I Merely Intended to Pilfer a Minor Sacred Artifact

As Deboning made to depart, Du Chen’s hand shot up. ‘Hold on,’ he interjected. ‘If Dus doesn’t accompany you, what are your chances of success?’

Deboning’s reply was measured and cautious: ‘Even without Dus to assist with my size manipulation, given Samuel’s current recovery in the Dragon God’s Palace, guarded by the Four Great Divine Dragons, I may not achieve the objective, but I am absolutely certain I can withdraw without harm, leaving not a single trace.’

‘Excellent,’ Du Chen grinned. ‘Dus, remain here; I’ll need his assistance with another matter shortly… As for you, you absolutely must leave a few clues! One must let the locals know an Eminence has paid a visit, wouldn’t you agree? Always be considerate, no need for such excessive humility!’

Du Chen’s smile was remarkably, even disarmingly, sincere.

Deboning, however, was utterly bewildered.

‘Should you obtain definitive intelligence on Constantine,’ Du Chen continued, ‘be sure to orchestrate a minor disturbance for me near the Dragon God’s Palace. Crucially, this chaos must be wrought with Water-element battle qi… The water must be made vividly blue and sparkling, the more it mimics Brockman’s Secret Technique from that Aqua Envoys’ Camp incident, the better. If, however, you receive no word of Constantine before the Morning Star ascends, then disregard Constantine entirely; simply create some chaos for me. Understood?’

Deboning let out a cold laugh, a flicker of amusement in his eyes. ‘I understand perfectly. Not only shall I compound Brockman’s woes, but I shall also craft the perfect opportunity for Young Master to fish in troubled waters!’

Leaving a shroud of black mist to maintain the concealment of Andy’s aberrant form, Deboning then departed to conduct his ‘visit.’

Dus, ever indolent, drawled, ‘Francis, what new nefarious scheme have you concocted? Are you planning to leave me here to once again perjure myself on your behalf, while you slip away to pilfer during the ensuing mayhem?’

Du Chen plucked the soft Fifth Brother from his shoulder, clutching it lightly. ‘What do you mean, “nefarious scheme”? I am merely performing acts of benevolence here! Oh, dear, if I pilfer for the sake of good deeds, will the Precious Scroll then withhold the Merit?’ Du Chen slapped his forehead, a sudden, horrifying thought striking him.

Dus, momentarily flummoxed by the query, pondered for a beat before declaring, ‘Utter nonsense! What constitutes “stealing”? Taking another’s possessions without their knowledge, *that* is theft! But does this item you intend to “pilfer” even possess an owner? If you retrieve it, that is simply acquiring a celestial treasure, a sacred artifact of the mortal realm, through your own inherent capability! It bears no resemblance to thievery!’

Du Chen mulled it over for a brief instant, then let out a self-deprecating chuckle. Ah, occupational habits, indeed. The newly unveiled sacred artifact was inherently unowned; it would belong to whoever possessed the prowess to claim it. If he acquired it through his own genuine skill, what earthly connection did that have to the vulgar act of ‘stealing’?

Indeed, Du Chen planned to ‘procure’ the sacred artifact before the morrow’s deliberations.

Yet, he could not act immediately. Du Chen had personally witnessed the Papal Curia and the Dragon Clan’s stringent vigilance over Moon Lake. Therefore, he had instructed Deboning to instigate a diversion, allowing him to strike amidst the ensuing pandemonium.

The moment the chaos erupted, he would swiftly…

Du Chen settled beside Aliza, playfully snatching beef jerky from him while meticulously orchestrating his scheme.

However, Beibei’s innocent voice shattered Du Chen’s reverie. She popped a piece of beef jerky into his mouth. ‘Daddy, eat! Heehee, Daddy, Andy has become incredibly powerful! He’s at least Eight-Tier now! Even Uncle Aliza can’t defeat Andy anymore!’

Upon hearing this, Aliza indignantly crammed a massive handful of beef jerky into his mouth.

Nearby, Andy’s rumbling snores emanated from within the black mist. The Snow Wolf, quite the restless sleeper, was splayed out, rolling from side to side. With one sudden roll, a section of his inky black claw emerged into view.

Du Chen furrowed his brow. ‘Andy is bound to encounter the Pontiff again. His transformed appearance might well spark the Pontiff’s suspicion!’

‘So what if he’s seen? What’s there to fear!’ Aliza exclaimed, bewildered. ‘The clumsy hound looks far more majestic than before, why hide him?’

‘It’s not that I fear him being seen, but rather that I *prefer* him not to be seen!’ Du Chen clarified. ‘This time, to deceive the Pontiff with the fabricated Du Chen, the Divine, I all but laid bare my entire hand. Furthermore, the Pontiff is aware that I command Flaying, and I even assisted the Grand Matriarchs in their enrollment… Consequently, my entire power base is now cataloged within the Enforcement Temple’s records. Yet, my dealings with the Pontiff will be extensive, and I must retain certain crucial, undisclosed trump cards.’

Du Chen gently squeezed his daughter’s nose. ‘Beibei, what exactly is Andy’s current state?’

Beibei gesticulated with her two small, fair hands, eyes wide with exaggerated wonder. ‘Andy, just a moment ago, I don’t know what stimulated him, but his Spiritual Power suddenly surged! His soul strength nearly matched… half of Beibei’s! Then, Andy ate one of the big clumsy bear’s arms and a leg, and now he’s probably an Eight-Tier Aberrant Beast! Though, his body is also showing some characteristics of Composite Aberrant Beasts… A shame he didn’t grow wings; otherwise, Beibei could ride him up into the sky!’

Du Chen gazed at the black mist, faintly discerning the form within, now more than double its original size. ‘Can he transform now, like a Composite Aberrant Beast?’

‘Not yet, he still needs to devour at least half of the big clumsy bear’s body first!’

‘Beibei, what’s the current power dynamic between Andy and the Golden Behemoth? How long would it take Andy to completely consume the Golden Behemoth?’

Beibei pondered for a considerable time, then pouted. ‘It’s hard to say. That big clumsy bear is incredibly clever; when he realizes he can’t defeat Andy, he flees for his life. If Andy is fortunate enough to catch him in one go, he could devour him immediately. But if Andy is clumsy and fails to apprehend him, then who knows when! Perhaps a day, perhaps an eternity!’

Du Chen gave a slight nod, grasping Andy’s current state: the noble Snow Wolf now possessed the power of an Eight-Tier Aberrant Beast and held the potential to consume the Golden Behemoth, evolving into a Divine Composite Aberrant Beast at any moment. However, this hinged entirely on his ‘wolf-ethics’ and the Golden Behemoth’s willingness to cooperate!

After a moment’s consideration, Du Chen used the Precious Lotus Scripture to put Andy away. ‘Never mind that. If we encounter the Pontiff, simply state that Du Chen, the Divine, has taken Andy. That should suffice! We’ll discuss Andy’s matters later.’ He clapped Aliza on the shoulder, a smile playing on his lips. ‘Brother, eating beef jerky without a good drink is rather dreary, wouldn’t you agree? Go fetch Mas; let us share a few rounds!’

Aliza responded with a dazed grunt, then, just as he reached the tent’s entrance, he abruptly turned back, a wide grin spreading across his face. ‘Young Master, you’re not planning to enlist Mas’s aid as your… “alibi,” are you!?’

Du Chen froze for a beat. ‘Hah,’ he thought, ‘this seemingly naive brother isn’t quite as slow-witted as I’d imagined!’

All transpired as a mere rerun of the preceding days. Du Chen accompanied Mas, drinking until well past three in the morning, nearing four. Calculating his timing precisely, Du Chen feigned a drunken stupor to slip away from the tent, then flew towards the Moon Lake shore.

The desiccated Moon Lake was already encircled by formidable forces. On the northern shore, several humanoid dragons led five hundred of their kin, soaring in the sky. Upon recognizing the two leading figures, Du Chen chuckled. It seemed that after his return with the Pontiff, the Dragon Clan had reinforced their presence here, with two Sacred Dragons now overseeing the newly unveiled sacred artifact. This meant the Dragon God’s Palace’s defenses would undoubtedly be stretched thinner, boosting Deboning’s chances. Yet, Du Chen’s own task here had simultaneously escalated in difficulty!

To the south of Moon Lake, the Battle God of War, the Guardian Battle God, and Bairu—three revered Godfathers—stood in solemn formation, commanding four thousand Black-armored Warriors. And astonishingly, the general leading them was none other than Zigurd, the Dean of Battle God Academy!

It appeared the Papal Curia had also invested heavily in this endeavor!

On the western shore, Donna, the Divine Envoy, and her mere three companions stood isolated and outnumbered, yet they held their ground with defiant pride, refusing to depart. In stark contrast, the defenses on the Moon Lake’s eastern shore were significantly weaker.

This formidable assembly constituted the entirety of the guard. Du Chen’s heart thrummed with exhilaration. A Level Ten Zigurd, two Sacred Dragons, three Godfathers, along with hundreds of lesser dragons and thousands of warriors—to pilfer a divine treasure coveted by gods themselves, right from beneath their very noses… What a thrill! A true challenge! It had been far too long since he’d encountered such an electrifying test. Utterly exhilarating, indeed! One word encapsulated it perfectly: *Ecstasy*!

His heart soared, yet Du Chen’s mind remained unnervingly calm. He continued his scrutiny. The thousand-meter-deep Moon Lake, now parched, had become a vast basin, three to four hundred meters across. Its rim was presently cordoned off by over a dozen layers of iron fencing, erected for encampment, and entry was strictly forbidden. Several factions had clearly reached a consensus: any individual daring to trespass into the basin before the dawn negotiations commenced would be summarily executed!

Furthermore, the Dragon God’s Moonfire had recently cleansed the Moon Lake, and the cracked basin still seethed with lingering, high-temperature thermal energy. Within its confines, not only were humans absent, but not even a mosquito or a blade of grass could be found!

One could readily surmise that if Du Chen were to pilot the Precious Lotus Scripture into that basin now, even if it were no larger than a mosquito, it would instantly be detected by Zigurd and the Sacred Dragons, among other powerful figures, and summarily eliminated.

Having accurately assessed the situation, Du Chen’s strategy crystallized in his mind.

With no word yet from Deboning, Du Chen comprehensively surveyed the Moon Lake’s strategic layout, imprinting every detail into his memory. He then activated the Precious Lotus Scripture, approaching the lake. Yet, he did not choose the ostensibly weakest defended eastern shore. Instead, he made his way to the western flank, subtly attaching himself to Donna, the Divine Envoy’s, belt…

Time drifted by, second by agonizing second.

Though thousands now populated the Moon Lake area, an uncanny silence prevailed, broken only by the occasional murmurs of Donna, the Divine Envoy’s prayers. With the black rock’s detonation, the sky offered no moonlight, and the Silver Moon Illusion had vanished from the ground. Only the faintest starlight pierced the pervasive gloom over Moon Lake. Yet, precisely at this moment, the Morning Star flared brilliantly in the east. Immediately after, a pulsating blue light erupted from Silvermoon Island’s northern tip, momentarily casting the Eye of Heaven Forest in a stunning azure glow!

Deboning had made his move!

Du Chen’s hands gave a slight tremor, and an array of lock-picking tools—metal wires, master keys, Lily Locks, Soft Gel, razor-sharp blades—materialized within his grasp. Following this…

Du Chen, however, remained dutifully attached to Donna, exhibiting absolutely no intention of making a move himself!