**Federation, Holy See.**
Inside the magnificent cathedral, sunlight filtered through the stained-glass windows, casting a mosaic of shadows on the ground.
The pope, clad in a pure white robe, knelt before the gilded statue, her long eyelashes casting a soft shadow on her face.
The leader's conference of the Western Continent, which should have been attended by her in person, was instead represented by the Chief Saint. Since her last encounter with Fang Yuan, this once proud pope no longer dared to underestimate the young emperor from the East.
"Too fast..." The pope softly parted her lips, her voice barely audible.
The memory of that devastating defeat still lingered in her mind. In order to subdue Ruan Tianhe, she had even sent a part of her soul across the ocean, only to be struck down three times by Fang Yuan!
The pain of her soul being torn apart still clung to her like a festering wound, eroding her will. The pope had originally planned to meditate and recuperate, to spend at least half a year recovering from the injury.
But who would have thought that Fang Yuan had already swept through the entire Eastern Continent and was now preparing to march westward, aiming directly at her Holy See!
So fast, too fast, fast enough that she didn't even have time to breathe!
However, in this almost suffocating pressure, the pope also saw an unprecedented opportunity!
"Fang Yuan..." She laughed softly, with a touch of madness in her tone. "Your arrogance even makes me willing to bow down to you."
If that man had chosen to secretly infiltrate the Western Continent and strike down one country at a time with lightning speed, perhaps he would have truly swept through it.
But instead, he chose to openly declare war, which was giving them the chance to unite against him, wasn't it?
Although such an alliance of nations was bound to be full of ulterior motives, it was still better than being defeated individually.
Yet... thinking of Fang Yuan's displayed strength, even with the alliance of nations, their chances of victory still weren't high.
"Still not cautious enough..." she murmured, a glint of determination flashing in her eyes.
Her gaze slowly moved upward, landing on the gilded statue before her— the six-winged compassionate goddess holding a flaming holy sword, solemn and sacred.
The pope took a deep breath, her palm glowing with purple light. An ancient contract card slowly materialized.
"I can only use that one..." she whispered.
The purple card floated up, transforming into a stream of light that entered the statue. The pope folded her hands and prayed devoutly.
In an instant, the air in the cathedral froze.
"You have used your last contract card." A dignified divine thought exploded in the pope's mind. "If you have no sufficient reason, you will regret today's decision."
The pope immediately bowed respectfully and said, "Respectful Lord Yufille, a new Martial Saint is about to be born in the lower realm. Your opportunity to descend once again has arrived."
"Oh?" The divine thought's fluctuations clearly became more active. "This is indeed good news. Ensure he undergoes tribulation at the designated location."
"I understand." The pope lowered her head, hiding the sharp gleam in her eyes. "But this person is powerful, and my soul is still damaged. I need your help."
"Okay." The divine thought pondered. "As long as you complete the arrangements, I will grant you part of my divine power."
Though the heavenly rules limit the descent of true bodies from above, transferring power through various channels is still possible, just as the corrupt goddess bestowed her blessing upon Fang Yuan, and Ju Yue spread calamities through the plague god.
Suddenly, the statue emitted a brilliant golden light. The contract card, which had previously fused with it, flew out once again, but now transformed into another card.
On the card, a six-winged angel stood amidst flames, surrounded by fiery radiance, exuding divine majesty.
**[Apocalypse Divine Command]**
**Description: This card represents Yufille's will. The holder can act on a holy mission, commanding all beings in the name of the angel.**
The pope gazed at the card, which radiated with divine energy, her heart swelling with excitement.
"In the name of the angel, purify the world..." she murmured softly, feeling the immense power within the card, a cold smile curling on her lips.
"Fang Yuan, this time... will you be able to escape unscathed?"
---
**Yin Zhu, the westernmost country of the Eastern Continent.**
The vast land was largely barren.
Despite its wide territory, the lack of resources and harsh environment made this country of little value in the eyes of strong warriors. Even without a top-tier expert stationed here, surrounding countries showed little interest in conquering it.
When Gao Shang first set foot here, he easily incorporated it into the Great Xia Empire.
At this moment, a massive flying ship cut through the clouds, leaving a trail across the sky, speeding towards the direction of the Western Sea.
Inside the central chamber of the flying ship, Fang Yuan lay lazily on the dragon throne, with Gao Shang, Mo Tianxing, and Ruan Chaonan standing quietly on either side.
For this western campaign, Fang Yuan only brought the three of them. Chong Wuhou and Lin Lie were left behind to guard the empire's borders.
Fang Yuan arranged this with some personal intent. This western campaign was still somewhat dangerous, and he deliberately kept his master from joining the peril.
Through the crystal window, Fang Yuan's gaze fell on the cracked land below. The hunched figures moved like ants, crawling under the scorching sun.
Yin Zhu's caste system divided people into three classes: the top enjoyed divine-like worship, while the lowest were beaten if they even touched the well rope.
The destitute lower caste crawled to clean up waste, while the noble class rode on gem-encrusted white elephants, parading in the streets.
"This country... needs a revolution..." Fang Yuan smiled faintly.
His noble heart was one reason, but more importantly, these oppressed commoners, like springs compressed to their limit, would provide a great deal of merit once they rebelled.
In Fang Yuan's blueprint, one day, the entire world's territories would merge into one, and all beings would operate under his will, becoming the perfect source of "merit."
"Your Majesty, do you think this arrangement is somewhat rash?" At this moment, Gao Shang couldn't help but speak up.
"Before the western campaign, declaring war so openly seems too reckless."
Back when they were in the Eastern Continent, Fang Yuan's actions were understandable; with the Ice Plains cleared, the remaining countries were no longer a threat.
However, the Western Continent was unfamiliar terrain, and the situation was still shrouded in mystery. Such bold actions might appear to underestimate the enemy.
"If the countries of the Western Continent unite against our Great Xia, there may be complications..." Mo Tianxing also agreed.
"What do you know!" Ruan Chaonan waved his sleeve, his eyes gleaming with intensity. "His Majesty's divine power is unmatched! We shall crush them with a righteous army, no need for secrecy!"
Since his defeat under Fang Yuan's sword, this former adversary had completely submitted and become Fang Yuan's most fervent fan.
He believed that after being shown the world by Fang Yuan, he wasn't as insignificant as he had once thought.
With his half-step Martial Saint realm, in the entire Great Xia Empire, no one could surpass Fang Yuan!
This realization made Ruan Chaonan walk with his back straight, his every gesture exuding the arrogance of "who else but me."
"Do not worry, everything is under control."
Fang Yuan, sitting on the dragon throne, smiled gently. "I just hope they form an alliance. It will save me the trouble of dealing with them one by one."
"Rest assured, we have no rivals ahead."