Chapter 578: Unyielding

The angels that gathered grew ever more numerous; within just ten seconds, nearly two thousand pairs of pure white wings covered the sky above. Almost all of them held the rank of archangel, with more than two pairs of wings, their bodies shrouded in sacred radiance, dazzling and brilliant, illuminating the surroundings of the Teutonic National Museum into a world of holy light. And as their emotion-filled, elegant chanting rose, a massive door appeared high in the sky. This also enveloped the city called 'Berlin' where they stood in holy light; all citizens believed it was a miracle, falling prostrate on the ground.

Li Mochen withdrew his gaze from the angelic army above and turned to look at Weimar Medici opposite him.

—He was a man like light, with golden hair, flawless features, and a sunny, gentle demeanor that inspired immediate fondness.

But in Li Mochen's eyes, there was only coldness.

Bishop Medici, as I recall, the Medici family and I have a ceasefire agreement; you sought peace with me a few months ago.

That is true, but today's matter has nothing to do with the Medici family.

Weimar Medici looked at Li Mochen with a calm expression: "Withdraw, Andre! What lies behind me is not yours to claim. The specter of the Hohenstaufen family must not reappear on earth—this is the consensus of all the cardinals of the Holy See, and the will of the Lord!"

As his words fell, three men, also wearing red vestments but nearing old age, stepped out from the door of light.

Li Mochen, well-versed in the Church of Light, recognized them as three cardinals—Lovett Clement, Danny Hankins, and Cressy Cook.

The Goddess of Liberty could grant America the power of eight National Mages, and the Lord of Radiance could likewise grant His followers the might to repel evil and slay heretics. Even in this age, when the Church of Light was fragmented and the people's faith lacked piety, the number of this God's believers had only increased, never decreased.

This was undoubtedly an era more glorious than the Middle Ages, and these cardinals each possessed divine power surpassing that of intermediate gods. They might be influenced by their respective nations, peoples, and families, their interests not aligned with the Holy See. But at this time and place, these cardinals were undoubtedly of one will.

And behind them was an even greater radiance—likely the current 253rd Pope, John Honorius.

Above, behind the massive door, hundreds of gazes were fixed upon him. Each gaze was like a chain, a sword, a spear, binding him, judging him, seeking to kill him, to condemn him.

Among them, seven pairs of eyes were most fearsome; it was as if being stared at by the 'Night Goddess' Nyx, congealing his blood and qi, driving his will to the brink of collapse.

The majestic divine might pressed down wave after wave; the will of countless angels converged, hammering against Li Mochen's spirit like a heavy mallet, tightening his nerves and constricting every pore on his body.

Li Mochen could not help but reflect—the Hohenstaufen family of old had resisted such power.

In the early Middle Ages, though the population was smaller than now, the Roman Curia of that time was undoubtedly at its strongest.

Yet this fourth imperial dynasty of the Holy Roman Empire had contended with the Church of Light for over two centuries. This family, graced with the prefix 'Hohen' (meaning glorious and noble), indeed had reason to be proud.

"Withdraw, ignorant lamb!"

Cardinal Lovett Clement looked at him: "The Lord is merciful and magnanimous; He will not mind a lamb's offense against Him."

"I understand that well! Just as humans regard ants on the ground—what meaning does an ant's baring of fangs and claws have for us humans?"

But Li Mochen's gaze passed over the cardinals and fixed on the depths of the Teutonic National Museum.

His divine sense had already touched the 'Blood Crown'; the resonance and response from his bloodline had reached its peak.

This object could indeed not be destroyed, not be subdued, not be imprisoned, not be sealed. Yet the levels of power varied in height and strength. Li Mochen could sense that seven forces were now striving to suppress it, bind it, restrain it, and prevent it from leaving.

They were—'Time,' 'Space,' 'Binding,' 'Bond,' 'Judgment,' 'Punishment,' and 'Sovereignty'! Yet this powerful mythical armament also resisted them fiercely; it refused to be imprisoned in that underground space and would not yield, so it trembled violently within the layers of seals, causing waves of magical tides to surge through Berlin.

A strong desire also appeared in Li Mochen's eyes.

"But precisely because of that, I must first become someone who can converse with Him, must I not?"

"Blasphemy!"

"He is guilty!"

"Presumptuous!"

"He deserves judgment!"

"This is a heresy worthy of excommunication!"

The four cardinals were both shocked and angered, and all the angels in the sky began to burn with holy fire, glaring at Li Mochen with fury.

That vast, ocean-like spiritual will, like a forging press with the force of ten thousand jun, once again struck deep into Li Mochen's soul. This was directly reflected beneath his feet: the concrete ground within three hundred square meters cracked, shattered, and collapsed! It also affected the surrounding buildings, causing them to collapse in large areas.

Behind the 'Miracle Angel' Weimar Medici, three pairs of wings unfurled—purple-gold feathers, armor condensed from holy light, and a golden crown—the rank of Seraph, holding the status of a high god in the current hierarchy of the Church of Light.

"Young Mr. Wiltonshire, though this is an age of free speech and free belief, being here and now, I cannot pretend not to have heard your contempt and blasphemy against the Lord."

His gaze fixed mercilessly on Li Mochen, the authority named 'Miracle' manifesting as massive lightning at his side.

"You still have time to repent of your sins before the Lord metes out punishment upon you."

But before the lightning could become a substantive attack, a figure intervened between them. An elderly mage, clad in a white robe, with a face as hard as rock and a gray-white beard extending to his knees, his expression full of anger.

"Gentlemen! This is the territory of the Teutonic Republic! Are you preparing to wage war here, in our capital? Do you wish to destroy this place?"

Li Mochen glanced at the old man, his expression respectful but showing no sign of yielding: "Forgive me, I only wish to reclaim an heirloom of my clan!"

Li Mochen cared nothing for the Hohenstaufen or Wiltonshire names, but at this moment, he did not mind invoking them.

As for the elderly mage before him, he recognized him too: the Teutonic Republic's National Mage, honorary president of the Old Continent Magic Association, titled 'Element Controller'—Reinhard Hedwig! An old man renowned in the World War II era, who had slain gods several times.

Cardinal Cressy Cook narrowed his eyes slightly: "That is also a trophy of the Holy See from ancient times."

Like the other two cardinals, he had three pairs of wings behind him—purple-gold feathers, armor of holy light, but no golden crown—the rank of Dominions.

"But now, it is a national treasure of the Teutonic Republic, an ancient artifact in our collection!"

The 'Element Controller' showed no fear, roaring in anger, then looked at Li Mochen with a gaze full of anger and complex meaning: "Leave this place, young man! I know your ancestors were once emperors of this land and owners of the Blood Crown. Yet even so, you have no right to claim it, let alone seize it by force! It is the common wealth of the Teutonic Republic's 1.6 billion citizens. Otherwise—"

He stamped his staff, and two extraordinarily majestic and towering figures appeared behind the 'Element Controller' Reinhard Hedwig. Along with them came two streams of pure magical energy.

That was none other than the Emperor of Wind and Thunder, an elemental deity crowned with a dual-element diadem!

And the words that followed from Reinhard von Hedwig were uttered one by one: "Then the one point six billion people of the Teutonic Republic will regard you as an enemy!"

Li Mochen had already sensed the sky, the five magic towers over eighteen stories high, and the radiance of several deities.

As a nation that had once single-handedly resisted the entire Old Continent, the Teutonic Republic's national power remained extremely formidable even after that terrible war. Their once-divided territory had been reunified, and they were recovering their strength.

"Lord Hedwig, I respect the will of your people and have no desire to start a war in Berlin."

Li Mochen shook his head slightly, his tone firm, his gaze resolute, and his will harder than diamond.

Even though the angelic army in the sky had increased to forty thousand, with more high-ranking angels descending, and even though the vast consciousness of these celestial beings and the cardinals was enough to tear apart a deity,

Li Mochen's body still stood as straight as a javelin, his fighting spirit burning like fire: "But my choice is no! Either you give it to me, or we fight here."

"Your decision is utterly foolish!"

The 'Elemental Master's' face at that moment was extremely grim: "Young man, do you know what you are doing? Your actions right now are detested even by your own president. I think you need to have a phone call with him."

"Lord Hedwig, I understand your efforts to defuse the conflict, but it's truly unnecessary. When I stood here, everything was already irreversible. That great president cannot change my will."

Li Mochen sighed softly: "So, from the beginning, there has been only one choice for both sides!"

At that moment, his figure stepped into the interstices of time, walking deeper within.

"Ignorant!"

Weimar de' Medici's eyes held admiration, mockery, and pity. He ignored Li Mochen, who had passed him, and clasped his hands in a prayer gesture: "The Lord said, 'All who draw the sword will die by the sword.'"

At that instant, the power called 'Miracle' twisted the sequence of time, exposing Li Mochen's figure once more to everyone's sight.

Cardinal Loft Clement also prayed loudly to the Lord of Radiance: "The Lord said, 'Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: It is mine to avenge; I will repay.'"

Danny Hankins said: "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."

A massive holy white thunderbolt suddenly struck above Li Mochen—a punishing thunder that nearly engulfed him entirely. Sacred light spears fell from all directions, piercing into Li Mochen. Their residual heat alone melted the ground for hundreds of meters around. Following behind were forty thousand angels, forty thousand luminous spears and arrows.

However, most of the energy from the punishing thunder and sacred light spears was absorbed into the 'Mandala Bracelet' on Li Mochen's right hand, causing negligible harm to him.

The wind blades and thunderbolts from the two 'Elemental Emperors'—the 'Elemental Master' Reinhard von Hedwig, as promised, attacked Li Mochen without mercy. The forbidden spells held by four national mages, along with the four magic towers and over twenty magical annihilation cannons, mercilessly bombarded Li Mochen.

Even the entire magic tower array above Berlin began prioritizing the expulsion of Li Mochen; the forty-eight-tower array operated at full capacity, suppressing Li Mochen's power.

Yet this also posed limited threat to Li Mochen. Part of the forbidden spells and annihilation cannons were twisted by the 'Scepter of the Sky' and 'Authority of Time', while another part was absorbed by the 'Mandala Bracelet'.

Although he had been pulled back into sight by the power of miracle, he had not truly returned from the interstices of time.

The authority of miracle was powerful, but not enough to completely offset his temporal divine authority.

This scene made another cardinal, Cressey Cook, frown deeply: "But I will sacrifice to you with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay what I have vowed. Salvation belongs to the Lord!"

At that moment, countless holy light chains descended from the sky, locking onto Li Mochen's hands and feet. Yet the latter, without any obvious evasive movements, managed to avoid them perfectly.

Then, from the radiance behind the four cardinals, an aged and majestic voice emerged.

"The Lord said, 'To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.'"

At that moment, Li Mochen's figure was almost frozen at the entrance. However, the wall of fate blocking the museum entrance was soon forcibly broken by Li Mochen.

This scene made everyone's expression change.

"Is it fate?"

Weimar de' Medici turned his head, now with pure golden eyes, looking at Li Mochen's back, his face filled with profound shock.

"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven!"

At that moment, the tens of thousands of angels above the museum burst into flames. The three pairs of wings behind Weimar de' Medici stretched and grew; previously only twenty meters long, they now extended hundreds of meters to each side. Each wing beat, carrying vast and glorious holy light.

But before this 'Miracle Angel' could cast another divine spell, Li Mochen's eyes began to gaze upward. Behind him, enormous illusory figures also appeared.

—The Heavenly Emperor, the Great Emperor of the Gouchen Upper Palace, the Great Emperor of the Central Pole Ziwei, the Great Emperor of the Southern Pole Longevity, the Great Emperor of the Dark Warrior Xuantian, the Azure Dragon Mengzhang Divine Lord—these imperial figures began to manifest behind him.

And in the boundless sky, constellations like Ursa Minor, Eridanus, and Octans began to shine brightly.

In Li Mochen's eyes, besides contempt and disdain, there was also a dense spiritual radiance.

"You beings of ghosts and spirits, how dare you act presumptuously before me? Dare to raise weapons against me?"

His voice was not loud, but it resonated like a great bell, causing all fifty thousand angels in the sky to have their holy flames flicker and their spirits destabilize. Nearly a quarter of them fell directly to the ground; their wings could no longer sustain them in the sky.

Weimar de' Medici also lost the foundation for his spellcasting; his three-hundred-meter purple-gold wings rapidly lost their luster.

But Li Mochen did not stop there. His divine authority over life and death had already covered an area of nearly a hundred kilometers in radius.

"I remember your Lord also said, 'Let dust return to dust, let the departed find peace, and let the living gain release!'"

In that instant, another third of the angels directly evaporated, turning into pure or impure holy light and spirit, dispersing between heaven and earth.

And not only these angels, but within Berlin, countless dark undead and nearly two hundred liches in the magic tower array were directly extinguished under the shock and impact of life and death.

"Thus, though I am not your Lord, you should still hold me in awe!"

As Li Mochen's divine thought broke free from the mantras of the many angels and spread outward, all the angels below the four-winged 'Power Angels' clad in holy light armor in the sky also fell to the ground. They were forced to retract their holy white wings and adopt a kneeling posture in humiliation.

This scene not only deeply shocked the 'Elemental Master' Reinhard von Hedwig, who again looked at Li Mochen with a scrutinizing gaze, but also made the four cardinals, including Weimar de' Medici, feel extreme humiliation, their faces flushing with blood.

"The Lord said, 'And the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.'"

Still, from within that halo came an aged voice, yet it caused the spirits that should have dispersed to gather once more, merging with the surrounding holy light to reshape into the form of 'angels'.

But most of them could only prostrate themselves on the ground, unable to stand upright before Li Mochen.

And the next moment, an old man in a white sacred robe, holding a cross, stepped out from the halo. His hair and beard were gray, his expression sorrowful.

“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?”

In that instant, both the stars above Li Mochen and the sovereign's manifestation were directly erased by a tremendous force.

Yet the next moment, they reappeared, still existing in that sky.

That was the divine right 'Indomitability'!

Though the Blood Crown had not yet returned to his hand, at this distance Li Mochen could already wield part of its power.

And at that moment, his icy gaze turned toward Reinhold Hedwig.

“Master of Elemental Control, are you planning to make this Berlin perish together with us today?”

At that instant, the vast energy absorbed within the 'Mandala Bracelet' was released entirely in the form of the forbidden spell 'Judgment of Annihilation'. Hundreds of black-gray thunderbolts, laden with death, struck the many six-winged angels high in the sky that still resisted his authority and his power.

And as clusters of holy light burst apart, the overflowing force surged in all directions, shattering every substance it touched into fine dust.