The Five Ancient Vatican Sacred Relics, A Nuclear Weapon Takes to the Skies!

Thermonuclear weapons—the pinnacle of human technological achievement. They were also the most destructive weapons to date. Even after the global mutation, when everyone began gaining supernatural abilities, why did a semblance of order still endure without collapsing into utter chaos? The fundamental reason was that Awakened at this current stage were, for the most part, entirely incapable of standing against heavy thermal weaponry. Nuclear weapons, above all, could annihilate any formidable entity that currently existed—including some Beast Kings. At the same time, they were the single most important factor keeping peace and stability among nations. It could be said that whether in the Old Era or the New Era, thermonuclear weapons remained the ultimate instruments of slaughter. Yet with the passage of time, such devastating weapons were bound to become obsolete. Just like right now. Lu Yuan knew that Mount Olympus might deploy thermal weapons against him. Yet he had still chosen to go, wishing to test whether his current physical state could withstand a nuclear bombardment completely unscathed. Yes. Completely unscathed. For Lu Yuan was well aware that his body was extraordinarily powerful. Even the deadliest weapon of mass destruction could not kill him. But whether he would suffer injury remained uncertain. He wanted to test it. To test it in his peak state. His many days of secluded cultivation and all the preparations he had made back then could be validated in this single trial. Only by doing so could he instill a sense of unprecedented crisis and dread within the factions represented by the Divine Knight and the Holy Angel, cowing them and ultimately bringing about the formal establishment of the Human Alliance. Lu Yuan felt fully confident, which was why he had not retreated, replying to Elder Ji with merely two words: "No matter." "Once we reach the Holy City beneath Mount Olympus, go wander somewhere else and wait for my summons." Having reached this point in his thoughts, he patted the back of the Golden-Winged Great Peng and gave his instructions. While he could disregard the terrifying lethality of a thermonuclear weapon, the bird would be in mortal danger. It needed to stay as far away as possible. "Huh? Yes, Master." The Golden-Winged Great Peng felt a bit confused upon hearing this, but it asked no questions, knowing it was best to obey its master's commands. Lu Yuan said nothing more and simply looked ahead. Meanwhile, inside the ancient castle atop Mount Olympus. The Divine Knight and the Holy Angel sat side by side, their expressions solemn. Flanking them were figures clad in armor as well as others dressed in priestly robes, representing the two major factions: the Vatican Church and Mount Olympus. All of these individuals possessed strength in the Awakening Realm—true elites. At this moment, no one spoke. Everyone waited in silence. According to their calculations, that Lu Yuan should make his appearance today. Everything had been arranged. All that remained was the arrival of their target. "Report!" Soon, a Western man entered the castle's great hall. He too was a powerful Awakened. He bowed slightly toward the two leaders and said, "My lords, the Easterner Lu Yuan has entered our detection range. In about half an hour, he will arrive at the Holy City." "Good!" Hearing this, the Divine Knight stood up immediately, his eyes gleaming. Beside him, the Holy Angel also revealed a smile. *He has finally arrived.* It seemed everything would come to an end today. "Notify the journalists we summoned to begin the live broadcast immediately. Tell them to keep their distance, but ensure they capture the entire process on film," the Divine Knight commanded. "Also, have the reception party we sent to the Holy City stall that Lu Yuan." The live broadcast was meant for the entire world to see, ensuring the plan achieved its maximum impact. It would show everyone the fate of those who dared cross them—especially the East! "Indeed," the Holy Angel agreed. "Tell my attendants that this is in accordance with the divine will. In death, they shall receive God's blessing." The Holy City at the foot of Mount Olympus was about to suffer a nuclear strike; naturally, the two of them could not go down there in person. Thus, they had sent men in advance to stall Lu Yuan, trigger the ancient Vatican sacred relics, and seal off the area. That would buy them time until the nuclear missile was launched, bringing an end to it all. "Understood." Upon receiving the order, the man hesitated not a moment longer and walked out of the castle. "Beneath a thermonuclear weapon, no matter how powerful he is, he will never withstand it. I can already picture him reduced to ashes," the Divine Knight said with a chuckle, confident that his plan was foolproof. "I cannot shake the feeling that relying on a single nuclear weapon is not safe enough. What if he survives?" the Holy Angel said, a thread of worry in his eyes. An intuition nagged at him that something might go wrong. "Edward, my friend, a single nuclear weapon is more than enough." The Divine Knight was brimming with confidence, looking completely in control. "Besides, against someone as formidable as Lu Yuan, if one strike fails, subsequent killer moves will be utterly meaningless. Therefore, one nuclear warhead is entirely sufficient." Deep down, he harbored immense wariness toward Lu Yuan, knowing that this man had broken genetic shackles and possessed the strength to slay Beast Kings. Right now, only a thermonuclear weapon might work; any other measure would be useless. And if even that proved ineffective, he knew everyone present would meet their doom. But was that even possible? "Mm." Beside him, the Holy Angel nodded, recognizing the truth in his words. Yet the more he thought about it, the deeper his apprehension grew. "Do not overthink it." The Divine Knight walked over to his side and said with a smile, "Success is certain. Come, let us witness it together." The Holy Angel said nothing more, knowing that either way, he could only pray for the plan's success. With that, the two walked out of the castle and headed toward a massive platform halfway up Mount Olympus. From here, one could look down directly upon the Holy City below. Numerous journalists stood about, aiming high-end cameras to film. Although it was quite a distance, zooming in allowed them to clearly record everything happening below. Given the current divine anomalies shrouding Mount Olympus, they did not need to fear radiation drifting upward. As for the Holy City, it had always been a sacred domain; by the Divine Knight's prior decree, ordinary people had long been barred from entering. Now, he and the Holy Angel stood beneath the platform, gazing at a massive display screen as they waited in silence. Before long, the global live broadcast commenced. At the Mount Tai Trial Academy, Elder Ji and the others knitted their brows tightly upon receiving Lu Yuan's reply. After all, the other side might deploy thermonuclear weapons. Against such a terrifying instrument of slaughter, could anyone really withstand it, no matter how powerful? In the end, it was Zhu Qingyu, one of the juniors, who spoke up. "I believe King Lu acted this way because he has complete confidence in himself. I think all we need to do is wait patiently." Her words silenced the room. In truth, there was no other choice. The man had practically arrived, fully aware of what the Divine Knight intended to do. Since he had still chosen to go, he had to be prepared. Just then, the Ice Fairy noticed that Mount Olympus's global live broadcast had begun. Immediately, everyone connected to the stream and started watching, though their hearts remained clenched with tension. If a nuclear weapon truly was launched, what would become of it all? At the same time, people across the globe who had been following this matter saw the broadcast go live and flooded in to watch. "It's started, it's started! A historic meeting. I wonder if the Human Alliance will truly be founded!" "Wait, isn't something wrong with this camera angle? Why is it so far from the Holy City?" "Yeah, it's a bit blurry. Shouldn't they get closer?" "And neither the Holy Angel nor the Divine Knight seems to be present. The ones handling the reception are just their subordinates." People back home were initially excited upon tuning in, but soon grew suspicious. The view was too distant, and neither of the Western leaders had shown up in person. Hadn't they promised to receive him personally? Yet this confusion lasted only a brief moment, for everyone quickly realized that Lu Yuan was about to arrive. Down in the Holy City at the foot of Mount Olympus, Lu Yuan descended slowly atop the Golden-Winged Great Peng, arriving at the plaza at the very center of the city. More than a dozen people were already waiting there, with no sign of the Divine Knight or the Holy Angel. Seeing this, Lu Yuan smiled. Once the Golden-Winged Great Peng touched down, he vaulted off its back. Following its earlier orders, the bird hesitated not an instant, spreading its wings to shoot straight into the high heavens and vanish from sight. "Are you the Eastern King Lu?" Soon, a Western man dressed in priestly robes stepped forward, belonging to the Vatican Church. He bowed slightly, a rich smile plastered across his face. "Lord Holy Angel is already awaiting your presence on Mount Olympus." "Lord Divine Knight also welcomes your arrival, King Lu of the East." A man clad in silver armor stepped forward, speaking with great warmth, appearing genuinely thrilled by Lu Yuan's visit. Behind them, however, several figures shifted their footing subtly, moving into a distinct formation resembling a five-pointed star. Their expressions were cold. Every one of them belonged to the Vatican Church, and a resolve that bordered on fatalism showed in their eyes. Lu Yuan naturally noticed this, but not a ripple of emotion disturbed his expression. He simply looked at the group before him and spoke softly: "Since you are ready, make your move." The moment the words fell, absolute silence descended upon the plaza. The domestic viewers watching the live stream were baffled. Unable to hear the dialogue, they could only sense the sudden, eerie shift in atmosphere. Yet everyone knew something was definitely about to happen. Were they going to attack King Lu? Surely that was impossible, wasn't it? Given King Lu's strength, even the Holy Angel and Divine Knight combined were no match for him. Would they be so foolish as to send mere subordinates? "Not good, they're making a move!" On the other side, Elder Ji and the others watching the stream felt their hearts tighten. Having received prior intelligence, everyone present knew exactly what the enemy intended to do. Sure enough, on the screen, five members of the Vatican Church produced several artifacts from their cloaks: A holy lance, a holy grail, a burial shroud, a golden ark, and a crown of thorns. These were the Five Ancient Vatican Sacred Relics, rumored to have been left behind by God, each possessing unfathomable might. At that moment, the five bit the tips of their tongues and let their blood drip down. In an instant, blazing holy light erupted from the five ancient sacred relics. The radiance converged into a five-pointed star, engulfing Lu Yuan within its bounds. Simultaneously, the armored man shouted, "By order of Lord Divine Knight and Lord Holy Angel, you, King Lu of the East, shall face divine judgment!" In the next instant, the followers of Mount Olympus drew daggers and pierced their own hearts. For the Five Ancient Vatican Sacred Relics to unleash their supreme power, human sacrifice was required! *Buzz, buzz, buzz!* The five-pointed star imprisoning Lu Yuan blazed with blinding intensity, locking down the surrounding space. Lu Yuan found his body growing immensely heavy, as if an immense mountain were pressing down upon him. Yet to him, breaking free would be effortless. At the very same time, the Divine Knight issued the command: "Launch the thermonuclear weapon!" Less than a hundred li from the Holy City plaza, a compact rocket shot into the sky. In less than a minute, it soared directly above the Holy City. A thermonuclear weapon! The scene was broadcast to the entire world. Seeing this unfold, every single viewer was struck dumb with horror. For everyone finally understood what the Divine Knight of Mount Olympus had planned. They intended to use a thermonuclear weapon to obliterate Lu Yuan!