The two arrived at the abandoned facility of Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals.

Besides the laboratory, there were numerous living quarters for research staff. Lu Luo had brought Yu Luo to one such employee bedroom.

This was the only place he could ensure his next actions would go undisturbed.

Yu Luo still found it odd that Lu Luo had brought her here.

"I heard that Exotic Species occasionally appear here, and Hunters have investigated several times without any results. Why would you think of coming here?"

"What Exotic Species? The noise from the previous few times was just me practicing here. I secretly spread the rumors about Exotic Species myself, precisely to keep those wanderers away from this place."

Lu Luo's explanation was half-truth, half-lie. He had indeed practiced here, but there were also genuinely Exotic Species present—more than one, in fact.

Wanderers didn't dare enter, as no one who went in ever came out.

Upon entering a bedroom with a distinct metallic aesthetic, Yu Luo once again took the initiative to embrace Lu Luo.

Lu Luo quickly grasped her restless hands, then turned to face her. They stood eye to eye, wordless, only the sound of heavy breathing filling the silence.

Yu Luo was unwilling to give up this opportunity, so she preemptively used her most common method.

[Sequence Force fluctuations detected. Target has used Sequence B - Charm on you.]

Yu Luo's gaze sparkled with a pink glow, a light almost no male could resist.

This was Charm, the very asset that allowed Yu Luo, despite being inferior to Qi Xinzhu in many aspects, to have countless men fall at her feet.

In an instant, Lu Luo felt as if he were in a dream; the woman before him seemed like a delectable peach.

But Lu Luo was no ordinary man. Even the multitude of beauties in the past Nightmare Demon realms hadn't swayed him, let alone the present situation.

[Your Sequence Chain A - Nonbeliever has taken effect. You are highly superstitious; the power of Charm has no effect on you.]

The ambiguous atmosphere presented an excellent opportunity—for both of them, in fact.

Yu Luo had found an opportunity to charm Lu Luo, but this opening was equally exploitable for Lu Luo himself.

He gazed at Yu Luo with sincere eyes, an honesty that seemed utterly devoid of falsehood.

For a moment, that sincere gaze seemed genuinely capable of moving Yu Luo's heart.

A flicker of almost imperceptible purple flashed through his eyes, and in that instant, Yu Luo was visibly moved.

[Your Sequence S-02 Devourer - Nether Source Fire has been activated, initiating Nether Source Force - Nightmare.]

Yu Luo looked at Lu Luo somewhat dazedly, a streak of purple appearing in her pupils as well.

This made Lu Luo realize he had succeeded.

"Is this the power that the Nightmare Demon wields? So dominant. But using it feels a bit tiring."

Though it was just a glance, using Nether Source Force - Nightmare left Lu Luo feeling somewhat fatigued.

No matter, it was all worthwhile.

The Yu Luo before him was a truly valuable informant—his primary channel to access the true core of the Church.

Yu Luo, her gaze hazy, leaned against Lu Luo. He knew his Nether Source Force was weak and this daze wouldn't last long, so he had to act quickly.

"Yu Luo?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you investigating me, along with Qi Xinzhu and Bai Yuetong? What is the purpose of this investigation?"

Yu Luo subconsciously wanted to deny it, but looking at Lu Luo before her, she ultimately couldn't bring herself to voice the words on the tip of her tongue.

At this moment, her heart was a vortex of confusion, possessed by an urge to reveal everything she knew to Lu Luo.

She hesitated for a moment, then lowered her head and spoke.

"I just wanted to understand you through Tang Pan, as well as your relationships with Bai Yuetong and Qi Xinzhu. Qi Xinzhu is recognized by the Church as the Saintess, a fact that not even the Tribunal can deny. I want to obtain the title of Saintess so that I can gain the Saintess's inheritance power, which is a very potent force. As for Miss Bai Yuetong, she's the Judgment Chief's daughter; intelligence on her is also valuable for earning merit."

The Saintess's inheritance power? Qi Xinzhu had never mentioned any of this to him!

Lu Luo nodded and continued to ask, "I remember you're supposed to be a Believer of Light, just like Qi Xinzhu, right? I've always been curious, how does someone like you become a Believer of Light? Aren't Believers of Light supposed to maintain pure faith and serve the Dawn to manifest their powerful combat abilities?"

This time, Yu Luo didn't hesitate much and readily told him everything she knew.

"Previous Believers of Light indeed needed pure faith and a focus on serving the Dawn to obtain both Holy Radiance and physical power. They would also receive the baptism of the Dawn Disc, which purified their Holy Radiance, making their power stronger and purer. However, in recent years, fewer and fewer people possess sufficiently pure faith; hardly anyone meets the standards for the Dawn Disc's baptism. Consequently, the number of Believers of Light began to decrease. But the Church must have Believers of Light; this is an immutable requirement. Therefore, the Judgment Chief arranged for a new batch of members to become Believers of Light."

Lu Luo paused. Wait a minute... something isn't right here.

"Becoming a Believer of Light by the Judgment Chief's arrangement? Don't Believers of Light need the illumination of the Dawn Disc? Isn't this supposed to be an innate talent? What do you mean by the Judgment Chief's arrangement?"

This touched upon some of the Church's current secrets. As Yu Luo pondered these questions, her mental state showed noticeable fluctuations.

Her speed of breaking free from the Nightmare was also increasing, but Lu Luo wasn't worried.

If Nightmare Power was so easily dispelled, Wu En and Zhuang Yanshan wouldn't have succumbed so readily.

So, after a slight delay, Yu Luo still revealed the reason.

"The Judgment Chief... she has acquired the power to command the Dawn Disc."

The power to command the Dawn Disc! Lu Luo's pupils constricted.

"That's right. The Judgment Chief is the only person in over one hundred years who can directly touch and command the Dawn Disc. She can use the Dawn Disc to amplify the power of ordinary individuals with Holy Light affinity, granting us abilities very close to those of true Believers of Light. This process is now referred to as the 'Dawn Blessing' within the Tribunal. I was chosen by the Judgment Chief and then underwent the Dawn Blessing to become a Believer of Light."

Lu Luo narrowed his eyes. This woman, who might one day become his mother-in-law, seems far from simple!

She possessed multiple combat Sequences, including S-09 The Judger, and now even the ability to command the Dawn Disc.

The known capabilities of the Dawn Disc were already outrageous.

For instance, it could transform Transcendents with an affinity for Holy Light into Believers of Light and enable them to actively release the Doomsday Factor, among other things.

If such an artifact were truly controlled by an individual, their power would be amplified to an unimaginable degree, far exceeding even Lu Luo's highest prior estimations.

"I heard from Qi Xinzhu before that the original Believers of Light were from the Pope's lineage. What about now?"

Upon mentioning Qi Xinzhu, Yu Luo paused again. It seemed Qi Xinzhu truly held a significant place in her heart.

"The original Believers of Light have almost all departed."

"Almost all departed? What do you mean?"

"His Holiness the Pope has fallen ill. The so-called Papal lineage no longer has any backing, so the original Believers of Light have all departed. The current Believers of Light are now controlled by the Judgment Chief."

God damn, Lu Luo thought. I figured the Pope and his faction could at least contend with Bai Yuetong's mother for a while. I didn't expect them to be so pathetic.

It wasn't merely a case of shattering upon impact; they crumbled before anyone even laid a finger on them.

It was no wonder, though. The Pope was over two hundred years old. At such an advanced age, even the Fruit of Life could hardly save him.

Moreover, if the Pope truly was a just and benevolent person, he would very likely refuse the Fruit of Life.

"So, does this mean the entire Church is now governed by the Tribunal? Has Bai Qingshuang effectively become the leader of the Church? Since Bai Qingshuang's power has reached the point of centralizing control over the Church, she must be aware of what happened in the Fourth Ring, right? The Dark Energy in the Fourth Ring has quadrupled, reaching levels comparable to those outside the Wall. Why, then, has the Inner Ring taken no action these past few days?"

Yu Luo struggled to answer Lu Luo's question. Slightly troubled, she lifted her head.

Thinking would only accelerate her escape from the Nightmare's influence.

Lu Luo noticed her hesitation and, guessing she might not know the answer, rephrased his question: "Just tell me what you know."

Yu Luo nodded. By now, she seemed somewhat more lucid, the purple in her eyes already beginning to fade, but she still revealed what she knew.

"Yes, the Judgment Chief is aware of everything that has happened in the Fourth Ring. However, I'm not entirely sure why she hasn't taken action regarding the situation there. The current Judgment Chief seems to be waiting for the day the Pope dies. She has also issued an order that, until the Pope's death, all forces are to be retracted."

Lu Luo narrowed his eyes.

"Is the Pope's death that important to the Judgment Chief? Or rather, does the Pope's title hold some special significance?"

This time, Lu Luo didn't get the answer he sought. Yu Luo's expression was one of confusion, a clear sign she was about to fully awaken.

Yu Luo clutched her head, shook it slightly, and then looked at Lu Luo with a dazed gaze.

"Why are we still standing here? Shouldn't we proceed with... things that men and women do? Uh!~"

[She is now half-awake. Further questioning is impossible.]

Lu Luo felt a pang of regret. What a pity! Still, today's gains are more than enough.

As their gazes met once again, Yu Luo's eyes blurred once more. She heard Lu Luo's whispers near her ear.

As Lu Luo whispered, his hand, unnoticed, moved to Yu Luo's neck.

Intention-Pierce!

BANG!

A sharp, piercing blow from his thumb completely knocked the dazed Yu Luo unconscious.

Lu Luo was now standing on the edge of the high Wall, undergoing a security check by the Wall Guardians.

Thanks to the Noah's Star ring, Lu Luo appeared to be carrying nothing at all.

The Wall Guardian conducting the inspection was somewhat perplexed.

"You're not bringing anything with you to go outside the Wall?"

Gazing towards the distant East Ring, Lu Luo seemed to sense another will of Netherflame in the unseen world.

Seeing Lu Luo unresponsive, the Wall Guardian's expression grew even more strange.

"Are you okay?"

"Oh, sorry, I was lost in thought. I'm quite capable. I'm going outside the Wall this time to temper myself, so I don't need to bring anything."

"Temper yourself?"

"Is the check finished?"

"Yeah, it's done, but I would advise you..."

Before the Wall Guardian could finish his sentence, Lu Luo had already leaped backward, launching himself off the edge and plummeting downwards.

This was a Leap of Faith!

The Wall Guardian watched in horror as Lu Luo leaped directly off the Wall.

He was about to shout for help, but upon seeing Lu Luo land securely, he was utterly astounded.

"So, that's another way to look cool!" the Wall Guardian exclaimed.

Meanwhile, inside the Red and White Castle, Qi Xinzhu watched Da Tian with a sense of helplessness.

This peculiar little girl had been pestering her constantly of late, even preventing her from cultivating properly.

Now, Da Tian had brought a deck of playing cards, asking Qi Xinzhu to teach her the card rankings.

Qi Xinzhu, unable to refuse her persistence, began to explain the rules of poker in detail.

"The highest cards are the Jokers. Together, the two Jokers form a Joker Bomb. Next is four of a kind. In the common rules of 'Fight the Landlord,' four 2s are the highest four of a kind. However, in some other card games, four Aces are the strongest."

Just as Qi Xinzhu was explaining these rules, Da Tian suddenly interrupted.

"That's not right! Isn't there five of a kind too? Like this, see? Five of a kind!"

Then, she placed a joker alongside four aces.

Qi Xinzhu was about to say that was incorrect, but she suddenly sensed something amiss. She looked up, her eyes filled with puzzlement as she gazed at Da Tian.

"Da Tian, where did you learn about five of a kind?"

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