Beside the three Celestial Team Leaders stood three figures whose aura didn't lose out to theirs. Of the three, one was a handsome young man with features thirty percent similar to Eysan's while the another stood at more than two meters, with an excessively muscular frame and beard that seemed out of place on his youthful visage.
As for the last leader, she was a ravishing beauty with blood-red eyes that reminisced Adelar's and a delicate, porcelain skin which, alongside her inexpressive face, gave her the appearance of an emotionless doll.
The Serkar humans, the Orrag slaughter fiends, and the Torul blood fiends. Together, the three ruling houses of the Infernal Cult. Of the three, the Serkar ranked slightly above the Orrag while the Torul stood one step above.
Having done his homework before stepping into the Tower, Konrad had a solid understanding of them.
"Their cultivation level is high, but compared to their wealth, it's not worth mentioning. If we came to blows, depending on skills alone, none of them is our match."
Jasmine coolly assessed while sweeping the group with her Origin Sight.
"Courtesy of husband's care. How could they ever compare?"
Iliana calmly replied, her Origin Sight remaining locked on the two religious factions' teams.
"Can't be too harsh on them. In normal times, having such a cultivation level at their age would already be earthshaking. A pity that this is our era, their achievements, our foils, and their existences our stepping stones."
Konrad declared while observing the scene with his Origin Sight. Unlike spiritual sense, Origin Sight was nigh-untraceable, at the very least, Holy Rank experts couldn't trace it.
Therefore, those disciples didn't have the means to retrace their surveillance. Not that the ongoing clash gave them the time to, anyways.
…
"Erik, Marian, the black mar protected by those bronze guards overflows with vast infernal energies. Although it is but a Divine Seed inheritance, we absolutely cannot allow it to fall in the hands of the Infernal Cult.
Moreover, many useful inheritances hide within. I suggest we backstab them during the next assault, then use our strongest talismans and war puppets to force a quick conclusion."
Said the golden-haired man in a mental message aimed at his two peers.
"Hey, Volker, as a sun spirit, you can't be that dark-hearted. What would your elder brother think if he heard those words?"
Marian, the magenta-eyed dream spirit teasingly replied.
"Nonsense, when the interests of faith are concerned, who got time for righteousness? In any case, all things done in the interest of faith are irreproachable."
Erik, the short moon spirit cut.
"Talismans are consumables. We should save them for higher floors. War puppets should do the trick."
They settled, and as if readying themselves for a desperate fight, let their holy force erupt.
Beside them, the Infernal Cult disciples also exchanged mental messages.
"Before our departure, the cult leader and lord Berken explicitly reminded us that all inheritances of the Divine Rank must fall into our hands. It must have been the same for them.
With their usual modus operandi, there is no way they won't use this fight to backstab us.
Miraz, Vozir, let's feign ignorance and beat them at their own game."
The inexpressive blood-eyed woman ordered in a mental message.
"As you wish, lady Jaenera."
Miraz Serkar replied while Vozir remained silent. Still, Jaenera didn't doubt he would cooperate.
"Infernal Armament!"
Jaenera extended her hand, summoning a long blood sword that magnified the intensity of her aura at shocking speed.
At the same time, Vozir summoned an onyx scimitar. And as soon as it landed in his hand, his appearance underwent startling changes. Two heads and four additional arms burst from his neck and sides while his height increased to three meters, making him go from a gruff-looking mini giant to a demonic incarnation of nightmares.
Each arm wielded a scimitar. And in that instant, Vozir would reminisce the knowledgeable of the asuras in Hell.
"Innate Skill: Golden Body!"
Massive golden light erupted from Miraz's body, but unlike with Eysan, the golden light then integrated with his flesh and bones, making his olive skin turn into pure gold.
With this golden body, beneath the True Origin Saint Rank, nothing could injure him.
Behind them, dozens of Infernal and Celestial Elite Disciples bared their weapons, releasing their Semi-Holy and Holy Forces for the upcoming clash.
The fifteen-hundred man strong bronze army before them showed no fear. While the individual bronze soldier was only of the mid Semi-Holy Rank and the Guardian at the mid Rising Saint Rank, the formation uniting them made their strength overlap, turning them into a unified battalion driven by one soul.
Their individual battle power already rivaled that of Rising Saints, and once they released their combined forces in a single move, even True Origin Saints would face perils.
Facing this force, the leading disciples of the religious forces all came to the same conclusion.
"Something is wrong with the Tower."
Alas, even if they knew themselves right, they couldn't retreat. Unless they'd exhausted the limits of their abilities, they couldn't retreat! Their successes were their factions' successes.
The same went for their failures!
And for the religious factions' core members, failure was worse than death!
Leading the charge, the Infernal team leaders turned into three light beams to shoot toward the bronze army.
But before they could collide with them, the three celestial team leaders switched targets!
"True Spirit Form!"
Volker's hairs became bright gold flames while dazzling sunrays burst from his eyes.
Moonlight erupted from Erik's eyes and swirled around his form while a miniature moon appeared and floated above his head.
Mesmerizing clouds formed beneath Marian's feet and a chanting citadel appeared at his back, its songs bewitching the souls of the feeble.
All three aimed at their partners of misfortune and without hesitation, released lethal attacks.
But before their moves hit home, the three infernal team leaders vanished and reappeared above them!
"Truly, one can never count on the Celestial Church. Despicable mongrels."
Miraz sneered, and from a 1.75 meters tall golden man, turned into a nine-meters tall giant!
Neither Vozir nor Jaenera wasted time in idle words and cleaved at the backstabbers.
*BANG*
Instantaneously, the makeshift alliance collapsed. And the two sides were back into frantic battle.
Led by their Guardian, the bronze army made use of the opportunity to counterattack!
"Fellow Disciples, use your war puppets to block the bronze army's advance.
When we're done with these mongrels, we shall come to your aid."
All leaders ordered to their respective teams then resumed fighting!
The scene quickly turned hectic, with dozens of Holy Rank war puppets shouldering the bronze army's assault while the Celestial and Infernal team leaders fought tooth and nails!
And while both camps seemed evenly matched, the Infernal Cult's side seemed to be gaining a slight upper-hand.
But at that time…
*Clap* *Clap* *Clap*
…a loud clapping sound echoed, and alongside it, a new group appeared. At the helm, a man that looked no older than eighteen clapped with a derisive smile plastered on his face.
"Truly, when men court death, heaven should help them. In such a wretched situation, you even find the time to bare weapons at one another. Impressed, I'm impressed."
Konrad sarcastically said.
