Chapter Fifty-Four: The Master of Heaven and Earth

With a cold, indifferent gaze, Qian Kun flicked his hand, causing the deep blue divine sword in his grip to tremble violently. A low, resonant sword cry echoed, making the very air vibrate. For a moment, Emperor Lin was dazed; by the time he regained his senses, a sharp azure blade of light had already torn through space and was upon him. He hurriedly raised his hand to block, but, accompanied by a crisp clash of metal, his entire body was flung backward.

“Wind element law, the mystery of sound?” Steadying himself with some difficulty, Emperor Lin frowned, his expression darkening as he looked at Qian Kun.

“Your strength is indeed at the pinnacle among lower gods. As expected of the divine beast Suan Ni; your soul defense is impressive, able to withstand my casual soul attacks using the sound mystery,” Qian Kun replied with a faint smile.

Casual soul attacks? Emperor Lin’s lips twitched, anger flaring in his heart. Suddenly, he let out a low, furious roar, making the space tremble, and then he vanished. In his place, a colossal beast, radiant with seven-colored light and resembling a lion, hovered in midair, jaws agape. An overwhelming force of suction drew Qian Kun toward it.

Qian Kun’s expression changed; he had no time to resist before he was swiftly shrunk and swallowed by the enormous seven-colored lion.

“Hmph!” Emperor Lin, once again in human form, curled his lips into a cold smile.

Yet before the smile could spread, he suddenly clutched his abdomen in agony, his whole body trembling, and cried out in pain, “Ah… How could this be? He was swallowed into my belly and still isn’t dead! Ah…”

“Emperor Lin, you dare swallow me? Do you really think your stomach can handle digesting me?” Qian Kun's disdainful, mocking voice rang out from Emperor Lin’s belly. Emperor Lin, writhing in pain in midair, clutched his abdomen as agony wracked him.

With a tearing sound, a fierce sword aura burst from Emperor Lin’s abdomen, slicing it open. Emperor Lin, unable to maintain his human form, reverted to his true body. From the gaping, blood-soaked wound in his abdomen, a figure shot forth—Qian Kun.

Regaining his human form, divine power surged within Emperor Lin and his abdominal wound healed swiftly. He staggered back a few steps in midair before steadying himself, then stared at Qian Kun as if seeing a ghost. “You… Who are you?”

“You may call me Lord Qian Kun,” Qian Kun replied with a cheerful smile. As soon as he spoke, a streak of azure light shot over from afar, landing beside him and transforming into a wind-element divine clone clad in blue robes. The clone then merged into Qian Kun’s body.

Emperor Lin witnessed this scene, clearly sensing the powerful aura of Qian Kun’s wind-element divine clone. At the same time, he realized he could not discern the depths of Qian Kun’s divine clone and understood, “You… Are a mid-ranked god?”

“Indeed! That’s right! Just a few days ago, I fused the quick and slow mysteries of the wind element law, fully comprehended the mystery of speed, and stepped into the realm of the mid-ranked god,” Qian Kun replied lightly, his gaze teasing Emperor Lin. “Well, Emperor Lin, would you still like to continue the fight?”

Emperor Lin could not help but shake his head with a bitter smile. “It seems I really have been locked away in the plane prison for too long. I never expected someone as powerful as you to appear in the Yulan Plane. I can’t even contend with your saint realm true self, let alone your mid-ranked divine clone. I am no match for you, and I have nothing to say about losing at your hands.”

“However, I, Emperor Lin, have faced countless life-and-death battles. If you wish to kill me, it will not be so easy. Even if it costs my life, I will not let you have it easily,” he continued, his whole body surging with battle intent, determined to fight to the end.

Qian Kun laughed and shook his head. “You think I want to kill you? Why would I kill you?”

“You don’t want to kill me?” Emperor Lin was surprised, looking at Qian Kun in disbelief. Qian Kun had just fought without mercy.

“There are so few divine-level experts in the entire Yulan Plane. Both you and I are among the top in the material plane. Why must we fight to the death? If I kill you, wouldn’t life in the Yulan Plane become even more lonely and dull?” Qian Kun responded with a gentle smile.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Lin straightened and saluted respectfully. “Lord Qian Kun, I apologize for any offense. I will now lead the magical beast army back to the Mountain Range of Magical Beasts. With you guarding the Holy Alliance, I, Emperor Lin, will never disturb you again.”

“Very well, Emperor Lin, I won’t see you off then,” Qian Kun nodded in satisfaction.

Emperor Lin then sent a message to his subordinate saint realm magical beasts and transformed into a streak of light, swiftly departing toward the Mountain Range of Magical Beasts.

Soon, the magical beast army retreated. Though Finlay City suffered some damage and lost many lives, it ultimately survived.

After the magical beast army withdrew, in the Temple of Light, the Pope Haitings and Lord Fallen Leaf—who had personally witnessed the battle between Qian Kun and Emperor Lin that forced Emperor Lin’s retreat—consulted with each other and then left the Temple of Light together, flying toward Qian Kun.

“Lord Qian Kun!” Now knowing Qian Kun to be a divine-level expert, Haitings and Fallen Leaf were both exceedingly respectful.

“Oh, isn’t this Lord Fallen Leaf? And the bald one beside you, judging by his attire and bearing, must be the Pope?” Qian Kun raised his brows with a playful smile at the two. “Just now the King of the Mountain Range of Magical Beasts, Emperor Lin, led his army in attack, but neither of you came out. Now that they’re gone, you show up. Finlay City is the holy capital of your Church of Light! Did you just watch as it was invaded?”

Both Haitings and Fallen Leaf were embarrassed, their faces flushing, unable to respond. Emperor Lin, the King of the Mountain Range of Magical Beasts, was a divine-level expert—far beyond their ability to resist. What could they possibly have done?

“Lord Qian Kun, our strength is modest, and we simply aren’t a match for Emperor Lin,” Fallen Leaf said, thick-skinned. “This time, we are deeply grateful to you for personally intervening and saving the holy capital. The Church of Light owes you an immense debt. You are a divine-level expert; if you’re willing to join us, then…”

“So, you’re willing to let me be Pope, to make me your leader?” Qian Kun asked with a smile.

Before Fallen Leaf could reply, Haitings solemnly declared, “If Lord Qian Kun is willing to join the Church of Light, I, Haitings, am ready to relinquish the position of Pope and honor you above all.”

“Unfortunately, I have no interest in being your Pope,” Qian Kun shook his head, then suddenly said, “By the way, Fallen Leaf, I recall telling you that having me help would come at a steep price. This time, I drove away the divine-level Emperor Lin and saved your holy capital. How do you propose to thank me?”

“This…” Haitings and Fallen Leaf exchanged glances, momentarily at a loss for how to respond.

“What would Lord Qian Kun desire?” Fallen Leaf cautiously inquired.

Haitings quickly added, “Whatever Lord Qian Kun requests, so long as the Church of Light can provide, we will do our utmost to fulfill your wish.”

“My request is quite simple. I’d like to study your church’s Great Prophecy spell,” Qian Kun replied with a gentle smile.

The Great Prophecy spell? Haitings and Fallen Leaf were both surprised, then Haitings frowned in hesitation. “Lord Qian Kun, the Great Prophecy spell is a divine art that only the Popes of the Church of Light, through generations, are permitted to practice…”

“What’s this? Didn’t you just say you wanted me to be Pope? Now you think I’m not qualified to study the Great Prophecy spell?” Qian Kun’s expression darkened.

Seeing Qian Kun’s displeasure, Haitings hurriedly waved his hand. “No, no, Lord Qian Kun, of course you may. The Great Prophecy spell—the Church of Light will hand it over to you.”