A Divine Gift from Du Chen!

The Pontiff's expression remained serene, a faint, benevolent smile still gracing his lips, yet internally, he felt a flicker of astonishment, and even a hint of delight! Francis is avaricious; that he would be such a greedy man is truly an excellent sign! But do you truly believe a few empty words can siphon vast fortunes from my coffers? Your current worth, in my estimation, amounts to precisely one million Gold Coins. Should you desire more, then demonstrate a greater value!

Thus, the Pontiff chuckled, "I graciously accept your praise, favored child of the gods! The living Representative of the Gods believes the common folk along the Newin River have endured far too much suffering. The Holy Church shall not only bestow blessings upon them but also aid in the rebuilding of their homes! However, it is rather premature to discuss such matters now; once the Dragon Clan's affairs have settled, Bairu will negotiate with you!"

Hmph, this old fox is clearly a master of cunning commerce. We two brothers shall have to hash out the finer details!

Du Chen again lauded the Pontiff, bringing the first round of their exchange to a close. The outcome: both he and Deboning would join the Pontiff's faction, participating in his campaign against the Dragon Clan, thereby securing one million Gold Coins to assist the common folk of his territory!

The two then engaged in casual conversation.

Standing by, Mas, seizing the moment the Pontiff's gaze drifted elsewhere, scratched his head and grumbled inwardly, "Damn it all, the Old One, the Pontiff, is excellent in every regard, save for his penchant for prattling! And Francis, too! What good is all that endless chatter between those two, anyway?!"

While parrying the Pontiff's inquiries, Du Chen inwardly grumbled, "This old fox is the type who won't commit without guaranteed returns, only willing to pay a mere one million Gold Coins for my current self! Dammit, am I truly worth so little? The Newin River region is abundant in mountains but scarce in arable land; among its three hundred thousand inhabitants, a hundred thousand are farmers. I'm preparing to amass a substantial sum to construct seaside terraced fields, to resolve the populace's livelihood issues, and this paltry sum is absolutely insufficient..."

Just then, the Pontiff spoke, "Favored child of the gods! Where is that friend of yours now, the one who aided Mas and Bairu in neutralizing the Undead Self-Detonation on Mount Tianshan? Would it be convenient for me to meet him? The living Representative of the Gods wishes to personally thank him for saving two such invaluable talents of the Papal Curia!"

Du Chen bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, my friend, upon learning of my impending audience with you, specifically entrusted me with conveying his regards. Furthermore, you may address him as Du Chen!"

Heh, Francis is finally willing to reveal the name of his mysterious friend! This is excellent! Since Francis is willing to introduce this enigmatic associate to the Papal Curia, then his value has undoubtedly risen!

The Pontiff said, "So your friend is named Du Chen! Convey my greetings to him on behalf of the living Representative of the Gods, and simultaneously, present him with a small gift..." Hm, Francis appreciates precision, so the Pontiff added, "There are five fundamental elements in this world. I wonder, which elemental lineage of Battle God does he belong to?"

I'll add another five hundred thousand for you!

Five hundred thousand? Not... enough!

Du Chen smiled, "Reporting to Your Majesty, that friend of mine has already fused with a second element..." *I want two five hundreds!*

The Pontiff chuckled, "Heh, I hadn't imagined your friend is already an Eleventh-level Battle God, on par with the living Representative of the Gods. Indeed, only such a one could nullify Philip's self-detonation with a mere flick of the hand! After the Godslayer War, the gods themselves have withered, and divine traces are exceedingly rare to behold!" *Alright, I'll give you two five hundreds, but you must let me meet him as soon as possible!*

You want to meet Dus now? That won't do; that fellow's body is stiff, capable only of fleeting flashes of brilliance, certainly not a sustained flow! Du Chen then said aloud, "As Your Majesty has stated, my friend's whereabouts are shrouded in mystery, and he is indeed a rare sight to behold..."

The Pontiff's expression remained impassive, yet his gaze towards Du Chen sharpened perceptibly!

Du Chen hastily interjected, "Ah, Your Majesty, forgive my lapse! Francis, overwhelmed by your divine might upon our first meeting, fearfully forgot one crucial detail—Du Chen, that is, my friend, also entrusted me with a 'small' gift to present to you!"

"Oh? He is far too courteous! Mas, present Mr. Du Chen's gift!"

Mas stared blankly at the empty-handed Du Chen. "A gift? Francis never mentioned anything to me!"

Du Chen chuckled, "Your Majesty, that 'small' gift... Heh, I fear your Eye of Heaven Temple might not be able to contain it!"

Mas glanced around the temple, spacious enough to host a banquet for a hundred, and frowned. "If even this place can't hold it, then how can it be called a 'small' gift?!"

Du Chen merely smiled, offering no reply.

The Pontiff watched Du Chen in silence, then suddenly waved a hand. "Expand the temple! Let all unnecessary personnel withdraw!"

At his command, two squads of heavily armored warriors suddenly emerged from behind the golden temple's wooden walls. With incredible speed, they dismantled and reassembled the temple's wooden partitions, retreating ten meters in mere moments. Instantly, the Eye of Heaven Temple felt as though it had expanded severalfold!

Yet Du Chen shook his head. "Your Majesty, it still needs to be larger!"

The warriors expanded it further.

"Not enough, even larger!"

Mas urgently exclaimed, "Francis, what exactly is this gift?! The temple is now a hundred and fifty meters in both length and width! If we expand any further, we'll have to dismantle the outer walls of the Pontiff's Golden Grand Tent!"

"That will do, then!" Du Chen declared, grinning as he extended his fist before the Pontiff, spreading his fingers to reveal a small, resplendent golden lotus. "Your Majesty, this is a trifle my friend fashioned using a Secret Technique, specifically designed to contain that small gift!"

The Pontiff's eyes swept over the lotus without a pause—Du Chen had suppressed all its aura, making the lotus appear to possess no special qualities beyond its beauty; otherwise, possessing such a treasure would invite calamity!

"Your Majesty, the space is still insufficient; I must ask you to step back!" Following Du Chen's feigned, almost exhausted low cry...

Whoosh!

A furious gale erupted within the temple!

Immediately thereafter, a colossal dragon, over a hundred meters in length, materialized out of thin air, crashing down with a thunderous impact before the Pontiff, embedding the crimson carpet deep into the earth!

Then, the lotus in Du Chen's hand transformed into specks of golden light, dissipating with an utterly tragic beauty... Du Chen sighed, "This beautiful little one has fulfilled its mission and returned to its origin!"

The Pontiff and Mas paid no heed to the lotus in Du Chen's hand; the instant the colossal dragon appeared, Mas was utterly dumbfounded!

The Pontiff's face remained as still as an ancient well, though none could guess his inner thoughts. He slowly circled the dragon's massive form, pausing at a wound on its back, and calmly stated, "One of the Five Peaks of Myriad Streams, the former leader of the Sacred Dragons... Constantine!"

Gazing up at the wound, fully ten meters high, the Pontiff's expression remained utterly placid. "The injury is peculiar; it bears both metal-elemental stab wounds and water-elemental corrosion evolved from metal-elemental forces, compounded by an exceedingly mysterious divine power intermingled within... This was inflicted by someone... No, by a god! A killing blow forged from the fusion of three powers, crippling Constantine in a single strike! He had no room for even a flicker of resistance!"

Du Chen couldn't help but admire the Pontiff's discerning eye!

But he admired Deboning even more, for his profound understanding of Dragon Clan anatomy—that single strike had perfectly severed Constantine's spinal column, and the wound, both internal and external, appeared seamlessly identical, making it impossible to discern if the attack came from within or without!

At the same time, the old dragon had been rendered a 'vegetative dragon'—a living Constantine would reveal he had been ambushed from within, thus exposing the lie that 'Du Chen, the Divine, crippled Constantine with a single, immense divine strike.' And if he died... what if he was lucky enough to become one of The Undead? Therefore, a 'vegetative dragon,' neither truly alive nor truly dead, was the optimal outcome!

Of course, Du Chen also had to admire Dus's rendering of the wound with the Lotus Sacred Artifacts; this sacred injury, how it accentuated the might of its inflictor!

The Pontiff withdrew his gaze and slowly walked towards his golden reclining chair. "Moreover, a look of profound terror still lingered on Constantine's face, indicating he must have witnessed something utterly horrifying and alarming before the battle! Furthermore, the wound on Constantine's spine extends from his back deep into his internal organs, yet the incision is perfectly smooth and seamless, a testament to the fact that the god who struck him had long held Constantine's fate within their grasp, thus allowing for such a fluid and unhindered attack, devoid of even a hint of resistance or hesitation..."

With eyes slightly closed, Pontiff Sama IX, having concluded his analysis, settled precisely back into his golden reclining chair. "Francis, your friend has presented me with a truly remarkable gift!" His faintly closed eyes then shut completely.

Du Chen swiftly stated, "My friend, having recently learned of Your Majesty's unjust suffering and the Dragon Clan's increasing belligerence, personally prepared this small token to alleviate Your Majesty's worries!"

Mas gasped in astonishment, "To fell Constantine with a single strike? Even the Old One couldn't achieve that! Your friend must also be a god, correct? Which one? The Papal Curia's Divine Temple houses statues of all the gods..."

Seeing Du Chen waving him off, Mas shook his head, looking dispirited, and muttered, "To speak disrespectfully, even among the gods enshrined in the Papal Curia's Divine Temple, there are omissions..."

"Francis!"

The Pontiff's voice suddenly turned chillingly cold, yet its content made Du Chen's heart burn with anticipation. "On behalf of the gods, I declare that the lands along the Newin River shall receive divine blessings! Durkes City, before long, shall become the most prosperous and affluent city across the Three Continents!"

Still bewildered, Mas asked, "Omissions? Is he not enshrined within the temple?"

"Mas!" The Pontiff abruptly opened his eyes, then offered a slight smile. "During the Godslayer War, countless gods fell. Our Papal Curia, with limited manpower, inevitably made omissions when charting the divine pantheon... Francis, would your friend be willing to be newly enshrined within the Papal Curia's Divine Temple!"

Will he acknowledge the Pontiff's divine authority, and accept a partnership where I hold precedence?!

"My friend also has a message..." Du Chen mimicked a mysterious and aloof voice, saying, "Sama IX is the living Representative of the Gods, and I, too, am a God!"

As you wish!

The Pontiff erupted into boisterous laughter!

Du Chen seized the opportunity, stating, "Your Majesty, my friend seeks nothing save for all beings to embrace benevolence! And I, too, have always heeded his teachings, making good deeds my personal responsibility!"

"If your friend is a god, then his words are divine prophecy!" The Pontiff gazed calmly at Du Chen. "The Holy Church is currently revising the Holy Church's Code. The new code will incorporate fresh doctrines. For instance, the third chapter of the 'Divine Favor' scripture will state: 'Du Chen, the Divine, declares: All who believe in me must practice benevolence, and those who perform great acts of kindness shall assuredly receive my blessings!'"

"Your Majesty's boundless grace, Francis offers his heartfelt praise!" Du Chen bowed deeply, proclaiming aloud!

Yet the Pontiff shook his head. "The enshrinement of a god must occur in the presence of both myself and the god himself, Francis. Hasten to contact your friend!"

Du Chen smiled. "Of course, Your Majesty shall meet him very soon..."

"Restore the temple, and Mas, take Constantine away!" The Pontiff also smiled, addressing the half-asleep Snow Wolf. "Andy, since Constantine has been crippled by your master's friend, you certainly cannot be Constantine's son. Rest assured, the living Representative of the Gods will never permit the Dragon Clan to harm you!"

As Mas organized trustworthy subordinates to dig a pit within the Golden Grand Tent and temporarily bury Constantine, he grumbled, "Damn it all, my ears are growing calluses! What's with all this pointless chatter from the Old One and Francis?"

"Mas, when will you ever wise up?" Bairu walked over, shaking his head, helping Mas direct the men in concealing Constantine.

"Why am I not smart?" Mas complained. "Weren't the Old One and Francis just spouting endless nonsense? And rambling on with disjointed gibberish!"

"Sigh!" Bairu sighed helplessly. "Just now, His Holiness the Pontiff and Francis concluded a deal, a colossal deal, one that could very well reshape the future landscape of the Three Continents!"

Mas stared wide-eyed, directly at Bairu.

Bairu shook his head and explained, "Just now, Francis first used Brook's strength as leverage, extracting considerable benefits from the Pontiff. Then, he suddenly upped the stakes, proving he had a powerhouse behind him capable of crippling Constantine in a single strike, forcing the Pontiff to pay even more... Never mind! I'll just tell you the outcome! You only need to remember this: Francis, his entourage, and that Du Chen, the Divine, shall fall under the Pontiff's dominion. They won't attend daily worship, but must render aid when trouble arises! He has essentially become a part of the Papal Curia, and will henceforth dedicate his life to the Pontiff!"

Mas was stunned. "Francis truly agreed to this?"

"Indeed! But His Holiness the Pontiff also paid no small price!" Bairu calculated, "Your Majesty will provide limitless Gold Coins to support the construction of Durkes City, and furthermore, he will acknowledge Du Chen, the Divine's, legitimate status, tacitly permitting him to propagate doctrines that do not endanger the Holy Church's rule!"

Mas pondered for a long while, then chuckled, "Heh, Your Majesty has no shortage of money, and acknowledging a minor sect is simple enough. It seems we've made a huge profit this time! Not only did we acquire a Constantine who is neither dead nor alive, but we also gained the support of a god-level The Master! Francis must be losing his shirt!"

"Francis certainly incurred a loss! But what recourse did he have?" Bairu chuckled. "The things he desired were negligible in the Pontiff's eyes. However, these very things—limitless Gold Coins, and the legitimate status acknowledged by the Holy Church—are insurmountable for him in his current position! To obtain them, he had to pay an immense price!"

With a cold laugh, Bairu summarized in a single sentence, "This is The Prerogative! With His Majesty holding The Prerogative, he can conduct such business that leaves Francis at a disadvantage!"

Lightly rubbing his forehead, Bairu added, "Furthermore, the deal I just mentioned has a crucial precondition: Francis must allow His Majesty to personally witness that Du Chen, the Divine—more precisely, to personally witness Du Chen, the Divine's, true power!"

Mas nodded. "Indeed, we can't let Francis get something for nothing; the Old One is truly the kind who won't commit without guaranteed returns!"

Inside the Eye of Heaven Temple.

Du Chen, however, was secretly chuckling. "Pontiff, you old fox, you won't commit without guaranteed returns, will you? But *I* just gained something for nothing! Du Chen, the Divine? Pfft! I'll find an opportunity to let you meet Dus..."

Let the Holy Church cough up the offerings they swindled from the ignorant populace through their policies, to aid the citizens of Durkes City. The day the new city's expansion is complete, the Precious Scroll should deem this a monumental act of benevolence! Furthermore, with Constantine brought forth, once the Pontiff uses him to quell this conflict, the Merit will undoubtedly be credited to me!

However, how the Pontiff intends to utilize Constantine to resolve this dispute is also worth watching!

Du Chen was relishing these thoughts when a peculiar notion struck him—"Why hasn't Teacher Zigurd arrived yet?!"

Suddenly, shouts from outside reached them. "Reporting to Your Majesty! The Dragon God has personally led his forces here to provoke us, and Dean Zigurd is currently holding him back at Moon Lake! We implore you to dispatch reinforcements immediately!"