Origin Player.

Chapter 647 Freedom of the Soul
The night was as dark as ink.

Dawn seemed so distant, so unreachable.

The fires throughout the capital were extinguished, and the Mithril Knights of the Royal Guard patrolled the streets to maintain order. The church annihilation incident was now officially over.

The First Legion's Grand Knights suffered heavy losses, but their achievements were equally remarkable. Four cathedrals were completely destroyed, and the rest suffered varying degrees of damage. Without cathedrals, the churches could not hold grand masses, and the loss of believers during the repair period was a devastating blow.

Inside the Golden Castle, the nobles of the court began to engage in a battle of wits. According to the imperial law, if a lord loses his territory when facing a foreign enemy, the land he possesses will be taken over by the imperial central government. Therefore, everyone was trying to determine the nature of the attackers based on this point, and even a Grand Knight of the First Legion admitted that he had joined the rebel army.

At the same time, the Church of God believes that church knights are also knights and must assume the duties of their lords. Since they are unable to protect the cathedral, they should be returned to the central authority.

As for the loss of faith caused by the prolonged failure to rebuild the cathedral, everyone knows that the Church of Heaven is targeting this issue, and has already amassed a large amount of funds to intercept the repurchase of land by the Church of Ten Gods.

The Church of Godfathers and the Church of Ten Gods clashed fiercely in the Golden Castle over law and economics, almost to the point of a brawl. However, the Imperial Grand Judge, Duke Wigrid, who was truly capable of adjudicating such matters, was not present. The long wrangling that followed the action did not require the involvement of any truly important figures.

The inner city, the Medici family castle.

Despite it being late at night, the place was still bustling with people. Carriages lined the gardens as the capital's elite and nobles eagerly entered the castle. In fact, the Medici family had sponsored a large number of painters, sculptors, and craftsmen for nearly a century, making their influence on the cultural and artistic fields unparalleled in the empire.

The castle venue.

Accompanied by melodious music, the guests danced gracefully, and the crystal chandelier reflected an ambiguous halo. In a private passage in the corner, the family's chief guard brought Mirai Kamishiro back from the Conquest Cathedral. Since childhood, she had never needed to attend banquets or social events.

I'm so glad to see you're safe and sound.

At the end of the passage, a young noblewoman said sternly, "But to meet with the Prime Minister in the church without permission is, I can only say, extremely reckless. You should be glad that the assassin did not harm the Prime Minister. Moreover, for a young woman like you, reputation is the most important thing. In any case, you should not have appeared in the church tonight."

Mirai Kamishiro clicked her tongue in surprise and lowered her head, saying, "Understood, sister."

The young noblewoman's expression softened slightly as she said, "I've already made arrangements. You were just having a private conversation with the young lady from the Count of Philon family. Go to a banquet with her later and make an appearance. In a few days, she will pass away due to a sudden illness."

Only the dead can keep secrets.

"elder sister……"

The young nobleman rubbed his temples and sighed, "Then send him to the country estate, for your sake."

Mirai Kamishiro immediately beamed with joy.

The two walked together to the top floor of the venue. At this moment, Golden Castle was in complete chaos. Duke Wigrid intended to stay out of it because he had returned to the castle and the Duchess had specially prepared a family dinner.

The two sat down.

Duke Vigrid sat at the head of the table, appearing to be a very elegant and refined middle-aged man. He glanced at his youngest daughter, and after confirming that she was unharmed, he smiled faintly:

"Luckily, this time they should behave themselves for a while."

Mirai Kamishiro revealed a big smile. Perhaps it was the natural pressure of her father's status that made her feel so awe towards Duke Vigrid, even after she had achieved the Saint Realm.

"Humph."

At the right end of the long table, the young nobleman snorted coldly and said without any politeness, "Next time you're looking for death, you might as well let me do it. If the Medici family's heads are cut off by a country marquis..."

Duke Vigrid interrupted, "Assassin."

They were not country nobles, but assassins. Both sides chose not to pursue the church massacre because it involved the most crucial motive—the attack on Fisher Manor. No one's seat was clean, and if the emperor were to watch from his sickbed, even the Pope and the Medici family would be involved.

Seeing her husband scolding their eldest son, the Duchess covered her mouth and laughed, "Little Violet is getting stronger and stronger. Green is just a little helpless. He was worried tonight and secretly followed her out, but he couldn't catch up. He feels guilty now."

The young nobleman said awkwardly, "Whether it's a country marquis or an assassin, their fate is absolutely uncertain. The servants in the guild hall previously reported that the Grand Secretary is dead."

Aside from Mirai Kamishiro, no one present was surprised. One of the seven members of the Council of God was a high-ranking and powerful figure, and also the chief cardinal of the Church of God, second only to the Pope in status. There were countless spies planted by various factions within the guild.

Mirai Kamishiro paused for a moment, then suddenly stood up.

The Medici family learned of the Grand Secretary's death, and theoretically, the Church of God would receive the news no slower than the last.

"I'm going to see my senior!"

“Sit down,” Duke Vigrid said, leaving no room for argument.

……

Inner city, University Scholar's Hall.

Cloaked figures rapidly approached in the darkness, hundreds of great knights galloped through the streets with torches in hand, and three cardinals arrived together. In front of them, an old man in white robes stood like the moon surrounded by stars, his body enveloped in an inexplicable radiance, and wherever he passed, the night seemed to yield.

—The God on Earth, the Father of God.

According to legend, the Pope is the eldest son of the Father, possessing power comparable to that of God, and is a blessing bestowed upon the world by the Father.

"How is it?" the Pope asked.

A cardinal replied, "The Marquis of Rhine has no intention of resisting militarily. He seems to have just returned from conquering the cathedral, but he is indeed the prime suspect in the death of the Grand Secretary."

The Pope remained silent.

The word “appears” is intriguing.

Because the court did not investigate the plan to annihilate the church, the Marquis of Rhine had no proof of alibi, even though everyone knew that the Marquis had an attack mission that night.

“It’s someone else,” the Pope said.

This arrangement is most likely a setup.

Only those at the peak of heroism could easily kill a quasi-alchemy master while the guild hall remained intact and without large-scale damage.

Dragon of Calamity, Emperor, Steel Sword Saint...

No hero at their peak is suitable as an additional opponent for the Heavenly Father Cult at this moment. The Heavenly Father Cult has a clear advantage in a 1v10 situation, and the Pope believes that his top combat power has made great contributions. However, if there is a strong opponent of the same level to fight against, the situation will change dramatically.

A cardinal said cautiously, “Your Holiness, guilt or innocence is not the basis for judgment.”

Another senior cardinal spoke up: "This should end tonight."

The Pope pondered for a moment and said, "Neither release nor kill, send them to the eternal death cell, and treat them according to the standards of a great noble."

"Yes."

"clear."

Inside the guild hall, two bishops invited Jiang He out.

At this moment, news of Marquis Rhine's successive defeats of the Shield of Conquest and the Holy Knights has spread, and it was a crushing defeat with absolute advantage. The Invincible Holy Domain truly deserves its title.

"Your Excellency Marquis, if you try to escape, you will lose your status and become a wanted criminal," the bishop said with some fear. He didn't know if this man could escape, but as long as he started running, the one closest to him would surely die.

“The Pope is just ahead, please be rational, Marquis.” Another bishop advised, “There is no torture in the eternal death cell, at most there will be a few routine interrogations.”

Jiang He remained calm. He was only in prison; he was experienced. If he wasn't a wanted criminal, he would never have been able to reach the end in the Holy Martial Arts Tournament. Even the Pope couldn't stop him because of his spatial authority.

The three of them moved forward slowly, their torches flickering. Hundreds of knights on both sides looked tense, their dense figures surrounding Jiang He. Even the presence of the Pope himself would make people uneasy about a dangerous figure like the Marquis of Rhine.

The three approached a man in a long white robe. The Pope looked at the man before him and couldn't help but admire his youth and good looks. Just moments before, the Marquis of Rhine had been working for the Church of God.

"Pity."

If it were just an ordinary marquis who had died, he would have managed to save him by force.

"Take them away," the Pope said.

Two bishops helped Jiang He into the carriage, and three cardinals and hundreds of knights escorted him along the way. Countless free citizens peered out of their windows on the streets of the inner city. This spectacle was far more impressive than even the First Prince's procession.

"His Majesty?"

"Nonsense, how long has it been since His Majesty left Golden Castle?"

"Who else could have such grandeur?"

"Three cardinals."

The sky is getting brighter.

The escort team arrived directly below Golden Castle.

Within a royal estate, there are magic steel pillars engraved with alchemical patterns, their unparalleled scale forming a massive alchemical anti-magic matrix.

The prisoners in the Eternal Death Prison could hardly muster any magic power, while the Golden Dragon Nest directly above housed the Dragon of Calamity and more than twenty holy dragons. This was the empire's most secure prison, and it had even once imprisoned an emperor.

Three cardinals escorted Jiang He to the center of the alchemical matrix. The long-sealed portal opened, revealing a seven-story castle embedded in the rock. The warden and dozens of Great Wardens emerged to take charge of the prisoners, the former's imposing presence undoubtedly surpassing that of the Storm Bishop.

"The prime suspect in the murder of the Imperial Grand Secretary."

“He should be locked up on the seventh floor,” the warden said coldly.

The cardinal said, "The papal decree orders that we be treated according to the standards for high nobility."

"Understood." The warden's expression softened somewhat.

The handover began, and the three cardinals did not leave until they saw Jiang He walk into the eternal death cell.

"I'm afraid this person won't make it to the Holy Tournament."

"Unless His Majesty personally issues a pardon, no one is getting out."

"The Pope values ​​the Marquis of Rhine highly."

"What do you value? You just want to lure out the mastermind to silence you. You're so grateful for such a small favor. If you weren't a senior figure, why would you be sitting with me?"

Eternal silence in the death cell.

The structure is divided into seven layers, like a staircase leading to the abyss. The deeper you go, the thicker the atmosphere of despair becomes and the thinner the light becomes. The layers are connected by a single narrow and steep spiral stone staircase, in which sit several gates forged from mithril, etched with an alchemical imprisonment matrix that never goes out.

The space below the fifth floor of the death row was lifeless. The towering vaulted ceiling was hidden in the darkness above, and the walls gleamed with an ominous cold light. There were no windows, no sunlight, and the air was cold and stagnant, carrying the damp, musty smell unique to the depths of the rocks and a faint trace of rust.

The cells were like a honeycomb embedded in the thick rock walls. The huge stone doors were smooth and seamless, leaving only a narrow observation opening. Inside, the prisoners could barely lie down or stand. The rough floor and cold stone walls were all there was.

Here, time seems to lose its meaning, the senses are constantly deprived, and criminals face not only solid stone walls and prison doors, but also the abandonment of the entire world and the maddening silence of eternity.

The warden silently escorted Jiang He into a cell on the seventh floor and solemnly said, "Cherish the next few interrogations."

boom!
The cell door closed, and endless darkness descended.

[Hint: You have encountered an energy imprisonment]
[Note: Your physical and mental exertion has increased by 500%]
Jiang He sat casually on the ground, opening his eyes, which were deeper than darkness. His energy was imprisoned, but his spirit remained free.

……

Golden Castle, the Prime Minister's Castle.

In his study, the Prime Minister, who was dealing with the Fisher Estate attack and the church massacre, suddenly froze.

The next moment, an overbearing will descended.

The "Prime Minister" quickly scribbled a few lines on the paper, then suddenly awoke, staring at the contents in shock before gradually regaining his composure.

"The will of the Great Khan is above all else."

"I already know."

The Prime Minister immediately rose, took the badge of the King's Hand, and left the castle for the Emperor's bedchamber. The guards along the way all turned their heads to look at him. Since the Emperor had claimed to be ill and had not come out of bed, very few people had been able to see him. But the Prime Minister of the Empire was certainly not exempt from receiving an audience.

When the Prime Minister arrived at the palace, two Holy Knights, one staying behind and the other going in to announce his arrival, came out to guide him. They were the eldest daughter of the Duke of the Western Frontier.

"Your Excellency, please come with me."

After ascending a long flight of steps, the Prime Minister met the Emperor. In the bedchamber, behind heavy curtains, the Emperor, who was only in his fifties, was so emaciated that he resembled a skeleton. A gold mask was embedded in half of his face, emanating an extremely rotten stench. His teeth were missing, and his eye sockets were sunken. This was the fate of the Holy Empire's Emperor.

The Calamity Dragon can quickly elevate a Dragon Knight to the Sky level, but at the cost of draining a massive amount of life force and spiritual energy over a long period, inevitably leading to a short lifespan for the Dragon Knight. One of the most important reasons why the alien races of the Southern Continent successfully formed an alliance is that the Emperor's lifespan is no more than three months.

"Lord Ostrov, how have you been lately?" The emperor's cloudy left eye lowered its gaze slightly.

“All is well, Your Majesty,” the Prime Minister replied.

The emperor was somewhat puzzled and asked, "My eldest son has advanced to the Sky level? Otherwise, why would your eyes have lost their awe?"

After a moment's thought, the Prime Minister calmly said, "His Majesty was on the verge of death before, and I was afraid of being buried with him, so I was naturally filled with fear. Now that things have taken a turn for the better, there is no need to be afraid anymore."

The emperor smiled, unconcerned, and said, "Tell me."

The Prime Minister pondered for a moment and said, "Rhine Augustus, Marquis of the North, is a near-master alchemist in the field of potions. He has the ability to delay His Majesty's illness and is currently in the Eternal Death Prison."

"You're smart enough. If you're talking about a cure, I'd have to kill someone." The emperor coughed violently twice and said, "If you want to save him, are you prepared to pay the price?"

The Prime Minister bowed his head and said, "I guarantee with my life that everything is true."

The emperor's eyes narrowed, realizing that the prime minister was not using rhetoric to exchange benefits. He forced himself to sit up straight, revealing the imposing aura of a hero at the peak of his power.

"What crime?"

"Suspected murder of a Grand Secretary."

"Presumption of innocence."

"clear."

The emperor said, "Then you can wait in the palace with your head until I see results."

"Yes," the Prime Minister replied.

Not far from the bed, a shadow quietly disappeared.

(End of this chapter)