.

Some jars were approaching maturity, and worms had already crawled out of the bodies, though they weren't stable yet, with colors of a translucent flickering medium state, needing to consume flesh and blood remaining in the real world.

Matthew was brimming with astonishing spiritual ability to sustain it all. The door to the secret chamber opened, with Zhao Xun also entering. Looking at the sacrifice situation, a brilliant smile appeared on his face. Having a success rate of five or six out of ten in this batch would be quite perfect.

"How's it going outside?" Matthew asked while observing the condition of the jars.

"Everything is going smoothly, within control," Zhao Xun laughed, "Everyone has been played like a fiddle by us."

"Keep an eye on it, there's no issue here," Matthew said flatly.

Sometimes Zhao Xun admired Matthew. He really didn't know how he held it in, watching a wiggling creature devour flesh and blood, feeling sheer joy. They are all little darlings, and it seemed like his big darling inside was also very excited recently, barely holding back, itching to gobble it all up immediately.

The continuous wish power was drawn into the array, maintaining the worms' forms when suddenly the wish power thinned out drastically.

Matthew's pupils contracted, and his expression turned somewhat solemn, "Go up and take a look; something seems wrong."

Zhao Xun's face looked bad as well. What could go wrong at this time?

When he reappeared in the arena, Zhao Xun's pupils dilated instantly. Human wish power was gone, the entire arena filled with a sense of depression and despair...

???

Within the Arena of Justice, the heroic Zhao Qing was being trampled by Kazi, battered and bruised.

Zhao Qing struggled to get up, only to be stomped down again by Kazi. His face covered in blood, Zhao Qing shouted with all his might, "Kazi, what are you doing, we had an agreement!"

Kazi laughed, pulling at his ear and blowing the dirt towards Zhao Qing, "I'd like to, but you are really too useless, not even awakening the Eye of Secret Insight. I think our deal is off."

"You goddamn bastard, you won't get out of Celestial Capital like this."

"Oh my, threatening me again; I hate being threatened the most!" Kazi laughed, stomping down once again. Amidst the crowd's horrified gasps, Zhao Qing's ribcage shattered underfoot.

However, Kazi seemed unsatisfied, spitting on the ground towards Zhao Qing, "Damn it, trash like you has no glory, a complete waste."

From the start, Black Meteor people had no intention of losing; the performance was all for show. Facing interests, Black Meteor people never make choices, wanting it all!

All of it!

Trailing zero to two, key players Zhao Qing and Luo Xue were either overwhelmingly defeated or beaten as if being toyed with like monkeys, making the atmosphere feel like a graveyard.

Zhao Xun's face also appeared dark as iron, having planned everything only to forget the Black Meteors' betrayal, but now it was too late for anything.

As the stretcher carrying Zhao Qing passed by, Zhao Xun suppressed his killing intent, signaling to stop, saying coldly, "You all go assist the others; I'll handle this."

The few did not dare defy the Count, immediately bowing, "Yes, my lord."

Once people left, Zhao Xun dragged one of Zhao Qing's legs into the shadows, heading towards the secret passage.

Zhao Qing's failure meant the plan this time was over, unfortunately significantly lowering the success rate, but now wasn't the time to settle accounts with Black Meteors.

Zhao Qing felt a chill of fear; he knew all too well what kind of monster his father was. Just as he was about to plead, a punch came to his mouth, knocking all his teeth out and sinking his mouth. At this moment, Zhao Xun's face bore no emotion.

When Zhao Xun brought Zhao Qing into the secret chamber, some worms had already died, with only a few barely holding on. Matthew's face still showed no expression.

"Damn it, it's all this little waste's fault; the Black Meteors reneged and lost. Is there enough still?" Zhao Xun stomped hard again.

"Only about a tenth remains," Matthew said flatly.

Zhao Qing awoke, the searing pain already numb, while the fear before him was real... Archbishop Matthew???

"Little bastard, surprised, aren't you," Zhao Xun laughed, "It's a blessing to die under the Archbishop's watchful eye. Haven't you always wanted to know how to absorb spiritual ability without mutating? I'll tell you now."

At this moment, Zhao Xun's smile in Zhao Qing's eyes had turned into a demon's. He realized something, trembling all over, mouth making unintelligible noises pleading, tears and mucus mixed with blood streaming down.

The Church had a secret technique that processed worms before implanting them into a human body; as long as the host didn't eat human flesh and blood, didn't absorb human spiritual ability, and restrained the urge to fall, they wouldn't mutate. This was a form of cultivation.

That's why Chris's cries were useless.

But this endurance was extremely cruel; preachers like Matthew probably could do it, but Zhao Xun definitely couldn't.

They discovered another shortcut.

He dragged Zhao Qing to a fully developed worm, which instantly sensed fresh flesh and powerful spiritual ability, leaping from the original sacrifice directly onto Zhao Qing.

Zhao Qing couldn't make a sound, terror filling his pupils as the worm pierced through his chest and began voraciously devouring. The potent life force and abundant high-quality spiritual abilities allowed the worm to visibly grow larger and tastier. In no time, Zhao Qing went motionless, body desiccated, with all spiritual ability and blood drained.

At this moment, Zhao Xun was already impatient with greed like a monster on his face, as a pitch-black worm emerged from his chest, opening its mouth and devouring the plump worm in one gulp. Instantly, Zhao Xun's face appeared with unprecedented satisfaction. Indeed, it required worms nurtured by the Awakened for sufficient replenishment.

This was why Zhao Xun was unmoved by Chris's cries; directly devouring human blood and spiritual ability would rapidly transform into a monster, but adding one more step caused a great variance, a genius idea.

The mastermind behind the invention was Archbishop Matthew.

They referred to this process as "filtering."

Matthew watched the patricide calmly, glanced at the shadows, and his expression finally changed, "You're here."

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