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Chapter 465: Lanchi and Sigrid's Heart-to-Heart Under the Moon
Chapter 465: Lanchi and Sigrid's Heart-to-Heart Under the Moon
"My original intention when coming to the Northern Continent was merely to complete a research project. Admittedly, I have ventured further than I expected, but becoming a Cardinal is out of the question."
Lanchi continued with a smile.
He had obtained the [Proof of Rebirth] in the Southern Continent to infiltrate the Rebirth Church in the North. Initially, he agreed to follow Sigrid because he found her amicable, but he never considered joining the Rebirth Church in the South.
The pink Sacred-grade [Saint's Proof] could still be unbound, but the orange Epic-grade [Bishop's Proof] would be a lifelong commitment.
"Should I call you greedy or indifferent?"
Sigrid shook her head as she commented.
The biggest difference between her and the Saint was that she had unlimited ambition, while the Saint's motivation to act depended on the level of chaos in his environment.
If everything was peaceful and stable, he would become lethargic and lack the drive to do anything.
"You should know that the [Bishop's Proof] is an Epic-level item desired by many powerful individuals. It transforms into a unique seal tailored to its owner, perfectly suited for engraving your clerical rank, and it cannot be destroyed. Don't say I didn't warn you."
Sigrid added.
Epic-level materials were not treasures that could be bought with money. Aside from finding them in the present world through extremely complex clues, the only other option was to venture into the Shadow World, making it even more challenging to obtain something suitable for oneself.
"Can't I just get it from the Shadow World?"
Lanchi asked after some thought.
"Of course, if you are particularly adept at navigating the Shadow World."
Sigrid nodded after a moment's hesitation.
Although the Shadow World was not their primary focus in the Northern Continent, the fact that the Saint used the word "obtain" indicated that he was indeed skilled in that realm.
Anyway, the Saint was still far from the seventh-rank, and his focus wasn't on improving his strength through cultivation. Reaching the seventh-rank would largely depend on the Shadow World.
"By the way, what other benefits does the [Bishop's Proof] offer?"
Lanchi had only seen Sigrid's silver moon crown seal, which emanated an orange radiance, when he was captured by her initially, but he couldn't discern its specific effects.
So far, he had encountered the ordinary [Proof of Rebirth] and possessed the [Saint's Proof] belonging to the Saint, but he had no knowledge about the genuine [Bishop's Proof].
Cat Boss pricked up his ears.
Usually, this kind of intelligence was inaccessible in the Southern Continent. Even the United Parliament of the Southern Continent might not have detailed information about the [Bishop's Proof]. Yet now, a Cardinal was sitting next to Lanchi, casually chatting and sharing insights.
Wait, why was he being held by that Cardinal?
Lately, he had almost forgotten that Sid was part of that formidable Papal Church!
He didn't want to be the mascot of the Papal Church branch!
"First of all, the Cardinal's [Proof of Rebirth] exerts a strong special attack attribute against low-rank [Proof of Rebirth] holders. It also allows you to locate the approximate position of clerics from the same branch. In addition to creating [Proofs of Rebirth] of various ranks for your branch, you can discern the authenticity of [Proofs of Rebirth] presented by other branches, making it easy to determine if someone is a member of the Rebirth Church. It's a crucial tool for wielding power and efficiently managing your organization."
Sigrid leaned closer and explained to Lanchi without holding anything back,
"Cardinals can also initiate the Bishop's Council and enter a high-dimensional space to hold meetings. However, due to the magical disaster that separates the Northern and Southern Continents, crossing between the two continents only reveals blurry silhouettes, making it impossible to convey messages. Therefore, for now, only Bishops on the same continent can initiate meetings with other Bishops on that continent—those in the Southern Continent with those in the Southern Continent and those in the Northern Continent with those in the Northern Continent.
"Then there's the Deadly Arena and the Bishop's Vote Ritual."
"That's way more powerful than a sixth-rank communication spell, even if it can only communicate with specific targets," Lanchi exclaimed in surprise.
Most high-dimensional communications could only be initiated through divine arts, and even then, there would be various restrictions.
"Yes, if I went to the Southern Continent and suddenly joined their internal meetings, it would probably give them quite a shock as well. But here in the Northern Continent, the Cardinal Bishops rarely hold meetings unless it's convened by the Pope himself," Sigrid replied. She recalled seeing the silhouettes of the Southern Continent Bishops in the Bishops' Council chamber.
At the very least, they were aware of each other's existence, but interactions were rare.
The power dynamics among the Cardinal Bishops in the Southern Continent tended to be more dispersed, and they might even cooperate with one another on occasion. In contrast, the relationships between the Cardinal Bishops in the Northern Continent were not as amicable, and enemies like Askesan and Sigrid were not uncommon. While collaborations between Cardinal Bishops in the north couldn't be ruled out, most of the time, they minded their own business.
As for the Pope, he had ventured into the Ninth-Rank Shadow World with the other Ninth-Rank powerhouses of the present world over a year ago and hadn't been seen since. No one knew when he would return.
The Ninth-Rank Shadow World held the promise of legendary Ninth-Rank magic cards and materials of unknown rank. Once it opened, Ninth-Rank professionals would scramble for the opportunity to enter, seeking even greater power.
Additionally, if the Ninth-Rank Shadow World was left unattended or mishandled, it could unleash calamities comparable to the magical plague miasma in the seas between the Northern and Southern Continents or the disastrous earth in the Far North.
The vast majority of living beings did not wish for disasters of such magnitude to befall the present world.
This was precisely why the Shadow World had to be dealt with.
"I understand now. The seals and authority of the Rebirth Church are indeed extraordinary divine artifacts," Lanchi nodded in realization. The rest of the Cardinal's abilities involved power plays among the Bishops, and there was publicly available intelligence on those.
The Bishop's Vote Ritual, for instance, allowed Cardinal Bishops to initiate a vote to elect a new Pope, the only way for a new Pope to ascend to the position.
Once someone became the Pope, the owner of the [Papal Authority], they would exert the highest special attack attribute against all holders of the [Proof of Rebirth]. In cases of similar power levels, should any Cardinal Bishop's [Bishop's Proof] evolve into the [Papal Authority], the other Cardinal Bishops would stand no chance against the new Pope, who would then reign supreme over the Rebirth Church.
Each new Pope's ascension was accompanied by a bloody purge, eliminating opposing Bishops and their branches.
Sigrid was evidently an ambitious Cardinal with aspirations of becoming the Pope.
As for the Deadly Arena, it was a deadly duel where Bishops wagered their [Bishop's Proof]. Once the arena was activated, the battle would continue until a victor emerged; there was no stopping midway. However, both parties had to agree to initiate it, and it was expressly forbidden by the Pope, who did not permit a Bishop to hold multiple [Bishop's Proofs].
"So, has it tempted you to become a Cardinal Bishop at all?" Sigrid nudged Lanchi with her shoulder and asked.
Cat Boss felt his heart leap into his throat.
He dreaded the thought of Lanchi being swayed by Sigrid's offer!
"No, I can't. My Southern Continent identification will be revoked," Lanchi shook his head helplessly.
"Aww, I was hoping that one day, you'd become a Cardinal Bishop too, and we could continue our adventures together in the Northern Continent. But I respect your decision," Sigrid sighed in disappointment. However, she didn't want to force the Saint, and if he preferred to remain her Saint, that was fine with her too.
"But if you ever change your mind and want to become the Pope, I'd be happy to help you," Lanchi smiled and said.
(End of Chapter)
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