Chapter 227 – Strength of the Radiance Church
Zhao Hai, Laura, Green, and Quinn John sat quietly within the living room of the Spatial Villa as they listened to Lyndsay Baker’s report about the Radiance Church.
After he’d finished transforming those white-clothed bishops into undead, he began to ask them about matters relating to the Radiance Church. Unsurprisingly, the one with the most detailed information was Lyndsay Baker. As such, he kept Lyndsay Baker back as he called for Green and the others before allowing him to continue to detail what he knew of the Radiance Church.
The Radiance Church was a great deal more formidable than what Zhao Hai and the others had thought. They currently controlled a dozen large and small duchies. Furthermore, several influential aristocrats from a few empires had already enlisted themselves as members of the Radiance Church. Specifically, they became the Radiance Church’s Protector Knights or elders.
Unfortunately, Lyndsay Baker had only been a white-clothed bishop. Although his father was a red-clothed archbishop, he didn’t have too much information to share. He only knew of some Grand Dukes and other influential nobles that had joined the Radiance Church; nothing more than that.
In addition to these influential nobles, Lyndsay Baker also knew of several mercenary groups and medium sized merchant firms that were affiliated with the Radiance Church. Several of those were even managed by him.
Other than that, Lyndsay Baker didn’t know anything else. Zhao Hai, however, had already benefited significantly from this. They now had a deeper understanding of the Radiance Church’s strength.
The Radiance Church was truly too formidable. When Zhao Hai had heard that the Black Magician Alliance had ten thousand black magicians, he’d thought the alliance was already pretty good. Now he understood that compared to the Radiance Church, they were really too far off.
They were really too clever as they pulled those influential aristocrats and Grand Dukes into their camp and made them either Protector Knights or elders. If the Radiance Church had a matter, then they would naturally help. Don’t underestimate the strength of these people. Even if they themselves didn’t directly assist, they would only have to say a few words and those lower aristocrats would naturally follow them as a way to curry favor and they would act on their order.
Because of all this, the Radiance Church had developed quickly within the past several years. The church didn’t just pull aristocrats in, but also used them to spread their influence. Due to a variety of benefits, those aristocrats were tied tightly to the church’s chariot.
With the help of those aristocrats, the black magicians had been repulsed within the continent. In such a short amount of time, black magicians had become isolated.
Compared to the Radiance Church, the Black Magician Alliance fell short. Maru didn’t speak of how many aristocrats had joined the Black Magician Alliance. This was, in fact, a weakness of the Black Magician Alliance.
One must understand that on the continent, the rules of aristocrats governed the commoners. Once the commoners had a preconceived idea about something, it would be very difficult to change it.
When comparing the Black Magician Alliance with the Radiance Church, the biggest flaw of the alliance was that it wasn’t under a unified leadership. The Radiance Church, however, was like the headquarters of light magicians. All light magicians were members of the Radiance Church and were under unified leadership. It goes without saying that all of their actions would naturally have a purpose. They had the upper hand when fighting against the divided black magicians.
While the black magicians had recently established the Black Magician Alliance, this alliance was, in fact, very loose. Wanting to achieve victory over the Radiance Church to any degree was impossible several times over.
Zhao Hai, however, didn’t think the black magicians would be suppressed by the Radiance Church to such a level. After all, the Black Magician Alliance was a loose organization with a lot of freedom. It was precisely because of this that they could develop anywhere. If the Radiance Church was the shining rays of the sun in the day, then the black magicians would be the dark clouds of the night sky. Wherever the sun doesn’t shine, there will always be a place for them to survive.
Furthermore, the Radiance Church wasn’t in a state of crisis at the moment. While they grew quickly and desperately pulled aristocrats into their camp, for any empire this became a factor of instability. Those great empires might possibly go against the Radiance Church. When this happens, the Radiance Church wouldn’t be able to continue their arrogance.
Zhao Hai thought that if the great empires were to deal with the Radiance Church, it would create a large opportunity for the black magicians. A great aristocrat didn’t wish to see one side being dominant; they wanted the play to be balanced. To deal with the Radiance Church, there was no more appropriate enemy than the black magicians. Once the Radiance Church began to threaten their rule, the great empires would start to check and balance them. They would begin to move their own influence in a battle of wits against the Radiance Church, and the black magicians would be a vital part of this.
Of course, at present, these were all just Zhao Hai’s conjectures[1]. Those great empires wouldn’t dare to easily move. Here on the Ark Continent, beliefs were free. Anyone could have faith in anything. If those great empires really had to deal with the Radiance Church, then they could just introduce new beliefs to replace the church’s. This way, they wouldn’t even need to use the black magicians.
The suppression of black magicians by the Radiance Church had been viewed with indifference by the great empires. Those great empires didn’t have a good impression of black magicians anyway, so they wouldn’t necessarily ask the black magicians to help deal with the Radiance Church.
After they listened to Lyndsay Baker’s explanation, Green and the others were in a heavy mood. The strength of the Radiance Church was beyond their imagination. Later on, when they began to act on the continent, they feared it would be difficult for them to move.
Zhao Hai waved and recalled Lyndsay Baker. He then turned to Green and said, “What does Grandpa Green and Grandpa Quinn John think of this?”
Green pondered for a moment. “They’re not easy to provoke. It seems we will have to implement our plans. First, we hide in the Beastfolk Prairie for a while.”
Quinn John nodded as he said, “Although the strength of the Radiance Church is formidable, it’s impossible for their influence to reach the Beastfolk Prairie. For the beastfolk, there is only one god. The Radiance Church is radically unpopular there. As such, nobody would buy into their words. After arriving in the Beastfolk Prairie, we will need to stay there for some time. After we’re out of the limelight, we can come back.”
Meirin[2] also nodded. “That’s good. Right now, the Radiance Church only knows the black magician identity of the Young Master and not of the Buda clan. If they knew of that, then we wouldn’t only be facing the Radiance Church, but the whole of the Aksu Empire[3]. If that happens, then we’ll need to hide in the Beastfolk Prairie for our lifetime. It’s good that they don’t know our identity. We’ll first hide in the Beastfolk Prairie and do business with the beastfolk. With this, they won’t be able to find out anything about us.”
Zhao Hai nodded and said, “Even if we’re in the Beastfolk Prairie, we have to be careful. This time around, we bought many commodities. Those with high aspirations have surely looked into what we’ve bought and know we’re going to the Beastfolk Prairie. No matter if it’s the Radiance Church or Boric, they have both suffered losses at our hands and will surely retaliate. I fear that even if we hide in the Beastfolk Prairies, they won’t let us off.”
Green smiled faintly and said, “After they’ve attacked us several times, those fellows still want to retaliate against us. We have to think about this. I fear that the next time, we may have to deal with a Rank Nine expert.”
Quinn John chuckled. “That won’t be possible. As long as we’re in the Beastfolk Prairie, they won’t dare to send a Rank Nine expert to deal with us. It’s impossible for a Terran Rank Nine expert to enter the Beastfolk Prairie, otherwise a Rank Nine expert of the Beastfolk Prairie would strike at them and kill them on the spot. Moreover, it might provoke a war between the Terrans and beastfolk. Whether it is the Radiance Church or Boric, do either have the courage to do so?”
Green smiled. He certainly knew of this matter as he had participated in a war between the Terrans and beastfolk in the past. Beastfolk were a militant group. If the Terrans really did sent a Rank Nine expert to run around in the Beastfolk Prairie and cause storms, then what awaiting the Terrans would be thousands of cavalries.
Laura also smiled. “Actually, we’re thinking about this a little too much. Although Lyndsay Baker had told us a lot, don’t forget that he stated a few other points. The influence of the Radiance Church within the Rosen Empire isn’t very strong, and the Rosen Empire is the most powerful empire on the continent, incomparable.
“If the Radiance Church wants to win over the aristocrats of the Rosen Empire, then it would be too difficult. Once the king of the Rosen Empire knows, then the Radiance Church wouldn’t be able to move within the empire. The strength of the Rosen Empire is the same as the combined strength of several other empires. This can be an opportunity for us. With the Space, we can set up a transfer point within the Rosen Empire. We can slowly start developing within the Rosen Empire without needing to fear the Radiance Church.”
Quinn John shook his head. “We still need to be careful. Although the Rosen Empire is powerful, they probably don’t like black magicians. If the Radiance Church uses this point and tells them that they are dealing with black magicians, then they might turn and deal with us. This won’t make it easier for us.”
Laura nodded and Zhao Hai smiled slightly as he said, “Actually, we’re just repeating things over and over again. The issue here is my status as a black magicians. Don’t forget, everyone that as a magician, I can also use earth element, wind element, and light element magic. Light magicians are members of the Radiance Church, so this wouldn’t be a good choice of disguise. An earth element magician or wind element magician could be something I can pretend to be. Those people wouldn’t be able to keep a constant eye on me.
“Moreover, the Rosen Empire is quite a distance from the Aksu Empire[4]. How would the Aksu Empire’s great aristocrats know of my Buda clan identity there? Also, the Rosen Empire and Aksu Empire aren’t friendly neighbors. They wouldn’t help the Aksu Empire’s aristocrats deal with us, right?”
Everyone’s eyes couldn’t help but light up when they heard what Zhao Hai said. They had forgotten that Zhao Hai could use four types of elemental magic. Black magic and light magic couldn’t be used, so he would just use the other two. It was the same since he could still pretend to be a magician, which was a good idea.
Notes:
-This chapter was MTL’ed. Please leave a comment for constructive criticisms and advice. Thanks.
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-Please check out the Editor’s footnotes, thanks.
Footnotes:
[1] Intelligent thoughts that make no sense when coming from a nobody like Zhao Hai. His intelligence is all over the place… ↩
[2] She came out of nowhere. ↩
[3] You’re already facing the whole of the Aksu Empire. Boric = King of the Aksu Empire. Radiance Church = Boric’s boss. Zhao Hai = enemy of Radiance Church. I doubt the aristocrats really care about you enough to really count in this. It’s basically Boric as the source of all Buda clan problems and Radiance Church as the source of all Zhao Hai black magician problems. I’m surprised Boric hadn’t already declared war on Zhao Hai. ↩
[4] What? I thought they were right beside each other? Didn’t Boric’s old land border on the Rosen Empire’s lands?