The return journey took several days and passed without incident. Mounted on their pegasi, Leylo and his group returned to Blackstone Town.
Even before entering the town, an atmosphere of solemnity, vastly different from usual, washed over them. At some point, a simple temporary camp had been established outside the town. Over a dozen uniform white tents were arranged neatly, looking like snowy-white mushrooms dotting the early spring grass.
Between the tents, soldiers clad in silver chainmail and carrying spears or heavy crossbows patrolled with steady steps, looking neither left nor right. Most striking of all was a clearing carved out in a corner of the camp where nearly a hundred magnificent pegasi were leisurely grooming their feathers or bowing their heads to feed on specialized fine fodder. Their snowy wings were folded at their sides, occasionally flapping to stir a light breeze.
Beside each pegasus stood a knight likewise clad in silver armor. The armor gleamed brilliantly in the sunlight, reflecting off the pegasi's wings and exuding a holy yet formidable sense of pressure.
Leylo's brow furrowed slightly. Given the scale of such a Pegasus Knight Regiment, he had a fair idea of the visitor's identity. To his knowledge, the only power capable of deploying pegasi on such a large scale was the Holy See of Light.
"My Lord, you've returned," Bolin, who had stayed behind to guard the territory, hurried forward to meet him, his expression carrying a hint of gravity and unease. "An important figure... is waiting for you in your castle."
Leylo nodded, dismounting and handing the reins to a nearby attendant. "An important figure?"
"It is Bishop Augustus of the Holy See. He arrived at Blackstone yesterday, saying he would stay for a few days to rest and reorganize."
Inside the castle hall, the atmosphere was somewhat oppressive. An elderly man dressed in a simple yet dignified white linen robe sat in the guest seat beside the main throne. A massive pure gold holy emblem hung from his chest, inlaid with a ruby the size of a pigeon's egg that shimmered with a soft luster.
The old man had a lean face and high cheekbones; his grey-blue eyes were as sharp as a hawk's, seemingly able to pierce through human hearts. His white hair was meticulously groomed, and a neatly trimmed silver goatee reached down to his chest. He held a thick, leather-bound scripture in his hands, his fingers gaunt but powerful.
This was none other than one of the Bishops of the Holy See, Saint Augustus.
This Bishop was famous within the Holy See for his extreme obsession with dogma and his iron-fisted methods. It was said that he once single-handedly forced the entire population of a small border town—which had been led astray by heretical ideas—to kneel once more beneath the holy emblem of the God of Light within three days. His methods were mysterious, yet none dared question his piety or power.
Rumor had it he had personally "purified" a Count possessed by a demon. The purification ritual lasted seven days and nights; ultimately, the Count's soul was redeemed, but his body turned into a pile of holy ash. Consequently, Bishop Augustus was revered by believers as the "Unbending Holy Hammer" and the "Purifier of Heresy."
He had a saying that was widely circulated: "Only ashes can guarantee sanctity."
When Leylo entered the hall, Bishop Augustus's gaze landed on him with an air of scrutiny.
"Baron Leylo, good day." Augustus's voice was calm and waveless, yet it possessed an inherent power that made one's heart skip a beat. It was said this Bishop possessed the strength of a peak Tier 5 Domain Knight and had defeated many Tier 5 opponents.
"The Bishop has traveled from afar; please forgive me for not welcoming you sooner," Leylo bowed slightly, his etiquette perfect and his face showing no sign of anything amiss. He knew that a religious leader of this caliber would never bring a hundred-man Pegasus Knight Regiment to a remote, newly established territory for no reason.
"No need for formalities, Baron." Bishop Augustus closed the scripture and placed it on his lap. "The will of the God of Light guided me here. Blackstone, as a newly pioneered territory, should bask in the radiance of my Lord to ensure every inch of land is pure and flawless."
Leylo felt a chill in his heart. The words sounded high-minded, but given Augustus's track record, the visitor likely had ill intentions. He didn't think his territory needed "purifying," nor did he want to prove his sanctity to this iron-fisted Bishop. After all, proving "sanctity" to him usually meant being turned into ash.
"What does the Bishop mean by that?" Leylo asked impassively.
Bishop Augustus's gaze sharpened again, like two unsheathed swords. "My Lord's radiance shines upon all things, but it absolutely does not allow any shadows to breed. I have come to ensure the purity of faith in Blackstone and that everything here follows the guidance of the Holy Scripture."
The air in the hall seemed to freeze. The knights standing by began to sweat. They could feel the invisible pressure radiating from the Bishop—an absolute confidence born of faith and power.
Leylo's eyes also turned cold. He disliked being scrutinized and questioned, especially on his own turf. Recently, several territories bordering the Thunder Dragon Principality and the Sun Kingdom had broken into fierce conflict and war—likely the result of the Holy See attempting to exert influence over the Principality.
"Bishop, every citizen of Blackstone is hardworking and law-abiding. We respect the God of Light, but we also believe in hard work and sweat." Leylo's tone was flat, revealing no emotion. "How does the Bishop plan to 'ensure the purity of faith' in my territory?"
Bishop Augustus gave a slight smile, though the smile offered no warmth. "Baron, as I traveled here, I saw Blackstone thriving and its people living in peace; my heart is deeply comforted." He picked up the plain water offered by an attendant and took a small sip. "However..."
His tone shifted. His voice wasn't loud, yet it reached everyone's ears clearly. "In such a vast land, there is not a single temple for my Lord. Where do the citizens pray? Where do they seek solace for their souls? Over time, without the guidance of the light of faith, the seeds of evil will quietly sprout in the shadows. Baron, don't you think this is an oversight?"
Leylo's heart sank; the old man was indeed after this. On the surface, however, he remained unmoved, even affecting a touch of appropriate guilt and helplessness.
"The Bishop's wisdom is great. Blackstone is newly founded and in a state of recovery. I have only held this land for a short time and many affairs are not yet settled. In recent days, the minions of the Nine-Headed Hydra have invaded several times, and bandits have attacked the town frequently. In this impoverished land, we are struggling just to stay alive—how could we dare hope for solace of the soul?"
He turned slightly and pointed toward the main structure of the castle, which had only just been roofed and had yet to be plastered or decorated.
"You see, this castle has only just had its frame built. Many rooms inside are still bare shells, and we haven't even furnished them properly." Leylo sighed, his tone sounding embarrassed. "To be honest, Bishop, Blackstone is currently in a financial squeeze. I have to split every copper piece in half. Building a temple is a grand matter to honor the God of Light, but it is a massive expense. With Blackstone's current state, I truly... have the will but not the strength. If the citizens' livelihoods were jeopardized for the sake of a temple, I doubt the Lord would wish to see that either."