Chapter 543: Want to use me as a spear? But you will also have to pay a price

The two of them played tai chi like this, one pretending not to know the other's little schemes, the other forcibly suppressing the restlessness in their heart.

The incense in the hall curled upward, casting a hazy veil over this conversation filled with undercurrents.

Finally, when Mo Lisi took his leave, Li Chen said meaningfully: "Convey my greetings to the Pope on my behalf. If there is an opportunity, I will visit him in person."

The back of Mo Lisi as he departed stiffened slightly, but he quickly returned to normal.

As he walked out of the palace gate, gazing at the towering imperial city of Tian Ce, he sighed inwardly: This young Emperor is even harder to deal with than I imagined.

As expected of the Emperor of a super-power; he is truly not a pushover.

Inside the Imperial Study, sandalwood incense curled.

Li Chen sat alone before the dragon desk; the gold-stamped envelope before him lay quietly, the Holy Cross emblem shimmering faintly under the candlelight.

Some time ago, the Pope of the Eternal Day Empire had sent the envoy Mo Lisi to propose building churches and spreading their doctrine within the borders of Tian Ce.

At the time, Li Chen did not directly refuse, but instead wrote a reply, polite in wording yet concealing sharpness:

【Your Holiness the Pope: Regarding the matter of proselytizing, I must consider it carefully. Additionally, I hear your church prophesies that a natural disaster is imminent; I wonder what the basis for this is?】

Now, the Pope's reply was right before his eyes.

Li Chen tore open the envelope, and a wave of pure holy power immediately permeated the air.

The Pope's handwritten script on the letter paper was neat and solemn:

【Respected Emperor of Tian Ce: Regarding the prophecy of natural disaster, it is truly not something that can be fully described in ink. If Your Majesty has the time, I sincerely invite you to visit the Pope's Palace in person to view the Purple Crystal Barrier bestowed by the God of Light. This object can glimpse fragments of the future; at that time, everything will be made clear...】

Reading to this point, Li Chen raised an eyebrow.

He remembered that ancient records stated the Purple Crystal Barrier was the treasure of the Eternal Day Church, rumored to be able to manifest future disasters.

It was precisely by relying on this object that successive Popes were able to make preparations early before disasters arrived.

"Predicting the future?" Li Chen gave a light scoff and continued reading.

【... Enclosed with this letter is a Church token. Holding this, you may travel unimpeded. I await Your Majesty's arrival; may the light be with you.】

Sure enough, a purple crystal token slid out of the envelope; it felt warm and smooth to the touch, and flowing light seemed to move within it.

Li Chen toyed with the token, his thoughts drifting far away.

He had recently consulted a large number of ancient books and gained a deeper understanding of the so-called "Superior Races."

The Immortal Race resided in the Nine Heavens, the God Race dwelt in the Holy Realm, and the Demon Race occupied Hell.

According to the records in ancient books, after the Human Race ascended, there were three major races they could join, which also meant becoming a Superior Race.

Li Chen scoffed at this; as the Human Emperor, he had always felt that the Human Race was the strongest race in heaven and earth, and these three races were merely derivatives of the Human Race.

If this were the ancient era, with the Immortal, Demon, and God races still here, such remarks by Li Chen would certainly have led to him being burned at the stake.

But then again, Li Chen felt that in the ancient era, with his own abilities, it was uncertain who would be burning whom.

Just as Li Chen was preparing to head south, someone else was also preparing to head south, and that was Tuoba Zhen, the Khan of the Snow Eagle Royal Court, whom he had defeated not long after ascending the throne.

After failing in the Battle of Holy Mountain City, Tuoba Zhen had intended to retreat back to the Great Snow Mountains; after all, this place was exceptionally cold, and Tian Ce's warhorses could not move an inch.

Even if the soldiers managed to enter, their combat effectiveness would drop significantly.

It had always been a natural barrier for the northern tribes.

But who would have known that the northern tribes had many traitors this time; quite a few people betrayed Tuoba Zhen, actually capturing the cities of the Great Snow Mountains for him, leaving Tuoba Zhen with no choice but to seek refuge with the Great Luo Dynasty further north.

The Great Luo Dynasty, this mysterious kingdom covered in ice and snow all year round, was like a white giant beast dormant in the depths of the northern border.

The towering snow-capped mountains were like natural city walls, isolating this land from the outside world.

The exotic beasts here were massive in size with thick fur, capable of surviving in the extreme cold of tens of degrees below zero; the soldiers were all burly, fighting on the ice and snow as if walking on flat ground.

However, this vast land had one fatal weakness, which was its sparse population.

Although rich mineral deposits were buried beneath the white snow, the frigid climate made farming exceptionally difficult. ===== CHAPTER 544 =====