The Shining Star Above The Heaven-Chapter 451: Their Strange Instinct

The great peng did not answer the phoenix immediately. He remained silent for a moment, continuing to watch the interaction between Angelica and the pope.

"I’ve been having strange visions too," the great peng finally said. "Whenever I clear my mind and cultivate—ever since I heard that guqin sound—they come to me. I don’t know why, but all of them feel familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. It’s really strange."

The phoenix glanced at the great peng briefly before turning back toward Angelica.

"Same," she said, and silence fell between them again.

"Do you think we might have met Master in the past?" the great peng asked suddenly."That guqin sound from that night felt especially familiar—like déjà vu. Do you think it came from Master?" he added.

"I don’t know if we ever met Master in the past," the phoenix said, shaking her head. "But as far as I can remember, I stayed in that place full of darkness until Master summoned me."

"However, if we’ve never met Master, then this strange feeling must come from something else—something still unknown to us," she added.

They fell silent again. It was unusual for them to talk this much. Normally, they didn’t speak often, but something about this moment stirred their thoughts.

Still, their conversation flowed smoothly, without wrong phrase. As emperor-stage beasts, their intelligence rivaled that of most humans—perhaps even surpassed it. Like high-ranking cultivators, they could process vast amounts of information at once.

While staying inside the church, they listened to everything spoken by the people around them, picking up new vocabulary and observing how humans conversed with one another. They were quick learners, easily grasping how to speak with proper words and structure.

After a few moments of silence, the great peng finally parted his lips.

"I think that something... comes from within ourselves." freёnovelkiss.com

The phoenix glanced at him.

"Why do you think that?"

"It’s just a natural instinct I felt when facing Master and his energy," the great peng replied. "When I first met him, I didn’t think much about who he was. But the moment I sensed his aura and that golden energy, something inside me told me I had to submit. It felt like going against him wasn’t even an option."

The phoenix slightly raised her eyebrows. She recalled the moment she was summoned by Aldrian, how she had tried to rebel against him. But then he unleashed that golden energy and overwhelming aura, and her heart trembled. Her natural instinct screamed at her not to defy him.

If that golden energy and aura could shake her to the core—if even her instincts as an emperor-stage spiritual beast warned her not to oppose him—then that meant her master was someone nature itself had acknowledged. A being worthy of submission. A being protected by nature as if it were his guardian.

In other words, even if the circumstances had been different, even if there had been no master-servant bond through the summoning formation, she believed she still would have submitted to Aldrian. That reverence didn’t come from a contract. It came from a deep, primordial instinct untouched by any binding technique.

"Makes sense. Then it’s only natural for us to follow our master," the phoenix said.

"I agree," responded the great peng.

A few minutes later, Angelica finished her conversation with Pope Claudius. She had already covered herself with a robe to hide her tight training attire. Turning to the great peng and the phoenix, she smiled.

"Would you like to eat with me? I’ve never invited you before, so I thought this would be a good chance."

The great peng and the phoenix fell silent for a few seconds, as if considering it. Angelica waited patiently, she was already used to how little they spoke.

Finally, the phoenix gave a small nod, followed shortly by the great peng.

Seeing their agreement, Angelica smiled brightly. She had been prepared for them to refuse, so their acceptance made her genuinely happy.

After that, Angelica and the others left the training hall and made their way toward the main church building. Along the path, many people passed by them, and each one immediately bowed their heads in respect.

Once Angelica’s group had walked by, murmurs began to spread among the nuns and other members of the church.

"Her Holiness is so beautiful... her golden eyes are truly mesmerizing."

"Right? Every time I see her face, I feel like I’m not worthy to stand before her. I’m afraid I might sully her presence."

"She’s absolutely perfect. Her Holiness has truly been blessed by the heavens. After enduring so much, it’s as if heaven is finally rewarding her."

Angelica’s radiance had only grown since the day she began to walk and see for the first time in her life. With her stunning face and golden eyes, wherever she went, the members of the church instinctively lowered their heads the moment they saw her. They felt unworthy to gaze upon such perfection—some even feared it was blasphemous to look at her face for too long.

To this day, many still felt deeply moved whenever they saw her walking on her own, her eyes filled with light. They had witnessed how she lived all these years—unable to see, unable to walk—yet never once did she complain.

Though she was revered as the Saintess, admired by countless followers, her own life had been far from easy. She had healed countless others, yet could not heal herself. It was a cruel irony that brought sorrow to those who loved her.

How could someone so kind... so beautiful... be denied the ability to experience the world?

That was why, when people suddenly saw Angelica walking and seeing with her own eyes, they were utterly shocked. Many had long accepted that her condition was beyond healing. Yet now, she walked on her own legs and looked at the world with clear, golden eyes. It was nothing short of a miracle.

And naturally, their thoughts turned to Aldrian.

They couldn’t help but believe he was the one responsible for this change. Once again, their faith in him deepened. Ever since his arrival, many good things had begun to happen.

Even though there was still the matter of the traitor within the church, the joyful atmosphere remained untouched.

With the Pope’s assurance and Aldrian’s presence, they believed the issue would soon be resolved.

"Your Holiness," Arthur said, bowing respectfully to both Angelica and Pope Claudius as they crossed paths.

"You’ve finished your training, Your Holiness?" he asked Angelica with a gentle smile. Unlike most, Arthur interacted with Angelica without nervousness. He had served as her close aide and protector for many years, and that familiarity made their exchanges feel more natural.

Still, even he had been deeply moved, holding back tears the first time he saw her walk and see. Knowing that it was Aldrian who had made it possible filled him with gratitude.

Angelica gave a small nod.

"Mm. I’m done," she said. Then, noticing him standing there, she added, "Sir Arthur, are you waiting to speak with Father? You seem like you’re here for him."

Arthur nodded."Yes, but it’s not urgent. I just wanted to deliver a report to His Holiness." He then turned to the Pope.

"Your Holiness, I’ve received a report from our church branches in the capital cities of Finna and Tania. The emperors of the Vindas Empire and the Doria Empire have both expressed a desire to meet with you within the next week. They’ve already sent letters outlining their intention to visit, and they hope you’ll accept their request. They mentioned it concerns a certain topic they consider quite important."

The Pope raised his eyebrows slightly. He hadn’t expected the emperors of two rival empires to request an audience with him. What kind of matter could be so important that it would bring the rulers of two rival nations together and involve him as well?

The thought lingered, stirring his curiosity.

Still, he had no reason to refuse their visit. After a brief pause, he gave a small nod of agreement.

"Alright. I’ll receive them next week. Just make the necessary preparations for their arrival," the Pope said.

"Understood, Your Holiness." Arthur nodded, but then seemed to recall something.

"Ah—one more thing. I’ve just received a report from our spies in the Atria Empire, in Varuga. Apparently, something major is about to unfold there, and it involves Young Master Aldrian. According to the report, he intends to directly confront the second prince in the capital. It seems this is in response to the gu outbreak that happened earlier this morning."

Both Pope Claudius and Angelica were stunned.

That escalated quickly.

However, they knew that if Aldrian had changed his approach after the outbreak, then he was truly pissed. Whatever happened must have seriously crossed the line—enough to push him into striking directly at the second prince.

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In the Atria Empire, the situation had already grown tense as news spread that Aldrian was making his way to the capital. How could it not spread quickly, when he had stormed into Varuga—a town within the Donovan Grand Duchy, a noble territory known for supporting the second prince?

His bold declaration caused an uproar, forcing battles across the empire to halt. Even some troops from the second prince’s faction had even begun pulling back from the front lines, preparing for any developments that might unfold in the capital.

This wasn’t the time to keep fighting—not when a dangerous man was heading straight for the heart of the empire.

And that very man had arrived in Bermin City just minutes earlier. Now, he stood in midair, calmly floating as he observed the state of the city below. Many troops had gathered beneath him, weapons raised, but it was clear they were trembling in fear.

None of them could steady their aim. Despite their numbers, not one soldier dared to move recklessly under his gaze.