I changed the world.

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Clement nodded. As the highest authority in the church, even though he was a religious figure, he had still risen through the ranks of power struggles. Therefore, he could fully understand this.

After all, the rules of the power game are completely different after the "Great Silence." In a world with superhumans, superhumans will definitely have a huge voice. In a world without superhumans, for an organization like the Church that has existed for a very long time and has complex and intertwined interests, political considerations will inevitably gradually become an important core of the power struggle.

“Priests, ascetics, religious knights…in fact, formed the cornerstone of the Church’s power at that time. After the Great Silence, the power of the ascetics and religious knights was greatly weakened, and the balance of power was broken…” Pius IV said in a deep voice.

"It's like a three-legged table. If two of its legs are cut off, the table's balance will be compromised, and it will tip over..."

Clement III asked instinctively, "But...this...this is only temporary, isn't it? For the future of the Church...do they...?"

He subconsciously put himself in his current position, and looking at it from his current perspective, he could clearly recognize the importance of the "sharp sword." From the perspective at the time, he also believed that even if it was only for the sake of the future, this system had to be maintained.

“This shows, Paulon, that you are beginning to become a qualified apostolic…” Pius IV nodded with a hint of satisfaction, then sighed, “Unfortunately, time is the most terrible weapon in the world. One of the consequences of the ‘Great Silence’ is that the extraordinary beings of the past have begun to lose the ability to acquire power, lost their connection with the Lord, and have gradually withered away. Mediocrity has gradually become the norm in the Church.”

"In fact, as the older generation was called by the Lord one after another, some of the new leaders in the church at that time adapted to the new era much more quickly than you might imagine..." Pius IV said meaningfully.

Upon hearing this, Clement III immediately felt a sense of foreboding. He could even connect it to certain historical events and, to some extent, guess what would happen next…

"The change occurred after Pope Sicinius took office," Pius IV continued calmly.

Clement III quickly began to recall the history of this pope. In his memory, he was a pope who seemed "dispensable" and reigned for less than ten years. There were not many records about him. Among the more than two hundred apostles in the history of the Church, he was a typical "transparent" figure. Even Clement III, who was familiar with the history of the Church, did not have a clear impression of him.

However, Clement III clearly remembered his successor, Pope Lustow II.

"Sicinius did not experience the previous wars; he was a true apostle born and raised in a time of peace. He was a well-regarded priest and served as the rector of the Benedictine religious college before becoming the archbishop of a diocese. He rose through the ranks and was elected apostle by the Council of Cardinals at the age of 53."

"In his time, memories of the previous era had faded considerably. In that era, discussions of evil gods had become taboo. While this certainly eliminated the breeding ground for the resurgence of evil gods and consolidated the Church's achievements after the 'Great Silence,' it also made it easier for the Church's higher-ups to consider issues from the perspective of the time..."

"In fact, after taking office, Sicinius showed an idea of ​​reorganizing the power structure, and he was not alone in this idea among the higher-ups..."

“They believe…that the old era is over, and the Church must adapt to the times…” Pius IV’s pointed words sent a chill down Clement III’s spine, and he subconsciously thought of his own past reform plans…

"Although... that's not what I truly believed, history, in some ways... does seem to be quite similar!"

"As one of the cornerstones of the Church, the religious knights, as its sword, paid a heavy price in the previous wars, and of course, gained enormous benefits as well..."

"Of course, the costs have become memories in history, while interests have become the driving force that has led to the collapse of the power structure..."

"Then Sicinius made a series of attempts...then, in the seventh year of his reign, he was called by the Lord..." Pius IV's words were simply a description of history, but Clement III at this moment could clearly hear the bloodshed and turmoil behind the heavy curtain of history and the few strokes in the history books!

“This…” Clement III gasped, momentarily at a loss for words. Although from the perspective of later generations, he naturally preferred to maintain the original structure of the Papacy, he was, after all, the Pope…

As the saying goes, one's position determines one's perspective. As Pope Clement III, he naturally could not condone the assassination of the Pope. Clearly, he could see that Sicinius's death was not a natural one!

"His successor, Lustus II, was a close advisor to Sicinius. He seemed to have stopped Sicinius's various actions, but in reality, he was plotting even more extreme measures... In fact, Sicinius's death, while seemingly calming everything down, actually intensified the power struggle at the time."

Volume Two: The Truth Hidden Behind History: Chapter 868 The Demise of the Knights Templar

Pius IV sighed, "What happened next, Paulon... you can probably guess."

"According to records, in 1318, Owen Lane, then Grand Master of the Knights Templar, was invited by Pope Lustow II to Grand to discuss important matters. However, upon arriving in Grand, Owen Lane was immediately arrested. It is said that a dismissed knight accused the Knights Templar of multiple crimes, and King Bonova I of Grand immediately accepted these accusations and, without warning, began a massive arrest of Knights Templar throughout Grand..." Clement III said with a somewhat bitter tone.

Deep down, he understood that Lustow II was employing a tactic. Clearly, as Pope, without a direct reason, he didn't want to directly seize control of the Knights Templar; after all, doing so would be too blatant and would inevitably face considerable internal criticism. Furthermore, he might even suffer the same fate as his predecessor, Sicinius.

However, from his perspective, it was impossible to pretend nothing had happened after the unnatural death of his predecessor, Sicinius. After all, if Sicinius hadn't died, things could indeed have stopped. But with Sicinius's unnatural death, if the new pope didn't react, the Church's supreme power would inevitably fall into the wrong hands. Power, after all, isn't something that's theoretically immutable; it belongs to the most "powerful" person or group in reality.

If the new pope remains silent about the death of his predecessor, he will undoubtedly be looked down upon by others... Moreover, Lustow II was a close advisor to Sicinius, and his ascension to the throne shows that there were quite a few forces in the cardinal council at the time who favored Sicinius's reforms!

Clement III, after all, was a long-time papacy, with a keen understanding of the core issues in the power struggle. He sadly realized that if he were placed in the position of Rustor II at that time, and if the prophetic aura of later generations were removed, then most likely, he would also have to continue to follow the script of history...

This has nothing to do with good or evil, right or wrong; rather, it was driven to that point by the ruthless force of power struggles...

Therefore, he is unsure whether, in real history, Lustow II and then-King Bonova I of Grand had any communication or whether they truly shared a tacit understanding; in any case, they co-directed a script. Lustow II deceived Owen Lane, while Bonova I took direct action.

Meanwhile, when the Knights Templar needed protection the most, the Papacy remained silent. After everything settled down, it is said that Lustow II wrote a personal letter to Bonois I, exonerating the Knights Templar, claiming that he did not believe they had committed such an unforgivable sin, and warning Bonois I that he had violated the Church's code of conduct.

Clement believed this was nothing more than a political charade. The truth was, Bonois I clearly ignored Lustow II's letter. At the time, approximately 1.5 Templar members were imprisoned, and their vast wealth and lands were confiscated by the royal family.

Clement III, reflecting on what followed, felt he had grasped the essence of history and finally understood the logic behind all historical events…

Clearly, Lustow II thought he had acted brilliantly, and indeed he had. However, the knights who fought for the Church were not mindless fools; they obviously didn't want to die standing still...

"The Knights Templar...they...afterwards..." He didn't know how to comment for a moment...

"The Knights Templar were the most powerful religious knights at the time, and their fate led to a split within the Church itself... and a series of subsequent events," Pius IV sighed as well...

Clement III stood silently; from his perspective, it was difficult to say accurately who was right and who was wrong at that moment.

Was Lustow II wrong? No… he wasn’t. If he hadn’t done it, the position of Papal Statesman would have become a laughing stock, and the religious knights would have become too powerful to control. Especially given their already declining strength and Lustow II’s many supporters, if he had come to power, he would most likely have used the same methods, the only difference being the final approach.

So, were the Knights Templar and their supporters wrong?

As warriors who had made great sacrifices for the Papacy, they were now merely protecting the interests their forefathers had gained through blood and faith. Especially considering the previous war with the East and the subsequent "Great Silence," from their perspective, they were undoubtedly the group that had made the greatest sacrifices. For the Pope to now target them was absolutely a case of discarding a useful tool after it has served its purpose.

If you were in their shoes at the time, you couldn't have just stood by and watched yourself be gradually marginalized. Especially in the arena of power, marginalization means you don't know if there will be more people kicking you while you're down...

If I were in their shoes, I would most likely have tried to fight back...

This is the irony of history; sometimes, no one is at fault, yet things are pushed to an irreversible point...

However, he soon realized that things might not be beyond redemption...

After all, the biggest problem before was that the Pope, as the supreme arbiter, personally intervened, thus pushing the situation to an irreversible point.

In Clement III's view, given the historical context, the only opportunity for a relatively proper solution lay not during the reign of Lustow II, but during the reign of his predecessor, Sicinius.

Because of the situation faced by Lustow II, due to the unnatural death of his predecessor, he actually had no choice, while Sicinius had more room to maneuver.

If Sicinius had been more astute, he might not have intervened directly, but instead used his papacy as an arbitrator, using other factions as intermediaries to engage with the religious knights while he himself mediated...

First, let the white-gloves play the bad cop, proposing a radical solution: tear off the roof. Then the Pope can play the good cop, suggesting that the roof shouldn't be torn off, but at least a window should be opened...

Volume Two: The Truth Hidden Behind History Books: Chapter 869 The Dao Achieves the Flesh

Therefore, the possibility of all parties reaching a compromise is relatively high. In that case, the undivided church will emerge in a far stronger form than in the past, which would be more beneficial to all parties in the church and to God in heaven.

However, history has no "what ifs," and the biggest problem now is that the Pope himself has already intervened, which means that both sides are essentially lacking the role of arbitrator.

However, that was during the period of "Great Silence," and now, if "Great Silence" has passed, could it be that the Lord in heaven...

After all, we all worship the same god...

Thinking of this, his heart pounded... If the centuries-old schism within the church could finally be reunited under his leadership, then even in the history of the church, he would be a "saint" who would leave a profound mark on history...

“Brother Pyotr, now that the Great Silence has ended, I wonder… if our Lord could bestow His grace… to mediate the centuries-long division within the Church?” he couldn’t help but ask cautiously.

However, upon being questioned, Pius IV revealed a playful smile. He remained silent for a moment before slowly saying, "Yes... if this problem can be solved so simply, then... why not do it..."

When Clement III first heard this, he thought that Pius IV had approved of his proposal. However, he quickly realized from Pius IV's expression and tone that the problem was obviously not what he thought... but he couldn't figure out where the problem lay.

"Brother Bjorn...is there...something wrong?"

“Although the Great Silence has passed, our Lord is still asleep. Not only our Lord, but those in the East have not yet fully awakened either…” Pius IV said, pausing for a moment before slowly shaking his head under the expectant gaze of Clement III: “Moreover, this involves the Church’s greatest secret…”

Krelmanlin Thirty looked at Pius IV with a solemn expression, even a hint of something unsaid, and was filled with curiosity. However, he did not speak further, but stood there respectfully, listening attentively, waiting for Pius IV to continue.

“Paulon… why do you think we should give thanks and praise to His Holiness the Son?”

Clement III was momentarily bewildered by Pius IV's perplexing question. Wasn't this perfectly natural? After all, Pius IV was the creator of the Church and the deity it worshipped...

But seeing the complex expression on Pius IV's face, he instinctively realized that the answer to this question was far from simple...

In particular, he suddenly realized that if the former monarch before him was, as he had imagined, a Holy Spirit from heaven…

So how could he speak such words to the deity he worships in such a calm tone?

Even if this isn't a question, the very act of discussing it is disrespectful...

So... does that mean...?

He suddenly hesitated, because this gave him a vague, somewhat terrifying feeling...

Just as he was hesitating and pondering, Pius IV posed another question.

"Why do you think the Son of God wanted to go to heaven, but his disciples tried to stop him?"

“This…” Clement III’s unease deepened. He hesitated for a moment, but ultimately dared not voice his conjecture. He finally whispered, “Could it be… that the disciples are reluctant to part because of their master-disciple bond, so…”

Seeing Clement III's expression, Pius IV seemed to see through his thoughts and said meaningfully, "To ascend the throne with a human body, do you think there will be no price to pay?"

cost?

Clement III was deeply shaken; he had a vague feeling that there might be a hidden danger...

He instinctively leaned forward, getting closer to Piu IV, as if trying to get that answer...

Pius IV did not continue speaking immediately, but instead began to recite a passage from the Hadith:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

Upon hearing this, Clement III immediately understood that this was the very first sentence of the Hadith.

Pyotr the Four Spirits continued in his dream: “The Word became flesh and dwells among us, full of grace and wonder. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, begotten of the Father.”

Clement III's mind raced. He understood that Pius IV's words must have a deeper meaning; it couldn't simply be a recitation of scripture. Pius IV's second statement, also in Hadith language, described a core concept in Protestantism: "the Incarnation."

The incarnation of God means that God manifested in the flesh, coming among created beings in human form. Therefore, since it is said that the Word became flesh, it must first and foremost be a physical body, and a physical body with normal human nature—this is the bare minimum. In fact, the meaning of God becoming flesh is that God works and lives in the flesh; God's essence became human.

According to the logic of the Church of Divine Revelation, the Son of God Micah, who possessed normal humanity, was a physical body in which the Spirit manifested, possessing normal humanity, reason, and thought. "Manifestation" means that God became human, that the Spirit became flesh. To put it more clearly, it means that God Himself dwells in a physical body with normal humanity, using this body to express His divine work. This is "manifestation," or the Word becoming flesh.

As a theologian, Clement III was absolutely adept at this logic, but he hadn't given it any thought when listening to Pius IV's explanation. Now, as Pius IV recited these familiar passages again, he was forced to re-examine their deeper meaning.

Björn IV continued reciting the Hadith (verse four: "Micah said): 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'"

Micah said to him, “Peter, have I been with you all this time and you still do not know me? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How then do you say, ‘I will show the Father to us’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? I do not speak on my own authority as I say the things I have said to you. Rather, it is the Father, who dwells in me, doing his work. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Even if you do not believe, believe me because of what I have done.”