The day following the incident involving Kang Huian and Han Xifeng, a most unexpected visitor arrived at Wang Jian's palace - the esteemed Saintess of the Church of Divine Light, Hong Meilin.
Although taken aback, Wang Jian granted her and her entourage entry into his palace.
They were escorted to the main hall, where Wang Jian was already seated on his imposing throne, perched atop a raised platform.
Hong Meilin and her companions took their seats on chairs positioned below.
A respectful bow accompanied by the sound of rustling robes interrupted the silence of the hall. Priest Pan, one of the teachers in the church, stood up and addressed Wang Jian with a formal tone.
"Your Highness," he began, "the Church of Divine Light humbly offers gifts as a gesture of seeking your forgiveness regarding the matter with Ye Chen."
He continued with an impressive oratory that could sway even the most skeptical, "We implore Your Highness to comprehend that the Saintess was restrained by her moral code. As an accomplished practitioner, Your Highness must be well aware that to attain expeditious accomplishments, one must remain steadfast to their convictions."
Wang Jian's eyes narrowed in contempt as he turned his gaze towards Hong Meilin. "Why do I hear a parrot's words instead of the one who truly committed the offense?" he hissed.
"Is this your idea of sincerity, Saintess? Making your lackeys beg for forgiveness on your behalf?"
The followers of the church, including Hong Meilin and Priest Pan, were taken aback by the disdainful words that escaped Wang Jian's lips.
Priest Pan tried to defend himself by saying, "Your Highness, I am a Priest-"
Wang Jian's icy voice sliced through the air, cutting off Priest Pan's defense. "Silence! Your prattle is but fuel to my anger," he declared with a chilling tone.
He then turned his eyes towards Hong Meilin and spoke with a razor-sharp tongue, "If the Church of Divine Light truly wishes to seek my forgiveness, then it is you, Saintess, who must beg for it. Prostrate yourself before me and show true regret with a kowtow."
His words were like a whip that lashed out at the followers of the Church. They immediately erupted in protest, and the hall was filled with the sound of their angry voices.
"How dare you insult our Saintess with such demands, you heretic!"
"Your insolence is insufferable! Our Holy Saintess is above such humiliating acts."
"Blasphemy! You are no one to demand such a thing from the Church of Divine Light."
"The Radiant God shall strike you down for your arrogance and lack of respect for the Church and its followers."
"Such insolence! Our Holy Saintess only kneels before the Pope and the Radiant God!"
"To think that he would be greedy enough despite the fact that we have brought such wonderful treasures as his gifts. Truly, a Royal Prince's greed is insatiable."
Wang Jian remained unmoved by their protests and continued to stare at Hong Meilin with an icy expression.
"Do not presume to school me on the intricacies of your customs and beliefs. You have committed a grievous offense against me, and I demand nothing less than a genuine apology."
"Your attempts to placate me with mere trinkets are insulting to my intelligence. Do you think I am so easily swayed by material possessions? The Church of Divine Light claims to uphold noble principles, yet your actions suggest otherwise."
His words elicited a wave of shock and anger from the church's followers, but before they could voice their protests, Hong Meilin intervened, "Silence, everyone! We are here to seek forgiveness, not to provoke His Highness."
Turning to Wang Jian, Hong Meilin spoke with conviction, "You are mistaken, Your Highness. The Church not only claims to uphold noble principles, but we also act upon them. If it is your wish, I will humbly kowtow to you and seek your forgiveness."
Hong Meilin, unlike her followers, understood the gravity of the situation. Having been scolded by the Pope, she knew how vital it was to obtain Wang Jian's forgiveness. To that end, she believed that kowtowing to Wang Jian in his palace was a small sacrifice to make.
Wang Jian's eyes widened in surprise as he heard Hong Meilin's compliance.
He had anticipated a heated argument and fierce resistance from her, but her sudden submission caught him off guard.
The scheming side of him had hoped to incite her and push her to commit another offense.
In due course, Hong Meilin completed her act of deference towards Wang Jian, and he watched as she rose from her kowtowing position.
Without hesitation, Hong Meilin issued a command, "Reveal the gifts."
In response to her directive, a bishop who was accompanying her took a step forward and presented the gift to Wang Jian. It was a Spatial Pouch, a highly valued possession, and it contained the offerings.
"Such tremendous wealth. Three Holy Blossom Fruits. Three Phoenix Flame Fruits. Oh, wait...There is also a pendant." He muttered. Turning his gaze towards Hong Meilin, he asked inquisitively, "What is this?"
With a foul expression, Hong Meilin explained, "This is the Holy Aegis Pendant, one of the most treasured items of the Church. It has two uses. The first ability allows you to conjure a powerful Holy Barrier that can block all attacks under an Emperor Realm expert, while the second ability allows your Qi to gain or empower the Holy Attribute temporarily.
In Your Highness's case, it will allow you to gain the Holy Attribute."
Wang Jian raised his brow in interest and asked, "Interesting. What are the limitations of this pendant?"
"The pendant must be recharged by someone possessing Holy Qi, preferably a priest of the church," Hong Meilin responded calmly.
Wang Jian was deep in thought as he listened to her words, considering, 'This will be perfect for Han Xifeng then. It will also allow her to maintain the illusion in front of everyone that she can still use Holy Qi. Also, she can recharge this artifact by summoning her spirit as she can still use Holy Qi through this trick.'
"Very well. This matter is hereby concluded, and there is no longer any grudge or animosity between me and the Church," Wang Jian declared. He was aware that prolonging the issue would only bring him harm.
A collective sigh of relief escaped from the followers and members of the Church upon hearing Wang Jian's words. They had been on edge, anticipating that Wang Jian would continue to make things difficult for them, but he had surprisingly let the matter go.
"I would be honored if you all would join me for dinner," Wang Jian cordially extended the invitation to Hong Meilin and her followers.
Despite Hong Meilin's desire to leave the palace as soon as possible, she knew it would be impolite to decline the prince's gracious invitation.
With a beaming smile, Hong Meilin graciously accepted the invitation, "We would be thrilled to join you."
The group made their way to the dining hall, and as they entered, two tables caught their attention. One was opulent, adorned with exquisite tableware and glittering gold, while the other appeared shabby, with chipped plates and stained tablecloths.
The sight of the luxurious table was too tempting for the group, and they gravitated towards it.
Wang Jian's words cut through their excitement like a knife. "The Saintess will sit with me here," he declared, gesturing to the opulent table.
His finger pointed towards the dingy table, and he barked out, "The rest of you can make do with that one."
Hong Meilin's eyes widened in shock, and her followers began to murmur amongst themselves.
One of them spoke up, his voice tense with anger. "Your Highness, is it not disrespectful to segregate us ?"
Wang Jian's expression hardened. "I think differently. I believe you are extremely insolent to sit at the same table as the Saintess and me when you are not equal to our rank. Do not forget your place."
Hong Meilin couldn't help but mutter as she stared at Wang Jian with a stern gaze, "We are all equal before the eyes of God, Your Highness."
Wang Jian's lips curved into a sardonic smile, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Ah, the elusive concept of equality," he chuckled. "It's quite intriguing how the Church preaches it yet fails to practice it within its own ranks."
The group looked on with quizzical expressions as Wang Jian continued, "Tell me, Saintess, how can you preach equality when you have created a hierarchy within your own organization? Surely, that creates disparity among your followers."
Hong Meilin bristled with anger at Wang Jian's accusations.
"The Church's ranks serve to organize tasks and responsibilities, not to create inequality among its members," she retorted.
Wang Jian raised a brow, a look of amusement in his eyes.
"Is that so? Then answer me this, Saintess: how many of your followers are entitled to the same resources as you?"
The question hung in the air, and for a moment, Hong Meilin was flabbergasted. Even the most devout followers of the Church were left stunned, their eyes fixed on Wang Jian in shock.
Despite their deep-seated loathing for Wang Jian, they could not help but acknowledge the weight of his words.
His logic was unassailable, and his argument struck at the very heart of the Church's teachings.
The expressions of shock and disbelief on the faces of the Church's followers did not go unnoticed by Wang Jian. He savored the moment, relishing in the uncomfortable silence that had descended upon the group.
"The Church preaches equality, but it's nothing more than a facade," he said with a sardonic smile. "Even the Pope recognizes this truth. If he truly believed in equality, why would he have sent you here with these gifts to appease me?"
The room fell silent, the weight of Wang Jian's words heavy in the air. The Church's followers exchanged uneasy glances, unsure of how to respond to the seventh prince's pointed criticism.
Wang Jian continued, his voice low and measured. "Let's not pretend that we're all equal. The reality is, I am the seventh prince of the Empire, and even the Church cannot afford to offend me."
A moment of tense silence followed as the gravity of Wang Jian's words sank in. The Church's followers shifted uncomfortably, struggling to reconcile their beliefs in equality with the harsh reality of power and influence.
Wang Jian's expression remained unchanged as he regarded the group before him.
"Remember this," he said, his voice cold and hard. "In this world, there is no true equality. There are only those who have power and those who do not. And I, for one, will always be among the former."