The competition continued, and Yi Lai Zhe walked up to the altar. This time, he didn't intend to give up. Instead, he solemnly took out several candles from his spatial storage and placed them on the altar one by one.
The candles were lit, emitting different colored lights. He circled the candles and began to chant. The song seemed to describe an ancient family, from its rise to its decline.
Suddenly, Yi Lai Zhe stopped. The candle was blown out by a gust of wind, and a blurry figure slowly appeared. It was an old man wearing a white linen robe and a kind smile on his face.
Is this a ghost?
Some of the people present were puzzled, because the old man who was summoned looked too much like a living person.
Yi Lai Zhe looked at him respectfully, knelt down and kowtowed, "Greetings, Ancestor. I am Yi Lai Zhe, the only remaining descendant of our family in the human world."
The spirits behind him also rushed to make various gestures and movements towards the old man, very excited, wanting to express something to him.
"Good child, you've suffered." The old man sighed as he looked at the spirits, then came over and helped him up. "Did something happen that led you to summon me?"
Yi Lai Zhe shook his head: "It's nothing. I participated in the Pope's selection. This round of the competition is to summon the dead. I hope you have a better chance of winning."
The old man looked at him with satisfaction: "Good. Our family has declined to this state, but we have produced several popes in the past. You are the most outstanding descendant in the last hundred years. Those descendants you sent to the abyss have all mentioned you to me. I believe you can do it."
Yi Lai Zhe smiled without saying a word. He didn't actually want to be a pope; he just wanted to complete his mission as soon as possible and send all the dead members of his family to the abyss.
But since he has participated in the selection, he will do his best.
The elders of the selection committee stood up and bowed slightly to the old man.
The archbishop spoke up: "You are... a divine-level undead?"
The old man nodded: "That's right. You might think that the higher the level of the God of Death's chosen ones, the more they will transform into the form of the dead. But that's not the case. Once they reach the God Path level, they will actually shed their form of the dead and become more like a human. The same goes for the dead. So even though I became a dead after I died, now that I've reached the God Path level, my physical form is no different from yours."
"God-level?"
"So this is what a god-level undead is like!"
This was almost the first time that the Death God believers present had ever seen a god-level undead. They were all amazed and full of admiration, unable to look away.
"Good heavens, how can we compete now?" Eli spread his hands. "I should have made him withdraw from the competition. Boss, you said yesterday that you would use your own strength to seize the papacy. Now you regret it, don't you?"
Phil Gray hadn't expected that Yi Lai Zhe would summon a god-level being right away. Even if he had summoned a god-level being today, he would still be at a disadvantage. But he would just have to take it one step at a time and leave it at that for now.
Upon hearing the old man's rank, the elders immediately and respectfully ushered him to the seat in the center and then served him precious food.
"Thank you all for your hospitality. I will stay here for about two days. It has been a long time since I have experienced the scenery of the human world. Yi Lai Zhe, tell me about the current situation in the human world and how the church has developed."
Upon hearing his ancestor's question, Yi Lai Zhe spoke to him in a low voice.
Elder Sid then gave the archbishop a look, and the archbishop understood and immediately called the next candidate to the stage.
As the final act, Phil Gray received much attention. He calmly walked up to the altar, took out the small mirror from his spatial storage, and then used the "Undead Companion" skill.
The gates of the abyss opened, and a skeleton draped in a black cloak emerged. The ghostly blue flames in his eye sockets shone brightly, radiating a powerful aura of death.
Having previously encountered the lord of Skull City, Phil Gray knew very well that this was yet another skeleton undead of god-degradation level.
Unsurprisingly, the most likely person Frank knew in the City of Bones was a skeleton.
“Hello, I am your summoner.” Phil Gray nodded to him and continued, “I am currently participating in the Pope’s selection, competing to summon the dead, so I asked you to come. In return, I will fulfill the conditions we agreed on tonight.”
The skeleton nodded, indicating that it understood. "Now, what do I need to do for you?"
“You can rest here for a while. I’ll have someone bring you some human delicacies,” Phil Gray said, leading the skeleton to sit down as well.
Although it is unknown why these spirits can eat human food, especially skeletons that are only bones, it has become a church tradition to treat them to delicious food.
The skeleton noticed the divine ancestor summoned by Yileizhe, and the Lady of the Harp who was lying behind Marshall, singing softly. It was unclear whether she was talking to herself or Phil Gray, "The younger generation of the Church of the Dead is so outstanding now. It seems that the teacher can rest assured."
Phil Gray didn't know how to respond, so he could only smile at him.
The archbishop walked up to the group of believers: "The final candidate summoned a degraded skeleton of God, whose existence is limited to... one day, is that right?"
He turned to Phil Gray for confirmation.
Phil Gray nodded to the archbishop.
"Well done! Today's competition was truly spectacular. Our candidates are all exceptionally skilled at summoning the undead. It seems we may be on track to have the most outstanding pope in a century." The archbishop clapped and laughed.
The elders then symbolically tallied the candidates' summoning of the undead, and then announced that the summoning for the day was over.
The believers left reluctantly, discussing the summoned spirits among themselves. The spirits they had seen today would be enough to keep them talking for a lifetime.
Iraj and his ancestors left, and Phil Gray guessed they might have gone to the temple the family had built.
Marshall then withdrew the Lady of the Harp. The archbishop and elders stopped him, presumably to discuss the affairs of the Lemo Empire with him.
Phil Gray and Eli said goodbye to them and left, rushing towards Silent Valley with the summoned Skeleton Elder.
...
"Hello, Bishop Gustav."
As night fell, they arrived at Silent Valley. A small chapel sat at the valley's entrance, and many worshippers were emerging from it. Phil Gray seized the opportunity to stop the middle-aged man dressed in a bishop's robe.
He had to have the bishop of Silent Valley lead him into the cemetery, while Eli waited nearby with the skeleton elder.
"Hello, you are..." Gustav felt that the person in front of him looked very familiar, and the priest next to him couldn't help but remind him: "Your Excellency, isn't this the candidate for Miru in the image that was just transmitted by the magic circle?"
"Oh, right, I have a bit of face blindness. Excuse me, Holy Son Miru, what can I do for you?"
Phil Gray smiled slightly: "May I have a word with you in private?"
The priest beside Gustav wisely walked away. Seeing that no one was around, Phil Gray took out a badge shaped like a flower of destiny from his spatial storage and whispered to him, "Praise be to destiny!"
Gustav's eyes widened, his breathing quickened, and he snatched the badge, examining it carefully for a moment before pulling Phil Gray into the empty church and excitedly asking, "Are you sent by the Church of Destiny?"
“Yes, do you recognize me?” Phil Gray tore off his mask, revealing his original British face.
Gustav asked hesitantly, "Pope Darcy?"
Phil Gray sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Pope Darcy was my father, but he has passed away. I am the current pope."
Gustav then realized what was happening and knelt down, stammering, "Your Holiness, I...I..."
Tears welled up in her eyes, blurring the white powder applied to her face.
He had not seen his compatriots for a long time, let alone His Holiness the Pope.
He lived in constant fear that someone would discover his true identity, was forced to hide his true beliefs, and had to pray to an unknown god, suffering torment every day.
"Thank you for your hard work. Don't worry, you won't have to hide here for long."
Phil Gray patted him on the shoulder, offering words of comfort.
"What? Don't you need me to go undercover here?" Gustav asked, puzzled.
He knew that the continent of Ver was currently at war, and Fate needed someone here to deliver messages from the Church of the Dead.
“Yes, soon, fate and death will become an unbreakable alliance.” Phil Gray did not elaborate on the meaning of this sentence, and continued, “Now, I need you to take me and two other companions to the cemetery in Silent Valley.”
“Okay.” Gustav didn’t ask why, but firmly carried out the order from His Holiness the Pope.
Even if it would expose him, he wouldn't hesitate for a moment.
Phil Gray looked appreciative. He was considering whether to transfer this talent back to Destiny, or wait until he became the Pope of the Church of the Dead before letting this undercover agent continue to be in charge of the liaison between the two churches.
Phil Gray put the mask back on: "Don't reveal my identity. Right now, I am just the Holy Son, Miru."
"Good." Gustav was thrilled when he thought of the rumors he had heard recently about the current Pope of Fate. He hadn't expected that His Majesty's identity as a chosen one of multiple gods was actually true! He had even come to the Church of the Dead, where he had infiltrated, to run for Pope. If His Majesty really became the Pope of the Church of the Dead, then he would certainly no longer have to worry about his undercover identity!
As he stepped out of the chapel, Eli greeted him, "How was it?"
Phil Gray smiled: "This is Bishop Gustav. We'll just follow him to the cemetery."
Gustav greeted them politely, and when he saw the Skeleton Elder, he was clearly surprised, but he quickly calmed down and led them deeper into the valley.
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