Four robed figures emerged slowly from the glow of the holy light, their silhouettes becoming clear as they stepped forward. Each one of them carried an unshakable calm, their expressions utterly composed. When the black-robed man spoke, they merely lowered their eyes slightly, betraying no emotion.
"Faelan, you summoned us here with a sigil—what for?" one of the elders asked.
The black-robed man, now revealed as Faelan, raised a finger toward Leander and said coldly, "He killed Neil—one of our Church's Demon Hunters. Because of the King Phase Accord, I cannot act against him myself. You will deliver his judgment in my stead."
At his words, the four figures stirred, their spiritual senses flaring as they turned toward Leander. For the first time, they truly noticed the divine glow in his eyes and regarded him seriously.
"So, you're a spiritual grandmaster as well," one of them said. "Shame that you're facing us today. Your spiritual strength may be formidable, but compared to the flawless harmony between the four of us, you're far behind.
"We—the Holy Four—will judge you according to the ways of the Church. Of course, you may choose to surrender and return with us. Do that, and you'll be spared the trial. You may even become our next Demon Hunter."
Leander burst into laughter, loud and scornful. "The Church is no different from the Arbitration Office—just another pack of self-righteous hypocrites hiding behind the veil of holiness."
His gaze darkened, the malice in his eyes spreading like wildfire. "If you want to judge me, show me how strong you are. Go ahead—make your move."
With a low shout, Leander's spiritual strength split into four air blades that shot toward the elders. Meanwhile, Faelan had already vanished into the void, speeding straight toward the spot where Neil's soul had burned away.
…
A sharp hiss sliced through the night as the four air blades streaked forward. The elders' eyes flickered with surprise at Leander's power, but none of them panicked.
Though their physical cultivation was limited, their mastery of spiritual strength rivaled that of King Phase experts. Two of them joined forces, shaping their own spiritual strength into wind blades that clashed head-on with Leander's attack.
A tremor rippled through the void as waves of spiritual energy exploded outward. All four elders staggered back, their expressions tightening in astonishment.
"To think that Astria would produce a spiritual powerhouse like you outside the disciples of Clarity Palace," one elder remarked, eyes gleaming with awe. But before Leander could respond, the man's expression hardened, and he dove downward. His spiritual strength condensed into a massive, tangible hand that swept toward the crowd below.
Sensing danger, Leander immediately tried to intercept him, but the other three elders had anticipated it. Their combined spiritual power surged like a storm, layering wave upon wave until it sealed off his path entirely.
Leander's spiritual strength solidified into an iron wall, holding back their joint strike. But in that split second, the elder who had attacked below had already succeeded.
Among the crowd, Celia possessed the highest cultivation, yet even she didn't react in time. A scream pierced the night as Maeve—dressed in an evening gown—was suddenly yanked upward by an unseen force, her body lifted into the air.
"Ah!" Maeve's cry echoed as she flailed helplessly, her face pale with terror, while her arms reached toward the ground that was slipping away beneath her.

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