PDLP Chapter 198 The Oracle... Was it wrong?
Chapter 198 The Oracle... Was it wrong?
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Europa.
Holy Light Church Headquarters.
The atmosphere inside the huge circular conference hall was so heavy it seemed like it could drip water.
In the murals on the dome, the eyes of the saints and angels seem to be watching everyone around the long table.
The Pope sat in the main seat, his hands folded on his knees.
On either side, fifteen cardinals sat upright.
In the seat that Cardinal Rudolph had originally occupied, now sat an elderly man with snow-white hair.
He wore a simple white robe, his face was withered, and his skin was as dry as the bark of an old tree, but his eyes were so deep that they seemed to see through everything.
It was Saint Ambrose.
One of the greatest saints of the Church of Holy Light four hundred years ago.
Legend has it that he single-handedly suppressed the dark turmoil across the entire continent of Europe.
Legend has it that he once spoke with the messenger of the Lord and heard the songs of angels with his own ears.
And now, the reason he left the place of slumber and is sitting here is because...
It wasn't because the phantom images of the Two Immortals of Harmony and Union appeared in the Miao region of the Great Xia, but because...
A true miracle has occurred in the Taklamakan Desert of the Great Xia Dynasty!
"His Majesty."
At this moment, a middle-aged man who looked like a technician stood in front of the large screen opposite the long table, his voice trembling slightly.
"Live satellite imagery is ready."
The Pope nodded.
"Let's begin."
The large screen lights up.
The footage was taken by satellite.
At first, it was a vast expanse of yellow sand.
The boundless yellow sand gleamed blindingly in the sunlight.
The Taklamakan Desert.
This is the largest desert in the Great Xia Dynasty, and also the second largest shifting sand desert in the world, known as the Sea of Death.
The annual rainfall here is less than 100 millimeters, but the evaporation rate is as high as 3,000 millimeters.
The screen begins to move.
Head north.
They moved towards the southern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains.
Soon, the scene changed.
A touch of green appeared at the edge of the yellow sand.
It started as just a tiny dot.
But when magnified, it becomes clear...
It was an oasis.
A true oasis.
There are mountains.
have water.
There are plants and trees.
But that mountain wasn't a normal mountain.
The mountain peak was broken, as if it had been cleaved in two by some immense force.
The mountainside is covered with huge cracks, as if it had been slashed by a sharp blade.
That water wasn't normal water either.
The lake was a deep blue, almost black.
A thin layer of gray mist floated on the lake, giving off an unsettling feeling.
The plants and trees looked even more abnormal.
Some trees are so tall they reach into the clouds, their trunks so thick that it takes several people to encircle them.
But many of those trees were dead.
Strange vines grew on the dead tree trunk; the vines were dark red and wrapped around the trunk like blood vessels.
There are also some trees that, although alive, are severely distorted in shape.
The tree trunk was crooked and twisted, and the branches stretched towards the sky like arms, as if struggling and crying for help.
The image continues to zoom in.
As you can see, the entire oasis is littered with signs of destruction.
On the earth, deep furrows were marked, as if something had plowed them.
Some of those ravines are tens of meters wide and bottomless.
In some places, the ground collapsed completely, forming a huge crater.
It was pitch black in the pit, and you couldn't see anything.
In other places, huge skeletons remain.
Some of the skeletons looked like humans, and some looked like beasts, but they were all incredibly large.
The largest one, just its skull, is at least three stories high.
The skeleton was half-buried in the soil, with only the upper part showing, gleaming pale in the sunlight.
The conference room was deathly silent.
Everyone stared at the big screen, at that eerie and awe-inspiring oasis.
Even though they already knew some of the information, they were still horrified when they saw the scene with their own eyes.
The Pope raised his hand.
The video stopped.
He looked around and spoke slowly.
"As of now, the area that has grown out of this desert is nearly 600 square kilometers."
"No living organisms have been filmed in this area so far."
He paused.
"However, according to analysis, the concentration of spiritual energy within it is about five times the average level of the Great Xia Dynasty."
"It's about eight times ours."
A collective gasp filled the conference hall.
Eight times!
The location of the Holy Light Church headquarters is already one of the places in Europe with the most abundant spiritual energy.
The concentration of spiritual energy in that oasis is eight times that of this place.
What does that mean?
One day of cultivation there is equivalent to eight days of cultivation here!
"His Majesty."
A cardinal spoke, his voice trembling slightly.
"Could this... be a secret realm?"
Another cardinal nearby chimed in.
"Your Majesty, that is very possible."
"Based on our research on the secret realms, their size is not fixed. Some are only the size of a house, while others are comparable to a small city."
"But something this big..."
He paused.
"This is the first time I've seen it."
"Moreover, the secret realm and the real world are usually connected through energy channels."
"This is the first time it has appeared directly in the present world."
The Pope nodded.
But he didn't say anything.
All the cardinals turned their gaze in that direction.
St. Ambrose sat there, motionless.
He stared at the frozen image on the big screen, at that eerie yet awe-inspiring oasis.
The light in his cloudy eyes flickered uncertainly.
a long time.
He spoke slowly.
"Your guess is probably correct."
"As for why the secret realm appeared directly in the present world..."
He paused.
"It's possible that the source of the secret realm's existence was triggered by some kind of force, causing it to merge with that area of the Great Xia."
"That's why this miraculous situation occurred."
The cardinals were deeply moved after hearing this.
Has the secret realm's source been activated?
Regional integration with Daxia?
What level of power would that be?
Moreover, amidst their shock, something else came to mind.
That area of Daxia is a desolate desert.
The secret realm merged with it without causing any damage.
But what if this situation occurs in a densely populated area like a city...?
What kind of impact will this have?
A city is suddenly covered by a secret realm.
Countless people were instantly swept into a bizarre space-time continuum.
That loss...
Incredible.
The mere thought of that scene sent a chill down everyone's spine.
Just then.
The Pope suddenly spoke.
"Saint Ambrose".
"What force do you believe is driving the existence of this secret realm?"
St. Ambrose fell silent.
He looked at the big screen, at that eerie oasis.
A complex light flashed in his cloudy eyes.
a long time.
He slowly shook his head.
"I have no idea."
"But that's absolutely..."
He paused.
"From a being beyond our comprehension."
The conference room fell silent once again.
An existence beyond imagination.
What could make St. Ambrose say something like that...?
The Pope remained silent.
He sat there with his hands folded on his knees.
His face was expressionless.
But inside, a storm was brewing.
He recalled the giant golden sword that stretched across the sky above the land of cherry blossoms.
I am reminded of the Cherry Blossom Country, which was expelled from humanity by a single sword strike.
I recall the appearance of the Two Immortals of Harmony in the sky above Lu County.
I recall the awe-inspiring scene of bowing and worshipping.
Now, it's this eerie oasis again.
Great Xia...
What exactly is going on?
He took a deep breath and looked at St. Ambrose again.
"What do you think we should do?"
St. Ambrose was silent for a few seconds.
Then, he slowly began to speak.
"Continue with the previous strategy."
There is an old saying in the Great Xia Dynasty: "Respond to all changes by remaining unchanged."
"We can't do anything right now, and we can't do anything either."
"Let's wait for the third wave of spiritual energy to erupt."
"I have a feeling..."
St. Ambrose paused.
"The third wave of spiritual tides is not far off."
The Pope nodded after listening.
"Okay, let's do as St. Ambrose says."
He stood up and looked around.
"Everyone, go back now."
"Remember, remain unchanged amidst change."
The cardinals rose, bowed respectfully, and then withdrew.
Soon, only the Pope and Saint Ambrose remained in the meeting hall.
The Pope stood before the throne, looking at the image frozen on the large screen.
Silent for a long time.
Then he turned and looked at St. Ambrose.
St. Ambrose was still sitting there.
Not moving at all.
Those cloudy eyes were fixed on the big screen.
The Pope opened his mouth, as if to say something.
But the words stuck in his throat.
He simply bowed once, then turned and left the meeting room.
The heavy wooden door closed slowly.
Only St. Ambrose remained in the conference room.
He sat there, staring at the big screen.
Staring at that eerie oasis.
The light in his cloudy eyes grew increasingly complex.
a long time.
He slowly raised his hand and made the sign of the cross on his chest.
His lips trembled slightly.
"Lord..."
he murmured.
"Please forgive your servant's disrespect."
"but……"
He paused.
"Could the oracle have been wrong?"
This sentence was spoken very softly.
So soft it was almost inaudible.
But in the empty conference hall, it appeared exceptionally clear.
St. Ambrose closed his eyes.
He recalled the day before he was about to fall into a deep sleep, when an angel from the Lord's throne descended and personally delivered a divine message.
"The East has undergone a cataclysmic change and has become a desolate wasteland."
"After the great calamity, glory will ultimately belong to our Lord."
That was said by the messenger of the Lord.
Oracles never make mistakes.
But now...
In that land in the East, known as the "Land of Abandonment," miracles have appeared one after another, causing the entire world to tremble.
A colossal sword stretching four thousand kilometers, the illusory figures of gods bowing in worship, and this eerie and awe-inspiring oasis...
Each one was beyond his comprehension.
Each one of them is overturning what he has believed in for hundreds of years.
Saint Ambrose opened his eyes.
He looked at the oasis on the big screen.
His cloudy eyes were swirling with extremely complex emotions.
I feel lost.
I'm confused.
There is unease.
There's still a sliver...
He himself dared not admit it...
fear.
"Lord..."
He murmured again.
"Please... guide your lost servant."