"Ahhhhhh! It's killing me!" In the City of Darkness, the Holy Envoy of Hell's Gate clutched his half-mutilated body and wailed in agony.

The Shadow Elder stood pale-faced by the side, struggling to maintain the spatial vortex amidst Ling Feng's relentless attack, which had taken a toll on his energy.

"I need to return to Hell's Gate! I need to go back to the Abyss!" the Holy Envoy gritted his teeth and said. Only by returning could he have a chance to recover, as the Sword Qi left behind in his body by Ling Feng ceaselessly hindered his regenerative powers. At this rate, death was inevitable!

But just then, a cold voice came from nearby: "Return? I think that's no longer necessary."

The Holy Envoy finally lifted his head and took in the surroundings. He found himself at the center of a massive city square, at the far end of which stood a tall statue of a Twelve-Winged Fallen Angel.

Standing atop the Fallen Angel statue was a middle-aged man in a flowing black robe, whose icy voice had filled the air moments ago.

"Who are you? What do you mean by this?" The Holy Envoy glanced at the silent Shadow Elder, his heart sinking but still harboring a sliver of hope as he asked.

The middle-aged man slowly descended from the statue, fixing his gaze on the Holy Envoy. His eyes gleamed with a sharp chill. "I said you have no need to return anymore. You're already in the Dark Church."

"Without returning, my wounds will never heal!" the Holy Envoy said gravely. "Unless you have a way to deal with my injuries, a method to purge the Sword Qi from my body!"

Upon hearing this, both the Shadow Elder and the middle-aged man smirked. Yet the smile carried within it a trace of discomfort and unease that the Holy Envoy couldn't ignore.

"Shadow, you've done an excellent job!" the middle-aged man praised the Shadow Elder. "You can go rest now—oh, and fetch Les for me as well."

"Yes, Speaker!" the Shadow Elder replied respectfully, then shot a contemptuous glance at the Holy Envoy before turning to leave.

The middle-aged man turned back to the Holy Envoy and said, "Allow me to introduce myself: I am the Speaker of the Dark Church. Holy Envoy of Hell's Gate, I've long wanted to meet you!"

The Holy Envoy, suppressing the pain, asked cautiously, "What does the Speaker want to ask of me?"

Examining the Holy Envoy from head to toe, the Dark Speaker said, "Surely the Holy Envoy has noticed the undeniable link between the Dark Church and Hell's Gate. The origins of our powers share intriguing similarities. Holy Envoy, do you happen to know why this is?"

The Holy Envoy shook his head: "We find it equally perplexing. On Earth's Origin Star, our Abyss Interface left no legacy. Yet your source of power appears eerily connected to ours—it's a puzzle that's baffled even us."

"Does the Holy Envoy know the reason behind this?" the Dark Speaker asked with a sly smile. "By chance, I stumbled upon a clue in ancient texts, prompting me to invite you here as a guest. Otherwise, facing the Rose Squad and Papal Court of Light head-on wouldn't have been a worthwhile gamble."

The Holy Envoy's lips twitched. In a situation where one is under another's roof, he could only relent: "I'm all ears."

Pleased with the Holy Envoy's understanding of the situation, the Dark Speaker spoke casually. "Years ago, there was a fierce conflict between Angel World and the Abyss Realm. Angels of Angel World and demons of Abyss Realm suffered heavy casualties on both sides. After that war, a twelve-winged Archangel developed a peculiar interest in the bodies of Abyssal Demons—your regenerative powers and physical strength are quite remarkable."

"So, he collected many demon corpses and infused himself with Demon Blood! After painstaking effort, he succeeded. He perfectly fused the Power of the Abyss Demon with his own Power of the Holy Angel. In doing so, he attained not just the abilities of the Holy Angel but also the exceptionally powerful physique of the Abyssal Demon. However, the only side effect was that his once pristine white wings turned black."

"This transformation led Angel World to denounce him as a sinner, claiming his actions desecrated their sanctity. They labeled him the Angel World's greatest traitor," the Dark Speaker continued. "Thus, Angel World issued a kill-on-sight order against him, failing to understand his intentions. In despair, bitterness, and agony, he took up arms in defiance."

"But... what happened next was beyond imagination. This twelve-winged Archangel, having perfectly fused the Power of the Abyss Demon, unleashed a combat force vastly superior to other Archangels of the same level. In fact, the twelve-winged Archangel was already among the peak powers of Angel World, yet before him, their resistance amounted to nothing! This terrified Angel World, leading them to have their Sixteen-Winged Archangel marshal over a hundred Twelve-Winged Archangels to encircle him."

"That battle tore the heavens and shook the earth; blood flooded the skies! Ultimately, he was defeated—after all, his opposition included the unfathomably powerful Sixteen-Winged Archangel," the Dark Speaker sighed. "But the cost was steep: over seventy percent of the hundred Twelve-Winged Archangels were killed or gravely injured, and even the Sixteen-Winged Archangel suffered severe wounds. As the fight waned, he used the last of his strength to tear through the Spatial Barrier of the plane and fled here—to Earth."

"His injuries, however, were too severe. Not even the Power of the Abyss could heal him fully. So, he condensed his own Essence Blood, seeking out several Earth creatures to pass down his power. Meanwhile, Angel World's Holy Angels descended onto Earth in avatars, establishing another faction—the Papal Court of Light. That is why the Dark Church and Papal Court have been locked in unending conflict ever since."

After hearing the Dark Speaker's lengthy narrative, the Holy Envoy was still bewildered: "I never realized that was the history. But what does this have to do with me?"

The Dark Speaker smiled faintly. "Of course it concerns you. Oh, did I forget to name him? He is Lucifer—the Fallen Angel branded as a traitor by Angel World. Before Lord Lucifer's demise, he left behind a prophecy: only Abyss Blood can awaken the greatest power hidden in his Essence Blood. Hence, I require your Essence Blood."

"What? Impossible!" the Holy Envoy erupted in fury, realizing the Dark Church's intent. Essence Blood is the very essence of a creature's life, and even the most formidable beings of the Abyss—like the massive Abyssal Demon Dragon—can only condense about ten drops of it.

Given the Holy Envoy's severe injuries, scattered blood, and mutilated body, he might barely manage to condense three or four drops of Essence Blood at best!

And once Essence Blood is depleted, regenerating it would require an agonizingly long time! How could the Holy Envoy possibly agree?

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