Master the Abyss, starting from an apprentice priest.

Chapter 603 The Lich Conference

That faint spiritual aura had been lingering and drifting near the bishop's tent for some time.

But when Luo Xiu stood up from the main seat, that spirituality vanished instantly, as if it were "escaping"—

In Luo Xiu's eyes, the fleeting figure of the priest had vanished. The other priests on the periphery also seemed unaware of anything amiss, remaining steadfast in their posts.

Luo Xiu knew that the other party was spying on him, but also "fearing" him—the spiritual level of the other party was probably not very high. They had not yet reached the level of "entering sainthood," and should only be at the fourth level of destiny.

"—Fenrir."

Gazing in the direction the spirit had fled, Luo Xiu raised his right hand and swung his scepter—

He quickly recited the prayer of summoning, and a burst of golden flame shot from the tip of the scepter, swiftly chasing after the direction in which the spirit had fled.

"Ouch!"

From within that golden flame, a wolf's howl erupted. It charged towards the outside of the tent and would soon catch up with the fleeing spirit.

Just a few seconds later.

"--ah!!!!!"

A piercing scream erupted outside the three connected tents. Along with it, towering golden flames illuminated the surrounding camp as if it were daytime.

--boom! ! !

—Boom! Boom!! Boom!!
The continuous explosions finally alerted the surrounding clergy.

The worst-case scenario for the disguised clergy was that they alerted the "descendants"—the Church's protectors who were still online rushed to the origin of the loud noise.

Luo Xiu also slowly walked towards the source of the huge sound.

He wasn't in a hurry; controlling a traitor with only "four destinies" was still easy for him. As the smoke from the burning eruption and the smell of blood wafted out, the fleeing spirit stopped moving.

Besides the direction Fenrir chased, several fires also lit up around the camp. The "Guardians of the Holy Spirit" players and the priests had also discovered several disguised priests, and battles broke out in some areas.

But the battle ended quickly. The disguised clergy who had infiltrated the church's territory were soon rendered helpless by the players' heavy blows.

……

When Luo Xiu arrived at Fenrir's location, all that remained was a devastated battlefield.

In the center of the scorched pit, where embers still flickered with mottled firelight, stood a giant wolf, its entire body radiating light and burning with holy flames, its massive claws pressing down on the chest of a "priest".

The disguised priest was covered in blood, his abdomen was caved in by the immense force, making it difficult for him to breathe. His eyes were bulging as he gasped for air.

His eyes, filled with terror, stared at the giant wolf on his back. In just a fleeting moment, he had been overtaken and completely engulfed by that ball of holy flame.

He didn't even have a chance to retaliate—the giant wolf of holy flame possessed terrifying strength no less than that of a true saint. The infiltrated clergy quickly learned that it was the sacred beast contracted by the ruler of this place, the "Archbishop" Roshu Carlos…

Then, he saw the figure of the "archbishop" appear at the edge of his already reddened vision.

He saw that the archbishop appeared so composed, his scepter pointed at him, and several sealing and binding holy spells had already been released, rendering him unable to make any further moves.

"Uh……"

The infiltrated clergyman's throat was already throbbing with blood.

Although he already knew that there was a huge gap between himself and that "archbishop," he did not expect that he would be exposed so quickly that he did not even have a chance to react.

Then, the voice of the "archbishop" flooded into his ears—

“You are a member of the ‘Lich Society’.”

"Answer me. What is your purpose in coming here?"

……

Luo Xiu questioned the pseudo-priest who had lost the ability to resist.

Upon seeing him for the first time, Luo Xiu used his panel to detect his identity—

What was initially displayed was indeed the standard panel for a "clergyman". But soon, its contents changed, forming its true panel.

Yalgo Azig, a cultivator of the four paths of [Loss] and also a cultivator of the three paths of [Nothingness].

His class in [Lost] is "Lich Priest," while in [Void] it is "Transformer."

His method of disguising himself as a clergyman comes from his ability to "empty" destiny, which allows him to transform some of the manifested power into the spiritual essence he has encountered in a short period of time.

Under normal circumstances, it would be difficult to see through his disguise if he was under the "Fivefold Fate" level, but Luo Xiu's own "perception" attribute was not low, and there was a huge difference in level between him and Yargo, so that abnormal spirituality could not completely deceive him.

The methods of "detection" also make it easier to further uncover his identity.

Argo is a "Lich Priest" in the [Lost] Quadruple Fate, a hidden class whose lineage is only clearly traceable to one ancient sect in the Holy Tower Theocracy—the "Lich Order."

Luo Xiu still remembers that several Lich Kings from the "Lich Society" infiltrated the Empire before the outbreak of the Judgment War, cursed and killed several of the Empire's dukes, and framed the "Envoy of Peace" of the Dark Duchy. That was the fuse that ultimately ignited the Judgment War and also the beginning of the war.

Now, the people of the "Lich Society" have reappeared—the people from the theocracy that Luo Xiu first encountered, who had infiltrated the expeditionary force, were not even followers of the "Primordial Sect" that the expeditionary force had already taken control of. Luo Xiu felt that the undercurrents of events were somewhat beyond the empire's expectations and control.

"..."

Luo Xiu was thinking about these things.

He was also staring at the "lich priest," while Argo, who was being suppressed by Fenrir's giant claws, was trembling and bleeding from his bitten lips.

In Yalgo's eyes as he looked at Luo Xiu, there was not only fear but also despair.

The archbishop immediately revealed his true identity as a member of the "Lich Society" when he spoke!

Argo had heard of the name "Archbishop" Rosius Carlos and knew what methods this archbishop usually used when dealing with heretics.

It is said that almost no heretic survives the clutches of that archbishop. He appears so humble and gentle, yet he is utterly merciless towards his enemies. Argo is therefore terrified, but he is also terrified of failing to complete his mission and returning to face the "Apostles," "Divine Messengers," and the "Lich Kings."

"How...did you figure that out...?"

Yalgo trembled, his voice breaking in a series of trembling sounds.

But there was no response. He only felt a tremendous force pressing down on his chest, his ribcage almost completely collapsing, and the giant wolf opened its blood-red maw at him.

"Your time is running out, cultist."

Luo Xiu stared at Yargo, a hint of coldness already showing in his eyes.

He stroked the scepter and said in a calm voice:

"answer my question."

"..." "Lord Smode... gave me the task of infiltrating the Matsubara Expeditionary Force, hiding among the clergy, to find out your background, and then report your information to Lord Smode..."

Yalgo no longer resisted, nor did he delay any longer. He said, trembling:

“You… Lord of the Red Maple City Church, the ‘Lich Society’ has incomplete information about you. My mission is to find out everything related to you and then… report back to Lord Smode.”

The "Smode" that Argo mentioned should be an "Apostle" or "Divine Messenger" within the "Lich King's Guild." Their desire for information about themselves... from the perspective of the Judgment War, that's understandable.

Luo Xiu thought to himself that the Holy Tower Theocracy had launched a surprise attack and declared war on the Empire when the war between the Empire and the Duchy reached a fever pitch. In fact, the Theocracy and the Empire were still at war, but the Theocracy's energy was more focused on the Golden Kingdom Federation.

The Holy Kingdom likely intends to gain a share of the spoils in the "final battle" of the trial war. Whether the Holy Kingdom takes advantage of the chaos to deliver a fatal blow to the Duchy or uses this opportunity to further deplete the Empire's national strength, it is all within its power.

That information about himself—a Saint whose strength is no less than that of a Seventh-Level Destiny Saint, and who is a foreseeable "quasi-Seventh-Level Destiny Saint"—does indeed have special value to the Theocracy.

Its impact extends beyond the trial war. Once the war ends and the major powers on the continent of Fanor regain their balance, the Holy Kingdom will need to accurately assess the extent of its influence on them.

Luo Xiu also believed that, if possible, it would be most advantageous for the Theocracy to eliminate him on the battlefield of this decisive battle, and it was indeed something the Theocracy was capable of doing.

"..."

Luo Xiu pondered and analyzed these things.

He continued to gaze at the "lich priest" Yargol, only narrowing his eyes slightly.

“Then,” he continued, “Is that right?”

"What is the purpose of your 'Lich Society'?"

"..."

"The Lich's Awakening..."

A fanaticism shone on Yargor's face—even though fear still lingered within him, he no longer trembled as he spoke these words.

"For...our service...the awakening of the lich!"

"In such a chaotic battlefield, countless wandering souls will inevitably emerge. To offer them to the lich, or to elevate them into liches, is our...our great undertaking!"

"..."

After saying all this, Yalgo seemed to have said too much. He couldn't catch his breath, and veins bulged on his face.

"Oh, like this."

Luo Xiu nodded calmly.

His spirituality had long since overshadowed Argo's, thus enabling him to perceive Argo's emotional changes.

Yargol was not lying; the "Lich Society"—or rather, the mission Yargol had received—was indeed these.

The final battle of the "Judgment War" will surely result in many deaths. The "Lich Society's" target is the souls wandering on the battlefield... Luo Xiu knows that they do indeed have efficient methods for collecting souls.

Given this objective, they will undoubtedly try to make the battle even more chaotic—perhaps even their "Lich King" has joined in, possibly hiding right beside them.

"..."

Luo Xiu was thinking about these things.

"Ho-"

At the same time, he heard the "lich priest" Yargol lying on the ground, making "ho, ho" sounds in his throat, his face already flushed red, his lungs bursting.

Blood gushed from the corners of his eyes, earlobes, nostrils, and mouth. He was on the verge of death and could not hold on much longer.

"Fenrir."

Luo Xiu then called out the name of the giant wolf in front of him.

--boom! ! !

In an instant, a surge of energy erupted from the giant wolf. Holy flames swept outwards in concentric rings, completely enveloping Argo.

"The Lich Priest" Yargol, soon, stopped making any further moves.

Under the scorching flames of Fenrir, the constellation Lupus, Argo quickly died. His corpse, engulfed in the intense flames, gradually lost its human form; its skin withered, sprouting root-like hair and twisted, sharp claws like those of a demon.

That is Yorgos's "essence"—his essence as a "lich".

The "lich" was originally born from people rejected by death, a decaying state of life formed through long-term wear and tear and distortion.

That is similar to the state of "the undead," but they have never truly experienced death.

The "Lich Society" reveres this state of being. Through long-term research, symbiosis, and inheritance, they have gradually summarized and obtained a state of being close to that of a "lich" by artificially distorting the human soul.

Luo Xiu, possessing memories of his past life, indeed knew these things. He stared at Argo's gradually burning corpse, recalling Argo's earlier words in his mind.

Until Yargos's body was completely burned.

Rosh recalled Fenrir and, at the same time, instructed the surrounding clergy to clean up the scene.

Then, he headed straight for the Supreme's encampment.

……

Luo Xiu, along with Lord Gawain and "Knight of the Sky" Stuart, kept abreast of the situation at the church's headquarters.

The intelligence, including that of the "Lich Society," surprised Lord Gawain and Stuart, who had only just learned of it and that members of the "Lich Society" were involved.

After exchanging intelligence and receiving a new wave of supplies and personnel support from [Supreme], the expeditionary force's entire base was raised to the highest level of alert for the next three days.

In the three days that followed, Luo Xiu encountered a total of seven similar emergencies.

He witnessed firsthand the true danger of the decisive battle.

Meanwhile, the clandestine activities of the theocracy and the duchy have become increasingly frequent, all indicating that the moment of the decisive battle is drawing ever closer.

……

On the fourth day after Luo Xiu arrived at the war camp.

He received a message from one of his clergymen—

"Saintess" Franya, "Sword of the Holy One" Monine, "Heavenly Ring Paladin" Daveld, and the "God Hunter" Templar Knights arrived simultaneously at dusk on the same day.

……

(End of this chapter)