Chapter 988: Starry Night's Strongest

The Vatican, a boundless land of prophets and a pure sanctuary where gods slumber, is immeasurably vast, dwarfing the seemingly small territories of the mortal realm. Here, towering divine mountains rise and fall, enveloped by holy radiance. Angels sing hymns, wondrous flowers bloom, ancient herbs grow on cliffs, and pure-blooded unicorns roam the forests.

This peaceful, ancient training ground exudes a primordial aura. One can even glimpse elves, giants, and strange dragon species long extinct since antiquity.

In the distance, deep dragon pools shimmer, and waterfalls cascade from immense heights. Dozens of towering peaks are particularly striking, each uniquely inscribed with the essence of heaven and earth. Each mountain hosts a magnificent and imposing holy temple. Its foundation stones, tiles, and wooden pillars all date back to ancient times, enduring for eons.

The place evokes a feeling of grandeur and timelessness; through changing ages and shifting eras, it remains eternally constant, sacred, and majestic.

Not everyone is permitted to enter this place, particularly not those who come to demand accountability and challenge the Vatican's might. Such an act has been attempted by very few throughout history.

Ye Fan, accompanied by several disciples, entered this ancient training ground. Standing afar, he quietly observed the Land of Prophets, silently absorbing its glorious heritage. This was no refuge for the weak; with the passage of time, countless heroes had risen here. Behind him stood a large retinue of devout followers, many of them former Crusaders, who had been converted in Jerusalem and pledged their unwavering loyalty.

The approaching army sent tremors across Europe, yet the Vatican remained remarkably tranquil. The exalted holy temples radiated light, devoid of any discernible tension.

The ground trembled, savage beasts roared, and hundreds of armored cavalry stormed into the Vatican. They galloped over the high mountains, their vital energy soaring and their murderous aura seething. Members of the Divine Radiance clan arrived, prepared to defend the Vatican, with their patriarch personally leading a contingent of powerful experts.

"Boom!"

The heavens collapsed and the earth split open. In another direction, vital energy surged as a formidable contingent of knights emerged. Clad in golden armor and wielding golden lances, their battle spirit soared, and their eyes gleamed with sharpness. They were a legion of seasoned warriors.

"These are members of the Golden Clan," explained a devout follower. "They claim to possess divine blood and are incredibly powerful. In ancient times, they produced two divine sages who swept across the West, causing all other saints to retreat." The devout follower explained to Ye Fan in great detail, revealing the origins of these formidable individuals and describing their lineage's unique characteristics.

On this day, numerous ancient families dispatched their masters to reinforce the Vatican, fearing that the 'devil' from the Middle Land would destroy their sacred sanctuary. Within half an hour of Ye Fan's arrival, a total of twelve armies had converged, all representing the most ancient and formidable legacies, the pinnacle of contemporary power.

"Rumble!"

On the highest, most majestic holy mountain, the grand palace, the very heart of power, had its sacred gates pushed open by two beautiful angels with divine wings. A procession of elders then filed out. Powerful auras permeated the air, clearly indicating these were extraordinary individuals who represented the Vatican's peak combat strength. Each possessed profound cultivation, having long secluded themselves here to cultivate by harnessing an ocean of spiritual power.

In the center, a weathered stone chair carved with a cross stood. An elder sat majestically upon it, gazing down like a towering mountain. He resembled an ancient celestial being, his eyes vast and profound, containing the phantom rise and fall of suns, moons, and stars.

"Hmm, a powerful opponent. This is someone who has survived since ancient times. Looking at the traces left by time, he must be over three thousand years old," Ye Fan muttered to himself.

"This is the Pope. No one knows which era he is from; they only know that his followers have died off generation after generation, but he has always lived," a devout believer informed them.

"Thump!"

The ground quaked as several figures emerged, causing the mountains themselves to tremble. They exuded unparalleled power, each as steadfast as a mountain, as still as a peak. Each individual was distinctive, appearing to be in their late forties or fifties, yet the ancientness in their eyes was unmistakable. Their battle attire, forged from bronze, was dull and unpolished, covered in sword marks and arrow indents, pitted and worn, as if retrieved from a museum.

"Armor from the Dark Ages!" someone exclaimed.

"These are ancient Holy Knights," someone whispered. "Legend has it that a few of them survived countless battles and traversed various tumultuous ages, living until today."

Reactions varied from all sides, all expressing astonishment. Even Ye Fan was somewhat surprised; these four were ancient Patriarch-level figures, and their survival to this day was truly extraordinary.

"We were originally waiting for you in the Holy City of Jerusalem, but we received the Pope's decree not to confront you," one of them said, devoid of joy or sorrow.

"Not even gods are my match; it would be useless even if all of you attacked together," Ye Fan said calmly.

His calm, unwavering voice resonated with unparalleled deterrence. The ancient families who had arrived to provide aid felt a shiver of dread, recognizing the undeniable truth in his words. The world had slowly withered, only becoming desolate a few centuries ago. These four had long since attained the rank of Patriarch, and subsequently cultivated using spiritual power, ensuring their cultivation did not stagnate with the world's decline.

"We may not be your equal, but that doesn't mean we cannot harm you." They remained perfectly composed. Greatswords, dragon lances, and daggers, all dull and unsharp, appeared in their hands. Yet, these weapons sent shivers down spines, as if capable of devouring souls, cold and dense, like dragons lurking deep within an abyss.

"Half-Saint weapons!" Ye Fan's expression shifted, but he remained unfazed, as the disparity in their cultivation realms was too vast. He pointed a finger forward. One of them quickly parried with a greatsword, which erupted with brilliant light as a dormant, ferocious dragon awakened within it, unleashing terrifying power that seemed capable of rending heaven and earth!

The earth rent open, the sky crumbled; this was an unparalleled destructive force, unstoppable, as if it would sweep away the Vatican entirely. All around, Dao marks flickered on numerous grand peaks, radiating a dazzling light that formed an ancient magical array, safeguarding the Vatican and ultimately preventing any damage.

Simultaneously, the other three also attacked. These four unique weapons almost manifested the full power of Half-Saints from antiquity, as if four ancient Sword Saints had been resurrected, cleaving the very heavens and earth!

Ye Fan transformed into a bolt of lightning, stepping through the myriad divine glows unleashed by the Half-Saint weapons. He consecutively pointed four fingers, generating unstoppable sword-beams. Though the four ancient Holy Knights possessed boundless magical power and reacted swiftly, blocking with their Half-Saint weapons, a ripple of residual energy still injured them. On the spot, all four were struck as if by lightning, sent flying, coughing up mouthfuls of blood, with numerous bones fractured. They all wore expressions of utter disbelief. It wasn't that they hadn't anticipated Ye Fan's immense power, but they hadn't conceived of such terror. His speed was simply too great; even with Half-Saint weapons, they couldn't land a blow on that golden figure. Furthermore, these weapons were incredibly energy-intensive, making it difficult for them to unleash their true divine power!

Suddenly, four ancient scrolls soared across the heavens, bursting forth from behind them. They transformed into four beams of eternal light, rushing towards Ye Fan and descending with suppressive force.

"Forbidden Spells!"

"The legendary ancient forbidden spell scrolls!"

Many cried out, their faces reflecting extreme shock. They all recoiled, fleeing for unknown miles, their faces ashen, utterly unprepared to encounter such artifacts. These were Dao marks personally inscribed by ancient Half-Saints, the most fearsome talismans. To be hit by one meant certain death, as a forbidden spell was equivalent to a full-power strike from a Half-Saint!

The combined attack of four Half-Saints—what an inconceivable concept! Any single Half-Saint's strike was sufficient to annihilate a powerful divine being; four together constituted an irresistible, absolute killing blow. Evidently, the Vatican was willing to expend its most sacred treasures, incurring immeasurable losses, to eliminate Ye Fan. With four forbidden spell scrolls unleashed at once, there could be no escape.

This posed an immense threat, and even Ye Fan's expression changed. He had not yet achieved Dao Severing, nor was he a true Immortal Three King. Four Half-Saints striking simultaneously was an absolute death blow!

"Buzz!"

The Myriad Things Mother Qi Cauldron hummed, hovering above Ye Fan's head and shrouding him completely with its boundless primordial qi. He transformed into a bolt of lightning and surged towards the distance. However, at that very moment, the Pope intervened. His magical power surged like an ocean; with a mere lift of his hand, he shifted several grand mountains horizontally, causing heaven and earth to thunder and blocking Ye Fan's path.

Moving mountains and filling seas! The Pope, incredibly, possessed a great divine ability, one almost unrivaled in the world. These divine mountains, inscribed with ancient magical patterns, were unbreakable. He intended to use them to sever Ye Fan's escape route and crush him with the forbidden spell scrolls.

Ye Fan did not charge headlong. His opponent had set a deadly trap; the ancient divine mountains were inscribed with unparalleled Dao marks, and any direct attack from him would surely activate them, leading to immense trouble. Nevertheless, he was fearless and quickly composed himself, as he had temporarily evaded the four heaven-shattering scrolls, which now struggled to reach him.

"There's no need to worry, everyone. This is an ancient battlefield, and the forbidden spells will not spread beyond it!" the Pope declared, reassuring the panicked fleeing crowd. Simultaneously, he continued to shift mountains, and all the ancient holy peaks ascended into the air with incessant thunder, terrifyingly echoing through the nine heavens. He resembled a celestial deity, his eyes manifesting the birth and destruction of suns, moons, and stars. Still seated on the cross-carved stone chair, he merely moved his hands, never rising.

The Pope's vital energy surged with such intensity it threatened to engulf the very sun in the sky, an aura capable of devouring mountains and rivers. His magical power was overwhelming and incomparable. He appeared to be cleaving open the heavens and earth; under the impetus of his hands, chaotic energy surged through the Vatican, terrifyingly boundless. The four scrolls emanated boundless divine power, as if four ancient Half-Saints were attacking in unison, aiming to force Ye Fan into a death trap. These were truly forbidden killing artifacts.

In the rear, Long Xiaoque, Zhan Yifan, You Weiyu, and the others were utterly shaken and filled with immense anxiety. The followers, too, trembled, wondering if Ye Fan, caught in this deadly trap, was about to perish.

"Heavenly Might!"

"The Strongest Under the Starry Sky!"

In the distance, numerous ancient families roared, profoundly awed by the Pope's terrifying power. Chills ran down their spines as they were completely captivated by his invincible demeanor, cheering him on.

"It's still far from enough to kill me with these methods." A calm voice echoed from the heart of the fearsome battle. Ye Fan, using the "Movement" character secret, generated an energy vortex, and fully activating the "Soldier" character secret, he redirected the four scrolls to surge back and strike towards the Pope.

"Boom!"

The sky shattered, and endless black fissures appeared, almost engulfing the central holy mountain. The four scrolls descended, poised to obliterate the Vatican's holy domain.

The Pope's gaze was profound. Still seated on his stone chair, unmoving, he extended his right hand and drew a cross in the void. A myriad of brilliant lights erupted, and a divine gate materialized. With destructive force, the four scrolls instantly plunged into the gate, disappearing with their world-ending aura. The immense power of the forbidden spells vanished completely.

Sundering the void, transforming into a divine gate! This was a world-shattering great divine ability. Even in ancient times, few could inherit such a profound art; its divine laws overshadowed the heavens!

In the center of the battlefield, Ye Fan, with an indifferent expression, launched his attack on the four Holy Knights. He showed no mercy, employing a supreme secret art capable of a one-hit kill.

"Buzz!"

The void trembled. The four Holy Knights, survivors from the Dark Ages, were gripped by fear. They discovered their weapons were no longer under their control, shaking uncontrollably and unleashing torrential power. In the distance, the Pope wanted to intervene, but it was too late; he couldn't change the outcome at all.

"Pffft," "Pffft"…

Blood lights flashed, and four crimson waves surged. The four ancient Patriarch-level figures were all cleaved in half by their own weapons, blood splattering three zhang high, their bodies bisected, falling into pools of blood. The four Half-Saint level weapons flew out, shrinking to mere inches, dull and unremarkable. They all landed in Ye Fan's palm, before he tossed them to his disciples.

Long Xiaoque, Zhang Qingyang, Zhan Yifan, and the others were awestruck, their fingers trembling. These were the Half-Saint weapons they had only dreamed of, and they never imagined they would one day possess them.

A pin drop could be heard in the Vatican; complete silence reigned. People's hearts were gripped by terror; four mighty Holy Knights had perished so easily, seemingly insignificant to the 'devil' from the Middle Land!

"I didn't expect an ancient being like you to have survived until today," Ye Fan murmured, his gaze burning intensely as he stared at the Pope on the holy mountain. This was a formidable adversary!

"There's nothing surprising about it," the Pope replied calmly. "Over a century ago, I also encountered an ancient Daoist in the Middle Land. Otherwise, your ancestral artifacts, which hold astonishing secrets, would have been seized long ago."

The Pope's voice was calm and utterly composed. Within his eyes, terrifying divine phenomena of stars shattering and moons sinking were manifesting. He resembled a celestial deity looking down upon the world. Around him, various Dao marks materialized, interweaving into a luminous aura, resembling the divine robe of an ancient emperor. It gleamed brightly yet bore mottled, ancient traces, draped over him, making him appear mysterious, fearsome, powerful, and majestic.

"Then come down and fight," Ye Fan declared, standing alone in the void, his gaze sweeping disdainfully over the Vatican.

"I am old; I cannot engage in battle," the Pope said, shaking his head. He gazed into the distance and uttered in a low voice, "Please, let the supreme God Knight make his move."

At the ends of the earth, an ancient figure materialized, walking step by step, holding a dragon spear. He seemed to have transcended from antiquity, approaching the present world, an unspeakably terrifying presence.

"There were five powerful beings from the divine race who remained," the Pope explained, "and they too sought to take control of the Vatican. But our greatest God Knight single-handedly slew two of them, one after another."

At the Pope's words, all sides stirred and erupted in an uproar. This was, astonishingly, an ancient existence who had slain gods! A God Knight who had never before appeared before the eyes of the world!

"Is he truly the strongest under the entire starry sky!?" People trembled, utterly overwhelmed by shock.