Chapter 54

The moment the Blasphemer appeared, he briefly glanced at Liora before turning his gaze to the golden statue, as well as the many believers kneeling below it.

His eyes stayed glued to this scene as he opened his mouth to speak.

"What do you think? Isn’t this city beautiful?", he questioned, seemingly asking for Liora’s opinion.

Liora was not surprised by the Blasphemer’s sudden arrival.

She had long noticed that a unique aura was spread throughout the city, as if forming a domain of its own.

Other Devils might not have recognized this aura, but Liora—having used the Spear of the Blighted Sun before—instantly knew that it must be a derivative of holy power.

As such, she understood full well that the Blasphemer must have noticed her presence as soon as she stepped into the city.

As for why he hadn’t attacked her and only appeared now, she didn’t know.

Facing the Blasphemer’s question, Liora didn’t hold back.

"What’s the point of doing all this? Although these Devils may seem obedient and loyal right now, they will immediately revert to their old ways if given the chance."

"Unless you possess the strength to make the Demon World surrender, your attempts will never succeed.", Liora shook her head and answered.

Although her tone was calm, her disdain toward the Blasphemer’s efforts was apparent.

In response to having his ideals denied, the Blasphemer didn’t get angry.

"If no one ever tries, how will we know? I believe that even without me, these Devils’ hearts will remain the same, yearning for light and order.", he said, his voice thunderous as he turned to look at Liora.

"I’ve been in the Crucible for many years and met countless Devils. But you’re the first one—besides me—who remains unaffected by the Demon World’s chaotic nature. What bloodline did you awaken?", he asked.

Liora remained silent, knowing that the Blasphemer had fallen into a misunderstanding.

Unlike him, who managed to restrain his nature because of his bloodline, Liora was merely an accident, a result of having awakened the memories of her past life.

The Blasphemer didn’t know what Liora was thinking. Seeing her remain silent, he only felt that she was unwilling to speak.

But this didn’t change his decision.

"Our meeting is perhaps a trick of fate. If you’re willing to help me, I believe that, together, we can suppress the entire Crucible and quell the ongoing chaos.", he said, stretching out his hand toward Liora before continuing:

"Why don’t you join me? Together, we can build a better world—a world where everyone is equal and doesn’t have to fear for their lives."

Hearing the Blasphemer’s invitation, Liora didn’t reciprocate his feelings. Not only did she not reach out to take his hand, but she even took half a step back.

She didn’t know if the Blasphemer was merely pretending or his entire personality had been overwritten by the instincts of his bloodline, but either way, it really didn’t matter to her.

Liora had never dreamed of saving the world, much less saving a world filled with hideous Devils.

In her eyes, these Devils were not even bystanders in her journey, much less considered her own kind.

If it helped to advance her goals, she wouldn’t hesitate to slaughter this entire "Holy" City—just like she had already indirectly done before.

Although she didn’t speak, Liora’s silence and body language made her meaning clear.

Sorrow flashed in the Blasphemer’s golden eyes, as if he were sad to have lost yet another companion.

Then, he spoke in a deep voice:

"You’ve made your choice, and I’ve made mine. You should understand that we’re destined to be opponents...", he muttered, and the moment he finished his words, he clenched his right fist.

As if in response to this action, the golden statue trembled violently before countless tiny specks of light emerged from its surface and rained down, falling like a swarm of beautiful fireflies.

The lights soon enveloped both Liora and the Blasphemer, and following a low hum, both of their figures vanished, as if erased from existence.

Silence returned to the square, and only the sound of low praying could be heard.

From the very start, the kneeling Devils had not paid any attention to Liora or even the Blasphemer, as if the two existed in a different dimension.

When Liora regained her senses, she found herself in an endless white expanse.

The world around her was empty, mostly filled with white clouds, while a bright sun towered in the sky above her.

Besides her, the only other person in this space was the Blasphemer, standing only a few meters away.

Facing her, the Blasphemer explained:

"Do you see? This is my Holy Domain. I believe that by staying here, you’ll come to change your mind sooner or later."

As he spoke, the clouds beneath him parted, and a small opening was revealed.

From within the gap, many stone statues emerged and landed right beside him.

The statues didn’t look very grand, depicting ordinary mortal humans, but their identical statures made them unsettling.

With a kind face, the statues raised their hands and parted their lips as if praying to an omnipotent god.

Although no sound came out, the moment Liora’s gaze landed on them, her ears twitched. A loud, continuous murmur rang directly in her mind, and she felt her soul catching on fire.

Pain assaulted her mind—excruciating enough to make any ordinary person fall unconscious.

However, Liora didn’t even change her expression, much less lose her consciousness.

Facing the holy power—which should have been the natural enemy of all Devils—she didn’t even blink.

Partly because the Myriad Devils Armor offset some of the damage, but most importantly, because she had already suffered such pain.

Compared to the holy damage caused by wielding the Spear of the Blighted Sun, such weak, unguided holy power was nothing.

"Huh?"

The Blasphemer didn’t seem to expect Liora’s reaction, or rather lack of.

"Even the Unknown couldn’t bear this power. It seems that I underestimated you...", he said, and although surprised, he didn’t show any fear.

Glancing at Liora, countless images of kneeling Devils praying to him flashed behind his back as he slowly took a step forward.

His aura surged, and a sword of light formed in his right hand, which he tightly grasped before swinging it at Liora.