Above The Sky
Chapter 326 - 326 303 The Source of Disaster 23

326: Chapter 303 The Source of Disaster (2/3) 326: Chapter 303 The Source of Disaster (2/3) “What is it, Mr.

Guide?”

Noticing Ian’s gaze, he too turned around, to face Ian eye to eye, and with a smile, he said, “This time, the crisis within the South Sea Relic Cluster could be resolved largely thanks to your efforts.

Without a doubt, had it not been for your power, the will within the Worm Nest could not have been eradicated.”

He obviously had great confidence in Ian’s power, so much so that his words carried a sense of inevitability.

The White Mist Bishop, it seemed, had never even entertained the possibility of Ian’s failure.

“So you’re saying.”

Ian slowly spoke, “You recognized him from the start, right?”

“Of course.” Without the slightest hesitation or pause, the White Mist Bishop answered as smoothly as if he’d known all along what Ian was going to ask, “He knew that I recognized him too, which is why he was reluctant to meet with me—the Light of Huai Guang doesn’t misidentify anyone.

Every person is a unique torch of the heart, each releasing their own distinct Heart Light.”

“Just like you, having inherited the ancient flame, now a young flame blazing vigorously.

We will not forget you either.”

This statement was something Shasha could not comprehend, Yisen Gard could not understand, Master Gossay got it, and Andor had a vague grasp of the importance of the dialogue but forced himself not to comprehend it fully.

Ian and the White Mist Bishop moved to the other side of the coastal skeletons, closer to the Crocodragon’s corpse, facing each other with a mutual calm.

“So, even though my teacher is an imperial fugitive, you wouldn’t help The Empire capture him?”

Although he had guessed it, actually hearing the confirmation from the other party left Ian with a sense of bewilderment.

——So everyone recognizes Hiliard and the Sand Armor Apprentice?

Then what was the point of his disguise?

But this was Ian underestimating himself.

“It was the former First Knight Sir who took the initiative to find us.”

The White Mist Bishop seemed to clarify Ian’s perplexity in advance, “He had long sensed his time was coming to an end, so he entrusted us in advance.

If a crisis should erupt in Harrison Port or the Southern Sea and we failed to resolve it, we were to take you away from here.”

“But Mr.

Guide, your performance over these past four years has been nearly perfect, and you did indeed resolve all the crises.

The trust was never called upon.”

The White Mist Bishop’s beard quivered, his speech precise yet not without warmth, “Don’t worry, Mr.

Guide, you’ve disguised very well.

If we hadn’t known in advance, with your actions over the last four years, we wouldn’t have been able to detect even the slightest flaw.”

“And this time, it was to face the crisis, so the Huai Guang Church will remain silent on this matter.”

Ian also understood why his teacher rarely initiated contact with the Huai Guang Church—it was indeed because they could recognize him.

Though he didn’t know why they didn’t expose him, as an impostor, meeting such ‘strangers’ who knew one’s true identity wasn’t very comfortable.

“As for The Empire.”

The White Mist Bishop continued to address Ian’s initial question, his language still fluent, “The Huai Guang Church does not endorse every decision made by The Empire.

We respect The Empire’s laws, but that does not mean we must follow them to the letter.”

“Capturing the First Knight was clearly the wrong choice.

It would have had negative effects on the future of The Empire and Terra Continent, and we would not assist in that.

Conversely, capturing Patrick was obviously the correct choice.”

Upon hearing this, Ian couldn’t help but frown deeply.

He found the White Mist Bishop’s answers to be very subtle.

——That must be the ‘strange good person’ my teacher and Master Gossay were talking about.

They had their own logic, but without joining them it was impossible to understand, and if one did understand, they might well become one of them…

No wonder the Huai Guang Church recruited only those saved from death, barely clinging to life, as their subsequent source of strength.

Apart from their unique Spirit Energy requirements, it was probably because only those who had ‘died’ once could understand their logic.

That kind, which sees all the worldly moral ethics and legal regulations as illusion, only accepting the ‘truth’ they themselves believe in…

‘Conviction.’

“Given that, since you believe pursuing my teacher was the wrong choice.”

Thinking it, he asked, Ian had a premonition that the White Mist Bishop would answer his question, “Then why, when Inega II…

or shall I say the Black King was assassinated during the Dark Moon turmoil, didn’t you help your ‘ally’?”

The White Mist Bishop looked deeply at Ian, a pure white light shining in his eyes, seemingly a special kind of Spirit Energy.

“Why not help Inega?

Hiliard also asked us this question.”

At this moment, the normally serious old man actually smiled, revealing an intriguing expression.

As humanity tinged his features, his tone was filled with emotion, “Because he made a wrong choice.”

“In that instant, Yinaiga became the ‘source of disaster’ that endangered the entire world—if he had continued down that path, this land would have sunk into the abyss of eternal damnation.”

“Even so, we did not join the Dark Moon uprising.

We did not fully believe in the prophecy; we believed that Yinaiga and Hiliard were not the sources of disaster, that they had the hope of success and the hope of overcoming the prophecy—even if, in the end, our trust was misplaced and they truly were the source of disaster, the Light of Huai Guang had the confidence and the awareness to stop the disaster.”

“Take the Worm Nest, for example—if I were to die here, then about five hours later, the peace envoy of the Huai Guang Church in the South Ridge district, ‘Skyflame’ the Archbishop, would arrive in Aether Armament to continue the mission I had left unfinished.”

“If Yinaiga truly turned into the source of disaster, all the representatives of the Light of Huai Guang would mobilize…

to pay the price for our wrong choices.”

Having said this, Bishop White Mist closed his eyes, his tone growing solemn, “But if we were to help Yinaiga, then we could become part of the disaster.”

“In doing so, the prophecy would be nullified, or it would be completely reaffirmed.

We cannot do that.”

The words of Bishop White Mist rendered Ian silent.

With this said, the stance of neutrality maintained by the Huai Guang Church itself could be considered a form of ‘trust’ in Inega II?

Indeed…

Assuming the other party had made an extremely dangerous decision of great magnitude, it would only be normal for the Huai Guang Church to join in his condemnation.

Ian observed all this from a purely neutral perspective; he was not his own teacher, not Hiliard, and naturally, he held no preconceived notions about the Former Emperor…

Whether as a Pioneer or a Black Tyrant, he did not see it that way.

The other party certainly had many shortcomings, perhaps acted too hastily, or had to compromise, or made erroneous judgments.

But the other party also surely accomplished much and changed the world, transforming The Empire and re-establishing its towering presence on the Terra Continent.

Inega II was not a perfect saint who never erred, nor was he a true tyrant in every sense of the word.

But Ian had never considered the possibility that the other might become the ‘source of world destruction.’

— Could it be that Inega II had also stumbled upon a Worm Nest?

Considering that he himself might be the main character behind this ‘Southern Sea disaster source,’ Ian’s feelings were complex, and he found himself somewhat believing the words of the cleric from Huai Guang.

It was likely that Inega II really had made the wrong choice, otherwise his teacher would never have held such a complex attitude toward the Huai Guang Church—both rejecting and believing.

But there was still one most critical issue.

“Can you tell me, what was this wrong choice?”

He lifted his head and looked again at the tranquil Bishop White Mist.

“Of course, you have that right,” the old man nodded and said, “He decided to become the Labyrinth Master.”

Ian waited a long time but still did not hear the rest of the story.

“Is that all?” he asked in surprise, “Just because of that, he’s to become the source of disaster?

Aren’t Labyrinth Masters a common occurrence?

Isn’t this Aether Crystal Dragon also the Labyrinth Master of the South Sea Great Labyrinth?”

“Of course not.

But we also don’t know more.” Bishop White Mist closed his eyes, heaving a sigh, “We only know this much, only a ‘beginning.'”

Opening his eyes and noticing Ian’s expression, Bishop White Mist shook his head, “Mr.

Guide, think about it, if we knew everything, perhaps we could prevent all the disasters of this world—that’s why the Huai Guang prophecy exists, because we want to know.”

“But prophecy and prophets are not all-powerful, the predictive abilities of all major sects have limits and require clues to make further prophecies.

We can only try our best.”

The white light in the old man’s eyes gradually faded, and his tone returned to one of calm and respect, “So, Mr.

Guide, if you have any information about the disaster or an unusual catastrophe, please make sure to tell us.

Let us know and we will become the force to confront these disasters and calamities.”

“The Light of Huai Guang will be the helping hand for all who face tragedy and disaster; you must trust us.”

This saying reverted to the more common church slogan.

Ian couldn’t say he didn’t believe it, but he found it very hard to actually do so.

Not to mention, there were many things he couldn’t tell them…

even though he knew that sharing much information could be beneficial to many events.

Humans are such creatures, unable to fully trust others, even the closest individuals are hard to be completely candid with.

But the Huai Guang Church…

through the selection of special individuals, had erased this kind of barrier within the clergy.