At this moment, Daiqisi had returned to the Bright Temple.
As soon as she arrived at the Bright Temple, the Holy Son saw her.
"How is she still alive?"
Seeing Daiqisi approach, the Holy Son was profoundly shaken. After all, he had painstakingly persuaded and promised the three elders endless benefits once he ascended to the position of Pope, before he had coaxed them into killing Daiqisi. He had assumed Daiqisi was dead, only to find her not only alive but also unharmed.
The three elders, however, had not returned, clearly having perished. He wondered who else in this world could possibly kill three elders.
"Holy Son, is your complexion not well?"
Daiqisi asked with a cold smile.
The Holy Son quickly replied with a smile, "Thank you for your concern, Holy Maiden. I am fine!"
It was obvious to everyone that Daiqisi was not truly concerned about him. Even he could see that, yet he could only respond in this manner.
Internally, he was terrified.
To ease the awkwardness, he said to Daiqisi, "Why didn't you inform me of your return? I could have come to meet you!"
"There was no need to meet me, but I was ambushed this time. Fortunately, I managed to escape and avert disaster!"
Daiqisi did not expose him. Although the elders had violated the temple's rules, the Holy Maiden did not have the authority to kill them. Of course, since she didn't expose him, the Holy Son dared not do so either.
He retorted angrily, "Who dares to ambush the Holy Maiden? Are they tired of living?"
"It's alright, it's all in the past!"
Daiqisi said, "I won't chat with you much longer. I need to see the Pope now!"
"Alright!"
The Holy Son was inwardly terrified. What if Daiqisi revealed this matter? Then he would be the one to suffer.
At this moment, he could not follow her in to see what was happening and could only wait outside. Now it depended on whether the Pope would punish him.
There was a reason why he hadn't fled yet.
Although Daiqisi had always been more outstanding than him since childhood, and had numerous supporters within the Bright Temple, sometimes being too outstanding was also a sin. For example, Daiqisi overshadowed everyone with her brilliance.
This was very unfavorable to the Pope. It was precisely because he firmly believed this that the Holy Son had no intention of fleeing.
At this moment, Daiqisi met the Pope, an elder whose seniority was equal to that of the Celestial Master. He naturally exuded an aura of imposing authority.
An ordinary person would not dare to look him in the eye.
He was the foremost master of the West, the Pope. Of course, in the entire secular world, there were no stronger individuals.
However, if he were in the East, his strength would likely be only slightly superior to that of the Alliance Leader, but that was not important.
What was important was that above the Bright Temple, there were even stronger existences. However, these beings were mysterious, just like the ancient families in Huaxia.
Let alone seeing them, most people had probably never even heard of them. Even Daiqisi, who was second only to the Pope in power, had never seen them.
At this moment, Daiqisi said to the Pope, "Your Holiness, I have returned!"
"It's good that you are back!"
The Pope said, "Daiqisi, those three elders were contemporaries of mine. You shouldn't have killed them! You should have at least spared their lives!"
Hearing this, Daiqisi was shocked inwardly. She had planned to conceal this matter, but unexpectedly, the Pope already knew.
Therefore, at this moment, she no longer intended to hide it.
"They intended to kill me, and the one who sent them was the Holy Son. I killed them to protect myself. I beg for your forgiveness, Your Holiness!"
Daiqisi boldly admitted her mistake and exposed the Holy Son at the same time.
Her implication was that it was not her fault. The blame lay with them and the Holy Son's collusion. They had tried to kill her first.
She had merely resisted passively.
The Pope said, "It's just a pity they are dead! It's a shame."
"As for the Holy Son, I will punish him!"
The Pope's casual dismissal of the matter exceeded Daiqisi's expectations. However, it was understandable.
Because she was too dazzling, and would soon be on par with the Pope, the Pope was actually suppressing her indirectly.
The Pope's retirement from the forefront did not mean he would cease to manage the affairs of the Bright Temple. He would merely transition from being the overt controller to being the power behind the scenes.
This was a practice favored by popes throughout the ages. Therefore, for a considerable period after the new Pope ascended to the throne, things would not be smooth.
At this moment, the Pope asked Daiqisi, "Do you know why I summoned you?"
"No!"
Daiqisi shook her head.
The Pope said, "You are very outstanding, and your talent surpasses even mine. You are the most qualified person to assume this position!"
Daiqisi remained silent, unsure of what the Pope meant.
"But you are a woman, and in our Bright Temple's history, there has never been a woman serving as Pope. Therefore, I am afraid I cannot make you Pope!"
Upon hearing this, Daiqisi felt a chill run down her spine. She had not expected the Pope to harbor such thoughts. The excuse that she was a woman and thus could not hold this position seemed weak.
Because if a woman was outstanding enough, she could still hold this position. It was merely that she would be harder to control.
If it were the Holy Son, as long as the Pope was alive, the Holy Son would never have the right to make decisions.
Even if the Holy Son sat on the Pope's throne, he would have no authority. This was the difference. If it were her, the Pope might only be able to reign for a few more years. Once her strength advanced further, she would seize power completely.
Clearly, the Pope had seen through her ambition, and that was why he made this decision.
However, how could she be willing? She immediately said, "Your Holiness, the Holy Son is weak-willed and his talent is inferior. If he ascends to the position of Pope, he will likely not be able to command respect from everyone?"
The Pope chuckled, "You don't need to worry about this. I still have many years to live. As long as I am here, no one will dare to be presumptuous. And are there not people to assist him?"
However, Daiqisi did not accept this, cursing the Pope's cunning scheme. He had stripped her of her right to succeed the Pope and still expected her to work for him. There was no such good fortune.
Therefore, she immediately said, "Your Holiness, you gave me this hope in the past, why are you taking away this wish now? Who says women are inferior to men? If I can ascend to this position, I will surely lead the temple to its peak!"
"Insolent!"
The Pope's reprimand thundered.
"This matter is settled. You were summoned here today for another, more important reason!"
"What reason?"
Daiqisi's eyes were vacant, and she was not appeased.
The Pope said, "In fact, you have other ways to exercise the rights of the Pope, by controlling things from behind the scenes!"
"What way?"
The Pope's palace replied, "Marry the Holy Son!"
Upon hearing this, Daiqisi felt disdain. How could this good-for-nothing Holy Son be worthy of her? What a joke! The Holy Son was such a coward, he wouldn't even be fit to carry shoes for her junior brother.
The Pope saw through her thoughts and immediately said, "I know you will definitely disagree, but with your capabilities, it is easy to control the Crown Prince, isn't it? Then, the entire Bright Temple will be under your command. Once you have children, you can meticulously train them to become the next Pope!"
Daiqisi found this matter utterly absurd. She couldn't understand why the Pope would make such a decision.
Therefore, she immediately said, "Your Holiness, you do not need to arrange my marital affairs. I will decide for myself. As for controlling the temple, you may have misunderstood. Even if I cannot become the Pope, I will not marry him!"
"Consider it yourself!"
The Pope said.
Afterward, Daiqisi withdrew, but her mind was filled with many thoughts. The Pope was determined to have her marry the Holy Son.
She would certainly not agree. Therefore, this time, her ambition grew even larger. Since the Pope would not let her ascend to that position, she would fight for it herself. Although her chances alone were slim, let's not forget her junior brother, Yun Fan.
After she left, the Pope summoned the Holy Son.
"Your Holiness, I confess my guilt!"
The Holy Son trembled and knelt on the ground. He knew that the Pope had summoned him to punish him.
After all, secretly sending elders to assassinate the Holy Maiden was a grave offense, deserving of death.
But he did not wish to die.
He had expected to be met with the Pope's merciless wrath, followed by immediate judgment. Unexpectedly, the Pope reached out and helped him up.
"You are still young, and making mistakes is normal. As long as I do not pursue it, no one can condemn you!"
The Pope declared imposingly.
Instantly, the Holy Son breathed a sigh of relief. He thought he was doomed, but instead, he received an unexpected reprieve.
At this moment, the Pope said, "Daiqisi is indeed more outstanding than you, and you cannot defeat her. However, the position of Pope belongs to you!"
"What?"
The Holy Son was shocked again. He never expected such a benefit, which was completely beyond his imagination. Wasn't the reason he tried to assassinate Daiqisi for this very position?
Unexpectedly, the Pope was now directly bestowing this position upon him. Not only was he free of punishment, but he had also gained a bonus.
Nothing in the world could be more delightful than this.
If anyone else had told him this, he would never have believed it. After all, more than two-thirds of the elders in the temple supported Daiqisi.
The remaining one-third were either neutral or supported him in small numbers. How could he possibly contend with Daiqisi?
He had no choice but to take a risk.
However, coming directly from the Pope was another matter entirely. After all, the Pope was the divine authority of the temple. As long as the Pope agreed, then even if those people supported Daiqisi, it would be of no consequence. Although his reign as Pope would be difficult, he could gradually manage it at that time.
At this moment, the Pope said to him, "Do not worry. As long as I am here, no one will dare to disobey you, even when you ascend to the position of Pope. I will assist you from behind the scenes!"
"Thank you, Your Holiness!"
The Holy Son quickly expressed his loyalty, "As long as I can become Pope, I will obey your every word without question, and there will be no unexpected circumstances!"
At this moment, the Pope said, "Rest assured, I will only preside over matters for the first few years. Once you have secured your position, I will no longer interfere in your affairs. After all, everyone must grow up!"
Upon hearing this, the Holy Son became even happier. He couldn't understand why the Pope was treating him so well.
However, it was no longer important. What was important was that he could become Pope, and that was enough.
At this moment, the Pope said, "Daiqisi will certainly be somewhat rebellious. You don't need to worry about that, but you must deal with one person!"
"Who?"
The Holy Son asked, confused.
"Daiqisi's junior brother. This individual has already risen in Huaxia and is currently in the Hell Organization. If he is killed, Daiqisi will have no external support!"
The Holy Son replied, "Your Holiness, rest assured, this person will surely die!"
"Yes! Be careful, this individual is not simple!"
The Pope promised, "I will personally keep an eye on Daiqisi. She will have no opportunity to leave the temple. Therefore, during this period, you must act quickly and deal with that young man!"
"Understood!"
Subsequently, the Holy Son, filled with excitement, went to prepare. Yun Fan was in the Hell Organization, which made things even easier.
It seemed it was time to activate that trump card of the Hell Organization.
...
In the Hell Organization, Yun Fan received a message from Daiqisi. The content was simple: he should prepare for what was about to happen.
It was always easy to communicate with intelligent people. Although it was just a short sentence, Yun Fan could infer a great deal.
He had a premonition that his fourth senior sister was planning something big. Their objectives were simple: one would manage the internal affairs, and the other would handle external matters.
Therefore, at this moment, Yun Fan was ready to join his fourth senior sister in a grand endeavor. Perhaps one day, his name would also resonate throughout the West, which was not impossible.
At this moment, Ellie arrived.
She said to Yun Fan, "Yun Fan, my father wants to see you!"
"Isn't your father in seclusion?"
Yun Fan asked, confused. This was because the Lord of Hell had been manipulated by the four elders and was in a state of near-death.
He could only rely on seclusion to recuperate. Unexpectedly, he suddenly wanted to see Yun Fan, which was truly strange.
In fact, Ellie herself didn't know why her father insisted on seeing Yun Fan. After all, for the past few years, her father hadn't even seen her.
However, the order had been issued, so she had come to inform Yun Fan.
"Yes!"
Ellie nodded.
"Alright!"
Yun Fan readily agreed. He also wanted to meet the legendary Lord of Hell, as the name "Lord of Hell" was too renowned.
In the entire underground power circles of the West, when this person was mentioned, everyone paled. This was because he had instilled too much fear in the world.
Especially the Lord of Hell's decree: once the Hell Organization targeted an individual, it would be an endless assassination, regardless of the cost in lives, until the target was successfully eliminated.
Therefore, many people feared the Lord of Hell.
The fear of the Lord of Hell was etched into their bones. However, Yun Fan was not afraid, not even when the Hell Organization had issued an endless pursuit order against him.
As for now, there was even less to fear. If the Hell Organization dared to issue an endless pursuit order against him again, he would destroy the entire Hell Organization. Solving the problem at its source was the best approach.
Subsequently, Ellie and Yun Fan arrived at the deepest part of the Hell Organization, located hundreds of meters underground. It was a veritable hell.
Upon arriving, there was only endless cold and dampness. Even Yun Fan couldn't understand why the Lord of Hell had chosen to go into seclusion in such a desolate place.
Wouldn't it be more pleasant to find a paradise for seclusion? If he were to stay here, he would likely go mad within a few days.
There were no guards. After that incident, the Lord of Hell no longer trusted anyone, so generally, no one could approach this place.
Including Ellie.
Led by Ellie, Yun Fan finally saw the Lord of Hell. He was an old man whose body was close to decay.
It should be known that the Lord of Hell was only in his early fifties at most. Unexpectedly, at his age, he looked like he was in his seventies or eighties, already in the twilight of his years.
To be honest, in Yun Fan's opinion, given his current state, he didn't have many years left to live.
What shocked Yun Fan was that despite his seemingly dying appearance, his strength was not weak.
By calculation, his strength was comparable to his own, only slightly superior to his third senior sister and Ye Ji. Of course, the difference was not significant.
If he were to fight the two women in his current state, he would be utterly defeated.
He never expected that the Lord of Hell, who struck fear into the hearts of people worldwide, had become so feeble.
At this moment, he gazed at Yun Fan with deep eyes.
"Friend from the East, welcome!"
Yun Fan also responded politely, "It is an honor. I wonder why you, an elder, wish to see me?"
"To kill you!"
The Lord of Hell stated directly.
"What?"
Yun Fan was stunned for a moment, then said, "To be honest, with your strength, it's unlikely you can kill me, right?"
Ellie quickly interjected, "Father, he has no enmity with us, and he has even helped us."
"You are very strong, the strongest young man I have ever seen!"
"But unfortunately, you have already been drawn into a storm, and are destined to die young!"