"What kind of treasure is this? The Saint Master, merely at the Divine Realm, can actually delay us with it." The white-robed Pope emanated an incomparably dazzling light, along with several other Arbiters, steadily holding the Mountains and Rivers Seal.
However, it was difficult to break it open in a short while.
"Haha, no matter what treasure it is, since this Huaxia brat dares to bring it out, I shall claim it."
The lead Arbiter was filled with joy. Though their slumber was interrupted by this emergence, this single great seal was enough to compensate for their losses.
"Lend me your power of light temporarily, help me break this great seal, and capture that Huaxia brat."
The white-robed Pope and the other Arbiters exchanged glances. Without much hesitation, they channeled their power of light towards that Arbiter.
They all cultivated the purest power of light, and their energies would not repulse each other. Moreover, that Arbiter was the most powerful and could withstand their strength.
As a large amount of light energy was continuously transmitted, the white-robed Arbiter's strength rapidly increased.
His power had already reached the peak of the mid-stage Core Formation realm, and at this moment, his aura continued to climb, surging towards the late-stage Core Formation realm.
Zhang Fan also sensed the changes below and understood the Arbiters' intentions.
In an instant, Zhang Fan made a decision. With a wave of his hand, he summoned the Bronze Ancient Sword and immediately set up a Seven Kill Sword Formation.
The Seven Kill Sword Formation, with the Bronze Ancient Sword as its core, its sword energy manifested into seven sword shapes of different colors: red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and purple...
"Go!" Zhang Fan controlled the seven-colored sword shapes, striking at the seven formation bases of the light barrier.
The seven attacks, precisely controlled by Zhang Fan, landed simultaneously on the hidden formation bases. The light barrier enveloping the great hall trembled violently, but did not shatter!
"One more time!" Although the attack failed to break through, Zhang Fan also felt that the light barrier covering the sky had dimmed considerably.
"What!"
The white-robed Pope and the few Arbiters, suppressed beneath the Mountains and Rivers Seal and channeling energy, were all shocked to see Zhang Fan's attack causing the great formation's light barrier to tremble violently.
"This Huaxia brat is actually a master of formations! He has seen through the formation's true nature. We cannot let him destroy the formation bases!"
The white-robed Arbiter had intended to wait a little longer, but Zhang Fan's actions made him a bit flustered.
"Open for me!"
The light on his hands blazed intensely, pushing upwards forcefully. The Mountains and Rivers Seal, which had been as steady as a rock, began to slowly ascend under his push.
"This old fellow's strength is actually this formidable! However, it's too late!" As Zhang Fan grinned, a world-shattering explosion roared out. The Holy Light Barrier, which had protected the Holy See for hundreds of years, suddenly shattered, turning into a sky full of starlight.
Upon hearing this sound, the Arbiters and the white-robed Pope were stunned, their minds unable to react for a moment.
"It actually shattered?" The white-robed Pope looked at Zhang Fan with deep apprehension, his eyes then filled with killing intent.
With no formation blocking him, Zhang Fan easily pocketed the Sacred Heart of Light. At that very moment, the Mountains and Rivers Seal was also sent flying by the white-robed Arbiter, hurtling towards Zhang Fan.
"Thank you, Your Eminence, for the reminder. If it weren't for you, I probably wouldn't have been able to break this formation."
Zhang Fan beckoned, and the Mountains and Rivers Seal rapidly shrunk. Zhang Fan snatched it, flickered, and dashed towards the outside of the Holy See, not forgetting to mock them as he left.
Upon hearing Zhang Fan's words, the white-robed Pope was truly furious, almost driven mad. However, with more than half of his internal energy channeled out, his strength was less than one-tenth of his peak. He could only watch helplessly as Zhang Fan departed.
"Senior, please capture this little beast and retrieve the Sacred Heart of Light of my Holy See." The white-robed Pope said to the lead white-robed Arbiter.
"Hmph, trying to escape?" Without needing the white-robed Pope's reminder, the moment Zhang Fan darted out, the white-robed Arbiter instantly followed, charging towards the outside of the Holy See.
The shattering of the formation enveloping the entire Holy See naturally caused a great disturbance, alerting everyone within.
Some ordinary believers did not understand what this meant, but the eight Red-robed Archbishops, four Saints, and some hidden cultivators within the Holy See, all felt their hearts tremble violently upon witnessing this scene, realizing that something momentous was about to happen.
"Could it be that Huaxia brat destroyed the formation?" Aldington, in a side hall of the Holy See, saw that the formation of the Holy See had been shattered and felt utterly devastated, as if his lifelong faith had been brutally broken.
...
Two streaks of light flashed across the sky above the Holy See, disappearing in an instant. Even cultivators at the Saint realm might not have been able to discern what they were.
Zhang Fan's burst speed was fast, but his sustained flight speed was still slightly inferior to that of the Arbiter, who had gained a power boost and had now reached the late-stage Core Formation realm. The distance between them was constantly closing.
"This old fellow is truly fast. His true qi is considerably more abundant than mine. At this rate, he will eventually catch up." Zhang Fan's brow furrowed, and he finally made up his mind.
"Blood Shield Technique!"
As the secret technique was unleashed, Zhang Fan's body gradually turned blood-red, with blood-colored light shimmering around him. His speed instantly more than doubled.
"This is a blood race technique?"
The Church of Light and the Blood Race had always been at odds, and they were extremely familiar with the methods of the Blood Race. Furthermore, on this planet, not many people understood how to fight using bloodline power and burn bloodline secret techniques, and the Blood Race was clearly the most adept at it.
Therefore, when they saw Zhang Fan using the Blood Shield Technique, their first thought was to associate it with the Blood Race.
Despite their reluctance, Zhang Fan's speed after unleashing the Blood Shield Technique was truly astonishing. In less than a minute, he had left the Arbiter far behind, disappearing from their sight.
"Campbell, does this Huaxia brat have any connection to the Blood Race?" The lead white-robed Arbiter returned to the Holy See and asked the white-robed Pope.
"I heard that the Blood Race's young princess, Ailabela, is very close to Saint Master Zhang. Perhaps this Blood Shield Technique was taught to him by Ailabela," the white-robed Pope, Campbell, said somewhat uncertainly.
"However, even if the three Blood Race princes personally used the Blood Shield Technique, their speed would likely not be this fast. Could it be that what he used wasn't the Blood Shield Technique?" the white-robed Pope wondered.
The princes of the Blood Race were all powerful beings who could contend with the Arbiters of their Holy See. Yet, even they could not achieve such speed when using the Blood Shield Technique. This made them wonder if Zhang Fan was truly using the Blood Shield Technique.
"Regardless, the Sacred Heart of Light must be retrieved. If the Chief Arbiter learns that the Sacred Heart of Light has fallen into someone else's hands, we will likely all have to go and see the angels."
Upon hearing the words "Chief Arbiter," a flicker of fear flashed in the eyes of the others. Even the usually arrogant white-robed Pope now harbored a mixture of reverence and fear in his eyes.
...