"Ludie?"

Fan Zhen knew this person, or rather, he had heard the name. During the time he was still awake, Ludie, because of his reputation as the King of Hunters, had been targeted by the people of the Church. The final outcome for Ludie was actually arranged by some influential figures within the Inner Ring Church. And Fan Zhen was one of these so-called Inner Ring figures. Under their guidance, Ludie became a sacrificial lamb for the Fourth Ring Hunters, trapped in the Fourth Ring for a full seven years.

But in Fan Zhen's memory, Ludie should have completely decayed. A man who had fallen so far in the Fourth Ring—how could he rise again?

"You, who have slept for three years, have completely lost your perception of and control over this world. The Fourth Ring Hunters, whom you once schemed against, persecuted, and suppressed, have now become the heroes of the entire Fourth Ring. He is the first from the Fourth Ring to break through to the Seventh Tier by his own spiritual will and become a Transcendent. Such a man should be considered great, shouldn't he? He became the true King, the King of Hunters living in the hearts of the Fourth Ring's people. Do you understand, Fan Zhen? When the people of the Fourth Ring no longer need the Inner Ring, that is the harbinger of the Alliance's collapse."

Hearing Bai Qingshuang speak of Ludie's experiences, even Qi Gefei, standing beside them, sighed faintly. Qi Gefei had seen Ludie when he was in the Nightmare Castle. Qi Gefei rarely admired people from the Fourth Ring, let alone respected them. Lu Luo was someone Qi Gefei admired, but it was only admiration. Ludie, however, he truly respected. Ludie was indeed a man worthy of respect, born in the Fourth Ring and dying for the Fourth Ring. In his final, desperate moments, he blocked the Exotic Species Monarch, the Nightmare Demon, which threatened the East Fourth Ring. His death caused a rift between the Inner Ring and the Outer Ring, and it also fostered the Awakening of the Fourth Ring's people. If Ludie had not died, the Fourth Ring would now fully possess the power to contend with the Alliance. Because an independent Seventh Tier Transcendent had already shaken the core of the Wasteland Alliance's rule.

Just as Bai Qingshuang had said, Fan Zhen, having slept for three years, had no idea what was currently happening in the Fourth Ring. His memories of the Fourth Ring were still stuck three years in the past.

"Have there been significant changes in the Fourth Ring recently?" Fan Zhen looked at Qi Gefei, his expression somewhat puzzled. Qi Gefei just nodded mutely.

"The changes in the Fourth Ring are indeed quite significant." Bai Qingshuang smiled faintly. She looked at Pope Fan Zhen, her smile tinged with mockery. This was the first time she had shown no respect in her demeanor towards the Pope.

"Now, the Fourth Ring has completely broken free from the Alliance's control; they have established their own economic and political systems. Although I don't know how they managed to kill a Seventh Tier Transcendent, I suspect they borrowed the power of the Exotic Species, right? The union of Exotic Species and humans—how ironic. It's as if everything humans have done for hundreds of years has been in vain. Teacher Fan Zhen, is this current state of the Fourth Ring also within your expectations?"

Fan Zhen was somewhat shocked. He could hardly believe what Bai Qingshuang was saying.

The Fourth Ring has become independent? They've broken free from the Alliance's control? They even killed a Seventh Tier from the Inner Ring? How could that be possible? The power of the Fourth Ring was so weak; the Inner Ring could eliminate them in minutes. How could it have reached this stage?

"This is impossible! Even if the Church didn't move against the Fourth Ring because of you, those people in the Alliance Council are not incompetent. The power of the Fourth Ring absolutely cannot contend with the Alliance Council. They have more than a dozen Seventh Tiers; sending out three to five would be enough to defeat even an Exotic Species Monarch on the spot."

"Too idealistic, Teacher Fan Zhen. Your thinking is too idealistic, and too naive. As I said before, this world is never static; it is constantly and rapidly changing. Whether it's the will of the world or something else, the current Dark Energy Level in the Fourth Ring has already reached the same level as the Third Ring. Teacher Fan Zhen, you should understand what this means, right?"

"What!"

Fan Zhen was truly shocked this time. If the Fourth Ring's Dark Energy was on par with the Third Ring's, it would mean the Third Ring no longer held any strategic significance. It would merely be an ordinary piece of land. In that case, the status of the Inner Ring would also be obliterated by this transformation. The Transcendents of the Fourth Ring would no longer need to scramble over each other for a spot in the Inner Ring. They would only need to cultivate in the Fourth Ring to reach their desired realms.

"When did this change begin?"

Qi Gefei glanced at the old Pope, suddenly understanding the meaning behind some of the Judgment Chief's words. People like the Pope are completely out of touch with this world, with this society. They represent the interests of the older generation. And younger generations like us have never been within their considerations.

"Your Holiness, this change actually began over three months ago. At that time, the Nightmare Demon issued a challenge to the East Fourth Ring, setting the date for December 19th. Shortly before December 19th, the Dark Energy level surged dramatically. At one point, it reached the level of the Alliance's Third Ring core area. Even the areas in the current Fourth Ring with the weakest Dark Energy are almost comparable to the areas with the highest in the Third Ring. So…"

Qi Gefei did not continue.

It was ironic, really. After the Dark Energy level in the Fourth Ring increased, the Transcendents of the Inner Ring Alliance actually felt a desire to move to the Fourth Ring. The Inner Ring had become stagnant, while the Fourth Ring offered vast space and abundant opportunities. If one truly possessed skills, developing in the Fourth Ring wouldn't be a bad idea. However, this was all discussed in private. Many wanted to, but no one brought it up openly. Moreover, now that the Fourth Ring and Inner Ring have completely severed ties, even if many wanted to go, they cannot.

Hearing this, Fan Zhen suddenly gripped the table for support, his head spinning.

"Chaos! It's all chaos! How can this be possible?"

The upheaval in the Fourth Ring was an even greater shock to him than Bai Qingshuang taking Qi Gefei to the Doomsday Sanctuary. An increased Dark Energy level in the Fourth Ring was undoubtedly a fatal blow to the Inner Ring. As the former supreme leader of the Inner Ring, he was naturally very aware of this.

"Nothing is impossible, Teacher Fan Zhen. Dark Energy is never constant. Every increase in the Dark Energy level marks a turning point in history. Human society has experienced this many times. According to the Church's secret records, including this instance, there have been a total of seven such increases. So, your holing up in the Inner Ring, thinking you're perfectly safe, is actually quite ludicrous. That this seclusion has lasted for over a hundred years makes it even more laughable, doesn't it?"

Bai Qingshuang spoke with a mocking tone, her eyes filled with disdain. Qi Gefei, however, noticed that Bai Qingshuang, like this, seemed even more vibrant than usual. The usual Bai Qingshuang was too perfect, like a mannequin. Showing some personal attitude made Bai Qingshuang seem a bit more real.

"So what do you want to do? Gather people who meet your criteria to become your followers? Make them your core believers? A replacement for the Dawn Disc? The new Pope?"

Bai Qingshuang shook her head again. "None of that, Your Holiness. My ideals, my ambitions—how could they be so simple, so uninteresting?"

Fan Zhen frowned slightly. The scenarios he described were the utmost a conventional power holder could achieve. Yet Bai Qingshuang called those things very uninteresting. What exactly did she want?

"Bai Qingshuang, what do you truly seek?"

Bai Qingshuang slightly raised her hands. "The Alliance needs a transformation, one that will lead humanity into a new era. Such a transformation requires a new will, a new leader—a Monarch—to guide the Alliance through the potential pains of this transition. Neither the Pope of the Inner Ring nor the Speaker of the Alliance possesses such power. The power of the Inner Ring is too dispersed. Therefore, I need to become someone with authority exceeding that of the Pope or the Speaker. For instance, the first Monarch of the Wasteland Alliance! The Emperor! I will transform the Wasteland Alliance into a nation-state, and I will embody the will of this nation. Do you understand now, Fan Zhen?"

From initial respect, to addressing him as Pope, and now calling him directly by name—Bai Qingshuang's attitude towards Pope Fan Zhen had undergone many shifts. However, after stating her purpose, her entire aura seemed to elevate to another level. The Pope stood before her, towering over her in height, yet there was a sense that his presence fell short of hers. Qi Gefei fared even worse; in Bai Qingshuang's presence, he felt as if he could barely breathe. Yet, beneath the pressure, he felt not only exhilaration but also excitement.

He felt as if he were witnessing the unfolding of something remarkable. What Bai Qingshuang desired was not to become the Pope of the Dawn Church. It was to become the new king.

"Judgment Chief, you will surely succeed."

"You think so too? It seems our thoughts coincide."

Pope Fan Zhen looked at Bai Qingshuang. This woman's ambition was larger than he had imagined. And he believed that becoming the Monarch of the Wasteland was simply impossible. The Wasteland Alliance had existed for 400 years, and there had never been any Wasteland Monarch.

"Bai Qingshuang, you've gone mad! The Wasteland Alliance doesn't need a king. Even if the Wasteland Alliance truly reached that point, they wouldn't need a dictator. This world cannot accept dictatorship."

Bai Qingshuang looked at Fan Zhen, seemingly dismissive of his words. There was no helping it; the outcome of anything is decided by the victor. And right now, victory clearly favored Bai Qingshuang.

"Fan Zhen, I once thought that doing anything required the agreement of the majority, but I later discovered I was wrong. Even if what I do is for everyone's good, there will still be far too many people who disagree. Even some who would benefit from these actions still reject me because of certain principles. So, I later changed my strategy. I gradually concentrated power in my own hands. I became stronger and stronger, and my loyal followers grew in number. I stopped promoting my theories; I began to judge my actions solely by their results. And then, I found that the people around me, under these circumstances, started to obey. From their initial refusal and resistance to their current silent acceptance—it only took a few months. Tell me, aren't humans a strange species?"

The Pope's chest heaved violently. What Bai Qingshuang wanted now was not merely a position. She wanted to completely shatter the very foundations of the Wasteland Alliance and then rebuild it. This was absolutely unacceptable to him. He might have internally conceded that Bai Qingshuang would become the new Pope, but he refused to acknowledge that she could become the new king.

"If you want to become the king of the Wasteland, you'll have to do it over my dead body! Otherwise, you have no chance!"

Fan Zhen made his final, resolute stand as Pope.

Bai Qingshuang looked at him, and after a moment of silence, she nodded slightly.

"Fine!"

Qi Gefei, who had been silent all this while, was suddenly taken aback.

Fine? Fine what, exactly? The Pope told the Judgment Chief to kill him, and the Judgment Chief agreed? To kill the Pope?

"No, my lords."

"Leave now, Qi Gefei," Bai Qingshuang said suddenly.

"Huh?"

"This place has become rather unsafe for you. As my new subordinate, you should have better development and prospects in the future. Dying here would be inappropriate and a waste of an Inheritor's power."

"Uh!"

Qi Gefei felt somewhat dejected. Just moments ago, their dispute had been merely ideological. Moreover, it had been said before that the Pope could not be killed, so Qi Gefei had always believed the two would not actually come to blows.

But what was going on now? Is the Judgment Chief really going to defy the rules of the Dawn Disc? And what if the Dawn Disc really does lose control, as she mentioned!

"Judgment Chief? Are you really going to…"

"Yes. I've hesitated over this decision for a long time. I'm not one to hesitate, so it's time to resolve it."

Bai Qingshuang's gaze was firm and calm. For her, the act of killing the Pope seemed to be something she had indeed struggled with for quite some time. Fan Zhen, opposite her, was completely pinned by her aura. Even if he wanted to flee, escape was unlikely under the power of the Judgment Chief.

"Go!"

"Yes."

Qi Gefei glanced at the two of them and finally nodded. He was a smart man. Ever since Lu Luo first defeated him, he had been quick to learn his lessons, a fact demonstrated by his survival in the Nightmare Castle until the end. Qi Gefei's judgment was exceedingly strong. That judgment had led him, step by step, to where he was today. Although being noticed by Bai Qingshuang today involved some luck, it was also because he was excellent enough to be chosen by her.

Qi Gefei slowly retreated. This place, this situation, was no longer something he could be part of. This was the Dawn Church, at the moment of transition from the old to the new.

Perhaps this was also the moment for the Judgment Chief to kill her mentor.

After Qi Gefei left the wooden hut, he encountered Zemo, who was guarding the Pope, outside.

Zemo glanced at Qi Gefei and said indifferently, "Has their battle begun?"

"You knew?"

"Those of us who follow the Judgment Chief knew this day would inevitably come. So we've all been waiting for this moment."

A bright light shone in Zemo's eyes, as if the Judgment Chief's decision to act against the Pope was a truly momentous event to him. Qi Gefei did not quite understand their ideals, but he still nodded at Zemo.

"Let's go. The Judgment Chief said this place is no longer safe."

"Alright."

Inside the wooden hut, Bai Qingshuang and Pope Fan Zhen faced each other, their auras resonating intensely. Fan Zhen's aura was somewhat deathly still, yet also tinged with a detached calm.

"I never thought you would actually go this far, to act with such disregard for everything."

Bai Qingshuang looked at Fan Zhen, her expression unreadable.

"Do you know why?"

"Why?"

"There are too few things or people in this world that can put pressure on me. To enter the Eighth Order, I need a catalyst. A catalyst to make me a true sovereign. The Eighth Order is the Monarch level. What I need is precisely a catalyst to become a Monarch."

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