Hearing Guilliman's words, the bishops humbly lined up, ready to listen to the Primarch's lecture.
Though of noble status, they were now like primary school students, their attitudes respectful and apprehensive, fearing to provoke the Primarch again.
They knew very well that once the Primarch deemed them truly heretics, he would show no mercy.
"My Father is a true God, there is no doubt about that.
He does not need people's faith, but rather people need to believe in Him, to gain His enlightenment, and hope to walk with Him.
This is what makes Him unique; those Chaos Gods need faith, but the great Emperor is a true God, and He does not need it.
We cannot spread His glory through fear.
If we hurt those who do not believe in Him, using harsh punishment and abuse to intimidate them into believing in the Emperor, then what difference is there between us and the traitors?
Followers of the Chaos Gods always like to achieve their goals through force, using slaughter to intimidate the ignorant, because those gods are false gods, and only false gods need such methods.
No normal person would choose those Chaos Gods, so they can only use fear to threaten those people, forcing them to believe in those Chaos Gods.
The Emperor loves every human being, regardless of faith, He will bestow blessings.
This is a manifestation of His benevolence and universal love, and also a daemonstration of Him as a true God.
We believe in the Emperor to walk with the Emperor, not to show our superiority.
We feel fulfilled by our faith, feeling the Emperor is with us, not because faith makes us superior.
He is benevolent and universally loving, He is tolerant and patient.
He never refuses any soul that yearns for salvation, He silently examines the believers who wish to walk with Him, bringing those noble souls acknowledged by Him into His immortal kingdom.
Tell me, why do you believe in Him?
Is it because of His selfless universal love, or His benevolent wisdom, or is it simply because you want to be superior?
Or for your own selfish desires?"
Guilliman scrutinized the bishops before him, his tone sometimes impassioned, sometimes angry, and finally turning into confusion and questioning.
His words shook the bishops, striking at their ignorant hearts.
Of course, this kind of rhetoric was not created by Guilliman.
Rather, it was created by a traitor Primarch, Lorgar.
Lorgar was the founder of the Emperor's faith.
Guilliman disliked this fellow, but out of a desire for humble learning, he had still exchanged ideas with Lorgar.
What he was now saying to the bishops was merely a modification of Lorgar's words.
One had to admit, being a plagiarist felt good.
The bishops were incomparably shaken by Guilliman's sermon.
A Primarch who had once been with the Emperor, his faith was so pure that it made them feel ashamed of themselves.
Guilliman had been in contact with the Emperor, and also with those who had created the rudimentary form of the Ecclesiarchy.
The first Imperial Saint, the Great Crusade chronicler, Killek, had received the Emperor's enlightenment during the Horus Heresy, displayed the Emperor's divine power, and founded the Emperor's Salvation Society, which was the rudimentary form of the Ecclesiarchy.
The bishops had no doubt about Guilliman's words.
Some bishops were even moved to tears.
Weeping for their sins, for their ignorance.
They had twisted the Emperor's will, yet claimed to be the Emperor's followers.
What a sin this was.
"Lord, we never knew such things."
A bishop knelt trembling on the ground, kissing Guilliman's power boot, begging for his forgiveness.
"I do not blame you, for you were merely misled by others.
My Father has slept for too long, He cannot communicate with you, that powerful will is enough to burn your souls to ashes.
Those heretics took advantage of this, lurking within the Imperium, twisting my Father's will and fooling the humans He loves.
This is an unforgivable crime.
As the Emperor's sole spokesman in the world, I solemnly ask you, are you willing to follow me to change the twisted Ecclesiarchy and eliminate those lurking heretics?"
Guilliman's voice was full of majesty, he looked at these bishops, waiting for their answer.
"We are willing to offer everything, Lord."
"As long as we can receive your forgiveness."
"Bring us back into the Emperor's glory, guide us on the correct path."
All the bishops knelt before Guilliman, swearing to join him in eliminating those infuriating heretics who had twisted the Emperor's will.
Guilliman, possessing the Emperor's Sword and acknowledged by the Living Saint Celestine, was the most legitimate spokesman for the Emperor.
To reject or question Guilliman was undoubtedly to shake the foundation of the Holy Emperor's faith.
Regardless of the reason, the bishops had no choice; if they refused, Guilliman would immediately declare them heretics and execute them directly.
"Abolish those tortures, and re-examine those who were abused.
If they are traitors of Chaos, then execute them; if not, then release them.
Remember, my Father values benevolence and universal love, He loves every human being selflessly like a great Holy Father.
Any evil deeds carried out in His name must be the work of heretics instigated by Chaos."
Guilliman said in a deep voice, "Those people, in the Emperor's name, are carrying out terrifying acts that only followers of Chaos Gods would do.
Such behavior is unforgivable, they have blasphemed the Emperor's glory, do you understand?"
"Understood, Lord, we will immediately begin the examination."
"We will not let any heretic escape."
Guilliman had easily swayed the bishops of Espandor, which was not difficult for a Primarch.
When the Emperor created them, He endowed them with powerful charisma.
This allowed them to easily persuade those with dissenting opinions.
The bishops walked out of the cathedral, loudly announcing that the planet Espandor would re-examine every believer and purge the lurking pawns of Chaos.
This was undoubtedly a huge upheaval; under the bishops' orders, the planet Espandor began a vast and vigorous examination.
Among those who had previously been condemned as heretics, some were executed directly, while others were released on the spot.
The poor souls who were released stumbled out of the iron cages, one by one, trembling.
They could hardly believe that they could still survive that terrible hell.
The torment inflicted by the fanatics had caused their bodies and souls immense pain, making them lose hope and fall into the abyss of despair.
They expressed their gratitude to the benevolent Guilliman.
It was his arrival that had allowed them to be saved.
At the same time, some fanatics who had proven their faith by torturing heretics were dragged out by the Frateris Militia and publicly judged as pawns of Chaos.
"I am loyal to the Emperor, I am loyal!" a woman with scriptures carved into her scalp, tied to a pillar, shrieked hysterically.
"Then why did you torture and kill those poor people?" the priest questioned the woman before him.
In her mansion, over a hundred servants had been tortured and killed, their skulls filling every corner of the house.
Some had even been plated with gold and placed in glass cabinets as collectibles.
The reason these servants were tortured and killed was basically that they were not pious enough towards the Emperor.
"The Almighty Emperor appointed me to purify their sins!" the woman shouted, "Everything I did was the Emperor's will!"
"Absurd! The Emperor is so benevolent, how could He allow believers to commit such terrible sins!
You are a pawn of Chaos, you committed those evil deeds, causing the Emperor's glory to be twisted!
You will be sentenced to death, traitor, you have betrayed the Emperor!"
"No, I am loyal!" the woman screamed in despair, "It's that Primarch, he is the heretic!"
"Execute her!" Hearing the woman accuse the Primarch of being a heretic, the priest immediately ordered the Frateris Militia to act.
The pillar binding the woman began to emit heat, its temperature rising rapidly.
"No!" Realizing what was about to happen, the woman shrieked, struggling desperately, trying to break free from the chains binding her.
Flames erupted, and a piercing scream rang out.
By the time the flames subsided, the woman had been reduced to charcoal, emitting a foul odor.
A cheer erupted from the crowd; they had executed a pawn of Chaos and defended the Emperor's glory.
"Next!" The priest in charge of the judgment desperately pounded his skull-shaped hammer, shouting hoarsely amidst the wave of sound.