Then, a figure in yellow royal attire appeared, slowly approaching Hormos and his retinue, surrounded by a throng of Imperial Guards like stars revolving around the moon. A faint smile played on his face. Who else could it be but Mo Han? “Chen Mo Han, you dare to raise arms against the Church of Light? You clearly hold the Church of Light in contempt.”

Hormos spoke with stern authority, launching an accusation to immediately saddle the opponent with the charge of scorning the Church. Based on Hormos’s thinking, no matter how arrogant Chen Mo Han was, he wouldn't dare openly oppose the Church of Light.

Hearing Hormos’s accusation, Mo Han remained unruffled, speaking with feigned surprise. “Archbishop, where is this coming from? When did I ever show disrespect toward the Church of Light?” Upon hearing this, Hormos mistakenly believed Mo Han was intimidated by the Church’s might and grew more self-assured, coldly stating, “If it’s not contempt for the Church, then why surround us with so many soldiers? What is your intent?” Mo Han immediately chuckled in response, “Archbishop, you’ve misunderstood. The matter is actually like this: you must know the purpose of your visit to the Great Cathedral of the Church of Light here in Tianlong City, correct?” “Nonsense, of course I know.”

Hormos naturally knew the Pope of Light had dispatched him to uncover the Nether Clan spies, though he also intended to use the opportunity to eliminate Mora, the thorn in his side. Thinking of this,

Although Hormos couldn't grasp why Mo Han brought this up, he still answered Mo Han’s question.

“Then that’s exactly why I did this.”

Mo Han appeared utterly self-evident in his statement.

“What is exactly right? If you don’t give me an explanation today, the Church of Light will absolutely not let this rest.”

Hormos nearly lost his temper hearing Mo Han’s disjointed sentence—this brat.

He had his troops surround him and still acted so confrontational.

Mo Han watched Hormos teetering on the edge of frenzy, still wearing a smile, and said, “Archbishop, do you truly want me to announce this matter loudly? If His Holiness the Pope holds me accountable then, you cannot blame me, you know.”

With that, Mo Han winked mysteriously at Hormos.

Seeing Mo Han’s gesture, Hormos suddenly awoke. Could what this brat mentioned be related to the Nether Clan spies? The Pope of Light had sent him specifically to handle this matter secretly.

He could not allow the reputation of the Church of Light to be tarnished.

He had been muddled by Chen Mo Han’s provocations and almost made a grave error. Thinking again about Chen Mo Han’s usual character,

If this boy carelessly publicized the matter, even if it wasn't his fault, he would undoubtedly be the one to suffer the consequences. Punishment was surely unavoidable.

If those ambitious figures within the Church were to exploit this, his position as Archbishop would certainly be lost.

Considering the fallout if this were publicized here, his end would surely not be pleasant. The Pope of Light would certainly not spare him. It seemed this assignment was not as simple as he had imagined; one wrong move,

and his reputation would be ruined.

Hormos couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.

With this realization,

Hormos could only patiently state, “Then, Your Highness the Prince, let us step aside to discuss this.”

Even the form of address had changed, revealing the shift in Hormos’s state of mind.

He feared Mo Han might actually announce the matter in public, leading to his own downfall.

At Mo Han’s prompting, Hormos followed him to a nearby tavern by the cathedral. After ensuring they were completely secluded from everyone else, Hormos, his face grim, asked Mo Han, “Your Highness the Prince, what is your true intention in doing this?” “Archbishop, please, don't be anxious. Come, have some tea first.”

Mo Han spoke unhurriedly, addressing the nearly frantic Hormos. “Archbishop, you should know that since this Nether Clan affair originated within the borders of my Tianlong Empire, you must also grasp its profound importance to my Tianlong Empire, potentially even affecting the survival of our Empire and the entire Dragon’s Ascent Continent.”

“What does our Church of Light capturing a spy have to do with your Tianlong Empire?” Hormos looked genuinely puzzled.

He didn't understand how this matter had escalated to a level concerning the fate of the Empire and the Continent.

“Archbishop, that’s where you are mistaken,” Mo Han replied with an expression of complete disagreement. “You must understand, since the Nether Clan could implant one spy within your Church of Light, they might have also planted countless spies within our Empire—perhaps thousands or even tens of thousands.”

“Therefore, upon learning of this, His Majesty the Emperor was extremely anxious and appointed me personally to handle this matter, ensuring that all spies are apprehended before the Nether Clan army attacks. Otherwise, if these spies defect during battle, it will be disastrous.”

“And to capture these spies, we can only start from the Great Cathedral where a spy has already been discovered. I believe even His Holiness the Pope would endorse the efforts made by our Tianlong Empire for this operation, Your Excellency the Archbishop, wouldn't you agree?” Mo Han looked at Hormos with a smile.

Hormos was struck speechless by Mo Han’s rationale. How could this brat twist things so skillfully? Was rooting out a single Nether Clan spy really so straightforward? Setting aside the spatial barrier separating their realms, which meant these spies were directly controlled by the Nether King, making infiltration by ordinary Nether Clan members impossible.

Even the Nether King himself couldn't control too many spies; it required the cooperation of specific environments and artifacts. Like the spy Mo Han encountered earlier, who was under the direct control of the Nether King only because they discovered a Nether Realm Stone left by the Nether King in the ancient ruins, allowing the King to exert control through it.

After all, breaking through the spatial restrictions, which required defying the rules of a Creator God, was no easy feat even for the Nether King. Otherwise, if control were so simple, the Nether King might as well control several thousand or tens of thousands of high-ranking warriors, and humanity would destroy itself before the Nether Clan even arrived.

Thus, up to this point, not many Nether Clan spies had been discovered.

Therefore, upon hearing Mo Han’s words, Hormos understood that Mo Han was deliberately exaggerating the situation. Yet, he had no way to refute it. Could he possibly claim there were absolutely no spies? If even one or two spies surfaced when the Nether Clan army attacked, wouldn't he be asking for trouble? Although Hormos knew Mo Han was helping Mora, he was powerless.

The matter had now been escalated to one concerning the survival of the Continent. Even if Hormos still wished to deal with Mora, he had to consider the consequences.

With that in mind, Hormos reluctantly said, “Since that is the case, then please, Your Highness the Prince, wait until I have captured and interrogated the spy before sharing the news with your nation. Wouldn't that suffice?”

Hormos was unwilling to abandon this rare opportunity and still sought to negotiate.

“That won't do.”

Mo Han hastily shook his head in refusal, stating earnestly, “Your Excellency the Archbishop, you must know this task was personally assigned by His Majesty the Emperor. If I fail to complete it, I fear my head will roll. Therefore, I hope Your Excellency the Archbishop will understand my difficulty and agree that we investigate together.”

Damn it, if your Emperor was willing to chop off your head, I’d chop off mine and give it to you.

Hearing Mo Han’s reply, Hormos cursed inwardly but was helpless. Mo Han clearly intended to assist High Priest Mora, and further argument would only anger the rogue,

and he would be the one to suffer in the end.

With this thought,

Hormos reluctantly agreed to Mo Han’s proposal, consenting to secretly investigate the case jointly.

By the time Mo Han returned to the Prince’s Mansion, it was already evening. Daili was in the main hall chatting with Rou Xue and Bai Ling about something.

Mo Han couldn't be bothered to ask and simply found a seat. As soon as he sat down, Mo Han couldn't help but complain. After a whole day of investigation, he hadn't gotten a single useful scrap of information, yet he was exhausted to the bone.

If it weren’t for Shui Ling'er’s stern warnings, coupled with his good rapport with the old man Mora, Mo Han wouldn't bother meddling in the Church of Light’s internal strife. He wished they would just tear each other apart. Making him interrogate people was just asking for trouble.

Seeing his state, Daili gently approached and began massaging his shoulders, smiling as she said, “Who told you to promise Ling’er? Of course, you have to keep your word. Besides, haven’t you always wanted to repay Ling’er for saving your life? Now is the perfect chance, so stop complaining. Won't this make Ling’er even more grateful to you?” Daili’s words carried a hint of sourness. This philandering man—was having her and Fei Xue not enough? He was still entangled with so many other women. Although Daili didn't voice her complaints, it was natural for her to feel jealous; after all, no woman wanted to share a husband with so many others.

However, Daili understood that Mo Han hadn't intentionally sought out these entanglements. She could only attribute it to her husband's overwhelming luck with women—one after another, without end. Moreover, Mo Han treated her genuinely well and attentively, so Daili had come to terms with it.

It seemed her husband was destined to be surrounded by beautiful women, and the way he treated each of them so sincerely meant Daili could only accept this reality helplessly, though occasionally, a pang of jealousy might surface, leading to a few complaints, but nothing serious.

Hearing Daili, Mo Han let out an awkward chuckle. “Hehe, I was just saying it, Wife Daili, don't take it seriously. Just treat it as if I passed gas, hehe.”

With a few stifled giggles, the women in the hall burst out laughing at Mo Han’s words. Rou Xue, seated opposite Mo Han, was even more dramatic, spitting out the half-drunk tea right onto Mo Han across from her. Whether it was intentional or not, the aim was precise, soaking half of Mo Han’s body.

Seeing Mo Han’s aggrieved look, Rou Xue immediately feigned surprise. “Oh, I didn't mean to, Big Brother Mo Han! You said something so funny, I couldn't help myself. You are magnanimous; surely you won't blame me, right?” Hmph, you wicked girl, you clearly did it on purpose. The timing is wrong today; I’ll endure it. Mo Han thought grimly. A gentleman's revenge is never too late; he would make her pay for this someday.

With that in mind, Mo Han could only grit his teeth and say to Rou Xue, “Forget it, you didn’t mean it. I’m always very generous, little girl. I won’t argue with you.”

Rou Xue paid no attention to Mo Han’s gritted teeth, maintaining a triumphant expression as she stared at him. Seeing Mo Han put in his place was a rare sight, and Rou Xue felt as if the pressure she had endured from him these past few days had been instantly released. She erupted into delighted laughter. Daili and the others nearby were bewildered; they hadn't seen the look Mo Han shot at Rou Xue and naturally didn't know what transpired between the two.

“Right, I suddenly remembered some things His Majesty instructed me about that still need handling. You all carry on chatting; I need to get to work.”

Mo Han feared if he stayed any longer, he might lose control and smash a teacup onto the little woman opposite who was laughing so heartily. He quickly found an excuse and slipped away, leaving behind the echoes of laughter reverberating through the Prince’s Mansion.

“Damn it, this wicked girl, she’s gotten so good at acting now, even knowing how to get indirect revenge…”

Mo Han muttered as he walked through the courtyard of the mansion. The sheer size of the Prince's Mansion was impressive; a jumble of haphazard architecture meant that even for Mo Han, traversing it completely wouldn't take mere minutes.

As Mo Han was still complaining, he suddenly felt a powerful aura of darkness surge across the eastern part of Tianlong City, vanishing almost instantly. Though it lasted only a moment, seeming as if someone had deliberately exposed their aura, for a powerhouse of Mo Han’s caliber, it was more than enough.

Mo Han’s expression instantly turned grave. Ever since encountering the Nether Generals, he hadn't sensed such an intense dark energy. This dark aura seemed comparable to the Nether Generals he had previously encountered. Could the opponent also be a Nether General-level figure? Mo Han pondered internally.

At this moment, anyone radiating such a strong dark aura within Tianlong City could only be the Nether Clan spy; Mo Han could not imagine anyone else possessing such potent dark energy. Since the individual deliberately released their aura, it clearly aimed to draw someone over.

With this thought, Mo Han unflinchingly took flight, soaring toward the east. In the past, Mo Han might have deliberated before acting, but now that he was a God-level expert, even if the opponent was a Nether General, Mo Han was confident he could subdue them and thus felt no fear.

Simultaneously with Mo Han’s movement, several streaks of white light flew out from the Great Cathedral of the Church of Light in Tianlong City toward the east. Clearly, these powerful dark energies had been detected by the Church of Light personnel as well. Was the previous dark pulse intentionally set up to lure these Church of Light members?

Meanwhile, about thirty li east of Tianlong City, on a protruding clearing, sat a figure draped in a black robe. Around thirty years old, his pale, bloodless face exuded an air of suffocating lifelessness. Mo Han could not sense any trace of vital signs on him, a trait shared with the Nether Generals.

Directly in front of this figure lay an image, vividly depicting a deity clad in golden armor, wielding a massive scythe, staring coldly into the distance. It was an image of Hades, the ruler of the Nether Realm, the God of Death.

Although it was merely a portrait, Mo Han still felt an imposing presence emanating from it—an attitude of looking down upon all living things, as if everything in heaven and earth held no significance in Hades’s eyes. The entire surrounding air seemed to grow chilling under the influence of the image.

Even a mere painting possessed such might. Gazing at Hades’s portrait, Mo Han’s mood grew heavier. If this were Hades in person, he would likely be far more terrifying.

However, Mo Han could not fathom the true purpose of this mysterious black-robed man, which was why Mo Han remained hidden, not revealing himself, wanting to see what the other party intended to do. With Mo Han's current strength, unless the opponent was also a God-level expert, they would never detect his approach, and the black-robed man clearly had not reached that level of power.

Not long after, Mo Han’s brow furrowed. Looking towards Tianlong City, he saw several white lights rapidly approaching this location. Mo Han didn't need to guess who they were; it seemed the mysterious black-robed man’s primary objective was to lure the forces of the Church of Light here.

Leaping to