Warlord: King of All Clans

Sitting on the high platform of Holy Light City, overlooking this peaceful land, Leo gazed into the distance, lost in thought.

Holy Light City was far cleaner and tidier than the Southern Territory's Imperial Capital. A large number of clergy and servants would spontaneously organize to sweep the streets, help the old and weak, and provide assistance to travelers and pilgrims.

Outside the city, an endless expanse of wheat fields swayed in the warm sea breeze, basking in the sunlight, the grains plump and full.

This was the place with the most concentrated Holy Light faith. In Leo's magical perception, even the sea breeze blowing in his face contained a refreshing Holy Light magic.

Holy Light magic was the most human-friendly magic, naturally possessing the power to soothe people's hearts, making them clear-headed, invigorated, and rational.

Leo had been here for a month and was reluctant to leave, his heart filled with fondness for the local culture and climate.

Compared to Holy Light City, Riverrun was equally beautiful, but it lacked the refinement of time and was still a bit rough around the edges.

Although the peace and beauty of Holy Light City stemmed from the Holy Light Church's tithe, which squeezed the majority of the human race to nourish itself, that was how it achieved its wealth, luxury, and ease.

But in reality, Riverrun wasn't much different. Its main source of revenue relied on producing cheap industrial goods, dumping them in large quantities overseas, and plundering wealth to enrich itself.

Beside him, gentle golden light slowly gathered, gradually coalescing into a human form. Old Peter, wearing a Pope's robe, appeared at his side.

The Holy Light Pope had many images, but when facing Leo, he always appeared as Old Peter.

Old Peter manifested his form and handed Leo two fruits. "You don't seem worried about your territory?"

Leo was helpless. "I am worried, but what can I do? You won't let me go back."

"I can sense the faint expectation in your heart. What are you anticipating?"

Leo thought for a moment and smiled. "I'm looking forward to seeing if the sapling I planted has grown strong enough to withstand the wind and rain on its own, without needing my support anymore."

Old Peter was silent for a moment, then shook his head. "There's no hope. With an army of 100,000 marching north, even the Beastmen can't resist. What's more, the Northern tribes are forever killing each other? It's already good enough that you've gained a foothold in the North after only a few years."

"Just stay by my side. I'll make you the Vice-Pope, second only to one and above ten thousand. It's more satisfying than being the Earl of Riverrun."

Leo didn't care. "We'll see. What do you want me to do today?"

As for escaping, Leo never considered it.

After spending this time together, Leo realized that the Lord of Holy Light and the Holy Light Pope were two sides of the same coin, but not the same person.

The Lord of Holy Light was just the Holy Light Crystal itself, while the Holy Light Pope was the consciousness born from the Holy Light Crystal.

This consciousness could manifest in countless forms and observe the myriad states of life through the power of faith. Old Peter was just one of them.

But the power of the Holy Light Crystal was used to seal the Star Gate and was not easily mobilized. The Pope's own power came from self-cultivation in a mortal body.

So Leo could judge that the Lord of Holy Light's power was comparable to a True God, and the Holy Light Pope's power was at least at the peak of the Holy Rank, possibly a Demi-God.

In front of a world-class big shot who was a large True God and a small, suspected Demi-God, even a seventh-level extraordinary like Leo, or even a Holy Rank, couldn't escape if they were targeted.

Leo was already grateful enough to not be maliciously targeted.

The Holy Light Pope was also very busy and wouldn't stay with Leo all day. He would only show up every few days to see what this heretic was doing.

Hearing Leo's question, Old Peter was helpless and sat cross-legged beside Leo. "Then let's chat."

Leo perked up and quickly asked, "How can I get you to let me go back?"

"It's simple. Have the Elves relinquish the Magic Spring and completely seal all the Star Gates. My mission will be complete, and naturally, I won't make things difficult for you."

Leo was speechless. "How could I possibly have that much influence? Let alone give up the Magic Spring, the Elves will nag at me if I'm even slightly excessive in the Central Plains."

After complaining, Leo continued, "Old Peter, what you're doing can indeed protect the Star Gate under your butt, but what about the one in the North? What about the others? If the living beings under the mountain don't unite their strength, and the undead in the North break through the defenses and head south, it won't matter even if you hold on. Everything will still be destroyed."

Old Peter sighed. "I don't want to either, but I was born from the human race's will to survive. Suppressing the Star Gate and protecting the world is my mission."

"You have your difficulties, and I have mine."

Leo was helpless and asked curiously, "Can the Elves' Magic Spring seal all the Star Gates? That can't be possible, right?"

Old Peter sneered. "If I can do it, why can't they? The Elves' Magic Spring stores 80% of the world's magic. If used properly, it can easily seal the Star Gates, but that's the foundation of their race, like a mother's womb. How could they possibly give it up?"

"Do the Elves really love life and selflessly dedicate themselves? Once their own interests are involved, they will still make choices."

"Do you know that he came to the Central Plains the year before last and invented something good?"

"What good thing?"

"It's called the Holy Light Magic Conversion Device."

Old Peter was silent for several seconds before saying, "A drop in the bucket. It's useless."

"I guess it converts natural magic into Holy Light magic through a rune device, and then stores it in natural magic crystals?"

"That's right!"

"Five hundred years ago, someone proposed this idea, but what's the use? Collecting all the magic crystals on the continent and gathering all the transcendents on the continent might be enough to convert enough Holy Light magic."

"That power plant you mentioned also needs to use the power of nature, and the project is huge. How many could be built even with the power of the entire empire?"

Leo thought for a moment and asked, "Have you heard of nuclear fusion?"

The Holy Light Pope looked at him, and after a moment of silence, couldn't help but say, "Tell me about it."

Leo scratched his head. "This is high school knowledge. It's not easy to explain to you."

…………

Old Peter imprisoned him but did not interfere with the North-South war.

Because in the Southern Territory people's inherent perception, the Northern Territory is a bitterly cold place lacking people and food, and the forces are scattered. Now without Leo at the helm, they simply can't stop the Southern Territory army's invasion.

Old Peter leaving this heretic behind was already considered an exception, giving the Southern Territory warlords a tremendous fortune.

After being conquered by the Southern Territory Allied Forces, Riverrun will be crippled even if it doesn't die. Without Leo, this heretic leading them, it's just a Northern Territory separatist force with slightly more potential.

The Holy Light Pope had seen many such separatist forces in thousands of years. They might prosper for a while, but without exception, they all eventually perished.

The inherent concepts of humans are extremely difficult to change. The feudal thinking of the empire is deeply rooted.

The entire Northern Territory has been fighting for so many years, with one side taking the stage after another, fighting to the death, and still hasn't been unified.

The Northern Territory's seven great earldoms were invaded by the Beastmen, conquered by the Kurolofu family, and subjected to a series of vertical and horizontal alliances by Leo. The result was that they became eight great earldoms, plus the Beastmen occupied area.

From the map, it's even more divided.

Even now, with the great war between the North and South, and firearms killing countless enemies on the battlefield, half of the empire's nobles still reject firearms and propose banning them.

They can ennoble transcendents from the commoner class as knights and nobles, but they can't bring mercenaries or even serfs and bandits holding firearms into the ruling class.

The path of transcendence, which can only take the elite route, is particularly in line with the empire's feudal rule. However, the path of firearms, which lowers combat power, and the path of industry, which liberates productivity, are digging at the roots of the nobles.

As long as Leo honestly stays by his side, Old Peter doesn't need to take action at all. The human empire can continue to maintain itself according to his ideas.