Warlord: King of All Clans

Rio was dumbfounded and angrily said, "You're also an elf? So this world is just a playground for you elves?"

Unexpectedly, Old Pete shook his head. "I'm not the same as the elves of Therasil. They were born from the magic spring of Therasil, while I was born from this holy light crystal."

"They are natural elves, and I am a holy light elf."

"About ten thousand years ago, I developed my own consciousness, and my spiritual body gradually grew stronger, eventually transforming into a human form."

Rio was secretly horrified—an elf who had lived for ten thousand years!

He asked curiously, "So you established the Holy Light Church?"

Old Pete shook his head. "The Holy Light Church was not established by me, but it does influence me, which is why I became the Pope to prevent it from falling into depravity and corruption."

Rio completely let down his guard, mimicking Old Pete's posture, with his hands behind his back, like two old men strolling together, walking around the giant holy light crystal.

This holy light crystal can be understood as a magic crystal, but its size is like a rockery, a full ten meters high, and ten thousand hearts of Kredaron cannot compare to it.

Around its body, holy light magic almost formed water vapor, floating around the holy light crystal and flowing slowly.

As they walked, Rio asked, "So, do the elves of Therasil know of your existence?"

"Maybe they know, maybe they don't. Who cares? We're not a group anyway."

"The Elf Queen said that the Holy Light Popes of each generation are gatekeepers. What does that mean?"

Old Pete stopped in front of the holy light crystal, and with a wave of his hand, the ground beneath their feet all turned into nothingness.

A huge black hole appeared beneath their feet, filled with liquid death magic, clinging tightly to the soles of their feet, as if it would burst out in the next second.

This place, like the Northern Snow Plains, also has a gate to the land of the dead, but it is parallel to the ground.

However, beneath their feet was a layer of magic array composed of holy light runes, connected to the holy light crystal floating in the air.

Rio then realized that the mirror surface beneath his feet was actually made of solidified holy light magic, like a glass barrier in the underwater world, completely isolating the death magic.

Although not a trace of death magic escaped, Rio felt a rush of fear to his head.

The Southern Territory is the most developed region of the human race and the most densely populated area of the entire Dawn Continent. If the Holy Light Lord did not guard the star gate, the fate of this land would be even more terrifying than the Northern Snow Plains.

He couldn't help but sigh, "The creatures of this world have it tough. They've been able to survive until now entirely thanks to the big shots patching things up."

Old Pete also sighed, "Who says it isn't so?"

While chatting, Rio thought of a question, "What you're saying are all top secrets of the Holy Light Church, right? Am I allowed to hear this?"

Old Pete laughed. "It doesn't matter, I didn't plan on letting you leave anyway."

Rio's relaxed body suddenly stiffened, slowly tensing up. He stood up straight and said to Old Pete, "Old man, don't do this. We're buddies who've been through thick and thin together."

Old Pete looked at him and sighed. "Don't worry, you're a good kid. I won't hurt you, but you can't leave."

"Why?"

"Because you are a heretic."

Hearing Old Pete's words, Rio felt like he had been struck by lightning, but he barely maintained a smile on his face. "What are you talking about? I don't understand."

Old Pete sighed. "Child, from the first day you appeared, this world has been watching you."

"Why did the Elf Princess come to your door as soon as you arrived in Riverbend? Why did the Elf Demigod personally visit Riverbend and talk with you all night? Why did he leave his beloved disciple to help you rise step by step?"

"Why did Dennis's adventure group inexplicably rush to Riverbend? And why are they able to move freely in the dangerous wilderness?"

"It's all because of you. Both Bobak and I came to see you."

"I have been paying attention to your every move. Bobak believes you have the ability to change the world, so he is willing to cultivate you."

"Now, I also confirm that you have the ability to change the world, so I must stop you."

Every word of Old Pete hit Rio like a heavy hammer.

He looked at Rio with absolutely no hostility, only regret for a junior, but it was precisely this that made Rio even more afraid.

Rio became anxious. "I'm just farming in Riverbend. I haven't affected you old folks at all."

Old Pete said, "You have affected me."

As he spoke, his pupils turned golden again, looking straight at Rio.

In Rio's eyes, a series of rapidly flashing images appeared, and a torrent of information almost shattered his will.

Ten thousand years ago, the Blood Clan Empire collapsed, the human race gained freedom, and entered a primitive society.

Their footprints spread from both sides of the Dom River, gradually covering most of the continent.

A black-haired, black-eyed tribe came to the coast of Orantili.

In the depths of the tropical rainforest, they discovered this holy light crystal.

The holy light had the effects of dispelling darkness, healing wounds, and removing diseases, and was easily worshiped by this human tribe as a primitive god.

Relying on the holy light crystal, this group gradually grew and prospered, defeating the alien races entrenched in the province of Orantili over thousands of years and establishing the Kingdom of Orantili.

The Holy Light Church also gradually took shape with the emergence of the kingdom.

The consciousness of the Holy Light Lord was born in the daily prayers of the believers.

Thus, the Holy Light Church's program became more complete, its goals became clearer, and it also had its own Pope, enough to resist the influence of secular power.

Time came to the present, and the entire Southern Territory was ruled by the Holy Light faith, with sparks of it everywhere in the Western and Northern Territories.

"May the Holy Light guide you forward."

"Holy Light above, protect all beings."

"The Holy Light be with you."

Every prayer of a devout believer will cause a slight fluctuation in the holy light magic.

Although the will of each mortal can only affect one-thousandth of the holy light magic compared to a transcendent, it is better in terms of sheer numbers.

If you look down on the earth from high in the sky with a magical vision, you can see countless holy light spots gathering from all directions in the endless darkness, gradually condensing on the holy light crystal.

After watching it, Rio vaguely understood something, but he still stubbornly said, "Riverbend doesn't reject the Holy Light. My son is a natural transcendent, the Child of Holy Light. You're so powerful, I'll let my son convert to the Holy Light and take over for you in the future."

"You let me go back to unify the world, and the Holy Light Church will be the state religion."

Old Pete ignored his words and continued to sigh. "Bobak's idea is correct, and your approach also has its own reasons. Freedom of belief, enlightenment education, knowledge dissemination, and technological development are all good things."

"But they are also digging at my roots."

"The power of the star gate is extremely powerful. If it relied solely on the power of the holy light crystal itself, the seal would have been broken thousands of years ago. I rely on the power of faith of countless believers to support it until now."

"Once humans become enlightened, break away from ignorance, and understand the truth of the world, the Holy Light Church will quickly decline."

"Because humans don't care whether the world will be destroyed or not. They only pray for what they want."